Crawling Secrets

[skid plate]

Originally Posted by rottenbelly

It doesnt really matter. You can have the best truck out there with all the top secret goodies and still suck ass at driving.
I watch other drivers make stuff look soooooo easy. Then when i try it i cant even figure out how to go forwards.

Originally Posted by Twiztid Metal

LOOK at Nascar. when running restrictors. EVERY car is the exact same. you can have 10 of the same crawlers, set up the EXACT same way. and yet there will be 10 different positions too fill,

honestly its a drivers match, whos got the best driving skills? who pulls off the better line....

While these statements are for the most part true, there are alot more factors that come into play.

10 rigs being set up the same? Not hardly, very small changes in spring rate or link lenght changes alot of things. Not to mention COG, width, ride height, etc.
Driver confidence is a really big factor. Take for instance the driver who lifts the front end in a climb, takes a reverse and then makes the climb the second attempt, while the driver 10 or 15 before or after him/her makes the same climb and line and lifting the front end but continues with success on the first attempt.
The same can be said again in rig confidence. Knowing what your rig can/can't do.
While some drivers struggle and some thrive it is a wide open field as far as who can win or not. Just go out and drive.
For the most part, some don't even measure success in wins or losses, it comes down to how much fun they have any given day.



JMO









JC

[eron]

There's nothing you can really do to fix the situation. You going to tell someone what they can/can't have on their rig when others can? The only possible way to keep it to a minimum, is keep a steady record of who is in the lead of the point series for your club. Work your way down from #1 driver-#last driver, have the top ranked drivers go first in order. so whoever is in last in point series, gets the opportunity to watch other drivers run to pick up tips. Kinda like NASCAR.

[romulus22]

The club that I crawl with draws numbers. The first course goes in order. The next course it flips and runs in reverse order. The third course the person in first goes last. Which I think is fair, kinda like qualifying for pole position.

[Duuuuuuuude]

Sometimes watching other drivers has helped me, sometimes it has hurt me.

The same thing can be said for NOT seeing how others have ran. There are times when I have walked up cold and blazed through like a pro.

[rock hard]

Originally Posted by eron

There's nothing you can really do to fix the situation. You going to tell someone what they can/can't have on their rig when others can? The only possible way to keep it to a minimum, is keep a steady record of who is in the lead of the point series for your club. Work your way down from #1 driver-#last driver, have the top ranked drivers go first in order. so whoever is in last in point series, gets the opportunity to watch other drivers run to pick up tips. Kinda like NASCAR.

That could be good or bad.

Some rock surfaces will wear and get loose after several passes.

Or maybe there is moisture,and water/mud is getting spread on course.
These circumstances would mean that the 1st drivers have the disadvantage as far as watching for lines.
But they would have a huge advantsge as far as the course conditions go.

So the newer guys,bottom in points will be able to watch the best drivers drive 1st
while the course is fresh,then those same drivers will have to crawl on slicker rock.

Also what about the 1st comp,who goes 1st???
there is no leader yet

A free crawl is the best way to run a comp IMO

Also the reason nascar has the fastest up front is 2 reasons.
1. whats the point of taking the pole just to be put at the back of the pack?
2. the pack starts off tight,it would make no sense having the slowest cars up front
keeping everything bottle necked. The fast cars out front,by time they catch up to the slower cars,the field has
spread out,making for better and safer racing.

Also,its my opinion that my biggest enemy is myself.
If I get nervouse/jumpy then I'm gonna suck.
If I feel that way,and cant gain composure before my run,I'll pull my truck out of the line and look for a budy to bs with.

get me head "out of the game" and come back in a bit with cleared thoughts.

I think that keeping things sectret is in ones nature,as to preserve your advantage.(myself included)

I feel though that the sharing of ideas,helps our hobby overall
And as such the supression of ideas in turn only helps those who have the ideas.

[richardgarrett56]

Originally Posted by eron

There's nothing you can really do to fix the situation. You going to tell someone what they can/can't have on their rig when others can? The only possible way to keep it to a minimum, is keep a steady record of who is in the lead of the point series for your club. Work your way down from #1 driver-#last driver, have the top ranked drivers go first in order. so whoever is in last in point series, gets the opportunity to watch other drivers run to pick up tips. Kinda like NASCAR.

thats good and fair way to run

[Almighty Malach]

Originally Posted by richardgarrett56

thats good and fair way to run

Takes waaaay too long though. Instead of having 50 drivers split between 5 courses, now you have 50 people per course. 5x as long...

I would really like to start running at least one "hidden" course per comp, just to see who actually can drive, and who watches people run to see what lines work.

[Creepy Inc.]

Originally Posted by ROCKEDUP RICKY

lots of good drivers and how the courses were made.

This is very true Rick. At one point half way thru the day I had the best run on a course but the big dogs hadn't stepped up yet.

When you look at the shoot out run, The only one to just crush it was running a prototype chassis and has no build threads and let no secrets out but to people close to him.

Plus after seeing his rig I now feel fresh tires are over rated.

[eron]

Well, its a hobby, and I enjoy going to comps just to hang out. We always help each other out when we crawl. Give each other hints of what line to take. So I guess my theory wouldn't work too long

[Harvo]

Originally Posted by Almighty Malach

I would really like to start running at least one "hidden" course per comp, just to see who actually can drive, and who watches people run to see what lines work.

I like that idea, and you could still do it as part of a free crawl format. Just line up the trucks and drivers around a corner or far enough away to keep them from seeing. Might use this in our next comp

Originally Posted by Creepy Inc.

When you look at the shoot out run, The only one to just crush it was running a prototype chassis and has no build threads and let no secrets out but to people close to him.

My point exactly. Austin not only wins... but wins in a huge way. He is an incredible driver and builder that doesn't give up all his build secrets.

[hbj069]

well if he gives up his secrets as they are being called there is always some rat bastard around the corner that will drill one more hole and call it his own! I have seen it done more than once. What makes Austin great is the simple fact he practice's more than most people comp. When it comes down to it he practices 40 to 1 on the average. Yup for every hour you practice he practices 40. It is his passion and his hobby and he takes it alot more serious than most who labels it "grown men playing with toy trucks". Also the proto type chassis he won nationals with is the same one he won the Nationals with the year before. Now on the sportsman trucks once again his design has been revealed and at this moment there are several imitations being made, fortunately very few people know why it is designed the way it is and will screw up the entire reasoning behind it. On to the watching other people run, I have watched several hundred nascar races as well as a few thousand pro drag passes, I really dont think it has made me a pro or made me any faster and I am positive that I aint gonna run with the jimmy johnson crew ever. It all boils down to practice and the skills one may possess. You can watch all you want , if you aint got it then its time to have fun and enjoy the company of our friends. Practice, practice, and more practice as well as knowing what your rig can do and trusting your rig to do it seems to be the key.

[JeremyH]

Originally Posted by rock hard

Or maybe there is moisture,and water/mud is getting spread on course.
These circumstances would mean that the 1st drivers have the disadvantage as far as watching for lines.
But they would have a huge advantsge as far as the course conditions go.

Yep, I won a comp because of this. No one wanted to run first, so I went....and muddied up the course for everyone else.

[ROCKEDUP RICKY]

Originally Posted by JeremyH

Yep, I won a comp because of this. No one wanted to run first, so I went....and muddied up the course for everyone else.

YOU WON A COMP. Who else was there Rock hard.

[JeremyH]

Man, you are on a roll this morning!

[ROCKEDUP RICKY]

Originally Posted by JeremyH

Man, you are on a roll this morning!

I feel good this morning.

[richardgarrett56]

Originally Posted by Almighty Malach

Takes waaaay too long though. Instead of having 50 drivers split between 5 courses, now you have 50 people per course. 5x as long...

I would really like to start running at least one "hidden" course per comp, just to see who actually can drive, and who watches people run to see what lines work.

well this would put a lot of people out

[4xFord]

Originally Posted by hbj069

well if he gives up his secrets as they are being called there is always some rat bastard around the corner that will drill one more hole and call it his own! I have seen it done more than once. What makes Austin great is the simple fact he practice's more than most people comp. When it comes down to it he practices 40 to 1 on the average. Yup for every hour you practice he practices 40. It is his passion and his hobby and he takes it alot more serious than most who labels it "grown men playing with toy trucks". Also the proto type chassis he won nationals with is the same one he won the Nationals with the year before. Now on the sportsman trucks once again his design has been revealed and at this moment there are several imitations being made, fortunately very few people know why it is designed the way it is and will screw up the entire reasoning behind it. On to the watching other people run, I have watched several hundred nascar races as well as a few thousand pro drag passes, I really dont think it has made me a pro or made me any faster and I am positive that I aint gonna run with the jimmy johnson crew ever. It all boils down to practice and the skills one may possess. You can watch all you want , if you aint got it then its time to have fun and enjoy the company of our friends. Practice, practice, and more practice as well as knowing what your rig can do and trusting your rig to do it seems to be the key.

I agree with this and the guy that said know your rig. If its all about having the same rigs or watching guys drive then how come its consistently the same few guys finishing in the top??

I don't care about people watching others drive, sometime it helps, sometimes it hurts. I prefer not to pay too much attention to it. And just focus on me and my driving. I also have way more fun that way, and feel better for performing well if I didn't study everyone's lines or have a spotter point out every pebble for every lug on my tires.

[JeremyH]

Originally Posted by 4xFord

I prefer not to pay too much attention to it. And just focus on me and my driving. I also have way more fun that way, and feel better for performing well if I didn't study everyone's lines or have a spotter point out every pebble for every lug on my tires.

That's because you dont show up until everyone has already driven all of the courses.....

[Harvo]

I agree with a lot of what hbj069 said. Oh my Knowing your truck, practicing, and all that makes the biggest differece yes. That goes without saying.

But the secrets i'm talking about are the ones that give those drivers who practice and know their stuff that slight edge or competitive advantage over everyone that drives trucks that are similar.

Yeah, eventually the cat gets out of the bag, but not until after it racks up a few good finishes.

And I think watching does matter. I used to try and watch every moonbuggy I could run a course to see what they would do at certain spots. I think it helped.

Now that I have been running an XR, I've been going my own way on the build and watching doesn't matter. It's making me a better driver IMO.

[4VRYNG]

I like to drive a course first sometimes just to show everyone else what NOT to do.