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There are tons of sprint vids out there, but the look on Kyles face starting at 00:25 couldnt be more accurate. When you are finally strapped in, watching for a push, and you hafta get centered with your head screwed on straight cuz shits fixing to get real. Any racer who tells you they dont get butterflies right before getting pushed off is a damn liar.
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el moto diablo wrote:
Power to weight ratio its what separates men from boys
Dont forget no clutch, transmission or flywheel to rob power. Straight off the back of the crank to the quick change under the seat. Driveline is about 30" long. At about 15:1 compression, things happen real quick when you stomp the strirrup.
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Ha, I was watching going "hey, that place looks kind of familiar", I'm about 99% sure that's from the Antioch fairgrounds! Seeing those cars run is just insane, I cant even imagine how fast everything must be happening when you're out there battling with ten other guys in the same corner.
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yea, it's one thing pushing it when you are solo, I'm sure it's a completely different animal when the track is full of other guys pushing it at the same time. You can't go half assed either or you'll get smashed.
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Watched those in Edmonton a couple of years ago, absolutely gnarly. Takes a big pair to drive those.
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Dirty Britches wrote:
yea, it's one thing pushing it when you are solo, I'm sure it's a completely different animal when the track is full of other guys pushing it at the same time. You can't go half assed either or you'll get smashed.
Oh its waaaay different. Takes a while to get used to the chaos. Especially on steamy nights with a heavy track and your visor is foggin' and youre taking heavy roost and cant afford to blow thru tear offs like youd prefer. So you just cope with what little you can see. Its kinda like looking thru a plastic milk jug, all you see are colored blobs, haze and glare from the lights. And if you put too much mud-off or baby-oil on the car and dont get it wiped down good, that shit'll fly back and make it even more fuzzy.
Minisprints are WAY more civil than regular sprints.
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el moto diablo wrote:
Power to weight ratio its what separates men from boys
JAFO92 wrote:
Dont forget no clutch, transmission or flywheel to rob power. Straight off the back of the crank to the quick change under the seat. Driveline is about 30" long. At about 15:1 compression, things happen real quick when you stomp the strirrup.
What kind of gear ratio do they run outback with a direct drive set up?
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awesome video, i miss having a dirt track car in the shed, have not ever drive a sprint car, had a couple of practices in a midget and they are awesome fun,
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MR. X wrote:
What kind of gear ratio do they run outback with a direct drive set up?
You mean the ring & pinion of the quick-change or final drive?
Most rears come in 4.11 or 4.86 and then you hafta put your final gears in the back. Typically you pick the R&P that will allow you the most variety for the tracks you will be racing most.
I had a 360 and geared to keep the engine in the 7200 to 8000 range, but I built a conservative engine so it would last, lotsa ASCS guys are turning 'em 8000 to 9000 and really winding things tight.
Here is Winters chart for their gear-sets and what resulting final drives you can arrive at. You can see the wide range available.
http://www.smileysracing.com/downloads/get.aspx?i=11626
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JRT812 wrote:
Bucket list (probably will never happen) to try at least once
Its not cheap, but if nothing else you could head over to Smileys.
http://outlawdrivingschool.com
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JAFO92 wrote:
Would love to try a Midget, Ive only raced regular sprints and mini sprints.
They have a QT midget series in my area , one of the guys that helps run it ,owns a couple cars and has let people drive the extra car just to help fill the field . One of my buddies got to take him up on it once .
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Gibby that shot of you trackside is incredible, you shutterbugs are fearless. I would have that one enlarged and framed on the wall. You da man !
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Definitely my second favorite type of racing to watch. I went to the Knoxville Nationals one year, 410s and 360s. Incredible experience for sure.
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The right front looked detached from the steering wheel. At some points his hands were relatively "quiet" while the Rt.Frt. was all over the place.
I had an old Ford with twin I-beam suspension that did that.
Go for it! Don't let a little thing like fear, or common sense hold you back.
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Always loved sprints. I used to pit for my dad with his modified but I always gave him a bit of crap about why he was driving that boat when sprint cars exist. In turn, he never let me drive that boat lol.
I was standing behind the low pit wall/fence between 3 & 4 for one of those 410 races one night when a guy broke a tie rod(or something) and hit the wall, straight on, smack in front of me at about 80mph. I may have pooped a little but he(in the car) ended up hanging upside down from the top of the fence for about an hour. He retired from driving that day.
I had some great shots of Steve Kinser in the pits in Alma from 2005. He was walking around and being a clown for me and my camera but I can't find them anywhere. So bummed...
Anyway, I always imagined driving one of those would be like a dirt bike on four wheels. Awesomeness.
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SEEMEFIRST wrote:
The right front looked detached from the steering wheel. At some points his hands were relatively "quiet" while the Rt.Frt. was all over the place.
I had an old Ford with twin I-beam suspension that did that.
Yessir, the fronts kinda do what they want at times and you hafta keep your elbows up and saw the wheel to tame the beast.. Even at idle speeds the front tires wobble quite a bit.
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rancor19 wrote:
Always loved sprints. I used to pit for my dad with his modified but I always gave him a bit of crap about why he was driving that boat when sprint cars exist. In turn, he never let me drive that boat lol.
I was standing behind the low pit wall/fence between 3 & 4 for one of those 410 races one night when a guy broke a tie rod(or something) and hit the wall, straight on, smack in front of me at about 80mph. I may have pooped a little but he(in the car) ended up hanging upside down from the top of the fence for about an hour. He retired from driving that day.
I had some great shots of Steve Kinser in the pits in Alma from 2005. He was walking around and being a clown for me and my camera but I can't find them anywhere. So bummed...
Anyway, I always imagined driving one of those would be like a dirt bike on four wheels. Awesomeness.
Ive raced stock cars and modifieds, while its fun, it just doesnt turn on the adrenaline pump like sprints.
Thats a bummer about the Kinser pics, hopefully they will surface one day. Steve has always been a really nice guy to me and my son when they are in town. Unlike that prick Swindell, Kinser has always remembered where his paychecks comes from.
This pic was the night Steve got his 500th feature win, I told him when I took the pic my kid is good luck ! ;-)
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Dirty Britches wrote:
wish there was a way to ride as passenger to experience the craziness.
They make tandem cars for just that reason.
http://dirtracewithkenny.com/
http://www.extremesde.com/driving-packages/!/Extreme-Two-Seat-Sprint-Car-Riding-Experience/p/59920445
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JAFO92 wrote:
Gibby that shot of you trackside is incredible, you shutterbugs are fearless. I would have that one enlarged and framed on the wall. You da man !
Crouching down? Questionable during qualifying (when I shot that one), and no way I'd do it during a race, in case I had to run.
They did have a memorial race for a flagger who used to stand way further away from the track than the photogs. I wasn't there that night, but it was a wake-up call.
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JAFO92 wrote:
Gibby that shot of you trackside is incredible, you shutterbugs are fearless. I would have that one enlarged and framed on the wall. You da man !
GuyB wrote:
Crouching down? Questionable during qualifying (when I shot that one), and no way I'd do it during a race, in case I had to run.
They did have a memorial race for a flagger who used to stand way further away from the track than the photogs. I wasn't there that night, but it was a wake-up call.
I spent every Fri/Sat night during the summer from the age of 3 to 12 in the infield of a dirt track. No better perspective. I used to be able to go up on the dirt pile the lights were on to watch the race. Had some close calls. Wish I could find the pic of me on the dirt pile with a spun out sprint car half way up.
P.S. Steve Kinser is a class act and all around nice guy. And yes, Sammy Swindell is a douche.
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scott_nz wrote:
awesome video, i miss having a dirt track car in the shed, have not ever drive a sprint car, had a couple of practices in a midget and they are awesome fun,
JAFO92 wrote:
Would love to try a Midget, Ive only raced regular sprints and mini sprints.
MR. X wrote:
They have a QT midget series in my area , one of the guys that helps run it ,owns a couple cars and has let people drive the extra car just to help fill the field . One of my buddies got to take him up on it once .
we can rent 410 sprint cars out here for $1000 bucks a night, you pay for the damage tho, got close to signing up last year, will do it one day,
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,those dudes are certified baddass.
