who built your engine? what has been done to it? what rpm's are you turning? what clutch are you on? how's your maintenance program, tires ties tires, corner speed shows up on the straightaway, what are your rpm drops.... Stop worrying about the other guy and focus on your program when you do beat him it will be that much more rewarding!
Who is RJ Saylor?
- Thread starter Prorookie34
- Start date
I'D BEG TO DIFFER ANY RESPECTABLE ENGINE BUILDER VALUES THEIR INTEGRITY
Prorookie34
Member
Thank you for your advice! We run a stock predator class. We are new and thats why I was asking about built engines
I research everyday, drives my wife nuts
I meant if I asked him to build a motor a certain way, would most builders care or keep up with the fact that its being built for a stock class and call you out on it, or is all on us racers and tech or lack of
Colt sr
Member
He will first ask you for what track. Then he will advise you that this part or that grinding will not make you legal. He will refuse to build your engine that way and build it to spec. With that being said some guys take the engine home and put illegal parts in them after he has done the work to them I could name off a few racers around our area that I know for a fact that do that.
Prorookie34
Member
Priceless info. I assumed this but it helps a lot knowing someone who has seen it. We raced these guys this past weekend and id give anything to post more info, but we are kind of getting a long and definitely keeping up. I have my assumptions but they seem better left alone. If this class returns next year, which I don't see happening, we will carry our concerns into next year.
For now we want to finish up the season and hopefully do some indoor stuff for our first time.
I still may post on here at the end of the year just to clear the air a little and make things make a little more sense to anyone who cares.
Again all this tip toeing comes from probably having to race this team for many years to come and the fact that its children racing
For now we want to finish up the season and hopefully do some indoor stuff for our first time.
I still may post on here at the end of the year just to clear the air a little and make things make a little more sense to anyone who cares.
Again all this tip toeing comes from probably having to race this team for many years to come and the fact that its children racing
Prorookie34
Member
Yeah it sounds like IF these motors are illegal, the teams are more than likely at fault for lying or altering what has been done. Thank you.
I am more against 400 dollar stock motors not being claimed all across the country and it being such a touchy subject. If it were common, itd discourage this HUGE problem.
Prorookie34, before you get too enthusiastic about claimer rules, consider this; I pit crewed on a car that had a super setup guy for a crew chief, at a track that had a claimer rule. We were fast because of his talents, not because our engines were special, but we found another track after having 3 engines claimed in 5 weeks because competitors thought we had something special. We found another track, with no claimer rule.
And this was in a stock car class where we ran junkyard engines out of wrecks from a local wrecking yard - a bit more expensive than kart engines, especially when you look at the labor involved finding, cleaning, setting valves and such, and then installing. Unless the $$ of the claimer rule is high enough to prevent this, I avoid claimer rule tracks.
And this was in a stock car class where we ran junkyard engines out of wrecks from a local wrecking yard - a bit more expensive than kart engines, especially when you look at the labor involved finding, cleaning, setting valves and such, and then installing. Unless the $$ of the claimer rule is high enough to prevent this, I avoid claimer rule tracks.
IDK anyone with a super unloading for 3k to win, unless its to simply shake it down or test some things before a big show....shoot nowadays super shows are paying 20k to win on a week night.
Being called a cheater is really the biggest compliment you can get, and trust me when you're fast and winning that's the first thing people go to. Never has offended us, then again I know we are legal, and have gone home with our engine in a box torn down to the block on plenty of occasions.
Prorookie34
Member
Thanks for the replies guys. If we would of won a feature and been called out it would of been easier to claim. We only have one race left and have accomplished so much more than we could ever ask for. We are very sure their motors are turned up, for obvious reasons, but we have one more shot at a feature and will move onto next year. They've ran most people off it seems anyway in our class.
Also the claimer price should be reasonable. Agree.
Also the claimer price should be reasonable. Agree.
There are actually quite a few Supers that do unload for $3000 to win. Mid Ohio Valley area has alot of good races that pay 3 to 5 Grand and Youll see some good Super Late Model racing too. Can bet its better than the trains you see on the Lucas tour. Got guys like Josh Rice(you may have heard of him), Big Show Robby Hensley, RJ and Rod Conley, Tricky Tristain Chamberlain, I could go on and on buddy,.. All these guys though will never recoup their investment in their racecar was my point if you go back and read previous posts..
mike97760
Site Supporter
The problem in karting with claimer rules in karting is that nobody will actually claim them. They will moan and groan about this or that engine always beating them but they are afraid to find out that tires and chassis setup are beating them,
which usually they are. Kind of puts them on the spot after they do it.
which usually they are. Kind of puts them on the spot after they do it.
CarlsonMotorsports
Site Supporter
Same with sealed engines for oval racing not catching on. Everyone seems to want to "buy" an engine advantage rather than work on the rest of their program.
I know guys who spend $600 on a Predator with a claim rule knowing full and well that the chance that they'll get claimed are slim to none before it is rebuild time.
The claim rule only works if engines are actually being claimed on a regular basis.
Colt sr
Member
I think the claim rule is stupid. And most of these guys with builder prepared engines don't have just 1 engine in their shop or trailer. So if they do get claimed they just put a fresh engine on next race. Especially if the op is talking about the team I am thinking of around our area.
Prorookie34
Member
This was the exact reason for my original post. Like I've said though, we are new and all the tip toeing was me not trying to be disrespectful and make a bad name for ourselves.
We've been pushed away more than we've been encouraged to keep going it feels like, but luckily our team/family have obtained a passion for kart racing over this first full year.
Also I don't think the team in question is well off monetarily, but more resourceful by far. That's another reason we didn't just claim. I would still feel bad if I claimed an expensive engine, and it wasn't cheating, because I don't know what's going on behind the scenes and just want everyone to be happy and race fair.
We love the track and people regardless, but the most unfortunate part of it all is, we will look elsewhere next year and that sucks because I feel like we could of done more.
DynoDon
Moderator
There is no such thing as SPEC for a predator
Colt sr
Member
Certain tracks have Certain specs they post in the track rule book. Like some require stock air box where others don't. Kind of like the pipe rules in clone where some require weenie pipe and others require large pipes.
Don't be afraid to hurt some feelings... If you feel like it needs to be done by all means use the rulebook as it was intended to be. You better believe the engine builder did when he built the engine. Is there no tech going on at this track? How much faster are their lap times to yours? Are you sure your chassis and tires are on kill? Where are you finishing in the feature?
