Undefined rant

Ahhh really take it a bit with humor because I know the implications of voicing this very well, and first world problems, but hey...

I am just sick of it. It's neither envy nor is it that I don't want others to have fun. I am not mad about the differences in learning curve but I think it's a lot of things that really annoy me that I have to vent in this predictable mediocre rant. But it's also about safety in the end.

I'm a fuel head. The playing field here is the race track and drag strips.

Count on me being a sports person. What it means in simple terms is that I value the contest and I honor the rules of the game. This doesn't mean I don't seek legal, or smart opportunities and max it out for my own pace. Like using little loopholes as long as it's innovative and free to copy for others. Something clever no one thought about being used for winning has a long tradition and is where innovation comes from. This is true for every range of skill combined with a mechanic contraption that is a crucial part to win.

From Formula Sports, Rally, Kart, DTM, you name it. Even private players like me. But I'm so sick of it now. I've seen it coming. Now money is everything. Admittedly I had a good base as a car and poured really lot's of time, material and money into it. But it was always a steady process of learning and then the result's came back on the race track or lately as in the last years, drag strips. The safety part is, by doing this and working up the power range, you learn to drive it.

And then the car industry, all of them, started to kill this in several ways. But what changed? It's simply that today you can buy 800hp cars from manufactures that they computerized the hell out of it. You can drift these PS monsters with one finger and one foot. And that's amazing work done, I applaud it but what the f this is so f stupid because none of those freshlings with a brand new licence and daddies AWD 800hp daily driven have any idea about driving physics. Complete brainless fools.

So what happened, it was actually a few weeks ago. I was on the drag strip trying to enjoy the last runs I planed for my life. Car is sold now so I kind of close up with it here too. But anyways as I am happy to engage in the epic battle, each #ing single time I get lined up with one of these from factory street legal race monsters. They are so optimized in software and the seat, insulation and suspesion swallows every input from the outside. I actually lost one run and I have seen the footage, that guy is like driving to the bakery at sunday, total relaxed. I blame it on my gearbox, gear stuck (really) but overall

# this! *slams on the table*

We're at a point where a, on that map I used and lost, over 1000 WHP (wheel horse power) and a mount everest of torque, with electronic everything adjustable from the e-throttle to the gates, cams and free mapping and boost by gear, dog box,... You're helpless! #ing helpless and it's not the drivers factor here, this thing is dialed in. Hope the new owner doesn't crash it but then so be it (new owner is very experienced).

But yeah, they sit there with their launch controls and bravo. Really applause you did a good race. You dropped your right foot and your car did #ing everything for you. That's something to be proud of.

No really what's it worth the hassle in the aspect of what I wrote above? It's not about winning or loosing really or that I don't enjoyed my own fun car, because I really loved it but it was too fast and I don't need this anymore. It's getting too dangerous to compete. This will end all ugly at some point, electronics can not iron out every mistake and the near # ups I had to experience that day told me everything.

I rather would have enjoyed racing some old mates or just normal persons loving to do this and not rich tourists.

Karts are fun.
I had one, 150 c.c., that registered 36 horsepower on a dyno.
Methanol and nitro.
Been clocked on radar doing 128 mph.

a reply to: Homefree
Respect that's a scary thought in a kart @ 128mph. Also bikes.

Fastest I went was 350kmh+ GPS measured. That converts, according to some website on the internet, to 217mph but remember, enclosed chassis, pipe frame, 5/6belt and stuff around. Terror still but kart@128 so close to the ground... tops it a lot, lot's of respect here.

You are not in the US I believe?

Do they have old school dirt track racing over there? It is pretty big over here, in Michigan. My son is not a driver, but involved, and if you want to find him on a Saturday night, that is where he is. He loves it for the power of the car, but also the skill of the driver. That is still a huge part of it.
For now. Hope that doesn't get ruined as well.

I understand what your saying. Sometimes technology just takes the fun out of things.

TDDA...Sounds to me like you need to go top fuel...nitro, bay-beee!

I can guarantee ya, ain't no OEM auto manufacturer going to be puttin' 10,000hp down to the asphalt anytime soon!

Homefree...I used to race karts as a younger (much) man. Sunoco 260 (basically AVGAS) and Nitro mix for fuel. Did you race Enduro or Sprint? I raced mostly Sprints, but my karts would hit 100mph pretty easily on a straight. What engines did you run? Used to run Parilla's and later switched to McCullough (kart engines).

a reply to: chiefsmom
Germany, mostly it's local concrete/tarmac sail plane or two engine plane airstrips. Mostly 1/2 mile max, some could do more though. Just talking about my region, I once went to a mile strip. But here around my "influence radius", it's mostly the above. We use the US system often for drag strips but with little in between timings like 100m and similar. Drag mind you.

We have a few different race tracks but there are two bigger motorcycle dirt tracks near me. From 125cc upwards I think. Didn't drive there but know someone that did. Probably what you mean is like a dirt strip for cars? Not that I know about but I don't rule out we have these. We have rally-cross too.

I used to drive green hell in a sub 200hp class, naturally aspirated but that's long ago and again too dangerous and also costly. I focus on different tasks now, similar but different and it makes money instead of spending

About the technology, it's rather that they make it so simple to drive but with all the comfort it's really like not noticeable what's going on. The force and physics behind a 2ton car doing these speeds, if some little gadgetry fails it's lights out. Don't get me wrong, lot's of fun upgrading to free programmable ECU and all the bells and whistles, it's amazing what I could do with it. I had a very mean launch control too but not for contest.

a reply to: ThatDamnDuckAgain
Feel that wind.
Such a rush.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk
Komet engine. Italian made.
Just over 300 lbs, kart and driver.
I smoke a lot of pistons.

You'd like this.

reelgood.com...

You can find it here and it's free....with commercials. You may have to create an account.


www.imdb.com...

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk
Have you seen these nitro cars go up in flames one out of two runs, by feeling? Even if I would be that of a acceleration freak, no no no. To dangerous, Verboten!

We also don't have the infrastructure or crowd for these type of monsters

Maybe I go airsoft, I've seen cool stuff on youtube and I found one field where hand to hand wasn't explicit restricted. Since these contact sports are dead now also. That's worth a different rant!


(Add that was a joke with the airsoft )

a reply to: ThatDamnDuckAgain

I'm a sports person too...

I like chess

Which car beat you? Was it an srt jeep?
We always have room for real men in off road hare scrambles.
Nothing like floating over uneven terrain at 100, doging trees, boulders and ripping wheelies through rivers.
I ride a ktm 350 sxf, the thing is nimble. It's like the old 250 2 strokes I used to build, except way more linear torque throught the entire powerband.

a reply to: DAVID64

First try I was passenger in one of their contraptions (positive way). That's something I can enjoy watching. Not sure about the rest but I will try find out.

Appreciated

a reply to: Mandroid7
I rather not tell. It was a five door with big hatch. Family car style, total sleeper vibe but stock. Full automatic something something gearbox. Just keeps on pulling until the gears run out. Newest #, 2021 model. That's all I will say.

I was leading but that's not important, I am an honest looser, I maintain the car and something was wrong with the gearbox. The failure was not on the track but in the garage, but I owe up to it. I revisited the gearbox before selling, 3 to 4 now smooth like a nuns belly.

Add: you can write a message to me if you are very curiousand I will tell you but I won't advertise the bastards.

a reply to: Terpene

Ha you could have used this as an excuse to circumvent the curfew here. Recreational sport.

Night chess.

a reply to: ThatDamnDuckAgain

Driving's fun, never really understood this current obsession with computers replacing driving. Gotta throw in another recommendation for the karts. Went a few years ago out on the last outdoor track here before it sadly closed down and it was a blast honestly.

Also, there's always dirtbiking or other offroad racing. That still tends to be a fairly manual experience. Plus it's pretty damn fun.

originally posted by: Mandroid7
Nothing like floating over uneven terrain at 100, doging trees, boulders and ripping wheelies through rivers.

That's a fascinating thing to do and requires a lot of different difficult skills too.

I ride a ktm 350 sxf, the thing is nimble. It's like the old 250 2 strokes I used to build, except way more linear torque throught the entire powerband.

We used to bash a 125 yamaha something and 250 honda 2 stroke over field roads as teens, in summer. For farming reasons only of course. And we never timed with stopwatches, either


But that's about every experience I have with bikes. The feeling of freedom is very satisfying though

a reply to: dug88
Electric cart. Try it if you find a track where they have them for rent.

The torque.. the torque... and if Marshals see you can drive, the up the power because many are wireless deadswitch and other things can be changed like topspeed, also because of the battery care.

These things really rip and only grip in turns is restricting, acceleration on straights is very fast and hit's restricted top speed like a wall. Everything above is very challenging, I was okay with the restriction.

a reply to: ThatDamnDuckAgain

I know there's a couple electric kart tracks in the area. Don't think they're running right now with the covid rules and stuff though. A few friends of mine have said they're pretty fun. Though, i dunno, electric vehicles are weird to drive. They're so quiet and the acceleration is totally different.

a reply to: ThatDamnDuckAgain

Lol..right on, as long as it's not a Tesla.