Top End Tactics

[Michael Beard]

Originally Posted by Manny Sousa

The "cut a light and run your number" isn't an instant win against some of the really good drivers. It's much more difficult to win in any class these days, so the driver's theory is to set up real tight on the tree and make it close at the other end. So in theory, if you cut a light like a .007 and run dead on 7 you have a real nice .014 package. But when the black and decker tree wreckers like Biondo or Bertozzi leave with a .005, they have .009 to get in on you and they are good enough drivers to do that on a regular basis. They don't do it everytime, but these strategies dramatically improve their odds of the win light coming on.

Manny's dead-on.

It's more likely that the top tier drivers are going to be .007 take 7 than it is for Joe Average to to be .007 dead-on 7. It's more likely for a top tier driver playing dialer to be .007 dead-on 7 than it is for Joe Average trying to hold and be .007 take 7. Regardless of strategy, the game still favors the better driver statistically. Does the little guy throw out a great package sometimes and beat them? Absolutely. It happens. What's the percentage chance of that happening? Does the top tier driver give one away sometimes? Absolutely. It happens. What's the percentage chance of that happening?

Increasing your knowledge base will improve your chances... regardless of what your skill level is now. Any of the schools, live or online, are probably cheaper than the next .03 you find in your car. Learn the skills that will turn on a few more win lights, and you'll make more money, which you can *then* go buy the latest go-fast parts with!



50 passes in a weekend = double-entered and run yourself in the finals every day, Fri-Sat-Sun. Although obviously exaggerated, there is a lesson to be taken from it... seat time is invaluable. It's going to be tougher for anyone to race 8-12 times a year and be competitive against someone running 37 weekends a year, many of which include multiple races and/or entries.