NSS - Open Practice - Important Announcement

[RSB]

ouch.

[Frasson118]

Obviously, I'm in the minority here. I guess it's part of the mindset here in Florida.

I have to ask the question though.... if this IS such a good policy, why are we the only state (that I know of) that does it? Every other area has a single practice night, prior to the season starting, and that's IT for the year.

I thought people owned racecars to RACE them, not just drive fast with no competition.

Another opinion here... practice sessions lead to lousy racing. All the testing is done in "the groove".... making the car perfect for a certain line around the track. Now you've got 10 cars, all running the exact same line, because that's the only lane that is comfortable. The only way to pass is either a mistake by the car ahead, or a nudge from the car behind, which leads to both follow the leader racing, and a demo derby.

Nobody PRACTICES the outside groove, so nobody wants to race out there either. Luckily, many tracks have smartened up and brought back double-file restarts, as many times, that's the only side-by-side you will see all night.

[ocalasp76]

Well, I guess opinions differ between drivers and non-drivers. When I practice I test setups for different grooves actually. Seat time on a track helps make for a better lap time too.
Racers requested a test and tune night from the tracks. Most all asphalt tracks have them now as long as they have enough people show up to make expenses.
-JIM-

[Racer101]

Most people do own race cars to race them. There might be the select few who just want to turn laps. But the majority of people at practice night are there to make the car better. There are the ones who are there every practice night and every race night, and I'm not talking hig dollar guys either.
As far as practice night hurting "the groove". If the groove is faster, thats where I want to be running. Most short tracks are more or less single groove. So you better make sure your car runs in it, and preferrably runs fast in it. Passing is hard. You have to work a guy over, try to make him make a mistake, or just wait for their car to slip. Thats just how it goes. Practice day or race day, cars just run where there is grip. But if the car isn't perfect (which is most often the case it seems), thats when you start to experiment to see where the car does better. Don't you think if you could run way up high and still be just as fast (or faster), that many of these guys would have figured that out by now? That way they could more easily pass without anyone in their way. It just doesn't work like that. If your car doesn't work in the groove, you do the best you can with what you got and hope it's good enough.... That's just the way it is at most short tracks.

[openwm53]

Heres an example

We put a new motor in .....A steal headed motor to a aluminum head motor....changed all 4 shocks and had no clue wat rpm the new motor would pull. Friday practice before the 50 lap race .......shook down the car.....found oil leaks....got the right gear......and had the evening conditions to practice for the next evening. ( close to race conditions) Qualified 4th out of 23 good cars. Never would have happened without the practice to ( shakedown ) the car. Practice can be a good thing and nothing competes with seat time. Citrus lets you camp so only one trip there and one home. P.S. turned many practice laps on the outside to see if what we did worked

[RSB]

Nobody's gonna win this argument/discussion! I was VERY thankful for several practice sessions in a super late(thanks Lee Faulk and Bert Ashelman!) after being in a street stock or PARTS truck for a few years. I couldn't have imagined starting my first race in it with the Fl.Pro series with only one night of practice. BUT, I did end up blowing the motor during the first PRACTICE on race day! LOL!!

[Winger]

There was a time you could run the car up and down the road to warm it up, check for leaks, make sure the rear end and transmission were working correctly. I guess those days are gone for most of us.
Asphalt tracks are notoriously one groove tracks that often provide train type races or crash fests. However, there are certain drivers that can consistently run out of the groove and pass on the outside. There are only a few that do it though. Most don't even try to set their car up to try. Herb and Curtis Neumann and Wayne Anderson could consistently win races from the back at Citrus. They can pass on the outside and when someone tries taking their groove away from there, they will pass you on the inside. Granted, some tracks just don't make it worthwhile to get out of the groove. I guess that's why I like dirt racing so much. However, that said, I do like the racing at Citrus and use to often see 3 wide racing in the lower divisions. They also use an invert and that promotes passing.
As someone said, no ones going to win this discussion. I do feel bad for the guy that comes to practice and blows his motor on the first lap of practice. Seen it happen. One wee the guy wrecks the car big time in practice and next week he blows the motor. Never made it to race. Guess he should have started the motor, put it on some stands and made sure the wheels turned when the motor ran. I'm being sarcastic cause I hope he did do that.
Hey Jim, old buddy ole pal. When can I get in the seat? LOL