Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

Looking to run a few Races with a wing this year due to my local track cutting back on the wingless nights. Could I bother some of the winged veterans for some tips on the differences between driving a winged car versus a non winged? I know all you ever hear is how winged guys never lift but I'm sure there is more to it than that! Obviously I have never driven a winged car, so I'm trying to minimize some of the hard knocks. Thanks!

Make sure you have good brakes on the car and learn to be smooth with them...

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I'm no professional, but have had the opportunity to wheel both types.

You'll need both pedals when the track slows down. Try to avoid backing the car in. Relax the wheel and let the car turn in, keep it as straight as possible, aim it if you have to, but try not to get too sideways.

You'll be able to drive in deeper with the wing. Don't be afraid of it, you'll be fine!

Bigger balls than non balls.

So you don't set the car with the brake like a non wing? Just drive it in and let the slide start itself?

Where do you lift? At turn in and right back on the gas?

Don't let the car unload, always stay on the gas for the most part. Use the brake to help turn the car. Don't try turning into the corner hard. Let the car do the work.

Don't over think it. Try to run wide open all the way around. Initially your instinct will make you lift and turn the wheel. You will hear the engine bog down and you will know that you screwed up. Next lap, lift but dont turn the wheel. You should feel the mistake and automatically adjust. I went from asphalt stock car, to dirt stock car, to dirt winged car, to dirt non-wing, back to dirt winged. Going non-wing back to wing, I was was a lot faster once I went back to the wing. I still find the wing car harder to be competetive, but I learned to shut off distractions and let pure instinct drive the car. When the track slicks off, you do have to be smooth, but again, don't overthink it. When I first started racing dirt winged cars my mantra was "Drive it in wayyyy to deep, then let the talent take over". The other good piece of advice I have heard is "Mash the gas and keep it off the fence".

So if I'm hearing you right you are on the gas all the time and just lightly using the brake to rotate the car, then using throttle to keep it in the groove?

I dont know what part of the world your are in or what track or what type of track but my advise would be to seek the help of someone who has run a winged sprint for set-up advice.. Just a good basic set-up would go a long way in allowing you to drive the car as needed.

Thanks a lot guys...I'm planning on just using Maxim's setup's off the website as my local tracks are usually tacky to average...still wondering do I steer the car in and let the wing/car slide itself or do I help it with the brake?

Ideally? No inputs whatsoever, keep the wheels straight and stay on the gas all the time. Realistically you can use the brake to start the car into the turn, or steer just a little bit into the corner, it depends on the driver and how they like to do it really. Personally I steer a bit into the corner.

after switching from a heavy IMCA type modified to a winged 360 now to a 410 there is a few things worthy of keeping you in the ballpark, to begin with, im assuming running a nonwing car you'll be more familiar with the power to weight ratio, non wing cars seem twitchy, easily biked, and (more) loose consistantly, I would assume youll have to calm your habits a bit when you start running with the "lid", REMEMBER not to overdrive yourself I like to run your agressiveness on a % value to begin with if your in unfamiliar territory or car 50-60-70- and when your extreemly comfortable and your car feels like itll stay under your ass drop the hammer to 100%, roll the straitaway calmly at first, lift moderatly into corner entry, lets say mid track with moderate speed, let the wing work for you! your shock package and torsion selection will aid the car setting into the corner , chassis TILT will be a unfamiliar feeling to you on bigger tracks, but when your fast its a feeling like no other, let the stagger of the rear and amount of down force steer you thro the corner, when your car is right itll become almost like your a robot, much less steering effort is used on the moderate to bigger tracks (granted a lock down condition) when it slicks off the game obviously becomes harder, dont let the "no lift" perception get you in trouble, a winged 410 pushn 900 hp will buzz the tires off any time of the night, unless you have a unlimited tire budget save that saying for the fans that like to hear it, youll become more comfortable with your settup and new addition of the "foil" and youll find yourself harder and harder into the throttle, you really dont realize you almost have it matted, if you do, youll be shopping for more power next week anyway. theres alot a varibles to throw a generic overlook to a winged car on here , but, those are some of the points that stick out the most to me, goodluck !!

Don't ask people on a message board. Go drive the damn thing. You'll be fine

do it in the dirt

What he said. You'll adapt. Every driver is different. Good Luck!!

Great info...Thanks a lot!