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

Looks like a driver/team is being acused of using tc or some type or rev limiter.

It does sound very weird in the corners. Never heard a rythem like it.

Opinions?

https://www.facebook.com/513010225/videos/10164369187750226/?extid=PnUvxMEXuzSXgmDu

I tell it like I see it.

I'd have to agree - I don't think I've ever heard a car sound like that. Not making any statement towards to possible use of TC or not, but that thing definitely sounds different.

Something is going on.   The sound was very different. 

Wasn't there a limited sprint car group somewhere that allowed TC for a while?   It would be interesting to have someone from that group talk about what TC actually sounds like.   

All we know is that car sounds different in the corners than most cars.   I read through the comments on facebook and thought the throttle control comments were really funny.   No way that those sounds are repeatable in the corners just by a guy feathering the throttle.   

The video doesnt do it justice. I was there and it was even more profound in person. I dont know why you would be pedaling a car for qualifying on that type of track condition anyways. Plenty of bite. Not to mention it was too consistant of a sound for someone to be doing that with their foot especially the way a sprint car throlttle is set up anyways. Not saying TC.... but something is off somewhere.

I dunno. I don't hear it as being anything outrageous. On the other hand, what keeps the people to the right of the flagstand from having a sprint car in their lap if there's a crash? The catch fence, which doesn't look like it would stop a flipping sprinter anyway, seems to end at the flagstand.

TC that I think I heard had a sort of dead sound in engine, like a spark plug wire was off yet car ran up front.  I do not think WOO even checks this out at all.  

Video must not do justice to the track conditions either if you say there was "plenty of bite"

That track looks like its already slicked off going into turn 1, looks like lots of dry loose marbles all the way around the track.

Hard to hear but it reminds me a bit of the rev limiters on the limited late models in my area.  Those guys hold the pedal down when it bangs on the chip but this guy seems to back off before it does that.

In Norcal the stock car guys run around with the cars banging off the chip at the flag stand, apparrently it doesn't upset the car much.  I know that in a midget when it hits the chip and stops pulling as you get to the corner, it makes the car feel weird, so I would breathe the throttle to control that weight shift myself.  This guy could just be running around on the rev limiter like the modified guys do, that would explain that sound, particularly since you hear it on corner entry.

Somthing's not right or "normal"

I've watched this a couple of times and read through the facebook comments.  I will never label a guy as a cheater without proof as that's about the worst thing to be called.  But in all the races I've been to, I've never heard a sprint car sound like that and just like everyone else on here, I've seen the greatest drivers drive these cars.  So I'm not buying that this guy, who I've never heard of has better throttle control than all the other great drivers before him.  Again, I won't call a guy a cheater without proof, so if it's not traction control, what's the deal?

I have seen cars caught by that fence, it is up to the task. The flagstand is maybe 2/3rd's down the grandstand which is set back quite a bit from the racing surface and maybe eight or ten feet above ground level. And a walk way before the seats start also. The Area in between is the push off area , almost a tracks width itself. You would almost need a car racing the wrong way to get in those seats. I feel comfortable sitting on that end. Plus it's closer to the beer stand.

Thanks for the reply. It's always hard to tell what kind of optical illusion is produced by a video camera. What track is this?

Related- I was at a fairgrounds with a huge 1/2 mile track once that had a whimpy fence above the guardrail and another semi-whimpy fence about 20' back. I was coming from the concession area back out to the grandstands which put me right next to the 2nd fence as a flipping sprint car crashed over the 1st fence.  The car came to a stop in a heap about 10' away from me. It could have been worse. I could have spilleed my beer!

Knoxville had a penalty of lifetime ban.No one has ever been caught but it is almost undetectable according to people that manufacture and sell it.There have been some accused but never actually penalized.Same thing as 430 motors that used to be changed after qualifing.It does make the car sound different as it reduces the power.I have it in my 4WD pickup that I pull sometimes and it was no help as it kept the wheels from spinning and momemtum is the key in that sport.THere have been a few caught cheating at Knoxville  and just like Richard Pettys 200 th win the win still stands unless weight is reason.

I am sure the Dream Team knows.  Also have you listed close to their motors in the turns especially on a slicker track conditions.

The track is Plymouth WI. It's also a fairgrounds track and I bet at some point along time ago it was a half mile and the new track was built inside leaving the grandstand set back. You maybe should of offered that driver your beer since you were right there. he was probably ready for a drink.

He's doing that with his foot fellas. Guarantee it. 

Been kind of following this development this is my understanding of the situation, if I don't have all the details correct, I appologize, but this is an outsiders view point after talking to a few people closer to the situation:

The driver was the current point leader in a local 360 sprint series.  He was being acused of using some kind of TC device due to the sound his engine made.  Driver/team says it was his foot manipulating the throttle, nonetheless he had parts confiscated and tested.  Tests came back showing these parts were legal or at least showed no signs of anything illegal.  However, still was suspended by the series/track on "suspiscion" of cheating. 

While serving his suspension penalty, the local 410 series was racing at the track that night as well.  He hoped into a 410 car from another team and while making his 410 debut, he proceded to make that car sound exactly the same as his 360 with his throttle manipulation.  That is the video that was posted at the begining of this thread - the debut in a 410

Instead of attempting to vindicate himself by showing he can do this in another car, it has surprisingly backfiered an opened him up to additional criticism.

Either way, the real question to ask is how can a series suspend someone just based on suspicion?  It ultimately cost him the point lead and most likely the championship(s)