04:42:44pm, Tuesday, April 16, 2024
|
Classes That Require Superior Driving vs The Most HP
|
Registered: 01/03/2019 Posts: 280 |
With all the discussion lately about "tractor racing" and "race sleds" versus Truck/Tractor Pulling. It got me thinking that in some classes the most HP is a bigger key to success and other classes better driving is the key to success. I am not insinuating that you don't need both but I think there are clearly classes where HP is second to driving, sled placement and vehicle set-up and other classes where 50hp can make a big difference in where you place. It also seems that lower HP classes are more dependent on HP and higher HP classes are more dependent on driver skill. I submit that in SSD4x4 you could have 1000HP+ difference in vehicles at any number of GN/CT events and all have a decent chance of winning, whereas limited pro 4x4 is mainly dictated by who has the biggest pony under the hood.
So, which class is the ultimate driver class and which class is the ultimate HP class? Why don't pullers do more to make their classes driver classes instead of chasing HP every year? |
|
Re: Classes That Require Superior Driving vs The Most HP
|
Registered: 04/04/2008 Posts: 1,521 |
Nqs pro stock,ultimate drivers class |
|
Re: Classes That Require Superior Driving vs The Most HP
|
Fitz
|
LSS is the drivers class. |
|
Re: Classes That Require Superior Driving vs The Most HP
|
Festus Haggin
|
Grand National Mini Rod !!! A rocket in your pocket, has to be blast to drive/ride !!! |
|
Re: Classes That Require Superior Driving vs The Most HP
|
Festus Haggin
|
Your right, i forgot about speed limit classes, just watch the guys an gals that pull with USA pullers, they got to know their tractors and setup. |
|
Re: Classes That Require Superior Driving vs The Most HP
|
Registered: 03/01/2009 Posts: 132 |
Light supers stocks. The lower the weight the more skill it takes! |
|
Re: Classes That Require Superior Driving vs The Most HP
|
LSS Fan
|
I would say mini rod and twd come more down to the driver and setup, followed by LSS. Super farm I would say is most dependent on horsepower. |
|
Re: Classes That Require Superior Driving vs The Most HP
|
Registered: 04/14/2021 Posts: 27 |
Yes, I know I'll catch some flack over this, "it's boring", "not enough smoke and noise", yada yada yada. But any speed limit class is a drivers class. Getting the tractor set up right, picking the right spot on the track and knowing when/how much throttle to give are all the more critical when you don't have momentum to carry you along.
Before I get flamed, I am NOT trying to take anything away from any other class and say anyone can sit in the seat and grab the wheel and win. I'm not saying that at all. |
|
Re: Classes That Require Superior Driving vs The Most HP
|
Registered: 02/08/2014 Posts: 406 |
Mini Rod and modifieds |
|
Re: Classes That Require Superior Driving vs The Most HP
|
Registered: 10/30/2018 Posts: 749 |
It would be mini rod or i could be with Patches i have a SS garden tractor 80 hp way meaner ride than the llss tractors was no role cage 15 mph 6ft long steering by sliding your rear end around on the seat so i know hands down it would be the MINI bIG CAHOONAS FOR THAT CLASS |
|
Re: Classes That Require Superior Driving vs The Most HP
|
Moderator Registered: 01/11/2009 Posts: 1,576 |
good question and discussion. I am partial to speed and rpm limited classes because as mentioned by Drew already you're removing momentum, requiring better detail to track reading, weight placement, tire pressure, etc...and you haven't cracked the throttle to head down the track yet. I admire the deadweight guys and gals too...thats a chess match in some clubs because of the rules they may employ. Bryan Lively - 
    |
|
Re: Classes That Require Superior Driving vs The Most HP
|
Registered: 01/03/2019 Posts: 280 |
Just curious because I am not in tune with all the classes mentioned above and the rpm/speed limited classes make a lot of sense.
In the non-rpm or speed limited classes mentioned above are most of the year to year improvements based on set-up or are teams still looking for HP? I am using SSD4x4 as baseline knowledge where the majority of teams are looking for better drivability and set-up and very few look for more HP. I saw Pro-stock, LSS, Minis...etc. I know for a fact pro-stock are looking for more power and so much so that organizations finally limited the HP so, I'm not convinced that class isn't somewhat more dependent on HP. What about LSS and Minis? Do teams still look to add HP in the offseason if possible? |
|
Re: Classes That Require Superior Driving vs The Most HP
|
Registered: 08/16/2021 Posts: 302 |
To me it seems the minis require the best driver. While pro stocks depend heavily on the most horse power. This is an incredible question though. |
|
Re: Classes That Require Superior Driving vs The Most HP
|
Casual observer
|
Both are great classes to watch,....but I've never seen a mini squat their tires at 10',....and if a 10 Pro doesn't squat their tires at 10' they aren't going anywhere. That's all accomplished from the seat,............ not by their competing weight... |
|
Re: Classes That Require Superior Driving vs The Most HP
|
by fAR
|
by far the best driving i believe is done by the diesel superstock trucks. they can have all the power in the world but getting it to the ground and when is key for them. mini mods would be just as difficult too. |
|
Re: Classes That Require Superior Driving vs The Most HP
|
Registered: 04/29/2013 Posts: 13 |
I am a truck guy through and through but SSD has become unwatchable. It's 100% pure bounce fest, and while I agree that everyone has to drive their butts off, I can't stand watching them pedal the thing so badly out of the hole, and then finally hit full zoot, then go into superbounce at the end. It's a crap show. I hope someone in that class has the sense to find a better tire setup so that we can watch STABLE vehicles that put MORE HP to the ground.
You couldn't pay me to watch street stock gas pickups, that's always a bounce fest too. Amateur hour.....$300k 4000HP diesels should not resemble the same thing!!! |
|
Re: Classes That Require Superior Driving vs The Most HP
|
Just Sayin’
|
Not an expert on and FWD classes, but I’ve always thought the FWD classes (nearly all) have the bounce factor due to the amount of weight placed on the front of the vehicle utilizing the lightest weight possible to the rear. To me, that just adds to “driving factor” is to when you feel you e got good bite to open it up. |
|
Re: Classes That Require Superior Driving vs The Most HP
|
Not exactly
|
Doesn’t matter what class you run……you don’t get the tires hooked you are screwed. |
|
Re: Classes That Require Superior Driving vs The Most HP
|
not pro stock
|
a guy that's never driven a pro stock won the ring in bowling green. maybe it was beginners luck or maybe they are easy to drive. mini was harder to drive years ago but not as much anymore with the new rear ends. unlimited mod or lss are the two biggest drivers classes. those two classes still have plenty of dq's even from seasoned drivers. that should tell you something about how hard they are to drive. |
|
Re: Classes That Require Superior Driving vs The Most HP
|
CA
|
I thought we were talking about which class was the hardest to be successful in? Not which was the easiest to go out of bounds in,.....yes all mod classes are the easiest to go out of bound in,...but that's because their wheel speed is counter productive to any braking system currently available ,... |
|
Re: Classes That Require Superior Driving vs The Most HP
|
Registered: 03/26/2008 Posts: 494 |
Minis are a lot easier to drive now than they were about 10 years ago. Back in the day, you had to feel it in your butt. Now it is point and punch. Look at how all the "new" drivers are successful. Rookies who have never sit in the seat of any type of pulling vehicle can win at about any event. Some of the older, more experienced drivers have a little trouble getting used to the new driving style--still want to feather it a little to get the feel as opposed to just bending the throttle from the tight chain. And when you do that, with the transfers of today, you basically lost in the first 25 feet. |
|
Re: Classes That Require Superior Driving vs The Most HP
|
Moderator Registered: 03/19/2018 Posts: 662 |
I would have to say
1. Any speed limit class and the faster the limit the harder it is. Actualy, the higher the limit and the lighter the weight. You ever watch a 4500 12mph class indoors? Geez. 2. SSDFWD 3. LSS 4. Tie MINI & UNL The Unlimiteds and Minis have crazy power to weight to manage, but I'll never be convinced a supercharger is harder to drive than compound turbos. Just nope. As a total derail, I wonder about this annually: What if SSDFWD truck ran on the same tires as TWDs front and rear (or TWD rear/MINI front)? They'd hook in a lot harder for sure and it would be an appearance differentiation from 3.6 and all other 4x4 classes. Maybe it's dumb, maybe there's no appetite for that, but I'd pay to see what it looked like just once. CP |
|
Bud Boss exhibition twin engine 4x4
|
kevin h
|
It would look something like this: [www.youtube.com] 1988 USHRA |
|
42 inch cepeks on a 4wd
|
kevin h
|
A newer video: [www.youtube.com] 
|
|
Re: Classes That Require Superior Driving vs The Most HP
|
Registered: 01/03/2019 Posts: 280 |
Unless the rules changed to allow planetary differentials I think you'd destroy a R&P every pass. |
|
Re: Classes That Require Superior Driving vs The Most HP
|
Speakin the truth
|
Modifieds/Unlimiteds take the best Driver hands down. All these people saying mini rods are wrong! Mini rods take the lightest driver but as far as best driver? No way. |
|
Re: Classes That Require Superior Driving vs The Most HP
|
Easy Rider
|
Mini Rods are by far one of the most exciting classes for a reason. It's not because they are easy to drive... |
|
Re: Classes That Require Superior Driving vs The Most HP
|
Registered: 08/16/2021 Posts: 302 |
Was told this exact thing by two guys who run minis. Said the minis are pretty similar as far as engines go they are all fairly similar there but weight distribution makes a huge difference. It is kind of cool to see how the Slaugh's found a way to make up for that. |
|
Re: Classes That Require Superior Driving vs The Most HP
|
Registered: 10/30/2018 Posts: 749 |
At this point add up the above content most are saying the mini |
|
Re: Classes That Require Superior Driving vs The Most HP
|
I've only driven a LSS! But I can tell you, I've had my hands full a time or two! NFMS was one of them! |
|
Re: Classes That Require Superior Driving vs The Most HP
|
Registered: 04/04/2008 Posts: 1,521 |
I'm with lewis on this 17 mph ground speed,no steering brakes,and at 1050 lbs most drivers are more than 20 % of total vehicle weight.the position of the drivers body is very critical during the hook |
Website Statistics
Global: Topics: 38,565, Posts: 229,582, Members: 3,319.
This forum: Topics: 37,056, Posts: 225,843.
Global: Topics: 38,565, Posts: 229,582, Members: 3,319.
This forum: Topics: 37,056, Posts: 225,843.
Our newest member BadHabit2
