Racing tactics for super tight xc tracks

[balls2da-wall]

Well a few weeks ago I did a race in Illinois that was super tight....by this I mean your rear wheels where rubbing almost every set of trees. I race B-class and found a few A racers on the last lap that were just flying through the trees without a care in the world. My question is what is the trick to doing this? If I try going fast I always end up clipping one or always have a sour-face expression on just waiting to hit a tree. Also, offcambers have been giving some trouble to...trying to weave in and out of trees on a side hill. What do you guys do about this situation? Do I want all my weight on my down hill side of my peg and lean up hill or all my wieght on the uphill side and lean uphill?

Also,...LOGS? Whats the best way? for straight ones and sideways ones...I usually hit the straight ones hard enough to jump over them, but the ones that arnt straight really throw me around if I do that....should I just hit them hard enough to get the front over and hammer on the gas hoping the rear will crawl over or what?

Thanks in advance!

[Johnny & Monica]

The thing I watch for in tigth woods is only watch one side . Say your left an get as close as you can on the left an dont worry your rigth will slide threw . If your trying to watch both your going to slow lol . An bound to get jolted :eek2:

[balls2da-wall]

Thanks Johnny...I think thats exactly what my problem is...im trying to watch both tires at once and end up slowing down too much.

[old-XC-guy]

I agree with Johnny as well.. I always watch left side, Most of the time I will almost rub my left front and hammer the gas ! But beware becouse its GOING to happen.. Some Dumb xxx will cut the track for a Blaster !!! And your doing the superman over the bars. Cant be scared to wreck !! If you are your never going to be super fast.

[ex kid]

throttle or brake. just keep saying it in your head.

[balls2da-wall]

Its not the wrecking that scares me so much its the energy it takes out of your everytime you hit a tree. Makes my arms and abs go numb.

[esr250r86]

Originally posted by Johnny & Monica
The thing I watch for in tigth woods is only watch one side . Say your left an get as close as you can on the left an dont worry your rigth will slide threw . If your trying to watch both your going to slow lol . An bound to get jolted :eek2: Thats really good advice,never thought of that.

[balls2da-wall]

Anyone got other secrets to XC racing? I know I constantly find myself trying to fall into a "pace". Ive always got to tell myself to be hard on the gas and to keep clicking through the gears instead of setting it in 2 or 3rd and cruising.

[old-XC-guy]

Yeah I hate it, makes me wander why Im out there in the woods sometimes. LOl..

[old-XC-guy]

Originally posted by balls2da-wall
Anyone got other secrets to XC racing? I know I constantly find myself trying to fall into a "pace". Ive always got to tell myself to be hard on the gas and to keep clicking through the gears instead of setting it in 2 or 3rd and cruising.

I try to pick guys off , keep going faster till you catch someone then pass . Gives me somthing to do.. Besides it makes you faster without thinking about it. ( Dont ever stop ) If someone stops in front of you , get around them !!!

[balls2da-wall]

I think thats something else I need to work on. When I catch up to someone I always fall into there pace...i need to learn to get around them as fast as possible. I found myself this year looking for alternate lines all the time which I think will help me get around people.

[parkers30]

this race wasn't an MXC or OMA by chance? Gusse lays out super tight tracks in the woods with a lot of wide open too, his tracks are probably the only reason I go back to his races

for off cambers I keep my weight on the uphill side put my body off th seat some to the same side

[mitch91]

At the times for weird corners or something that you would normaly let right off the gas, keep on the gas at least a little, takes a few seconds off your time. Work on keeping it inthe right gearing, so once you hammer the gas you do not bog, or have to shift right away.

[balls2da-wall]

Parker...it was put on by WFOPromotions so im not sure if thats the same guy...I think mainly why they are so tight is because they are built more so for dirtbikes in the afternoon...I like how they try and keep the races relatively close to the iowa boarder so its not that far of drive for me.:p

[Barrymaxx]

For the logs, I like to burp the gas to get the front end over, then kinda let the back bounce over. Its hard to explain, you just kinda bend your knees and pretend your weightless.

[Johnny & Monica]

Originally posted by Barrymaxx
For the logs, I like to burp the gas to get the front end over, then kinda let the back bounce over. Its hard to explain, you just kinda bend your knees and pretend your weightless.

Unless your rebound on rear shock is set to fast an it bucks throwing your seat into your *** :devil:

[Sjorge450R]

for fitting through trees, i do what jonny said. Just watch one tire and dont let off the gas...lol. I run baja wheels and i just bounce off trees with the rear. As long as you dont turn after the front fits through, the rear is will rub by or not hit at all. Its all just about being not afraid. And when you come up to people, yell and make them get away, give them a little bump or two to let them know that your there and that your faster. Also, if someone faster is coming up behind you and they are in a diff class, let them by, but dont stop to let them by, just find a spot where you can keep on going and still let him go.

[QUADROOKIE]

Hey Dustin, it sounds to me like you are like I used to be. Maybe thinking too much about how to do it. The logs, just hit it. whether you goose the gas to bring the frt up or just bulldoze over it, as long as you have momentum, and hold on tight, you wiull make it over no problem. I take a different approach through tight trees. I just look straight ahead, a few feet in fron of my bumper. Kind of like driving down the highway. I feel I am faster that way than focusing on one wheel or both. But the main thing that helped me was riding with faster people. You will see now in B class the pace is quite a bit faster in the afternoon. It forces you to ride faster and you dont even realize it. You get behind a guy like dan prindle, colby, Michael, Duane, etc. and just watch for as long as you can(not long cuz they will be gone) but that is the best way to learn. See how deep into the turns they go, rather than slowly coasting to the turn. You will be surprised what little tricks you can pick up on that makes the pros so fast. My problem now is just getting in shape. :D

[balls2da-wall]

Yeah I figured moving up a class should help me with learning more. Im with you on the shape thing....my right arm and thumb goes numb every race....its driving me nuts!:eek:

[firefighterjosh]

I race a ute so I can not see the tires:scary: I just look in front of me and hold a strait line. I try to rub a tree with my fender.:p

I like to go to the national races and watch what the pros are doing. Don't get to see them for long but prally the best thing is suspension set up. I guy with a bouncing rear end is going to have to go slow to keep from hitting trees. A guy with a nice leve suspension set up over the bumps will be able to go faster without the fear of the rear end kicking on you and smacking a tree

[balls2da-wall]

Another thing is knowing what you can hit fast without slowing down. I used to film our series and I remember a race where we had to go over a field terrious(sp). It was probably a 3ft drop...I saw in the video I was slowing down along with everyone else in my class and riding down it....the A-class riders where just launching off of it without slowing down saving them a lot of time considering it was in a open field.

[parkers30]

Originally posted by balls2da-wall
Parker...it was put on by WFOPromotions so im not sure if thats the same guy...I think mainly why they are so tight is because they are built more so for dirtbikes in the afternoon...I like how they try and keep the races relatively close to the iowa boarder so its not that far of drive for me.:p

Nope thats a whole different organization, but they lay out pretty good tracks too. Alot of the district/local stuff is much tigher than the GNCC or the Iowa series

[watts16]

Originally posted by parkers30
Nope thats a whole different organization, but they lay out pretty good tracks too. Alot of the district/local stuff is much tigher than the GNCC or the Iowa series
I raced the Hooppole race and it was very tight.
Think youll be going to the Morrison Race next weekend park?

[parkers30]

haven't even looked at the OMA page to grab dates yet, whats the info? you thinking about going?

I just got my quad 90% back together.... need to get a few things on it this week

[watts16]

Originally posted by parkers30
haven't even looked at the OMA page to grab dates yet, whats the info? you thinking about going?

I just got my quad 90% back together.... need to get a few things on it this week
I cant find any info on it just saw it on the D17 website. I'll be there

[parkers30]

Originally posted by watts16
I cant find any info on it just saw it on the D17 website. I'll be there

Sounds like were riding Astoria this weekend instead.... quad needs a shake down ride anyway, good luck