BBC dirt track modified engine

[tracyracin]

The boys up at Land of Legends, (Canandaigua) dont mess around in the BB world. Your friend is going to have to have his ducks in a row. I do suggest running a sportsman car (whether its the 602 or an open 2bbl engine) and learning the ropes of the car. I ran sportsman for 6 years before I made the jump to BB/SB modified and it was still a really big learning experience.

[nitro2]

Yes, I also think it's a big jump...He's said to be an excellent driver, maybe a "natural", and does very well against better cars..I don't know much about this type of racing other than going to the track last Saturday....What they call "stock" looked to me like cut down G body Malibu's on some sort of frame, probably a restricted 350 engine? But they flew around the track on three wheels...The Big block Modified were more rowdy and very loud..The 305 Sprints looked more controlled with quick precise movements...The track was rough and the heats all had one car pulling out ahead of the others for the win..it all looks very addictive and I don't really want to get sucked into the young man's dreams..

I've been in around big block and small block Modifieds since 1969 lol. It is addictive, over the years there were times more addictive than now, but still.....Don't be fooled into thinking it's just a bunch of locals getting out for a fun Sat night, there is a ton of talent there with the front runners in the DIRT big block division, just ask ANY talented experienced outsider who ever showed up and tried to compete against those guys.

Here's a thought. There are driving schools put on each year here and there where you can drive a big block modified and get some tips from the guy that regularly drives the car. You don't get a lot of laps but it's relatively cheap, and probably one could buy some extra laps. Plus you get to drive a top notch car that handles properly and is fast, not some half ass car, that way the only variable is the driver.

Over 25 years ago I drove Brett Hearn's big block mod car at his school, awesome car. I had no intentions of racing those cars, but I didn't fool around when I was there, I was there to learn and do my best and my laptimes were decent by the end of the day thanks largely to some tips I got from Brett over the course of the day. Brett Hearn has as of now over 900 feature wins counting both small block and big block cars, so no slouch. The front runners at Canandaigua are as good (or better, depends on who you ask lol). I'm not sure who has schools nowadays or if it is too late in the season now but going to one of those would be enlightening for you friend, a cheap way to find out if going to BB Mods is the right move or just a pipe dream for now.

[Truckedup]

You all make good points and I will pass on the info...I wanted to to do motorcycle road racing many years ago...I was a pretty good rider and could keep pace with the leaders...But...I couldn't make the pass to take the lead because I was unable push it to the limit and hold it there unless I was following...

[fdicrasto]

As previously mentioned by nitro2, no slouches at Canandaigua. I remember well Danny and Alan Johnson, Barefoot Bob McCready, Brett Hearn and many others racing there on a regular basis. Dirt rules

[nitro2]

You all make good points and I will pass on the info...I wanted to to do motorcycle road racing many years ago...I was a pretty good rider and could keep pace with the leaders...But...I couldn't make the pass to take the lead because I was unable push it to the limit and hold it there unless I was following...

I watched a guy once who was fast in the SB Mods but had never ran better than second in a feature as far as I was aware. One night the star at the track broke down in the middle of the race and went to the pits on the green. So it appeared that this guy was going to get his first win with only 5 laps to go. The thing is he literally couldn't run at the front. I guess he had always used the car ahead of him as a reference and with nothing in front as a reference he was all over the place, looked like a rookie, lost his decent size lead and you guessed it, finished in style, in second. Maybe it was an eye opener or something because he didn't race long after that. His son never had a problem with leading/winning races though.

[Truckedup]

There was a challenge factor getting up close to the lead riders and matching all their moves...Passing others was fine so long so long as not passing the lead rider....I never raced a car on a track so no telling if it would be the same situation...

[MadBill]

Years back I read a short article by a top Speedway bike rider, a young phenom. He talked about his first race: took an early lead, but could hear another rider right on his tail. As he pushed harder and harder the guy was still glued to his back wheel and finally the author over-cooked it and went down. He braced himself, expecting to get hit, then looked around and found he'd had a half lap lead; the noise was his own exhaust echoing off the walls...

[nitro2]

Years back I read a short article by a top Speedway bike rider, a young phenom. He talked about his first race: took an early lead, but could hear another rider right on his tail. As he pushed harder and harder the guy was still glued to his back wheel and finally the author over-cooked it and went down. He braced himself, expecting to get hit, then looked around and found he'd had a half lap lead; the noise was his own exhaust echoing off the walls...

[billet]

Some guys threw Gary wright of spring car fame in a Dirt Late model for some laps, so Gary makes several laps and comes in and they ask him:

Crew: "What did you think?"
Gary: "Feels pretty good, but you got something going on with the RR. It's got a vibration or something over there"
Crew: "You was rubbing the wall most of the way around the track"
Gary: "OH, that was probably it"

He wasn't used to having another 2 or 3 foot of car to the right, lol.