View Full Version : crazy racing superstitions!
jimmy
15-05-2006, 09:49 AM
Who else has these then ? just me ?
My orange B4 shell and tractor-noise gearbox were all good, until I changed to a brand new gearbox and I did horribly badly at racing. I was going to change back to the old gearbox since I thought maybe the b4 was punishing me ! but I changed to a red shell instead - and this combination of red shell and new gearbox seem to have pleased the superstition gods.
There, a window into my madness. :jimmeh so, anyone else ?
do a little dance before racing ? put body clips on in a certain rota ? kiss the track before finals ?
:flower:
Chris Doughty
15-05-2006, 10:02 AM
I always make sure the 'dials' on the top of my KO are fully dialled 'ON' before the start of the race,
even though I KNOW they are on full, and they are set to do NOTHING, I still adjust them, its just habbit... lol
AndyG
15-05-2006, 10:09 AM
watch and wedding ring in pocket.
comfort or superstition? maybe both now.
sefton
15-05-2006, 10:36 AM
I had a obsessive habit of stretching my fingers apart when on the rosstrum:confused: on Sunday.
Craig.
losidan
15-05-2006, 11:11 AM
Beforehand I always shave my
wait....Sorry guys that's for a different forum.
Chrislong
15-05-2006, 11:12 AM
Im superstitious that I always put the charged cells in my car, whenever I have not done this I have never finished a race, but sometimes I have nearly.
I can't race with a ring on, or things in my pockets, but I think that is more about comfort than superstition.
Firstly, I hate wearing a watch whilst racing, hate it dangling there.
I am ALWAYS ready at least 5 mins before I need to go collect my transponder and as far as I can remember have always gone to watch the heat before with my car and transmitter with me.
Oh... and I usualy double and tripple check that I got everything.
Spencer Mulcahy
15-05-2006, 12:08 PM
I dry my hands on my jeans alot before the race was thinging of taking a towl tucked into my belt but thought it would look stupid wagle my wheels on the grid before i start and latly started to find a spot on the track and just stare at it think this is to calm me down. Think I need to see a doctor going mad.:D :D
MikePimlott
15-05-2006, 02:18 PM
Im a Wheel waggler on the grid and i have to keep tapping the throttle to make sure the car is actually going to move off the grid when my number is shouted. Always a bit worried about being still there when everyone else has gone.
I always slide my right hand thumb left to right over and over before a race begins, and twiddle the auxillary switch on and off
Chris Doughty
15-05-2006, 02:50 PM
Im a Wheel waggler on the grid and i have to keep tapping the throttle to make sure the car is actually going to move off the grid when my number is shouted. Always a bit worried about being still there when everyone else has gone.
uurrgh.... tiverton round1 for me in 4WD, did the praccy lap, put the car on the line... its a no-go... turns out I had dirt stuck in my motor :( boooo
Spencer Mulcahy
15-05-2006, 02:52 PM
Im a Wheel waggler on the grid and i have to keep tapping the throttle to make sure the car is actually going to move off the grid when my number is shouted. Always a bit worried about being still there when everyone else has gone.
Just wait till you set off backwords which will happen it happens to all of us.:D :D
Danny McGee
15-05-2006, 03:21 PM
uurrgh.... tiverton round1 for me in 4WD, did the praccy lap, put the car on the line... its a no-go... turns out I had dirt stuck in my motor :( boooo
Yer i know Chris, Tricky had to throw my car over your so that i could go.....:cool:
I tend to make sure that the clock on my ko is reset to zero and i'm not keen on having things in my pockets.
aaaah, motor wiring... I actualy etch my motor cans with +ve and-ve so I know I get it right each time, and new motors I do the same, lol.
If I'm wearing rings I have to take them off. And if I'm wearing a hoody / zip off I have to scrunch the sleeves up away from my hands (unless I'm freezing). Hair has to be tied back... although I'm not so obssessive with that lately. I clench my fingers and hands a lot though.
jimmy
15-05-2006, 03:35 PM
Am I the only one who beleives their car is punishing them for changing parts then ? :p
Am I the only one who beleives their car is punishing them for changing parts then ? :p
Think os Jim, maybe it just doesn't like to be out of tune with your hair colour!!!
ApexSpeed
15-05-2006, 04:19 PM
Starting grid wheel wiggler here. I don't think I ever really do it on purpose—more as a nervous habit.
I'm bad on the WAY to the track. I get really bad butterflies about 5 minutes before I pull up to the raceway. It takes me a good 10 minutes of moving around once I get out of the car to shake it all off. After that, I'm fine for the rest of the day. Usually, my hands are shaking while I'm setting up my gear in the pits. I've been like that since I started racing in 1983. :D
Superstitions? Not really anything I do at the track. I have an odd ritual with the shower door squeegee every morning, but I'd prefer not to get into that...
MikePimlott
15-05-2006, 04:19 PM
No Jimmy your not on your own. i recently snapped a ball end in the rear brace i moved from the inside hole to the outside and raced with it for about 3 meetings. Then put a new brace on and moved to the insides again and did exactly same thing at bury this weekend. Back to the outsides now. AARRGGHH!!!:mad:
Northy
15-05-2006, 05:16 PM
Am I the only one who beleives their car is punishing them for changing parts then ? :p
YES! Jimmy, your a freak! :o Only joking mate! :D :D :D :D
bigred5765
15-05-2006, 06:37 PM
we change worn parts before they break just to make sure the car is happy
in thinking ( i treat the car right buying it new bits it will look after us)
jimmy
15-05-2006, 07:02 PM
My car behaves different Carl, it actually punishes me if I replace anything that isn't broken.
The only way around the replacement gearbox was putting my old red shell on it - it seemed to please the car and now it performs WITH the new gearbox.
so,
newer orange shell & old gearbox = great
old shell and new gearbox = great
any other combination = disaster!:jimmeh
jimmy
15-05-2006, 07:54 PM
Nutter.
Thanks Emzy, always reassuring! :jimmeh
tonymon
15-05-2006, 07:54 PM
before a rugby match i always have a poo...
...dont know if it has any relevance to racing!!!
before a rugby match i always have a poo...
...dont know if it has any relevance to racing!!!
No... it doesn't.
Thanks Emzy, always reassuring! :jimmeh
Welll... that's what I'm here for!
Quite a bit of reaserarch has been conducted here over the past few years into what the optimum alcohol intake is just prior to starting a final at a meeting, not an obsession, more a ritual.
Zero = nervous over-reactions
1 Pint of average strength (not Stella) - Ideal jangle inhibitor
2 " " " " " - Reactions dulleed too much
3 " " " " " - May as well be totally pissed
1 bottle of WKD is, I'm told, about the correct ammount.
Yeah Jim, I hate changing anyhing on my car if the car was going good, so I generally dont just incase the car goe haywire LOL:D
Barry Williams
15-05-2006, 08:32 PM
When racing outdoors i usually look to the sky before racing & ask the man upstairs to give me a break, then i drive into the first corner to fast & get a break, usually a front wishbone!!!
if i wear a hoody/jumper i roll the sleeves up and always turn left to right a fair few times before i set off :p :D
bert digler
15-05-2006, 09:42 PM
if i wear a hoody/jumper i roll the sleeves up and always turn left to right a fair few times before i set off :p :D
i get leatherd the night before so as i sober up it seems like ime improving usually about 2 seconds a lap;)
PaulRotheram
15-05-2006, 09:57 PM
i steer left and right quite a few times before i start.. no idea.. to cure nerves maybe?
bigred5765
15-05-2006, 10:19 PM
i steer left and right quite a few times before i start.. no idea.. to cure nerves maybe?
And I thought it was just a nervous twitch that moved along the rostrum:eek:
PaulRotheram
15-05-2006, 10:27 PM
well its turned in to abit of a game now.. i do it and you start to see a few straglers catching on and doing it, ive managed to get every one doing it bar one. i need to get all 10 going next time :D
Richard Lowe
16-05-2006, 11:03 AM
I have a strange habbit of wanting to pull my socks up before I race, no idea why :lol: :oops:
I always reset the timer thingy on my KO at the start of a meeting too.
PaulRotheram
16-05-2006, 11:23 AM
ive no idea how to reset my timer, any one?:p
1 bottle of WKD is, I'm told, about the correct ammount.
Thats is correct tried and tested by me...lol
Danny McGee
16-05-2006, 01:15 PM
ive no idea how to reset my timer, any one?:p
Get to the timer bit and then hold both the buttons down on the left. SHould reset it. i know what i mean :cool:
PaulRotheram
16-05-2006, 01:38 PM
nice one danny, got it sorted:)
Southwell
16-05-2006, 02:20 PM
I always put my wheels on, then check their tight at least a couple of times more :buggy:
I always wiggle my steering, dunno why :lol:
bigred5765
16-05-2006, 05:24 PM
another one is, i put the cars on the track and press it down ??
whats that all about??
and sometimes turn the wheels, so there is no slack in the drive chain to be taken up
Chris Doughty
17-05-2006, 08:16 AM
another one is, i put the cars on the track and press it down ??
whats that all about??
and sometimes turn the wheels, so there is no slack in the drive chain to be taken up
pressing the car down 'sets' the suspension, so when you give it some beans, it goes forward instead of compressing the suspension and THEN going forward.
I have seen people turn the wheels to take up the slack in the drive, but I think this might be a bit extreme.
one fairly vailid reason I can think of it on dirt, if you take up the slack there will be less of a 'jolt' on the wheels, hopefully less of a jolt will give the tires more chance to hold traction???
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