Write-up of Sand Drag Racing on my P650
#1
01-30-2006, 12:53 PM
Write-up of Sand Drag Racing on my P650
Over the weekend, I went to a drag race in Jacksonville, TX at an off-road park called Mud Creek (same place where they held Mud Nats last year). Anyway, I just wanted to share how my lil 2002 P650 did in the Sand Drag event that was held on Saturday. (I'll start another thread about the results of my XC race on Sunday)
SAND DRAG EVENT
The drag strip was approximately 500 feet long by my best guess and a little bit bumpy during the middle of it...but not so bumpy that you had to let off the gas. At this event, our drags were NOT TIMED. Intestead, they had 1 person starting us off at the starting line and 2 people at the end of the strip watching to see who crossed the finish line first. This was a single elimination race with a winner take-all $250 cash prize.
WEATHER CONDITIONS
It was in the 60s with light to moderate rain fall all day on Saturday. The rain seemed to help with traction on most of the strip except for the starting line which became a bit more slippery with more and more use during the drag races. Luckily, it was not the kind of soil that sticks to your tires and ***** up like clay.
MY SET-UP
My 02 P650 was set up with 22" gator tires turned around backwards for more traction in the loose stuff. I could tell that turning these tires around backwards throws more roost as compared to forward, so that tells me that backwards gators resulted in scooping the ground rather than digging in on take-off. Overall, I was very happy with how it performed.
MY COMPETITION
As best as I can recall, there were 8 quads signed up in the Utility class including 5 BF750s, 1 Bomb 800, my P650, and 1 piped Wolverine 350.
PRACTICE RUNS
Anyone who wanted could line up on the strip and do practice runs before the event started. For fun, I lined up next to a friend on a slightly modded YFZ 450 and it was a VERY CLOSE race...that is until we took off! LOL As expected the YFZ left me in my tracks from beginning to end and the longer we travelled down this strip, the further away it left me in my dust. Those things are super fast!!! I also lined up next to a V-force equipped with paddle tires. I beat it, but only b/c the V-force got too much traction at the start (again, it was raining the whole time, so the track was wet) and pulled a big wheelie & had to let off the gas. I was disappointed b/c I wanted to see how my P650 ran next to the V-force down the track.
FIRST ROUND
They called our names out in random order and I lined up with the piped Wolverine 350. As expected,I beat the Wolverine pretty easily.
SECOND ROUND
I lined up with a piped BF750 (not sure what else it had for mods). We both got a good start, but the BF750 seemed to take the lead from from the very get-go. The BF750 pulled ahead about 2 quad lengths and maintained that lead on my P650 the entire 500 feet. Given the difference in motor size (633cc vs 750cc), I was certainly not surprised by the results, but I was kinda hoping to pull ahead at the start and then get passed by the BF750 shortly thereafter...I guess I was hoping the shorter stroke on the P650 might help me rev a little quicker and jump off the line a tad bit better, but that was not the case and my quad was immediately overcome from beginning to end by this BF750. Oh well, there's no shame in losing to a fellow KAWASAKI, right!
FINAL ROUND
The piped BF750 that beat me went another round and beat another BF750. Then this piped BF750 lined up in the final round against the Bomb 800 (which I think was piped too?). They raced 2 times (switched lanes) and the final run was VERY CLOSE, but the winner was the BOMB 800. Both machines seemed very similar in take-off power and acceleration during the final round. I didn't really see the other Bomb runs b/c I was busy racing too.
Well, that is my report. Despite the inclement weather and not winning the prize, I had a great time and enjoyed the event thoroughly.
Happy trails...[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]
SAND DRAG EVENT
The drag strip was approximately 500 feet long by my best guess and a little bit bumpy during the middle of it...but not so bumpy that you had to let off the gas. At this event, our drags were NOT TIMED. Intestead, they had 1 person starting us off at the starting line and 2 people at the end of the strip watching to see who crossed the finish line first. This was a single elimination race with a winner take-all $250 cash prize.
WEATHER CONDITIONS
It was in the 60s with light to moderate rain fall all day on Saturday. The rain seemed to help with traction on most of the strip except for the starting line which became a bit more slippery with more and more use during the drag races. Luckily, it was not the kind of soil that sticks to your tires and ***** up like clay.
MY SET-UP
My 02 P650 was set up with 22" gator tires turned around backwards for more traction in the loose stuff. I could tell that turning these tires around backwards throws more roost as compared to forward, so that tells me that backwards gators resulted in scooping the ground rather than digging in on take-off. Overall, I was very happy with how it performed.
MY COMPETITION
As best as I can recall, there were 8 quads signed up in the Utility class including 5 BF750s, 1 Bomb 800, my P650, and 1 piped Wolverine 350.
PRACTICE RUNS
Anyone who wanted could line up on the strip and do practice runs before the event started. For fun, I lined up next to a friend on a slightly modded YFZ 450 and it was a VERY CLOSE race...that is until we took off! LOL As expected the YFZ left me in my tracks from beginning to end and the longer we travelled down this strip, the further away it left me in my dust. Those things are super fast!!! I also lined up next to a V-force equipped with paddle tires. I beat it, but only b/c the V-force got too much traction at the start (again, it was raining the whole time, so the track was wet) and pulled a big wheelie & had to let off the gas. I was disappointed b/c I wanted to see how my P650 ran next to the V-force down the track.
FIRST ROUND
They called our names out in random order and I lined up with the piped Wolverine 350. As expected,I beat the Wolverine pretty easily.
SECOND ROUND
I lined up with a piped BF750 (not sure what else it had for mods). We both got a good start, but the BF750 seemed to take the lead from from the very get-go. The BF750 pulled ahead about 2 quad lengths and maintained that lead on my P650 the entire 500 feet. Given the difference in motor size (633cc vs 750cc), I was certainly not surprised by the results, but I was kinda hoping to pull ahead at the start and then get passed by the BF750 shortly thereafter...I guess I was hoping the shorter stroke on the P650 might help me rev a little quicker and jump off the line a tad bit better, but that was not the case and my quad was immediately overcome from beginning to end by this BF750. Oh well, there's no shame in losing to a fellow KAWASAKI, right!
FINAL ROUND
The piped BF750 that beat me went another round and beat another BF750. Then this piped BF750 lined up in the final round against the Bomb 800 (which I think was piped too?). They raced 2 times (switched lanes) and the final run was VERY CLOSE, but the winner was the BOMB 800. Both machines seemed very similar in take-off power and acceleration during the final round. I didn't really see the other Bomb runs b/c I was busy racing too.
Well, that is my report. Despite the inclement weather and not winning the prize, I had a great time and enjoyed the event thoroughly.
Happy trails...[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]
#2
01-31-2006, 05:00 AM
#3
01-31-2006, 10:39 AM
#4
01-31-2006, 03:22 PM
Write-up of Sand Drag Racing on my P650
That is what you do, you have a spotter at the bottom while you are going in reverse up the Sand Dunes, they guide up so you don't crash, also people at the top of dune keep others safe. The speedo indicated 42mph in reverse up Oldsmobile Hill. It's also a great slap in the face for people like my neighbor that couldn't make up forward.
He did make it after 4 days of tuning his quad and replacing the carb.
You can't make it at high noon when the sand is the softest of the day.
He did make it after 4 days of tuning his quad and replacing the carb.
You can't make it at high noon when the sand is the softest of the day.
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