Dewey's Tips

By Dewey Dellinger

I keep hearing at the races, "So-and-so is really fast! I can never beat him. What can I do?"

Want to go faster? Basically it boils down to one thing: Spending the bucks and/or the time.

Here's how to go faster: Take your engine to a qualified VW/FV race engine shop. Have them "flow" the 28PIC carb and manifold. Have them do the head work. If you have the money, have the engine balanced. Install "Dykes" piston rings. Run a loose fan belt but one that won't get thrown off and burn up your motor. Install a (*Ed. 16-blade) fan. Have a 4-into-one exhaust system. Put Redline (*Ed. 75W90) fluid in your transmission. Have your chassis set up by a professional (front end, rear end, camber, toe-in, wheel bearings, brake drag, soft front shocks, etc.). Have a professional drive and evaluate your car. Make sure that your throttle linkage and cable are giving you all that is available in travel. Make sure that your rims are true, buy good racing tires, have them properly installed and balanced. Experiment with tire pressures. These items plus a few "secret tricks" will make your car fast.

Go to a driver's school. Learn all you can about cornering, braking, apexes, etc. Tell them that you drive and old FV and don't have any horsepower. They'll understand. You need speed thru the corners and exit speed which will result in faster times down the straightaways. Find out where your car will actually spin out. Go to an empty parking lot (with a friend) where no one will be bothered and you can't possibly hit anything. Set up a few markers (cones, cardboard boxes, whatever) for corners and practice late braking and taking corners faster than you ever thought possible. Spin a few times, even if you have to do it on purpose, just so you get the feeling for it and realize that a spin alone won't hurt you. Back off a notch to the point where you don't spin (spins will make you slower). This will make you (as a driver) faster.

With the rare exception, money buys speed. That's the way it has always been and always will be, even in FV.

Nothing will make you faster than the above combination other than experience (seat time and track familiarity).

Gee, I wish I had done all this...

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