The Dog Turd Phenomenon

[NoLoveRacingINC]

I got my Performance Tech News today and it had an interesting article:
The Dog Turd Phenomenon

Longtime readers of this newsletter will recall the "dog Turd Phenomenon." If this is new to you, allow us to explain.

If someone comes from out of the blue and wins 3 weeks in a rowwith a plastic dog turd on theirhood, you can bet your bottom dollar that on the fourth week half the cars in the pits will have a dog turd on their hoods, too!

No doubt you are chuckling because you know this crazy phenomenonto be true. But it goes tdeeper than just "monkey see monkey do."

If you are at the back of the pack and struggling, it is very tempting to go over and look at the leader's car.If you do, you might step on a dog turd?

When you ask someone what springs they use, or what cam they use and you switch to the same, then you are guilty of the dog turd phenomenon, too!

The problem with copying what you can see on somebody else's car is that you don't have the whole picture.

Scientifically, there are too many variables from one car to the next for the "copying" approach to work, except in the very rarest of occasions; unless you are so far out to lunch that you have the wheels on backwardsand the body mounted upside down.

Besides, when you copy other people you are always catching up, not leading the way. No one ever won a championship by copying what they saw.

To be a winner you must accept the responsibility of solving your own puzzle and not blindly copying others. So, stop looking for salvation and reach for some scientific tools and solve it yourself.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Rather interesting huh. Please list your comments.

[XXXER]

LOL, that is pretty good, well, i sometimes ask for advice, just say something like, well, my car is doing this, and i want it to do this......and they will help me, better check my shoes for turds

[NoLoveRacingINC]

Here is a continuing article. I figured no one would complain on the first part but it seems there are a few. Here it goes:

Why a Scientist can go faster than a Blind Man

Racing is nothing more than a big scientific puzzle. Realistically, a race car can not break the laws of physics.

Race cars can't defy gravity. If you add one pound of steel (or dog turds) then the total weight must increase by one pound. Likewise, for every action ther is an equalreaction and so through every aspect of science and your race car.

You may not always understand what is happening with your race car, but it is guaranteed to follow the laws of physics.

Because physics can't be changed with the dog turds, you must gain the advantage with a high tech approach to your racing.

Sometimes this means breaking out of your comfort zone. You have to resist looking at the winner's car.

No longer can you just put something on the car because "that's where it fit." or "that's the way we've always done it."

Likewise, you have to dare to use something different, even if it means having your own spare parts. Don't fall into the trap of "if we break it there is nobody to borrow from."

Let me ask you, if you have the exactly the same equipment and setup as everyone else, how can you expect to be faster than them?
-----------------------------------------------------------

[Grant Tokumi]

Would a piece of turd on the hood actually help? More weight in the front for better steering. If its still warm, it might warm the tires and give better traction. Might scare off other drivers so they avoid crashing into you.

I agree that most of us are guilty of this turd phenomenon. I think it applies to our hobby very well. But I would not say to stop looking and trying what other people do. I say, look, and then come to your own conclusion before buying. If you are an inexperienced racer/player, then looking at other people's setups is definitely a good idea. Then you try it out and learn how it affects your car/truck. And when you get more experience, you can start to determine "thats a good idea", or "that looks cool, but is absolutely useless", or "that would make me faster, but will make me crack like a toothpick in a crash".

If you were given a task to build something that would take you to the moon, then it would be foolish not to look at NASA for ideas.

[BadRacer]

I totaly agree with you Grant Tokumi. If your first starting out you gotta look somewhere for help, and if this means looking at someones car/truck for the answers you need then i say do it. But at some point in time you got to learn to do stuff yourself, and forget what he/she has on their car/truck. Like if the leader of the pack is running a P2K, this motor doesn't mean you will be in the lead or even give you an edge over everyone. Find out what works for you.

[crashnburn]

Iam having a little trouble getting the turd to stick to my car's hood ( seems to slide to the right all the time ) any ideas????


Kidding ( good topic!! ) .......but true

Crash