Run What Ya Brung (RWYB) at Santa Pod Raceway
Beginners Guide (Print Version)
What is RWYB?
RWYB stands for “Run What Ya Brung” and refers to public test days when
Santa Pod is open to anyone with a driving licence to run their car or
motorcycle down the track.
RWYB is as simple or scientific as you want it to be, and you can use these
days either to just have fun with your friends or as serious test days, whether
your vehicle is for road or track.
Your mission is to accelerate from a standing start and cover the 1/4 mile in the
shortest possible time. A full performance printout after each run will show
your reaction time, speed, and elapsed time as well as a host of incremental
measurements.
What Do I Need To Have A Go?
- A vehicle (vehicles must be safe and run at the race director's discretion).
- A driving licence suitable for the type of vehicle you are driving.
- A crash helmet for open top vehicles and those going over 110mph at the finish line. Arm straps required in open-top vehicles.
- Bikers need suitable protective clothing and approved helmet.
What Do I Need To Do?
- Visit the Signing On Office located at the base of the control tower
near the startline on foot. You will need your driving licence and signing
on fee (cash or card). You'll be asked to fill in a form.
- Check your vehicle is well maintained and safe. Tyres, oil, steering,
coolant and brakes are important. Also check your tyres and arches are
not muddy.
- Move your Vehicle to the back of the queue in the "fire up road".
Bikers can usually push past to the separate queue for bikes.
- When you are called forward by the marshal, close you windows and sunroof fully, and buckle your seatbelt. Bikers should pull down visors or
goggles. Please DO NOT activate liquid spray-bars.
- If you wish, attempt a burnout in the water under the tower. This will clean
and warm your tyres. 4WD cars will not burnout unless equipped to do so.
- Roll forward to the Start Line when the marshal indicates. The start line
is not actually marked on the track (because it would get scrubbed out
very quickly), but the best way to spot it is to look for a gap in the red
boarder next to the track.
- The first pair of lights on the "starting tree" marked Pre Staged will light
when you are nearly in position.
- Roll a few inches further forward and the next pair of lights marked Staged will light also.
- When you and your opponent are both staged and the track is clear, the
three orange bulbs will light and then the Green. Now is the time to go!
- Accelerate as hard as you can without spinning the wheels too much. The
last timing beam is under the gantry exactly 1/4 of a mile from the start line.
- Slow down gently once you have crossed the finish, and keep going until
you reach the first Turn Off Point on the left. Check your mirrors for
your opponent before turning off and heading back on yourself. Drive
slowly and carefully once you have left the track.
- You can collect Timing Slips from the signing on office at the startline
tower. These are free to collect as soon as your run is complete.
If in doubt at any point, simply look to the marshals for direction. Please do
not smoke or use mobile phones when on the track.
5 RWYB Tips for a great ET:
- Avoid wheel spin on the run.
- Avoid hitting the rev-limiter.
- Change gear as smoothly and quickly as possible.
- Race on a warm, but not hot engine.
- Remember to take the handbrake off!!!
Tips for bikers:
- You will be transferring the maximum power to the track when your bike is neither wheelying nor wheel-spinning. Push the rear tyre to the limit, but not over the limit!
- Most modern bikes will allow clutchless gear-changes. Just back off the throttle a bit and hoik the gear lever up. It is hard to do this right, but when you get it sussed, you can cut seconds off your ET.
- Adopt the correct body position: Lean forward and tuck in for the optimal weight distribution and aerodynamics on the run.
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