How to prerun a course?

[anthonycoley]

Hi,

I told you I'd have some D/A noobie prerunning questions...

How does someone get into prerunning?
Can I just show up and drive the course before race day?
Do I have to be affiliated with a race crew/team to prerun a course?

When I refer to prerunning I'm not thinking about actually hauling a... and jumping stuff, I'm just talking about actually going out and driving the course. My 4wd is not equipped to do the stuff most of the prerunners here are doing..


Regards,
AC

[YoTRacer158]

The main purpose of prerunner a course is so the teams can check out the track, look for trouble spots, different lines, etc...

While I was in Iraq a bunch of guys went down to Baja, I'm sure we'll make another trip down there one of these days...and hopefully I can go this time.

[Tweeter]

There are a lot of different ways to get into prerunning. The most popular one I would say is race in a league such as MDR, SCORE, MORE etc. Also you will need some kind of off-road vehicle to do so. Usually all the entails prerunning is learning the course, getting a feel for the terrain, test valving and other set-ups and learning where the danger spots are on the course and where to slow down etc.

Yes you can show up before a race the day before because they will most likely be marking it at that time. You will need to watch your ass (literally) as there will be teams testing/prerunning that day most likely and you may get nerfed if you're not careful/don't have a dust light.

Nope you don't have to be affiliated with anyone. Don't go by yourself go in a group have a map/gps of the course and have a good time and stay safe! Some of us desert guys go out so watch out for posts if you want to tag along sometime.

You can prerun a race course in a stock vehicle (most of the time) just can't go as fast and you will need to get out of the way for faster vehicles because they will hit you and not feel bad about it. I'm a long travel guy and I don't go all out when driving on race courses, usually cruise like 40-45 because that's where my suspension is most comfortable at and since I don't have my cage yet I'd rather not do 70 dowm Main Pit in Barstow. Stay safe and have fun!

-Tweeter

[YoTRacer158]

Looks like there's a trip lined up for later this month

http://www.tacomaterritory.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43412

[Tweeter]

That's mainly for the long/mid travel dude bros. Not trying to be a dick and exclude anyone, just saying we'll be going a little faster than a stock truck...

[jimbo74]

havent you watched dust to glory? if your on the course and going to slow, they rearend you so you move out of the way, its common courtesy down there.....

[yota4lyfe]

Take a drive out to Barstow. Get off Outlet Center Drive and get in the dirt and Drive. You will know what speed you feel Comfortable at. Go slow on the first lap so you kinda know where the Danger holes are at and then drive at a faster speed on the next run. Come back the next trip with Chaos LT then drive at Race Speeds.lol. That's what I did.

[anthonycoley]

Don't get my noobie question wrong, I'm quite familiar with the SoCal desert, I'm just curious about to get into driving the courses.

I often go out to Hinkley, Baker, several areas off the 40 and the 10 for camping, drinking, shooting..


Regards,
AC

[Baja Belk]

Depends on where and what you're prerunning. MDR and MORE usually mark their courses a week or two before the race, and you can prerun at any time after that up until it's time to race. For most of these courses a stock 2WD can do it, just slowly. The washes in Plaster City might be trouble for a 2WD though, especially with not much suspension. BITD races have NO prerunning, except for a "follow-the-leader" style one-lap only prerun usually a week before the race.

SCORE Baja races are by far the most fun to prerun, and prerunning in Mexico is one of the funnest parts of racing in Mexico. However prerunning there requires a lot of preparation - it's definitely not a show-up and drive type of deal. And with the way the courses have been lately, unless you have gobs of travel and horsepower, you've gotta have a 4WD. I've been stuck behind a few stock-ish 2WD trucks on some of the steeper hills last few times. SCORE usually marks the course about 4 weeks before the race, but you usually can't run the first 12 miles in and out of Ensenada until a few days before the race, and then you can only go outbound, not back in. When prerunning in Mexico, make sure you close ALL the cattle gates you pass through, as keeping the ranchers happy will ensure that we get to keep racing there. Also watch out for oncoming local traffic; most of the roads we race on are used by the locals on a daily basis. I've had quite a few close calls with headons. Bring lots of water and food and a spare gas can. Be careful, especially if you're alone in the middle of nowhere. Watch out for cows. If you're smart and you prepare, it'll be a blast.

[Baja Belk]

havent you watched dust to glory? if your on the course and going to slow, they rearend you so you move out of the way, its common courtesy down there.....

That's only during the race, no-one nerfs during prerunning unless you're crazy slow and don't see the person behind you. But everyone's usually pretty good about getting out of the way.

[anthonycoley]

Thanks!

That's the kind of info I was looking to for. I was thinking about trying to pull off going down for the 1000 this year for a couple days and driving part of the course.

I definitely would not do it alone. I never do desert trips alone.. It would really suck having to walk out...

I would like to hook up with someone in the know and go check out some races. I've never been to any desert races.

When you guys go to Baja races how many days in advance do you go?
What about the SoCal races? Do you just drive out the day before and camp?

[Baja Belk]

Thanks!

That's the kind of info I was looking to for. I was thinking about trying to pull off going down for the 1000 this year for a couple days and driving part of the course.

I definitely would not do it alone. I never do desert trips alone.. It would really suck having to walk out...

I would like to hook up with someone in the know and go check out some races. I've never been to any desert races.

When you guys go to Baja races how many days in advance do you go?
What about the SoCal races? Do you just drive out the day before and camp?

I would check out any of the local MDR or MORE races. Just show up the night before and camp. Or come the morning before and prerun the course. If you go to the 1000 or a Mexico race, make sure you hook up with people who have been before or know what they're doing. I'd offer but we're too busy with the race to be good hosts, and we're usually not very much fun until after the race, but there are alot of members who make it down to the races on a regular basis.

For a mexico race we usually go down a day or two before contingency (which is the day before the race), depending on if we need to prerun a little more.