To begin with, let's assume that you have a fast car and it handles well. In future articles we will certainly get into how to make your car faster and handle better, but I don't really want you concentrate on that just now. There are many good articles on Slotside's Techman Series written by successful racers on just how to set up a winning car. I would like to start by making sure you get the best results with the cars you already have.

First, one of the most important aspects of consistently winning races is being organized. I see novice racers, come to the track a few minutes before the race starts and put the car on the track, take a few practice laps and then expect to finish in the top three. I also see fast cars never finish the race. In both cases it is often because they didn't give themselves a chance to get organized, or properly prepared.

Have a checklist of things you need to do to prepare the car for the race. I have a printed checklist of over 14 things that I need to do to make sure my cars are ready for the race. Some of the items are related to making sure the car is ready for tech, such as chassis clearance, body height and other tech related items and some of the items are related performance items, such as gear mesh, new braid installed and the gears and tires tightened, motor secured and soldered, or body pins taped. Have you ever had a gear slip during a race? Have you ever seen a tire come off, or a body pin come out? Ever break a motor loose during a race because you forgot to properly secure it. Sometimes it happens because you are asked to make a change right before the race because of a tech failure, or other times you just get busy before the race and forget a basic prep item.

Learn from the big boys. In Winston Cup acing they take race preparation to the highest level. Everything is tested, retested days prior to the race and then checked off of the pre-race checklist before the car is run.

Show up an hour before the race and dedicate that time to doing your final testing and then make sure the car is ready for the race. Better yet do you testing days before and then go over your checklist at home where you can do your work uninterrupted. When you get to the track you can get a few practice laps in and then enjoy some relaxation and friends before the race starts.

Winning races happens by being fast and consistent. Be organized and take the time to properly prepare your car to finish the race without losing laps to breakdowns, or performance failures.

Good luck at your next race and don't forget to read next months article that will help you develop the Racers Edge.