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Colin Wood
Colin Wood Associate Editor
1/9/20 10:31 a.m.
feature_image

While potentially more dangerous than normal drag racing, there is a definite element of uncertainty when you do it in reverse.

The elimination-style event, held at Bandimere Speedway just outside of Denver, Colorado, featured a diverse field of cars and trucks, and the winners weren’t neces…

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Gearheadotaku
Gearheadotaku UltimaDork
1/9/20 10:39 a.m.

Might be fun to watch for a bit, no way am I entering my car.

Maybe do a toe adjustment to help keep the car stable?

Adrian_Thompson
Adrian_Thompson MegaDork
1/9/20 10:41 a.m.
Colin Wood said:

Stupid fun or just plain, well, you know? We’ll let you decide.

Both in equal measures. 

Duke
Duke MegaDork
1/9/20 10:57 a.m.

Given that reverse is usually the shortest primary drive ratio in the transmission, I can't imagine it's fun to scream down the track banging off the rev limiter in the only gear you have.

 

No Time
No Time Dork
1/9/20 11:09 a.m.
Duke said:

Given that reverse is usually the shortest primary drive ratio in the transmission, I can't imagine it's fun to scream down the track banging off the rev limiter in the only gear you have.

 

I didn't watch the video, but I think that's where you take a page from junkyard wars and flip the diff over. 

SVreX
SVreX MegaDork
1/9/20 11:11 a.m.

I’d hit that. 

SVreX
SVreX MegaDork
1/9/20 11:12 a.m.

Slowly. 

MrChaos
MrChaos SuperDork
1/9/20 11:40 a.m.

Iirc I remember a magazine testing a rental crown vic and it would 1. Do 65mph in reverse and 2. Do it in just 1 second slower than forward.

gearheadmb
gearheadmb SuperDork
1/9/20 11:49 a.m.

Awesome! Now do it with trailers!

Paul_VR6
Paul_VR6 Dork
1/9/20 11:52 a.m.

My car would probably pull the back wheels up and do pretty well... 

codrus
codrus UberDork
1/9/20 11:56 a.m.

IIRC 2-strokes will run backwards, so someone needs to show up with an old Saab.

 

Shadeux
Shadeux Reader
1/9/20 12:19 p.m.

In recent cars I bet the computer is going "WTF!!?"

DeadSkunk  (Warren)
DeadSkunk (Warren) PowerDork
1/9/20 12:26 p.m.

About 40 years ago some friends and I ran a reverse autocross. That was entertaining.

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner MegaDork
1/9/20 12:27 p.m.

OE electrics can go just as fast in reverse as forward, you just have to convince the computer to let you. Not sure I'd want to try it unless the stability control also worked. 0-60 in under 3 seconds with that sort of steering? eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

GCrites80s
GCrites80s Reader
1/9/20 1:12 p.m.

I'm not surprised that the newer crossovers did the best now that I think about it. They have all those electronic nannies to keep them from getting out of shape.

Cactus
Cactus Reader
1/9/20 1:21 p.m.
Apexcarver
Apexcarver UltimaDork
1/9/20 1:22 p.m.

And here I was expecting women dressed up as guys...

 

 

If you wanted to be fast, you could probably figure out reversing the caster on a car which should help a little with stability.

stuart in mn
stuart in mn MegaDork
1/9/20 1:36 p.m.

Eventually, someone is going to flip the body around on a car to get an unfair advantage.

Duke
Duke MegaDork
1/9/20 2:59 p.m.
codrus said:

IIRC 2-strokes will run backwards, so someone needs to show up with an old Saab.

I was just thinking that:  bring an old SAAB and bump start it by pushing it backwards in 2nd gear.

 

ProDarwin
ProDarwin UltimaDork
1/9/20 3:07 p.m.

I have done reverse autocross before.  Its fun.  I did beat a few newbs who ran forward

 

FWIW, the Saturn (and presumably many other cars) have a standing rev limiter.  In reverse, wheelspeed = 0 so its still engaged.   So top speed was a rather lame ~24mph.

Rusnak_322
Rusnak_322 Dork
1/9/20 3:23 p.m.
Duke said:
codrus said:

IIRC 2-strokes will run backwards, so someone needs to show up with an old Saab.

I was just thinking that:  bring an old SAAB and bump start it by pushing it backwards in 2nd gear.

 

Would that work? the ignition is what I would think would not make that possible. And even if it did, wouldn't  any ignition advance turn into retard when going the other way?

Gingerbeardman
Gingerbeardman Reader
1/9/20 4:58 p.m.

Basically like driving a forklift, only facing the wrong way. Having driven forklift for many years, I guess I'm more comfortable with the concept than other folks are. You should see some equipment rodeos to see what those things are capable of.

No Time
No Time Dork
1/9/20 5:44 p.m.

In reply to Gingerbeardman :

I drove them for many years at a break bulk terminal for a trucking company.

When the loading dock would sweat the popular trick was 4 wheel drifting to get the fork truck doing 360s while sliding down the dock at full speed. 

No Time
No Time Dork
1/9/20 5:47 p.m.
Rusnak_322 said:
Duke said:
codrus said:

IIRC 2-strokes will run backwards, so someone needs to show up with an old Saab.

I was just thinking that:  bring an old SAAB and bump start it by pushing it backwards in 2nd gear.

 

Would that work? the ignition is what I would think would not make that possible. And even if it did, wouldn't  any ignition advance turn into retard when going the other way?

The advance would limit RPM, but electronic ignition could overcome that problem.
 

Snowmobiles that use Reverse Engine Rotation use timing adjustment to change the direction the engine is running without using the starter. 

Vigo
Vigo MegaDork
1/10/20 12:20 a.m.

When they announced the reverse racing event, I wasn't sure I'd win, but I knew I had an Edge!

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