Nerfing

[JasonHutter]

I am posting this after reading the story in the MDR race stories post. I just didn't want to change the subject on that post.


I have heard a lot of stories of people getting nerfed when they can see more than one line around them. Heck, we have been nerfed when there were other lines around us. I guess my point is, when the car is coming up on someone else, they can't see! This is the reason people get nerfed when there are other lines. We have been hit when we pulled over and stopped off the course and the car drove right up behind us and hit us even though we were off the course! I am not saying that it is OK to cave in the rear of someone elses vehicle, but I can see why it happens. I used to get real mad about being nerfed until we got a little faster and started running in other vehicles dust. When you finally catch the car, you don't want to loose them again. It could take another 10 or more miles to catch them again in the dust! We all just need to use a little discression when passing. My .02 cents.

Jason

This is just one of the bumpers we have had to replace. It is dented like you can see in the picture and if the picture was taken from farther back you would be able to see that the left side is about 4 inches higher than the right and the bumper was pinching the spare tire.

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[martininsocal]

Jason- It is a tuff call. Many folks don't intentyioanlly hit another car, they just don't realize the speed difference and can't react to slow down fast enough when they finally catch a car, but, there are those who think the chrome horn is all too cool and make sport out of denting bumpers. I was always told the rule of thumb is catch up, go around if there is another line available, if not, horn 'em, and give them a chance topull over. Many seem to think as soon as you lay on teh horn, its ok to whack away. Many of the slower cars can't just jump off the course over the 3 foot berms we have to race through now, and they shouldn't be asked to wreck their car for you advancement. If they don't get out of the way after the oppurtunity presents itself, then TAP them tolet them know you are back there and give them a chance to move over. If they still refuse, then NERF them in a saef area where you won't send them to their death or their cars demise.
What a lot of folks think is...I am faster, they should see that and get out of the way, whatever it takes. Ever try to figure out what is in the dust behind you while reading terrain in front of you? Speed difference can be as much as 40 miles apart in the same terrain depending on who catches who. The slower guys may not have as big a wallet, but they are still racing.

[WFODAN]

Well I guess I'll give my take on nerfing . I am one of the few people that don't mind getting nerfed when I'm holding someone up . I also don't mind giving nerfs when the slower car refuses to move . On the recieving end , I will almost always wait till the car nerfs me just to be sure he can really get infront of me and stay there (unless it's a car that severely outclasses me ) . I have pulled over before for alot of cars I just end up having to pass back within a mile or two . That's what the rear cage of my truck was designed for . Getting nerfed .

On the other hand , I have caught alot of cars that I thought should've moved over for me , and then a different type of terrain came up , and they checked out and were gone on me . I will usually follow for a little while with the horn before I nerf someone ( unless it's a friend ... then they get a nerf for fun) . If I feel they can't get over yet safely , then I won't nerf , but when they just hang infront of me and refuse to move , they get a good nerf . Like I said it doesn't bother me to give or recieve nerfs . I don't abuse anyones car , and I do get even if I feel they abused mine .

When coming up behind another racer in their dust it is sometimes hard to see the other line that the front car can clearly see . That is when most people get upset for being nerfed . They don't understand why the guy behind them nerfed their car when there was another line to use . As Jason said , once you are the faster car coming up in the dust , you understand . You can't see the other line all the time , so I leave it up to the slower car in the front to move over and give me his line .

All in all nerfing is part of our sport . Without it sometimes you might not even know the guy is behind you . I race in a class with a rear window , and my truck is far from quiet , so the horn is something that is never heard from a car behind me . If I don't catch them in the mirror then they can nerf me and It doesn't bother me a bit . When nerfing someone I always just put myself in their position and think of how hard I would want them to nerf me .

[Walt]

I have raced many limited class cars in the score seires along with many other organiations. nerfing in limited classes is a large part of racing. The problem with nerfing is not with cars in your class. For example, A 1600 catching a 7 or a score lite car catching a pro truck. If the pro truck doesnt want to move over then the limited car is screwed. With the weight of a truck there is nothing a buggy can do but wait untill another line is opened up. Hitting the truck will do nothing but tear up the car.This makes limited class racers frustrated and is where aggressive nerfing comes from in my opinion.

[Jerry Zaiden]

Why don't they use a small electronic device that will buzz in the helmet or light up a red light in the dash to warn there is a car behind the racer? These would be cheap. And have a distance like 20-50 ft. I am sure these can be made for $50 or so.

[Donahoe]

Ya know. Nurfing is just a sign of a rookie driver. It dosnt get you by the person in front of you any faster. If you pre-run and know the course you know where you can pass. I have NEVER nurfed anyone is almost 20 years of racing. I have lightly tapped a few guys when my horn was out but never hit someone hard enough to do even a little dimple on a tube. Most guys are to busy RACING in there minds to think during a race so they nurf. I have however hit a few freinds just for fun during a race but never a guy I dont know to try and get by faster.

[Josh_K]

I have to agree with Donahoe, as a personal confessoin, at my first couple of races I nerfed a couple of buggies in my class 8. I had no idea how hard I was hitting them till thay cought me after the race and politly told me. It got me thinking about it and I realize in most cases If somone will prerun the course well they can find a line to pass that most people wont use, and once they really start driving fast they wont have to slow down to nerf the other guy. As a piont at my first score race I was nervous about the trophy trucks coming around and passing us. When thay did catch us they went around us 50 feet off my line and gone so fast that I almost was not in any dust. It was all good driving.

[WFODAN]

Well Kreg , I guess it would really matter what your definition of nerfing is then . To say you don't nerf , but you lightly tap , is still nerfing . Right ?

My definition would be ....... A car making contact with another car to let them know you are there .

This whole time I've been racing and I never even knew there was a speed regulation on making contact with someone before it was considered a nerf . Learn something everyday . LOL!! jk rookie driver .

People seem to have gotten a bit carried away with nerfing these days. Nerfing is definitely part of our sport and I've done it hundreds of times, but it seems people are hitting cars much harder and with less patience than in previous years. When I get right behind a car I'll give them a horn and a five count, and if they still don't aknowledge me or pull over I'll give them just enough of a tap to let them know I'm there. 90% of the people will pull right over, and if they don't I'll hit them harder a second time. Lately people seem to be going straight for the the hard hit and doing a lot of damage to the rear of the race cars and even putting people out of races for no reason. It's definitely faster to go around without hitting at all when possible, but when it's required people need to keep a cool head and not drive like its a demolition derby.

[martininsocal]

Dan and Kreg- I guess that is something that I was trying to point out. Letting someone know you are there is way different than punting them off the course. Nerfing is suppose to be telling them you are a faster car behind them and they need to get over at the first possible chance, nerfing is not suppose to be removing them from the course and possibly the race. I have nerfed and been nerfed, I have never hit someone hard enough to do damage, but have hade serious damage done to 2 different race cars by much faster classes during races. Once I got an "I'm sorry..."after the race and the other time we got rolled and the other car(s) didn't even stop to se if we were alright. As was pointed out, the smaller cars lose from either end when it comes to limited buggies vs. Trucks. Whether giving or receiving. It is funny how some folks view the oppurtunity to nerf as the Holy Grail of the desert racing experience. Everyone is racing out there, some just can't go as fast as others due to wallets or rules. That is the biggest thing to remember.