Introduction
This area is here for new teams to help get you up to speed faster but may have something for everyone and we hope you will all visit here occasionally to find an answer.
Information is only intended as a guide. You may develop your own style, but this is designed to be a starting point. Right now it will be broken into a few parts.
- Help videos
- Base car setup & a setup guide for how to get your car handling better
- Gearing for different tracks
- FAQ Section
Xcel wants you to know that teams in this series are very responsive and helpful if you just introduce yourself.
The whole goal is to have more green flag racing! Everybody wins.
If you are new, welcome aboard! Let’s get you started.
Xcel YouTube Channel
Xcel has a YouTube Channel it has news and updates, but also has helpful videos
Here is a direct link to FAQ Videos available so far. More are coming.
Xcel Modified Chain Tension Advice
Xcel Setup Guide
The Xcel Setup Guide has a base setup as well as some easy-to-read tips on what you can do to improve the setup of your car when it is not doing what you want. Start out with a quiz that will get you thinking about setup and introduce some basic ideas about the mechanics of the race car suspension.
Xcel Gearing Chart | Suzuki and Yamaha Programs
The Xcel Gearing Charts will help you with a default gear selection for tracks that we participate as well as a ratio chart that will let you mix sizes and fine tune gearing.
FAQ Section
Introduction: Here you will find some FAQ’s.
If you think there is one you would like to see added, reach out to us
Click on a question to expand.
Doug Borger is the ‘chief cook and bottle washer‘ of Xcel Chassis. He typically is working 7 days a week just about every day of the year.
He is the owner, fabricator of the cars and official at the tour races. He is the race official in the tower of the tour series, does the tech on the cars and also manages registration and payouts at tour races.
You can find him at the Xcel Chassis trailer and that is where teams register their cars.
Beyond being the owner and race official, he is also an accomplished driver, advice giver to anyone who needs to know about legality of a car, safety inspections, what to do when your car isn’t handling, or the motor isn’t running correctly. If you have a question, you can ask other teams, but Doug is also a valuable asset to help your get your program going in the right direction. After painstakingly making over 200 of these cars, we would say he is the authority.
He is easy going, a little affable, but knows what he is talking about because he is Xcel.
Arlene is Doug’s counterpart, and she can be found at most races helping Doug in the Xcel trailer. Some of the paperwork chores are done with her help, and things like annual registration and promotion are also in her wheelhouse.
The other thing you should know about Doug is that he is a businessman, but he a little old fashioned when it comes to technology. A pen and paper are more his style then a keyboard and a monitor. If you do not get him on the phone when you call, keep trying, he is sometimes hard to get unless you are persistent.
Tour Races: Tour races are officiated by the Xcel Chassis trailer and Doug Borger. If you are attending a tour race, you will pay the track to enter the pits and then register your car with the Xcel Chassis trailer. They will set lineups for qualifying and feature events. Likely, drivers meeting are still held by the track, but payout will be handled by Xcel and will also take place at the end of the night in the Xcel Chassis trailer.
Weekly Track Races: Races held outside the tour are officiated completely by the tracks hosting our division. All entry fees, lineups and payout are going to take place at the respective pit shacks at that track.
If you are going to be late to a tour race you should try to contact Doug Borger 484-464-5319 and let him know what time you expect to arrive. If you are going to be close, he may pull a pill for you. Even if you are late, you still need to register with Xcel and let them know, especially if you didn’t call ahead of time. Teams that do not make registration in time may be put in a last starting spot if the lineups are all solidified.
Lineups are typical configured using a pill pull or by method the track has established if it is not a tour race. Heat races are run, and unless specified or special circumstances there will be a redraw for the top three. There may be a redraw challenge change to the starting lineup. In most cases, all cars who are registered for the night will make the show. There is also a provisional system, but not for new teams.
Rookies: There is a longstanding rule that rookies will start in the back for qualifying races for a minimum of 4 races. After that an Xcel official will clear you for a pill pull and you would then be lined up from your starting position.
In special races, there is a timing system instead of a pill pull that determines starting positions for the qualifying races.
Lineups are posted on the board at the back of the Xcel Chassis trailer or by the track on their board with the rest of the races if it isn’t a tour race.
The winner of the previous tour race is going to start further back (9th) at the start of the next tour race.
Yes, typically cars are weighed after heat races and after the final event. All cars must make 900lbs with driver when the race is complete. The Xcel official will often call the top three to the scale, but know that it is possible that those requirements can change from race to race so ask if you don’t hear it.
If you have an issue, and can safely leave the race surface, do so. Cautions are bad for the division and trying to do what you can to help avoid them is going to be in your favor with the series.
It is frowned upon if you bring out the caution because you bobbled and lost the field and then come to a stop so you can be brought back to the field again. Since often all cars qualify for the feature, do what you can and then make it up in the main race.
If you leave the race for any reason, you cannot return from the infield or the pits.
Yes, but only from the tower to you. You are not allowed to have a spotter, but MUST have the ability to receive direction from the race officials. Talk to the officials when you register to get the correct frequency to tune in on.
NO! Getting out of the car on the track unless you are directed is cause for disciplinary action. Unless you are in danger (think car on fire) you must stay in your car buckled up until directed to get out.
Punishments for getting out of the car for any reason may include being disqualified from the race and possibly the event.
Often times anger is the reason for getting out of a car. It will not be tolerated and nothing is going to go in your favor if you try to settle disputes on the track.
If you have an issue, address it with officials after the event is over.
Yes, but you need to clear it with the track officials first. Do not just assume the other car without letting someone know.
The rules state that the top three finishers of the main event must immediately report for tech. That does not exclude further cars from being inspected. If there is a reason for you to go to tech, an official will communicate that with you when the time is right.
Yes, the car owner/driver will also be punished if it is determined that a member of your crew was involved in an altercation with another team. It is the responsibility of all team members to use officials to mediate and not take matters into their own hands. This is a severe infraction and will be dealt with as such.
If you are missing something no matter what it is, you can ask around. Teams will often have one-off things tucked away in their trailers. You need a widget? Someone probably has one. Forgot your thing-a-ma-jig, ask someone will try to help.
There was an occasion where someone needed a fuel injector for a Yamaha.. someone had it. ASK!
If an event is rained out while you are on the way to the track, most times it will be listed on the Xcel Facebook Page. If you look here on the website all events have a venue of the track and there you will find a link to their facebook page (if they have one) or their website. Often times, they will also post rain postponements.
If there is a rained-out event, chances are that it is not going to be made up. Two-day events may have the program times extended to get the missing races in.
- First thing is become part of community. Don’t go and hide in a corner sheltering yourself from everyone.
- Be safe about it. Be respectful about it.
- Have and use jack stands.
- Make sure you have a working fire extinguisher in your trailer.
- Police your kids when cars are moving about (pets too)
- Put noodles on the cables of your trailer doors so people don’t trip going in and out.
- Don’t rip and tear through the pits
- Discard your stuff the right way. Don’t leave tires behind, put your trash in a can. Have a method ahead of time to contain oil spills.
- If there are kids – be an adult for them. Limit r-rated ‘adult’ conversations and use your words. Set an example – be a role model.
- Learn that you do not win on the first lap but the last one. You are not going to finish first in every contest no matter how good you are. You can have a good race without winning it.
- Don’t cheat or complain that the cars are ‘only stock’ and could be so much more. If you want to spend thousands and can afford that, go race expensive winged cars, they will be happy to take your money.
- This is a stock class and those who have been a part of it for a long time do not care that you could buy a faster car. That argument is not welcome, and you will politely be asked to go look for another class. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
- You want to flash your box, upgrade your motor and other things do it somewhere else.
- If you want to compete with your driving skills and experience, welcome to the class
- If you have something to say, say it to the group publicly. Back-channel revolution and talking shit on the series instead of speaking your mind with the officials is crap and this group is short tempered when it comes to drama. You should know and understand that all things start and stop with Doug Borger. He is the owner and has the final say on all things Xcel. Sometimes that includes changes that aren’t popular or at times he gets busy and isn’t able to do all the things he says he wants to do. There is an ebb and flow to how things go, and this is run by a human person who is trying to feed his family – have some respect for a person who has a lot of responsibility and deals with everything there is to deal with practically on his own.
- The Xcel Facebook page is strictly for promotion of the series and most definitely not the place for any type of discussion about what is wrong with drivers who don’t know how to drive, rules that aren’t to your tastes or how this sucks or that sucks… The page is part of the business and anything that isn’t promotion will quickly be removed with extreme prejudice – some of it against you for doing it.
- Be positive at the race track. Hold your family squabbles for later.
- There are annual events like rules meetings and banquets, inspections and race car shows. Be a part of them.
The idea that you have made it this far down the page is impressive, thanks for that.
This is a great class made better by fact that you are part of it. Enjoy the speed! See you at the track.
- 34″ Length
- Front Axle | Steering Link | Spindle to Spindle
- 23″ Length
- Rear Axle | Panhard Bar
- 18 1/4″ Length
- 2 Required
- Front Axle | Steering Rod | Front Panhard Bar
- 11″ Length
- 2 Required
- Front Right of Car | Front Axle to Car | Top & Bottom
- 10″ Length
- Front Left of Car | Front Axle to Car
The idea that you have made it this far down the page is impressive, thanks for that.
This is a great class made better by fact that you are part of it. Enjoy the speed! See you at the track.
The idea that you have made it this far down the page is impressive, thanks for that.
This is a great class made better by fact that you are part of it. Enjoy the speed! See you at the track.