YUKON 659
ArboristSite Guru
What are the different categories/classes for a typical chainsaw racing competition? Don't know much about it but I would like to learn.
Thanks, Jeff
Thanks, Jeff
Chainsaw Racing ????
- Thread starter YUKON 659
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
husky394
ArboristSite Operative
There are almost as many different classes and sets of rules as there are contests. There is no standard, things vary with the part of the country that you are in, and from show to show. Most commonly, the classes are:
stock, either saw provided by the contest organizer, or saws brought by the contestants. Sometimes they check to see if the saws are stock, sometimes they don't, which leads to:
stock appearing, where the saws look stock but are highly modified;
super modified, where the saw had to start out as a chainsaw but can be modified with expansion chambers etc., altering the appearence of the saw;
All of these can be broken down into displacement classes. This is commonly done on the west coast, where they sometimes run a less than 6 cu. in. class and an over 6 cu. in class
open, or "motorcyle", where go cart, motorcycle or snow mobile engines are used, the only restrictions are that they be one cylinder and started with the pull of a cord.
unlimited, where car engines are used, it takes two people to lift one of them.
Alot depend on where you are. The "unlimiteds" are usually found in the pacific northwest. In New York, you may see a hotsaw class along with a stock class where the contestants bring their saw, often and 3120 or 088. In West Virginia, they prohibit "motorcycle" saws, and run only super modifieds. Across the Mason Dixon line in Pennsylvania, most, but not all, of the contests allow motorcyle saws. It is confusing, and you have to check the rules everywhere you go. I once showed up at at contest entered in the stocksaw class thinking the saw would be provided. It wasn't.
Your are usually safe if you show up with a big chainsaw which has been visibly modifed. Of course, if the motorcycle guys show up, you will get smoked.
stock, either saw provided by the contest organizer, or saws brought by the contestants. Sometimes they check to see if the saws are stock, sometimes they don't, which leads to:
stock appearing, where the saws look stock but are highly modified;
super modified, where the saw had to start out as a chainsaw but can be modified with expansion chambers etc., altering the appearence of the saw;
All of these can be broken down into displacement classes. This is commonly done on the west coast, where they sometimes run a less than 6 cu. in. class and an over 6 cu. in class
open, or "motorcyle", where go cart, motorcycle or snow mobile engines are used, the only restrictions are that they be one cylinder and started with the pull of a cord.
unlimited, where car engines are used, it takes two people to lift one of them.
Alot depend on where you are. The "unlimiteds" are usually found in the pacific northwest. In New York, you may see a hotsaw class along with a stock class where the contestants bring their saw, often and 3120 or 088. In West Virginia, they prohibit "motorcycle" saws, and run only super modifieds. Across the Mason Dixon line in Pennsylvania, most, but not all, of the contests allow motorcyle saws. It is confusing, and you have to check the rules everywhere you go. I once showed up at at contest entered in the stocksaw class thinking the saw would be provided. It wasn't.
Your are usually safe if you show up with a big chainsaw which has been visibly modifed. Of course, if the motorcycle guys show up, you will get smoked.
YUKON 659
ArboristSite Guru
Husky 394, thanks for the info. The more I read and learn about saws and modifing them, the more interested I get.
Jeff
Jeff
Methoss084
ArboristSite Operative
Husky, have you been to any races where they have run snowmobile engine powered saws with more than one cylinder with a pull starter?
Josh
Josh
husky394
ArboristSite Operative
Josh,
I've never seen a two cylinder snowmobile powered saw. They would be illegal in many shows, most require a single cylinder. It might be OK in some shows where the organizer doesn't follow U.S. Axeman's Association or American Lumberjack Association rules. You can check out the USAA rules at usaxemen.com
I have seen pictures of twins, one was two Jonsreds saws joined at the crank, the other was a Harley Davidson.
The only snowmobile engines I've seen are the Rotexes made by Russ Lemkey (sp?) in Wisconson, but there are alot of them, and there are darn near impossible to beat.
Chuck
I've never seen a two cylinder snowmobile powered saw. They would be illegal in many shows, most require a single cylinder. It might be OK in some shows where the organizer doesn't follow U.S. Axeman's Association or American Lumberjack Association rules. You can check out the USAA rules at usaxemen.com
I have seen pictures of twins, one was two Jonsreds saws joined at the crank, the other was a Harley Davidson.
The only snowmobile engines I've seen are the Rotexes made by Russ Lemkey (sp?) in Wisconson, but there are alot of them, and there are darn near impossible to beat.
Chuck
Dennis
Arboristsite MVP
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2001
- Messages
- 2,119
- Reaction score
- 19
Most of the rules say single cyl pull start like Husky said...The Rotax is the sled engine of choice...Russ Lempke makes a mean machine..I have been running Robert Andrews' saw, and they are incredibly fast...
The Harley saws are awesome to watch and hear..although not that quick...we should have one here in Clearwater this summer...but the V8's...lol..now there are some saws!!!
The Harley saws are awesome to watch and hear..although not that quick...we should have one here in Clearwater this summer...but the V8's...lol..now there are some saws!!!
YUKON 659
ArboristSite Guru
In the stock appearing class, is the 6 cube and under typically the smallest class?.....even on the east coast? Sorry about all the questions.....but all the reading I've been doing on this site latley has given me the "BUG". I'm thinkig of possibly geting into some local races.....maybe not until next year...as I have a lot to learn. Any thoughts on what a good "starter" saw would be? I've got a 372 (only a few hrs. on it) with a modified muffler.....if an engine mod. was done, would this saw have a chance in the stock appearing class?
Thanks, Jeff
Thanks, Jeff
husky394
ArboristSite Operative
There are a few shows that run smaller saws, for example Harford, PA has an under 3.5 cu. in. class and an over 3.5 cu. in class for stock saws. Aurora, Kentucky has under 4 cu. in and over 4 cu. in. in stock appearing. They also have a class where they provide the saw. In Some other shows in the northeast have three or more classes of stocksaw.
If you are just getting into racing, see if you can find a contest where they provide the saw. It will allow you to get into things without shelling out big bucks for a new saw. If you can't find a contest of that type, your 372 is a good a saw as any to start with, if you can find a stock appearing class in a show near you. Sharpen up the chain and have at it. Don't expect to win much, you will find that, even the stock classes, they will be running full racing chains, and, in some cases, racing gas or alcohol with nitromethane for fuel. The New York State Professinal Lumberjack's association runs stocksaws at some of their contests - I don't know if you could get away with a modified muffler or not. Their website is: www.eteamz.com/nylumberjacks/
For more information on contests, go to www.starinfo.com/ljguide/lumberjack.html
That page gives the address for "North American Axemen's News," which has information on contests, you can see what is being run where.
Finally, check out www.madsens1.com/raceprep.htm
for a good "how to" article on stocksaw racing.
Don't worry about the questions, we like writing about this stuff!
If you are just getting into racing, see if you can find a contest where they provide the saw. It will allow you to get into things without shelling out big bucks for a new saw. If you can't find a contest of that type, your 372 is a good a saw as any to start with, if you can find a stock appearing class in a show near you. Sharpen up the chain and have at it. Don't expect to win much, you will find that, even the stock classes, they will be running full racing chains, and, in some cases, racing gas or alcohol with nitromethane for fuel. The New York State Professinal Lumberjack's association runs stocksaws at some of their contests - I don't know if you could get away with a modified muffler or not. Their website is: www.eteamz.com/nylumberjacks/
For more information on contests, go to www.starinfo.com/ljguide/lumberjack.html
That page gives the address for "North American Axemen's News," which has information on contests, you can see what is being run where.
Finally, check out www.madsens1.com/raceprep.htm
for a good "how to" article on stocksaw racing.
Don't worry about the questions, we like writing about this stuff!
