Having been out of dirt oval for many years and after visiting a indoor clay track last winter I was told a direct drive car couldnt hang with a tranny car why would that be? Can someone shed some light here? thanks

Were they talking Stock or Mod, It would make more difference in Mod than Stock I am told.

As strange as it may seem, gearbox cars are quicker than DD cars on dirt.
One reason is that their have been more refinements and advances in the chassis technology of gearbox cars due to their popularity. Another reason is because it is easier to hook up more HP thru a gear reduction...it also mellows out the violent power band of electric motors.
Another reason is that once you have all the rotating mass of the gearbox rolling, it doesn't want to decellerate as quickly as a DD car, thus letting you roll through the corners and keeping up your corner speed. All these factors combined result is gearbox cars being faster than Direct drive cars...

Todd does your statement hold true on carpet as well?

From a drivetrain standpoint, No, I think direct drive dirt oval cars have an advantage due to the higher traction coefficient. Forward bite isn't an issue on carpet.
From a chassis standpoint, probably. The gearbox dirt oval cars have had more chassis/suspension advances than the direct drive dirt oval cars due to their popularity. Dirt Oval gearbox cars are raced weekly, where you seldom see direct drive dirt oval cars being run at all.
Hope this helps...

Thanks Todd and everyone for the interesting thoughts on this topic.

Direct drive cars work great with brushless power. I have been running a gbx sprint for a while now and am switching back to direct drive. I put a brushless in it with a 2 cell lipo and it weighed 44 oz. It will pull the front wheels up at 10 mph and is insanely fast. It really makes me smile when i pull the trigger! Stan

Smile is a good thing. Frowning will happen if it hits the wall

...so, if I'm reading this right...the Gear Box car is faster because w/ the efficiency of the Direct Drive car...TOO MUCH power is laid down to be able to drive it?

(DETUNE IT? Make it MORE Controllable?) Even with the Best Gear box, you lose efficiency of the motor running through all the extra gears and such...I know Todd is an expert here, and I value his opinion...and I have no doubt he is correct, but WHY?

...(I know my Gear Box car use to be a LOT more forgiving than MY D/D car...but the D/D car had SOOOO much more RIP)

...so, if I'm reading this right...the Gear Box car is faster because w/ the efficiency of the Direct Drive car...TOO MUCH power is laid down to be able to drive it?

(DETUNE IT? Make it MORE Controllable?) Even with the Best Gear box, you lose efficiency of the motor running through all the extra gears and such...I know Todd is an expert here, and I value his opinion...and I have no doubt he is correct, but WHY?

...(I know my Gear Box car use to be a LOT more forgiving than MY D/D car...but the D/D car had SOOOO much more RIP)

The major reason is that all the direct drive cars were designed 15-20 years ago, and their chassis and suspension geometry really haven't evolved since. The gearbox cars are more popular, therefore have evolved chassis wise much more than a direct drive. Better handling chassis=faster car. Also, the transmissions are so refined and free, (ie: light weight parts, ceramic bearings, etc;) that there isn't a significant difference...

In fact, the car that I've used to win EDM Stock at the last 2 Open Wheel Champs has a transmission that spins better than a direct drive car. In addition to our tricked out ceramic bearings, etc; the CVD's do not run at an angle from the outdrives to the hub carriers...In a direct drive, (which uses dogbones vs. CVD's) the dogbones run at a downhill angle from the outdrives to the hub carriers...this equates to increased drag as well.

Biggest factor in "control" with the DD vs the Gearbox is the height of the diff in the car and the outdrives. Even taking a gearbox car and spacing the tranny up or down .125" you will feel the difference in the amount of forward bite the car has (esp Nitro).

Another factor along with Todd's mention of all the attention on the tranny cars in the last 10-15 years is that gearing is much more crude with the DD. More so in mod when you are literally pinned to gearing biggest spur to smallest pinion available.

I have an hour every week where I think DD should rule, however you just need to visit the Salvas' pit at the Snowbirds to see how free/lite gearboxes can spin, there you will see the wheels, outdrives, and top shaft all find their low spot at the same time.

In fact, the car that I've used to win EDM Stock at the last 2 Open Wheel Champs has a transmission that spins better than a direct drive car.

visit the Salvas' pit at the Snowbirds to see how free/lite gearboxes can spin, there you will see the wheels, outdrives, and top shaft all find their low spot at the same time.

What are you guys doing to your trannys to make them so free wheeling?

cut gears.... speedy racing makes these and lightened top shaft... cermic bearings make sure bearing dont fit real tight in the tranny cases and small motor shims between the gearbox halves were the bolts go through the casses too join them... lightened out drives... thats some of it!!!!

some even balance all the rotating mass pieces ...