Motors

Choosing your motor should be real simple: For maximum speed, Plasma except when you are on an overly technical track, then use the Jet. One notable exception however, I did come in 2nd at a local event with a HyperDash.

If your car can not stay on the track with the higher performance motors (Plasma, Jet, or Ultra) then you should consider using a MachDash, and at the very least the HyperDash. Keep in mind however that its NOT because the motor is too fast. I'ts because your car isn't set up to handle the speed!
 

Description	Power Consumed	(With Load) RPM	(Without Load) RPM	Torque
Stock FA-130 Motor	1100mA	9900	13800	10
Torque Tuned Motor	1200mA	12000	13600	10
Atomic-Tuned Motor	1300mA	15700	N/A	10
Rev Tuned Motor	1500mA	14300	17600	10
Hyper-Dash Motor	1600mA	17200	19300	10
Mach-Dash Motor	1900mA	20800	23400	10
Jet Dash Motor	4000mA	23000	28000	22
Ultra-Dash Motor	4000mA	24000	29000	20
Plasma-Dash Motor	4100mA	25000	29000	20

Gears

Gears are really dependent on the track type but I always start off with the 4:1 because it offers 'good' battery life and acceleration with 'better' top-end speed. If my car appears to have problems, such as flying off the track or is obscenely passed by any of the other guys testing their cars, then I will consider changing the gear, otherwise I just leave it.

	Gear	Battery Life	Acceleration	Top Speed
	3.5:1	Bad	Bad	Best
	4:1	Good	Good	Better
	4.2:1	Better	Better	Good
	5:1	Best	Best	Bad

Tires/Wheels

There are at least a dozen tire/wheel combinations with each offering their own set of pro's and con's. The table below has a lot of information and may seem confusing at the beginning, but its a lot of information, so...
 

	Dia/Width/Tire	Top Speed	Acce.	Cornering	Shock Absorp.	Drag	Stability	Weight	Grip
	Small/Nar/Sponge	Bad	Good	Good	Bad	Good	Bad	Good	Bad
	Small/Nar/Reston	Bad	Good	Good	Bad	Good	Bad	Average	Average
	Small/Nar/Rubber	Bad	Good	Good	Bad	Good	Bad	Bad	Good
	Small/Wid/Sponge	Bad	Good	Good	Bad	Bad	Good	Good	Bad
	Small/Wid/Reston	Bad	Good	Good	Bad	Bad	Good	Average	Average
	Small/Wid/Rubber	Bad	Good	Good	Bad	Bad	Good	Bad	Good
	Lar/Nar/Sponge	Good	Bad	Bad	Good	Good	Bad	Good	Bad
	Lar/Nar/Reston	Good	Bad	Bad	Good	Good	Bad	Average	Average
	Lar/Nar/Rubber	Good	Bad	Bad	Good	Good	Bad	Bad	Good
	Lar/Wid/Sponge	Good	Bad	Bad	Good	Bad	Good	Good	Bad
	Lar/Wid/Reston	Good	Bad	Bad	Good	Bad	Good	Average	Average
	Lar/Wid/Rubber	Good	Bad	Bad	Good	Bad	Good	Bad	Good

Rollers

Here are two tables to recap the information mentioned above. For those who learn in a more visual manner, this may make it easier to decide which is best for your situation.
 

	Overall Dimension	Stability	Cornering		Front/Back Dimension	Stability	Cornering
	Narrow	Bad	Good		Wider in Front	Bad	Good
	Wide	Good	Bad		Wider in Back	Good	Bad

Batteries

If you opt to use an alkaline battery, I recommend the Duracell Ultra series. I have used these and they worked fine but they aren't rechargable and will consume mass amounts of money to keep your car running fast. I have used the NiCd and NiMh batteries and its really a toss up to which I prefer. I don't have a NiCd discharger and have to drain them with a flash light or something and that drives me crazy. But they are lighter and have a slightly higher voltage than the NiMh. I usually race more than one car and have the NiMh in one and the NiCd in the other. I have just found a store that sells AA Lith-Ion and will be trying them soon. They are very expense and not rechargable so I will not be doing it often.

	Type	Memory	Weight	Voltage
	Alkaline	No	Average	1.5
	Ni-Cad	Yes	Average	1.25
	Ni-Mh	No	Bad	1.2
	Li-On	No	Good	1.5