Track Heat
Weight: 15#
Pin: 3"
Top Weight: 2.25 oz
Layout: Pin under ring finger, drilled aggressive but coated with a lot of polish
I got this ball used from SteveAustin2808 a couple of months ago. I haven't thrown it in a while until last night. I realized what a gem this ball is when the lanes get drier. I guess you could say I was surprised at what I saw, to say the least...
Lane Pattern: THS, with slight wear due to open bowling and possible league bowlers....(drier than usual for the house I bowled at)
I hadn't been to Pin Palace, the house I tried this ball on, in a while..(since the Alabama-Tennessee game). Their shot of late has been drier than it has been in some time, with the outsides dry and the backends mostly booming....basically just throw it right and hit about a 3 board area and you strike...plain and simple.
I went with 6 other men I go to church with(including the pastor) and bowled with them. I noticed that my Slash told me by its reaction that I needed something with more backend and less hook in the heads. The Heat was what I pulled out, and I noticed why the re-released this ball. I was playing 23-12, and this ball(even in its polished state) came back on the backends like someone kicked it left. I was able to see the strong backend arc that this ball contains, and how smooth it was through the fronts. It didn't once over react on me, and that is something I like to see in equipment....balls that don't snap too hard or arc too hard on the backends....too unpredictable for me. I need smoothness and predictability in my stuff, and the Heat proved it can do just that and then some.
The Heat has its conditions, though. As it was promoted and stated, it is meant for the lighter side of oil. It can be very unpredictable on heavier conditions if the backends have carrydown. It also by no means is a Desert Heat or a Dry/R, so don't use it for dry lanes. The Heat likes dry, but too much is not good for it.....to say the least.
You can tweak the cover to make it react earlier, and also different drills will help make this ball attractive to a lot of bowlers. This ball is a pearlized medium-medium dry ball, and it serves its purpose well. Just remember when to use it and put it away, b/c you will pay if you don't...
Grades:
On Heavy oil: This ball is not made for heavy oil, especially since it is a pearl. Backends have to be clean for it to work, and a direct line will have to be used to make it work...The Heat doesn't react well here...4/10
On Medium oil: The Heat really burns the competition and the lanes here. It reads clean and smooth, and comes off the dry very well with an arc on the backends. The Heat serves up strikes on the condition the most...10/10
On dry lanes: The Heat still does decent, but it needs a little oil to make it perform on this shot. Other balls that are weaker like the Desert Heat or the Dry/R would be better choices here. Otherwise, be ready to move inside....6/10
On carrydown: This ball struggles with carrydown. It is very squirty, and can be very unpredictable when carrydown affects the backs. Either move outside, change hand positions or change balls, otherwise it is inconsistency all the way around. 5/10
Versatility: The Heat is limited on the conditions to be used on, but it can be beneficial to bowlers who know when to change hand positions or releases. A cranker, tweener or stroker could have success with this ball..This ball is not an Inferno, but it ranks up there in its variety of style compatibility. 8/10
Overall: Track sets the lanes ablaze with this re-release. I never got to throw the first Heat, but it makes me wonder how successful it was back in 1997 when it was first released. The Heat's amazing ability to recover off the dry and not be to snappy makes it a ball in my arsenal that helps when the conditions start to dry up. This is a great ball for tourney bowlers and league bowlers alike, considering they will see the condition that the Heat excels one way or another.
This ball is as advertised and I give Track an A+ with this ball. 10/10
I am amazed every time I throw a Track ball, from the Phenom Unleashed, the Slash, the HexPlosion and now the Heat. 4 great balls from Track, and I am impressed at the consistency they give me, game after game, session after session. The hit is like no other, and their durability is outstanding. I am looking forward to more outstanding releases from Track....keep it up.
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Take the FastTrack to victory with Track bowling balls....no doubt the fastest, most hardhitting speedsters on the road!
4 ways to victory:
Unleash the Phenom
Slash the pins to bits
Make a Hexplosion on the lanes
Turn up the Heat on the competition
No doubt, you are on the right Track when you go with the gameplan to success, one frame at a time!
Caveman #1: I invented this game that requires a ball to knock down 10 pins.
Caveman #2: A ball knocking down ten pins? Brilliant!!!
