Road Course racing at RCH

More and more road racers are turning up! Should be a great night of road racing at RCH this evening. Road course layout will get set up around 4pm. Sign up by 5:30. First race at 6pm. Don't miss all the fun!

Ken we had a lot of fun on Saturday night racing the roadcourse. It was a fast and fun track that allowed for some good side-by-side racing and passing. Our Trans am guys really enjoyed ourselves and are looking forward to our next race. We may not be there every week, but we will be racing at least every other week. I would like to do a point series for our class, and to that end I'll try to stop by this week to pick your brain as to suggestions.

I think the touring car guys had fun as well, and they plan on being back each week. Most of them had no experience racing on carpet and on a smaller more constrained track, so I am sure that they will get used to it in time and they will only get better.

Thanks Ken for a fun night of racing!!

Dave

What are the classes and specifications for the touring car and trans-cam/am ?

Thanks :)

Hey guys. Just a thought regarding your discussion about motor and esc and battery rules; In our Vintage Trans Am pan car class which is a spec class, we all run the same tires, and motor and we all use 1 cell lipos, and only HPI Vintage Trans Am bodies are approved as of the moment; so we are truly a "spec class".

We have a rule that states that if anyone wants to upgrade to say a better motor or esc or different tires, batteries,or whatever, the whole group who races in that class must approve it unanimously. As an example: Say that 4 guys want to change to a different motor and 1 guy says he can't afford to change, that it will force him out; then the rule is that we don't change until everyone can afford it. That way we keep everything in check and no one is "priced out". We still leave the door open for future spec changes, but only if all in the class can afford it.

Hope this helps. You guys have a nice fun class of touring cars, keep it that way and don't let it spin out of control as Harleyrider so aptly pointed out. Everything he described I have seen in my 24 years of rc racing as well.

The front stretch wall has been removed to allow for more road course options(and less breakage!). We have also repaired many of the Road Rails by trimming back the ends and drilling new holes, so they can be attached securely again.
Also thinking about ideas for a 2011 winter/spring point series. More news to come!
See you Saturday night!
www.ShopRCH.com

Did some work on the road course today now that the front stretch wall has been removed. If any of you fellow road course racers get a chance stop by and check it out. It's more of a real road course now. Let me know what you think.

I should have thought to take a picture so that I could post it here, but I forgot.

Hopefully it will stay that way till Saturday so everyone can check it out.

Big fan of the new track setup. I think all our drivers are getting better. I hope everyone keeps at it. This should be a good winter of racing.

Dave, I use a 30 tooth pinion with a 100 tooth spur on my Trans Am car. That may change however when we make the switch to brushless which should be right after Ken's New Years break. At least that's the plan. Boy, this Vintage Trans Am class is starting to really take off! We will have an A and B main. Cool.

The brushless will be 17.5, probably Novak. We want to keep it spec with none of this special programming and laptops, etc., if you know what I mean.

u do know that there is a spec mode in a tekin that the lights flashs to let u know that it is in that mode and the only reason i even bring it up is cause i already have a tekin in my car and a 17.5 and dont wanna have to change escs to run a different track and im pretty sure u can program a novak esc the same way u can program a tekin

No problem so long as ALL the 17.5 motors and speed controls are equal in terms of performance. That is the key element: equality

I am simply trying to avoid a situation where someone has a 17.5 motor/esc combo that is superior to everyone else's, which in turn forces everyone to run out and buy that particular combo.

This class is about simple, fun racing with an emphasis on scale realism, (that's the main reason that only HPI vintage Trans Am bodies are allowed)
Fun racing with realistic looking cars is far more important than ultimate performance in this class.

We want it so anyone can go out and buy the basic package and show up at the races and have a realistic chance of winning, knowing that they have the same "package" as everyone else. I don't want this to become a money and technology racing class where you have some joker show up with a "trick" 17.5 motor/esc and a laptop, etc. People like that are very selfish.

The next thing you know they are truing the tires down and playing around with rollout, and on and on and on till it becomes so complex that people stop showing up and end up selling all their stuff. That's a large part of the reason that oval racing is dying around hear; it became too techno and too expensive and way too complex. No fun. I will not let that happen to this class!

To me spec is short for specific. In the northern nights series it is a specific motor battery and tire. It brings the racing back to the driver not the wallet. I am all for you guys starting an unlimited class. The more people racing the better but for the spec series already running it is what is says a spec class where guys can just race and have fun. My suggestion is to contact ken at rch and ask for some open class track time to race. I am almost sure he will accommodate you. These are just my thoughts. so everyone race on and have fun above all else.

I agree with Rob about what spec stands for. As for anyone else interested in the Vintage Trans Am class, I am going to try to keep it as spec as possible, with perhaps some leeway with regards to allowing different brands of 17.5 motors and esc's. I understand the point about guys who have certain equipment that they may use at Madness or some trophy race somewhere and not wanting to buy something different to race in the Trans Am class. I get that. However, the 4 of us who started this class only race locally at RCH and quite frankly don't care what other tracks allow.

As I said, we may allow different brands of 17.5 motors and esc's, but anyone who violates the spirit of the rules of this class will be called to account.

The guys who started the touring car class have a spec motor, spec tires, and spec batteries, and everyone seems ok with that; our Trans Am class is not that different in concept than the touring car class. I don't think Rob and the rest of the touring car guys care what other tracks are doing; they have their set of rules for their class and that's it; accept them or race in a different class. Simple.

If someone wants to have a more "open" Trans Am class, or whatever they want to call it, fine by me.

As I said earlier, I will be at the track tomorrow if anyone wants to talk about it.

Maybe you aren't referring to the Trans Am class, but some obviously were and that is who I was primarily addressing. You did after all previously ask what size gears we were using in Trans Am, so I took it that you were interested.

I would like to know just who else is actually interested in the Vintage Trans Am class so I have an idea of how many potential racers we have for this class. Please post here.

Thank you

Ok time for my .02 As far as I can tell as long as you have enough people Ken will schedule a race for that class. (Some guys are looking to run short course this week.) So if you are looking to run an open brushless touring class simply arange it with 3 or 4 others and have fun. Hopefully Ken will comment on this. As far as the speck classes go I agree with the others they need to stay spec. I think that by limiting the costs and keeping some of the elements even we have brought in a lot of new people to this hobby. I really have fun running at RCH. The fact that it is local for a lot of us is also a big factor. Between the time and the gas money S and H or madness are out of reach for a lot of us. I think that if you have a core group of drivers that want to run things there way (spec,open,whatever) people will decide for themselves if they want to join in. Myself I like the way the spec touring is working out. I am building a trans am car because the guys that run that class have made it appealing to me.


Ok rant button off.

I don't want to get involved in the whole brushless motor and esc discussion with those of you in the touring car class,that's your class, your deal; but for any who are interested in the Vintage Trans Am class, I will have the rules posted here sometime this coming week.

With regards to the brushless rules for the Trans Am class; we are likely to allow different brands of 17.5 brushless motors and speed controls; BUT, if anyone is caught cheating and using a non-spec, programmable mode on their esc and tries to do what Roy was referring to; they will be kicked out of the class PERMANENTLY!!!

Chris and Ken have a way of teching the motors and speed controls to protect us from just such a thing, so I'm told.

I will have zero tolerance for anyone who willingly violates the spirit of the rules for selfish gain.

Ok Dave I pulled the trigger on a brushless set up for my trans Am car. I will be a havoc 1s speed control with a SS 17.5 motor. This should eliminate any thoughts of cheating on my part. It is easier for me and the havoc 1s has the battery boost for the reciever built in. I am not sure when it will get here so I may be running the brushed setup next week. I had a lot of fun running the car saterday night just for some pratice. I hope to get some more in this week.

Sounds great Brett. I talked to Rob today, and he is going to get a Novak Havok system as well. Looking forward to Saturday night!

I stopped a the track for a while to run the camero. Not too bad but still some traction roll. I still have some practicing to do. my brushless setup will be a week out so i will still have the brushed motor in it. Looking forward to running saterday.

Put a heavy, stiff spring on the right front; that will help with the traction roll.

I just moved into area looking to race saturday nite road course, i have an xray t2 27 turn on foam tires Does that fit in any class or should i pick up some rubber tires and anything else? thanks

For those who are interested in the Vintage Trans Am pan car class here are the rules:

1. Any 1/10 scale direct drive pan car chassis

2. HPI VINTAGE TRANS AM BODIES ONLY, such as would have been produced and raced during the 1960's to 1970. This would include the Mustangs, Camaros, Corvettes and Barracudas of that era. As HPI adds more bodies in the future that are of that type they will be added upon approval.

3. 1 cell lipo with a max of 50C

4. 17.5 brushless motors with speed controls set to "spec" mode only. These will be teched at the track if anyone is suspected of doing otherwise. Each manufacturer has a way of setting the esc to "spec" mode. For those who still have the "brushed" Venom 21T motor per the previous rules; you may continue to run that motor till you get a brushless system. Be aware though that you will likely be at a disadvantage power wise. No other brushed motors allowed. If you still have a brushed motor please upgrade to the 17.5 brushless as soon as possible so we are ALL running under the same motor rule.

5. The tire/wheel for this class shall be the BSR WGT blue stripe which comes in a purple compound only. Part numbers are: F1034GT rears and F1033GT fronts.
You may continue to use the Jaco WGT lilac and BSR Spec yellow stripe till they wear out and then you should replace them with the BSR WGT blue stripe.

6. Minimum weight limit 35 oz.

7. As per the national Vintage Trans Am rules, bodies must be painted and decaled in a manner that would be consistent with Trans Am racers of that era. That means no neon paint jobs, no flames or skulls or anything that would look out of place on a Trans Am car.

As president and founder of this class I reserve the right to determine these regulations. This class is all about fun, scale appearance spec racing that is simple and affordable for all. Anyone who willingly violates the spirit of this class will be asked to change or risk being expelled from the class. If anyone has a question concerning whether or not something is legal, either post it here or see me at the track. Don't assume.

If anyone wants to make any changes to the specifications of the class, please feel free to approach me or other members, and we will bring it up for discussion and vote. Thank you.

savage308 wrote:I just moved into area looking to race saturday nite road course, i have an xray t2 27 turn on foam tires Does that fit in any class or should i pick up some rubber tires and anything else? thanks

The current SPEC touring car class runs the Reedy Radon Motor, Venom 2S LiPo pack and rubber tires. The tires and motor are available at the track. The Venom LiPo battery pack is on backorder at the moment but should be available again shortly.
We would be interested in adding a foam tire class if there are at least a few interested. There is also a Vintage Trans Am class getting started. The rules are on the racing rules page of our website http://www.shoprch.com/R_C_Racing_Rules.html