Ode to the MT class
02-25-2006, 10:26 AM
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Ode to the MT class
Ode to the dearly departed MT Class
It is with a heavy heart that I feel I must bid adieu to the racing class I love so much. Not so much a eulogy per se, but a metamorphosis at the very least. With tactics taken straight from Microsoft, Traxxas has managed to oust every competitor from the field and it seems the Revo will maintain a monopoly now in the MT class, for quite some time.
Now, don’t take this the wrong way. I like the Revo quite a bit. It’s nimble, quick, easy to trick out, and gets great lap times. I could go on about all of its pro’s and con’s, but that has been discussed ad nauseam. What bothers me is the fact that the tactics taken by Traxxas to ensure the Revo’s domination in the class may end up eliminating the class altogether.
The fact that Traxxas has made the Revo even better I think is great! They’ve made a great truck even better! No doubt about it, with a big block mill, a center dif and brake bias, the Revo will be able to compete quite handily with the truggies. And herein lies the problem. The reason for the separation of classes was to make the playing field equal. Standard MT’s just can’t quite keep up with the truggies. If they could there would be no reason to separate the classes in the first place. Now, Traxxas has a “rule qualified†MT that will have no problem (with the right driver) keeping up with trucks that were separated out of their class so as to keep the capabilities of the vehicles as close as possible.
So now we have a truck that, if judging by ability, is really a truggy but will compete in the MT class. This effectively makes the class biased towards one vehicle, and the seemingly underhanded efforts of Traxxas to ensure that the rules got changed specifically to allow this, is rather disturbing.
One of my club members has suggested that we go back to old school rules – Stock and modified, with no gray areas. It’s either stock, or its not. After all, it’s supposed to come down to driver skill, not who can mod their vehicle to the point that it practically drives itself.
When we get to the point that all the A-main MT’s could just as easily have competed in the unlimited MT class, there will be just one class. Maybe that’s for the best, but I will miss racing my LST.
Unfortunately, there just aren’t enough people that race an MT other than the Revo to make anyone think twice about where this class is headed. Hundreds of Revo owners cried foul at being thrown in with the truggies when they first showed up, so a new class was formed. And if the Revo can hang with the truggies now, and it sure looks like they will, somehow I doubt they will be as vocal about being on the other end of the fulcrum.
Farewell my beloved MT class, it was a good 2 years.
It is with a heavy heart that I feel I must bid adieu to the racing class I love so much. Not so much a eulogy per se, but a metamorphosis at the very least. With tactics taken straight from Microsoft, Traxxas has managed to oust every competitor from the field and it seems the Revo will maintain a monopoly now in the MT class, for quite some time.
Now, don’t take this the wrong way. I like the Revo quite a bit. It’s nimble, quick, easy to trick out, and gets great lap times. I could go on about all of its pro’s and con’s, but that has been discussed ad nauseam. What bothers me is the fact that the tactics taken by Traxxas to ensure the Revo’s domination in the class may end up eliminating the class altogether.
The fact that Traxxas has made the Revo even better I think is great! They’ve made a great truck even better! No doubt about it, with a big block mill, a center dif and brake bias, the Revo will be able to compete quite handily with the truggies. And herein lies the problem. The reason for the separation of classes was to make the playing field equal. Standard MT’s just can’t quite keep up with the truggies. If they could there would be no reason to separate the classes in the first place. Now, Traxxas has a “rule qualified†MT that will have no problem (with the right driver) keeping up with trucks that were separated out of their class so as to keep the capabilities of the vehicles as close as possible.
So now we have a truck that, if judging by ability, is really a truggy but will compete in the MT class. This effectively makes the class biased towards one vehicle, and the seemingly underhanded efforts of Traxxas to ensure that the rules got changed specifically to allow this, is rather disturbing.
One of my club members has suggested that we go back to old school rules – Stock and modified, with no gray areas. It’s either stock, or its not. After all, it’s supposed to come down to driver skill, not who can mod their vehicle to the point that it practically drives itself.
When we get to the point that all the A-main MT’s could just as easily have competed in the unlimited MT class, there will be just one class. Maybe that’s for the best, but I will miss racing my LST.
Unfortunately, there just aren’t enough people that race an MT other than the Revo to make anyone think twice about where this class is headed. Hundreds of Revo owners cried foul at being thrown in with the truggies when they first showed up, so a new class was formed. And if the Revo can hang with the truggies now, and it sure looks like they will, somehow I doubt they will be as vocal about being on the other end of the fulcrum.
Farewell my beloved MT class, it was a good 2 years.
][
02-28-2006, 08:11 AM
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RE: Ode to the MT class
It is a sad state of affairs. Of 21 Club members at my Track 12 have purchased the new OFNA X1 CRT. Still half of those kept their MTs so at least I will not be alone in the class. Even the Losi Guru has converted his LST to a truggy. Arrrrgh!
02-28-2006, 02:20 PM
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RE: Ode to the MT class
I suppose I will have to see what this next season brings for me. I plan to race the LST one last year and I was going to retire her anyway. Maybe it will be time to change classes when her number is up?
02-28-2006, 03:18 PM
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RE: Ode to the MT class
I feel like I should post a quick follow-up. Perhaps I am over reacting a bit. Like AKFM, I plan on racing this season and just see what happens. Perhaps the new 3.3 with all the options wont be as quick as I dread. If so, there is no problem and I will have to apologize to everyone. That would be great! Not that I am overly fond of crow, but I want a clear distinction between MT at AT.
My plan was to run the LST for 2 more seasons, and then reasses where I am at. I like the idea of stock gas truck (1/10) because those 2WD trucks take more skill than just about any other class. Being good at driving one of those appeals to me. Besides, I might have enough room in my backyard for a 1/10 scale track. I just barely have enough room to put in a 40' x 75' track. Good practice! Now, the plan is to just run this year and then see what is going on. The awe factor just isnt there for the 1/10 scalers though...
My plan was to run the LST for 2 more seasons, and then reasses where I am at. I like the idea of stock gas truck (1/10) because those 2WD trucks take more skill than just about any other class. Being good at driving one of those appeals to me. Besides, I might have enough room in my backyard for a 1/10 scale track. I just barely have enough room to put in a 40' x 75' track. Good practice! Now, the plan is to just run this year and then see what is going on. The awe factor just isnt there for the 1/10 scalers though...
02-28-2006, 04:38 PM
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RE: Ode to the MT class
ORIGINAL: lstRacerX
I feel like I should post a quick follow-up. Perhaps I am over reacting a bit. Like AKFM, I plan on racing this season and just see what happens. Perhaps the new 3.3 with all the options wont be as quick as I dread. If so, there is no problem and I will have to apologize to everyone. That would be great! Not that I am overly fond of crow, but I want a clear distinction between MT at AT.
My plan was to run the LST for 2 more seasons, and then reasses where I am at. I like the idea of stock gas truck (1/10) because those 2WD trucks take more skill than just about any other class. Being good at driving one of those appeals to me. Besides, I might have enough room in my backyard for a 1/10 scale track. I just barely have enough room to put in a 40' x 75' track. Good practice! Now, the plan is to just run this year and then see what is going on. The awe factor just isnt there for the 1/10 scalers though...
I feel like I should post a quick follow-up. Perhaps I am over reacting a bit. Like AKFM, I plan on racing this season and just see what happens. Perhaps the new 3.3 with all the options wont be as quick as I dread. If so, there is no problem and I will have to apologize to everyone. That would be great! Not that I am overly fond of crow, but I want a clear distinction between MT at AT.
My plan was to run the LST for 2 more seasons, and then reasses where I am at. I like the idea of stock gas truck (1/10) because those 2WD trucks take more skill than just about any other class. Being good at driving one of those appeals to me. Besides, I might have enough room in my backyard for a 1/10 scale track. I just barely have enough room to put in a 40' x 75' track. Good practice! Now, the plan is to just run this year and then see what is going on. The awe factor just isnt there for the 1/10 scalers though...
02-28-2006, 04:48 PM
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RE: Ode to the MT class
STs are cool cuz the playing field is a lot more level- there are only a handful of em, and the specs on all of the competition ST trucks are closer then other classes. I totally agree that STs classis are the driver's class- they are all very close in setup, but man are they hard to drive consistantly with. 4x4 overcomes a lot of driving inadequacies. Only good drivers are going to win competitive ST classes, because the advantage isn't in hardware, or radios, or engines.
Things are way harder then they need to be. Stock/Mod MT classes, then UMT. It's all stock or it isn't all stock, in which case all bets are off in mod classes. These in between rules are total BS. Definitely some politics going on for sure.
Things are way harder then they need to be. Stock/Mod MT classes, then UMT. It's all stock or it isn't all stock, in which case all bets are off in mod classes. These in between rules are total BS. Definitely some politics going on for sure.
02-28-2006, 05:06 PM
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RE: Ode to the MT class
im in the buggy class (for now at the least!)
im thinkin either to get into truggies and get a hellfire or get a lst2 and convewrt it to truggy
how would i convert the lst2 into a truggy? everyone at my track has the crt's gs storms hellfires etc
i want to keep up with them lol but idk how would i do this??
thanks!
im thinkin either to get into truggies and get a hellfire or get a lst2 and convewrt it to truggy
how would i convert the lst2 into a truggy? everyone at my track has the crt's gs storms hellfires etc
i want to keep up with them lol but idk how would i do this??
thanks!
02-28-2006, 05:10 PM
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RE: Ode to the MT class
The only way to do it right would be to eliminate the upper and lower decks, then fab your own chassis from the new design you would have had to make. It'd be easier, and cheaper to get a purpose built truggy.
02-28-2006, 07:58 PM
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RE: Ode to the MT class
I'm not sure why everybody says ST racing is soo tough.. I have driven my little bro's XXX-NT2 and my Friend's RC10GT on a fairly difficult track that we made out in the desert and i liked driving them better than my MT's! After about 3 laps around i was able to drift through the corners almost.. idk. I'm weird. I think i'm goign to splurge for an AD2 here pretty soon..
03-01-2006, 03:58 AM
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RE: Ode to the MT class
I agree with the original post, The problem lies where the rcpro series origonally formed its rules.. Maxxtraxx as you can guess its a fairly maxx baised board.Im a revo owner who would benifit a great deal from a center diff but I simply dont want that. I belive the thing that makes mts so fun to drive is the 50/50 locked tranny.
I wouldnt be against the center diff it was an option for all trucks as well as it stands right now the only trucks that can(or do have) it are the traxxas trucks and genesis/nemesis.
Mabey someone should start a petition and send it to Rcpro.
About 1/10th GT, Its the hardest class to drive, you have light weigh,powerfull engines and only two 2 inch wide tires to put it down with.Then add to the fact that all the trucks are so evenly matched and it makes for very good racing.Its also the best skill building class
I wouldnt be against the center diff it was an option for all trucks as well as it stands right now the only trucks that can(or do have) it are the traxxas trucks and genesis/nemesis.
Mabey someone should start a petition and send it to Rcpro.
About 1/10th GT, Its the hardest class to drive, you have light weigh,powerfull engines and only two 2 inch wide tires to put it down with.Then add to the fact that all the trucks are so evenly matched and it makes for very good racing.Its also the best skill building class
03-01-2006, 04:09 AM
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RE: Ode to the MT class
I think the MT class should be classified by the gross weight of the truck, for example for MT's that weight 7-11 lbs fully loaded with fuel and batteries, like the Revo, Ofna Pirate 10, and the T-Maxx should be in one class. The other class would be the heavy weight class 12-18 lbs fully loaded for such MT's like the LST/LST2, Savage series, Nemesis, Genesis, MGT and Titan/Titan Twin. This is the best solution for this delima. The truggies will be in there own class obviously.
