gunfighter
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Joined: 7/13/2002
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From: Canyon Lake,
TX, USA
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Wow! I just dug this up and it sure brings back memories!!
This was the write up from the first club 40 Championship race....
Saturday, November 1st, 2008
Lester Field (ARCA) Austin, TX
The day broke with a slight chill, but that was not to last very long. As the competitors arrived, the field transformed into a spectacle. The pilots were loose and anxious, and trash talking was heard across the field. Would the “Young Guns” with their exceptional eyesight and reflexes be able to hold off the experience and cunning of the “Old Geezers”? Or would the “Old Geezers” open up a Texas size can of “Whop Ass”? This was “The big one” and every pilot knew they would be tested to the limit on this day. All the previous winners were there to do battle. Pilots from Dallas, Houston, New Waverly, Georgetown, Waco, Canyon Lake, San Antonio and all points in between were there to compete in the first annual -
“Texas Club 40 Championship”
CD Jim Duda started the pilot briefing with a description of the new timing system developed by Stan Douglas et al. After a brief familiarization with the rules and safety procedures, we were ready to race.
The first race of the day set the pace for what would be one of the greatest races I have ever attended. All four pilots were previous winners in the circuit. All four were ready to prove they were the best on this day, and they did not disappoint!
The race was very close, with the lead changing several times. In the end, Bob Petrinec showed every one he was here to win. His time of 1:27.05 was just the beginning of a day when 6 pilots would turn in times faster than the current record time for this group.
The heats continued at a rather frantic pace of 4 ½ minutes from “Flag to flag”. By lunch time, the top pilots were staking their claim on this race. Jason Oliver and Tim Purcell were perfect through 3 rounds, with Bob Petrinec and Jeff Large only 1 point behind.
After a half hour break for lunch, we continued on with renewed vitality and the racing got even more brutal. Round 4 heat #2 was a classic match up! This could have been dubbed “The Old Geezers Final”. Standing on the pilots line were more than 100 years of racing experience: Bob Petrinec, Freddy French, Chuck Waller and Terry Large calling for Bob. The race was extremely close until the final few laps when Bob pulled ahead while setting a new record time for our group of 1:19.68! Chuck took 2nd with Freddy close behind.
Round 5 was a turning point in the race. After going perfect for 4 rounds, Tim Purcell stumbled in the 5th with a double cut and no points. Jason Oliver finished in 3rd place in his heat and Jeff Large ended up in 2nd place in his heat. This would set up one of the best races of the season.
Round 6, heat #5…The next to last heat of the season, featured Jason Oliver, standing at 18 points, Tim Purcell, at 16 points and Jeff Large with 18 points. Waiting in the wings were Jason Duda with 22 points, Chuck Waller with 19, Gary Fisher, Freddy French and Terry Large with 18 points each!
The race was every thing we expected. All three pilots flew an exceptional race with several lead changes and more than one close call! About lap 7, Tim had a cut at pylon #2. Jeff and Jason continued the battle right to the finish line with a “Photo finish”! In the end, Jeff Large edged out Jason by 14 hundredths of a second! 1:22.63 to a second place 1:22.77.
The Top 10, ranked by Points. (ties were broken by fast time)
Jason Duda 22 points 1:20.33
Jeff Large 22 points 1:22.63
Jason Oliver 21 points 1:22.77
Chuck Waller 19 points 1:28.62
Gary Fisher 18 points 1:26.36
Freddy French 18 points 1:28.15
Terry Large 18 points 1:28.59
Tim Purcell 18 points 1:29.15
Bob Petrinec 17 points 1:19.68 ** New Record!!
Eddie Flesher 17 points 1:27.98
*Ken Hopson 17 points 1:31.60 (11th place due to best time)
In the end, this was the best race we have ever had and will be the benchmark for all events in the future. The new timing system developed by Stan Douglas worked flawlessly and allowed us to run more heats in less time than any race I have attended. The pilots were very professional while still having a great deal of fun! If you needed something, any thing, some one was there to help you out. This included loaning out a complete airplane for a competitor to fly against you!
The Austin Radio Control Assn (ARCA) field was in excellent shape and the club members treated us to a great lunch and lots of Texas hospitality. The weather was absolutely perfect! Mid 80’s, light wind and low humidity made for a very enjoyable day and some very fast times.
Our sponsors for this race were very generous and helpful. A special thanks goes out to:
Airborne Models, 2nd Chance Hobbies, RCPRO and Stegall Hobbies, Chuck Esh and Sonaloma Laser, Safe-T-Train, Inc., Power Master and Ritches Brew. Thanks to these sponsors, our award table was over flowing with nice prizes and awards.
Also, a very special “Thank You” to our volunteer officials. We must remember that without them, it would be very difficult to hold a race. Our officials were: Jim Duda (Race announcer and CD) Stan Douglas (timing system operator), Bernard “Crash” Siegel (Score Keeper), Bill Black (starter), Mark Weiss and Bill McCann (Pylon judges), Andy Clapp, Pat Duffey, Donny Donohue and Morris Duet. All of our officials received a nice award for their service. We also held a raffle for the officials only, giving them a choice of any thing on the prize table! We also put their names into the hat with the pilots for the over all raffle which included: 2 LA Racer ARF’s, 1 Sky Raider Mach 2 ARF, a New TT Pro 40 motor, 5 Transmitter stands, 15 Transmitter bags and 2 gallons of Power Master fuel.
Winners of the raffle were:
Morris Duet, LA Racer; Rafael Ladesma, LA Racer; Jason Oliver , Sky Raaider Mach II; Chuck Esh, TT Pro 40; Almost all the other pilots and officials received either a transmitter bag or a transmitter stand.
I thought this would be a close race overall, but I had no idea it would end up so closely packed at the top! In the end, the eyesight and reflexes of the “Young Guns” overcame the experience and patience of the “Old Geezers”! However, on this day, it did not matter. Friendships were strengthened, respect was gained by all. Every one had a great time and from what I heard after the race, the rivalries will again resurface when we start the next great season of RCPRO Club 40 racing in Texas!
Chuck
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RE: 2012 RCPRO Club 40 National Championship Race - 
They will handle it. 
