Last night (March 1) was the final night of the Washtenaw Track points series.....

http://www.rcproductdesigns.com/washtenaw_track.htm

We had GREAT particiaption in the 1/8 Buggy Class, and even a few Truggies turning out week after week.

The small indoor track shows the power of close quarters acceleration and quick stopping / turning / jumping, and especially these high powered rigs operating in close quarters on a tight track shows the real driver skill needed to control these rigs.

With NEU motors and 4 cell LIPOS (heading toward 5 and 6 cell?), these rigs can develope 2 or 3 horsepower, and will really fly on outdoor tracks with more room to run.

Pay close attention to the tight turn lane and narrow straightaway, the short runup to the triple and over under jumps, and the head high air these rigs carry as they also stop in a hurry to make the next turn.



I may be a bit biased, but doesn't that lineup look A LOT like a Grad Prix lineup? And the quick start / stop and go looks almost like an off-road Grand Prix free for all.....

: )

SPECIAL THANK YOU to Dan from www.RCProductDesigns.com for running a great family friendly program, all season long we had experienced (adult drives) and also younger children and teens running side by side in a competitive, yet also safe and fun atmosphere (well maybe not so safe for Marshalls, as maybe a hocky helmet would be a good idea while Marshalling these big rigs. Just kidding. Sort of).

These vids are kind of crude / low res but hopefully they give a taste of the power these big rigs have, and the speed and exciting action (without the Nitro noise and fumes in an indoor Winter season).

The videos are at www.YouTube.com/HandyRacing

5 minute Buggy A-Main is here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=OWSiNMy7uHM

SOme brief Truggy action is here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=lMExhRmDACY



Feel free to comment here or over there....

Thanks.

Our project "work in progress" is here, lots of lessons learned and techno links posted:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_7048201/tm.htm

Another great forum with HUGE brushless conversion techno lessons learned is here:

http://www.rctech.net/forum/showthread.php?t=158327

(If anyone knows how to embed these videos right here in the post, please let me know)

Enjoy.....

(Edited to correct links and typos)

Pretty cool to see all the conversions but it's amazing how boring it is to watch the racing.

Well maybe you had to be there.... its hard to capture the action with my limited video equip. These things haul arse.

: )

For those interested in these type a rigs, I hope it offers at least a glimps of the power and speed.

Thanks for watching.

Nice vid, which city in michigan is it in. Im about 30 north of you in lansing. Would be cool to meet there, and get some action in.

Thanks for watching. The track is just a few miles south of Ann Arbor, next Saturday being the final event till next Winter.

See the www.RCProductDesigns.com link for the Washtenaw Track and further info.....

Some of these guys run at the Phesant Run track in the summer, and a few other venues are developing. Hopefully we'll all be seeing each other going forward - they're a great group who are really on the cutting edge of this new class of racers. These rigs are all pretty much prototype cuctom rigs, its not only a really inventive atmosphere, but the tech support / buddy system is really amazing.

To quite they need to put sound systems in them. LOL

: )

(of course we can still hear the Race Director call the action)

Edit: Thanks for watching.

I have no problem hearing the race director at any of our races that is why they have a speaker on the driver stand. What they remind me of is when I raced slot cars. LOL

I was teasing. Yes, it is differet. LIPO sacks and foam lined battery cases, instead of gallons (and gallons and gallons) of liquid fuel being transported and stored all over the place (like in young kid's or teenager's bedrooms, closets, or basements).

AND, I like the quiet and fresh air. Well OK, these rigs stir up A LOT of dust with all that power. Yes, personal preference. I also like the superior power aspect.

That is all that matters is you like them as there are people like I that do not care how fast or what ever still prefer nitro. Now have you ever seen one of those batteries blow up? I HAVE! [X(]

Yes. Safety is important, like anything / anywhere else.

Ever seen a gallon of fuel take out a car, or a garage, or a house? Or burn down a woods when an Nitro airplane crashes?

The fuel we run is MUCH safer then gasoline are you going to quite driving your one to one car? If some one blow up there car do to a gallon of fuel there is a WHOLE lot more to the story!

I see a house catch on fire do to a Lop exploding. [X(]

My preference for a daily driver? I'm partial to VW TDI's

Try these:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlWba-lykTk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeTDaWf6fps

SO - you're advocating young kids and teens handle Nitro fuel? It seems adults are busy starting forest fires and blowing things up.

Of course, there's also the basic "kids will be kids"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA0UxfNNaCg

BWHAHAHHAHAHAH

(Edit to correct link)

I do not think any RC either eclectic or nitro should be done by children with out adult supervision. Charging batteries can be as or more dangers as nitro. How many children have a little ATV or motorcycle and put gas in it? That is more dangers then nitro fuel!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can spill the fuel we run on a hot engine or exhaust 99% of the time there is not a problem. Now with gasoline is a different story. So you would let your child charge a Lip battery with out supervision?

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/788668...erous_battery/

[X(][X(][X(][X(]

The two videos I linked above seem to show a different story than you describe.....

Out of my own personal bias, I haven't looked into Nitro fuel very much. Is buggy fuel any different than that used in model airplanes? Last I knew, any fuels that would provide combustion in an engine, would also burn quite nicely given an alternative source of ignition.

Besides, I would rather teach battery safety than liquid fuels safety.

Besides again, I prefer to also teach current and future engineering science, than pretend the Model-T is still also the hottest thing going.

Its OK with me if you like your Nitro, its just not the fastest or most powerfull thing going anymore for RC vehicles.

You are correct nitro is just more popular! [X(][X(] I even own a few electrics my self for when the weather is bad! I really like F1 racing.

The Washtenaw Track (links above) have also been running a Mini Class all winter.

One of our friends borrowed our mini LIPO and put it in an RC18 with a little Mamba set up and was hurling over the same 30 foot triples as in my vids - I was laughing SO HARD last night watching. After the race I told him I REALLY liked his little projectile with knobby tires.

These brushless / Lipo setups on carpet really rock too, one of oour local tracks run a carpet road course every Sunday (I usually try and hang for a bit to watch).

A guy just commented over on the "Nitro vs Electric: forum post about business opportunity and the future, you really should take it to heart what the future may hold.

The message can be located at: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=7167034

(Edited for typos)

Hey Handy, If you ever get to Grand woods Look me up.

Or perhaps we could chat whilst picking Nick's brain at Just For Fun.

: )

(Or maybe we already have. I also try to avoid using real names on the Internet, but send me a note if you think we may have met)

That must depend on where you are. We have one track in the area that supports indoor nitro and electric. On nitro days, they have a hard time paying the bills. On electric days, they have a hard time making room for everyone.

If you go by post on RCU the largest RC form in the world you would have to say nitro. LOL Here in the south east you have a hard time even finding a off road electric race. [X(] Like I say run what you like I do.

Would you mind if some electric conversions showed up and ran against you and your peers, as you say there must be few other race venues for them?

Handy, I really apreciate your enthusiasm for this. And I look forward to a future with Brushless buggies being run at the Worlds and the other big races. Unfortunately, they are not in the rule books yet. Breaking a track record with a non-conforming car has a certain individual satisfaction, but will always lack the support of the larger community that races cars based on the spec. Its the rules that make the racing competitive.

And don't take me as a hater. I enjoyed your videos. The performacne is impressive. I'd love to have a brushless buggy to play around with and I'm looking at brushless for my 1/10th onroad electrics, where brushless has been accepted into the rules.

Once we had a electric conversion 1/8 buggy show up for a club race and ran with the nitros but he DNF. He did OK till he DNF but never was near first place. Come on down and race with us you are all ways welcome at a club race.