My First Race..
06-29-2008, 12:32 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
My First Race..
Well, after these guys worked all winter and spring, the local track finally opened last weekend. I went for the first "test race", but c.rapped out after two 5-min prelims with servo problems...(stupid rounded out plastic gas/brake arm..)
Anyway, this weekend was the official first race - mine, and the track's.. I was just hoping my truck stayed together, and didn't really expect to be competitive - which I wasn't..
But whatever - was a good time.. Several guys helped me out with some brake and other problems, tanking, etc..
As for me, I was actually pretty good yesterday in the two 5-min prelim runs.. AND the truck stayed togehter - thanks to a guy helping me screw my hub on after the stupid CNC hub threads rounded out.. He'd had the same problem, so knew what to do..
Anyway, today there were 3 groups of truggies, and I was in the group with the fastest guys with the most expensive, dialled truggies.. I was 5th from 8 in the in the first two 5-min rounds, and 6th in the 3rd. I think though from 20 or so, time-wise I was like 10 or 11 or so when it was all said and done.. I was happiest of all to just make it through the whole 20-minute semifinal.. I think I would've made the final, but missed out cuz, as my pit dude told me, I missed the lap-counter thingy after popping off the track at one point and coming back on just past the counter.. Never knew that's where it was.. [:@]
As for my truggy - Hyper ST Pro, Mach 427 with Muggy pipe, Fioroni twin turbo clutch, Hitec 5955 and 5-something-or-other for gas/brakes, 50wt oil in all the shocks, 3-10-7 in the diffs, well, it FELT like a Savage compared to how some of the Kyoshos with RB's and OS Speeds etc LOOKED, but actually it was pretty good on power and handling... The main problem was brakes.. At one point I had nearly none, then full on in the rear/none in the front(which made the truck spin out and drive totally differently..), then in the end for the 20 min semi, just kinda' week brakes.. There were four Hypers there, and though one dude was normally really fast(i.e. competitive..) with a VSPEC, he c.rapped out with engine problems in the semi.., and none of the Hypers made it to the final. Granted, two were RTR's with stock engines, and driver-skill was a big part - but my observation was that - unless some drastic changes in my setup are possible, the Losis, Kyoshos, Mugens etc with the expensive engines(and yes, much more experienced drivers..) were just more nimble and quicker... I still like the Hyper - I'm still learning to drive it(before today had a max of 8 tanks on it..), and here and there was able to string together some pretty smooth lines(if I do say so myself...).. [sm=shades_smile.gif]
Another observation though is, how engine sounds affects your perception of speed.. My Mach doesn't have that high-end revvy sound of the expensive 21's, but power-wise I was there except on the very top end.. Again, lack of brakes, ideal tires, and experience prevented me from really opening up... The handling of the Hyper, and power of the Mach though I found really nice.. I don't know if it's only the truck, or me, but I think whereas the Kyoshos and co look like they drive really precisely - more "darty".., with the Hyper it seems I would have to really throw it around, practically drifting through the turns..(that may have just been a result though of my having to deal with lame brakes and perhaps not the best tires.., not to mention other set-up imperfections......) Which is cool though - cuz it's fun.. Just takes practice...
Anyway, was an awesome day - and long(9 - 6pm..) Weather played along too..
Now I just need to learn how to set the dang truck up right...
Here're some vids and pics..:
Start of the truggy final:
http://s166.photobucket.com/albums/u...FinalStart.flv
Me bumping into stuff(sans brakes):
http://s166.photobucket.com/albums/u...t=MeRacing.flv
Anyway, this weekend was the official first race - mine, and the track's.. I was just hoping my truck stayed together, and didn't really expect to be competitive - which I wasn't..
But whatever - was a good time.. Several guys helped me out with some brake and other problems, tanking, etc..
As for me, I was actually pretty good yesterday in the two 5-min prelim runs.. AND the truck stayed togehter - thanks to a guy helping me screw my hub on after the stupid CNC hub threads rounded out.. He'd had the same problem, so knew what to do..
Anyway, today there were 3 groups of truggies, and I was in the group with the fastest guys with the most expensive, dialled truggies.. I was 5th from 8 in the in the first two 5-min rounds, and 6th in the 3rd. I think though from 20 or so, time-wise I was like 10 or 11 or so when it was all said and done.. I was happiest of all to just make it through the whole 20-minute semifinal.. I think I would've made the final, but missed out cuz, as my pit dude told me, I missed the lap-counter thingy after popping off the track at one point and coming back on just past the counter.. Never knew that's where it was.. [:@]
As for my truggy - Hyper ST Pro, Mach 427 with Muggy pipe, Fioroni twin turbo clutch, Hitec 5955 and 5-something-or-other for gas/brakes, 50wt oil in all the shocks, 3-10-7 in the diffs, well, it FELT like a Savage compared to how some of the Kyoshos with RB's and OS Speeds etc LOOKED, but actually it was pretty good on power and handling... The main problem was brakes.. At one point I had nearly none, then full on in the rear/none in the front(which made the truck spin out and drive totally differently..), then in the end for the 20 min semi, just kinda' week brakes.. There were four Hypers there, and though one dude was normally really fast(i.e. competitive..) with a VSPEC, he c.rapped out with engine problems in the semi.., and none of the Hypers made it to the final. Granted, two were RTR's with stock engines, and driver-skill was a big part - but my observation was that - unless some drastic changes in my setup are possible, the Losis, Kyoshos, Mugens etc with the expensive engines(and yes, much more experienced drivers..) were just more nimble and quicker... I still like the Hyper - I'm still learning to drive it(before today had a max of 8 tanks on it..), and here and there was able to string together some pretty smooth lines(if I do say so myself...).. [sm=shades_smile.gif]
Another observation though is, how engine sounds affects your perception of speed.. My Mach doesn't have that high-end revvy sound of the expensive 21's, but power-wise I was there except on the very top end.. Again, lack of brakes, ideal tires, and experience prevented me from really opening up... The handling of the Hyper, and power of the Mach though I found really nice.. I don't know if it's only the truck, or me, but I think whereas the Kyoshos and co look like they drive really precisely - more "darty".., with the Hyper it seems I would have to really throw it around, practically drifting through the turns..(that may have just been a result though of my having to deal with lame brakes and perhaps not the best tires.., not to mention other set-up imperfections......) Which is cool though - cuz it's fun.. Just takes practice...
Anyway, was an awesome day - and long(9 - 6pm..) Weather played along too..
Now I just need to learn how to set the dang truck up right...
Here're some vids and pics..:
Start of the truggy final:
http://s166.photobucket.com/albums/u...FinalStart.flv
Me bumping into stuff(sans brakes):
http://s166.photobucket.com/albums/u...t=MeRacing.flv
06-29-2008, 01:00 PM
#2
Senior Member
Thread Starter
RE: My First Race..
:
