Toddzilla

iTrader: (9)

The last thing this hobby needs is MORE classes.

I don't know about you, but I live right near a fantastic track (Competition Hobbies), but the turnout each week is just so-so. I race stock truck primarily and it's a "huge night" when there are 10 people running it.

Adding more classes will mean that there will simply be fewer people in each class.....which to me is less fun.

JoshM20

iTrader: (7)

Can you say monopoly? You think that other Manufactures should have to run a certain manufactures parts

I said AE because there is no Losi SCT truck yet.

And for someone that likes "spec" racing you don't know much about it...
Spec is about the "rules, wheelbase, batts, motors, tires" not about the chassis brand.... You say that SLASH is the savior to the hobby and in the same breath say other manufactures should not be allowed to run in the popular class....

Think outside the box

BigDogRacing

iTrader: (12)

I have to say that I somewhat agree that it will be very frustrating to the newbie who has bought a Slash and doing well in Slash Spec class to get his lunch eaten by a more race bred SC10 or the likes.

However, I have a possible solution- first of all, KEEP the Traxxas ESC. I know, it's kinda cheap for us guys used to full-on racing ESC's, but that's part of what makes the class. Then, to make up for the superior suspension, CoG difference, etc, limit them to less motor. Let the SLash chassis trucks keep the 12t Traxxas motor and use it as the baseline. THen increase turns to make up the difference in chassis superiority. Also limit the wheel/tire combo. I like proline's products myself, but you would need to limit the tread to two or three choices. One other reason I like the Proline stuff is the true beadlock wheels. Limiting tires to original Traxxas stuff is ok, but at $26/pr (local hobby shop) that's a little steep. You can buy the Traxxas OEM tires w/o the wheels so allow the beadlocks and two tire choices.

Well, that just off the top of my head. There are many many more small issues that would need to be solved, but I think it would put the playing field back to even- or at least close.

trx450racer174

iTrader: (7)

No my LHS is Pegasus if you want to know.

Toddzilla

iTrader: (9)

Tamiya should bring back the grasshopper and there should be a class for it, since it started it all, you know. But to allow everyone with with B4s and XXXs to still compete, they'd just have to run 50 turn motors and knobby tires in the newer cars to make it fair.

BigDogRacing

iTrader: (12)

Well, I meant the actual SC class chassis'. I know the SC10 is T4 based, but not all parts interchange plus no matter what the chassis is based upon, the truck would still have to meet all SC class measurements. Speaking of which, another handicap to keep the Slash competitive is weight. Weight is easy to add to the more race bred chassis' and can be fine tuned moreso that a complete motor spec change. Plus it can be used to tune the truck as well.

devin4444

iTrader: (3)

Yes some times it does suck waiting 20 min longer this year,but this is the best for the hobby. Think about this. If more people are in the corr class the better the track will be. People would be paying for racing and that would help your track. people might like the corr class but might buy an other rc car to race to. The corr class is helping the hobby every day.

JoshM20

iTrader: (7)

The SC10 is based off the T4 but a Slash is not a True scaled Corr truck so why would that matter? The chassis they have is, not scaled So again, Slash is saving the hobby but when people want to get into it they should only be able to run a slash.... I guess AMD should Sue Microsoft for using a 32m architecture while they still use mainly 65 and 45nm.... The hobby progresses because other manufactures tweak designs and put out new products... You think if we only had the choice of a Frog to race the hobby would be where it is today?

The limiting of the motors is just ridiculous, there should be a Spec motor, not a "his car is faster so I wanna be able to run a faster motor" Yea, that is fair to other racers.

That is why a spec class has limits like weight, wheelbase, motor, batts, so on... Not "that chassis is more race worthy we will have to cripple what can be run and increase what can be run in other chassis" That's not the spirit of racing or spec.

Toddzilla

iTrader: (9)

My point exactly.

not home

iTrader: (23)

or maybe it will catch some newcomers eye and they will get into the hobby thus creating one new racer at your track!

glassdoctor

iTrader: (4)

Excuse me? What part of what I said means that one mfg has to use another mfg parts? Losi builds their own XXT based truck just like AE's T4 based truck, etc.

You can tell me what I know about spec racing? And I am thinking outside the box. Anyone else suggesting to replace an entire class with a new type of car?

Guys, this is like NASCAR ditching the old car and racing with the new "car of tomorrow"... instead of adding more new classes on top of what we already have. It's an idea to REDUCE the total number of classes!!!! Not add to it.

Keep the Slash class just like it has been and let the new "race" brands have the "serious" classes, stock and mod... in the place of the old 1/10 trucks.

Nobody has to take me serious... it's just an idea that will likely never happen because not enough people are willing to think outside the box WITH ME.

FASTtraxxRC

We had a couple of guys that modified their Losi Desert Trucks to run Proline slash style bodies so they could run in our new SCT Class last night despite their trucks being about 1/2" too short they still did okay racng against the SC10s and Slashes.


Regarding this whole who should get to run what discussion I posted the below in another discussion the other day.

As a track and hobby shop owner and operator I have been following these discussions with much interest for some time as it is the same crying I have heard at the track last year, and I thought it about time to give an insider's point of view on the topic. Just like at many tracks, last year ours was invaded by the new Slash Class and got pushed down my throat as a way to attract new racers but after checking our old entry lists this has not proven to be the case.

Last year we had a total of 127 total different drivers entered in the class and only 22 of them being first time racer and from that 127 only 62 showed up for our first month of racing this year and most of them were an experienced racer that was entered in another class that night with only 2 of the 22 new guys returning from last year and only 2 new guys this year showing up to race the class which equates to a net increase of 4 drivers.
I have also talked to a number of people that have brought in their Slashes to attempt to sell them used and asked them why they weren't racing and the overwhelming response was that they got tired of getting beat up on and outrun by the hotshot track bullies that were too experienced for them to compete with and overall rated the on-track experience as poor.
The only difference that we noticed was that adding the class added to the length of the raceday by almost an hour, and increased our repair bill for track barriers because the class drove so roughly and disregarded the barrier system or any normal racing etiquette which led to many postrace arguments and verbal disagreements because the slashes proved so tough.
The other thing that we noticed was that this new spec class did not increase hobby shop sales since drivers adopted the no modification rules so many fought for, and as a result few if any replacement or add-on parts were sold as a result of adding this class to our weekly program. Yes, we sold a few kits but as is today's practice the majority were bought elsewhere. We don't make much money off selling kits, but we make even less off the weekly races. Our track was installed as a benefit for our paying customers, and entry fees do not cover its operating costs.

Overall this class was not good for our track or our hobby shop, and as a result we have decided to drop the Slash spec class entirely in favor of adopting the 2009 ROAR SCT Class rules we hope will attract other trucks and manufacturers to Short Course Truck racing where racers might be tempted to actually spend some money from time to time in our hobby shop. Otherwise our only option was to include the Slashes in the preexisting open 2wd truck class, an idea that was not popular last year despite fitting within that class' rules.

Since adoption of the new rules package and the release of the Associated truck we have sold our stipend of SC10 inventory as well as the left over Losi Desert Trucks which guys have modified to add Proline SCT bodies to fit, and as a result we have already reaped not only a new buzz for a class that could have died this year but increased sales in the hobby shop that will help us keep our doors open during a tough economic period where overall sales have suffered.

Thanx for listening

glassdoctor

iTrader: (4)

SPEC class racing.

Have you heard of Legends? It's a classic spec class, with a single unique chassis from Bolink. No, you CANNOT show up with a RC12 pan car and race with them. That wouldn't be fair. The Legends car is crude and archaic by comparison. If you want to run that class... buy the Bolink. They are cheap and durable.

That may be a more drastic difference than the Slash vs. SC10 but it's the exact same concept. One is meant for hardcore racing and the other remains unchanged as a simple reliable spec platform. You want to run the spec Slash class? Buy a Slash! It's CHEAP and durable... most trucks at our track ran all summer without breaking anything and the only mods allowed is using your own radio.

If AE had built a high CG lifted chassis truck just like the Slash, then I could see running them together in a spec class, with the same tire and motor for all trucks. But it's not the same.

Knowing Traxxas like we do... odds are the Slash will remain unchanged for the next decade which makes it a perfect truck for a spec class.

Again, keep Slash class alive as a spec class as long as there is a demand for it.

The AE truck (and Losi and Kyosho I hope) can run in regular (non-spec) classes, along with all those Slash guys who have been wanting to run brushless etc. Last summer a lot of guys complained about having to run the stock equipment... now they can have a class to run in.

FASTtraxxRC

Have you not heard that the Legends class is dead pretty much everywhere.

If it was anyone's fault it was traxxas for deciding to use their former monster truck centipede chassis layout when they made the slash, so it can't be blamed on Associated that they decided to build a racer instead of using basher trucks they no longer could sell under their old badging.

glassdoctor

iTrader: (4)

I think that's been a common story. (Although at my track almost everyone buys kits from the LHS because they have competitive pricing on kits. They sold like 40 Slashes last summer... way more than the ones bought for racing. Price kits right and people will buy local. 10-15% profit is better than 0%)

Anyway, I think having the new SCT class in addition to the Slash class from last year will be a good thing. Maybe some of those guys that quit racing or sold their Slash after getting killed by the fast guys, will come back and race now that those fast guys will likely be running the SCT class.

That's why I think it's a good idea to keep the "spec" Slash class intact, and add the new SCT class on top of it. I think we need to have stock and mod SCT classes. If the Slash class dies after tracks start running SCT class, then there's nothing you can do about it. Spec racing is tough to keep going. I think the Slash is by far the best chance to have a spec class in off road racing.

I agree that the last thing we need is to water down the entries with even MORE classes.... so I say there's no longer room for 1/10 truck classes