vafactor

iTrader: (6)

This year I drove 12 hours just so that I could have my butt kicked again by the very best of the best. I would have it no other way and that's exactly what happened. Having the opportunity to test my modest skills against the very best is exactly why I love these races in Ohio so much. In order to find that experience, it is necessary to go where the very best competition is to be found.........and for a 1/12th scale racer such as myself, the very best competition can always be found at the Gate. Thanks guys for kicking my butt soundly yet again this year. LOL. I'm already looking forward to the next opportunity to have and to enjoy yet another slice of humble pie.......and I just love it. My thanks go out to the whole Gate crew for providing us all with such a great carpet racing opportunity. IMHO the Halloween race always has been and it remains the very best in high level carpet racing. Thank you, thank you, and thank you.

swimbikerun

iTrader: (108)

I would think about it differently. Why wouldn't you want to race against the best out there? It's like everything else in life. You only get better by competing with the best be it in RC, sports, work, etc. Being top dog only means something if the population is also of that caliber. I'm not one to live in Lake Wobegon and prefer to know where I stand.

nwagner

iTrader: (6)

^This is by far the best answer. To add to it, you can only get better by gauging where you stand against the best in order to push yourself to the next level. If you are a lap ahead of 2nd place you know you go into cruise control... you'll never improve that way. Running behind the best for a few turns can exponentially improve your racing-line/throttle-control and then it only keeps going as you find yourself able to hang with them for a few more corners, a few more laps, and then passing them.

ADHSponser

There seems to be two camps on the "Pros" running with stock. My son, Andrew Hardman, is asked regularly to run 17.5 to allow for some other drivers to see how they do against him. I guess there are others who think like you do - and prefer to not have them run in the stock class.

We tend to only run the Super Stock (13.5) class at the larger races where the large number of entries allows for long gaps between runs.

I looked at the larger Mod class as a positive - we had Kyle, Brent, Michael Hanulec, Mike Wise, Chicky and others running competitive times - which I think should be commended rather than discouraged. There were races within the race that were very competitive and I saw many smiles after the qualifiers and the mains - which was fantastic. I don't think any smiles were bigger than mine - I was very proud of how Andrew did.

It was only a few Halloween Classics ago when Andrew was running well in stock and trying to step up to Mod. We received a lot of encouragement from Keven, Josh, Paul, Drew and I feel that Kyle, Brent and the others should be encouraged to continue.

We (Andrew, Corey, and I) always enjoy coming to Cleveland for club racing - but the Halloween Classic and US Indoor Champs are definitely highlights. NORCAR is a fantastic club and the team of volunteers and supporters are second to none. We look forward to the next club races and to the next Halloween Classic.

Regards,
Ian (Andrew's Dad)

cwoods34

iTrader: (10)

It'd be entertaining to watch 10 of the top mod drivers race a heat of 21.5 TC against each other.

bigcracing

iTrader: (32)

It is a great time to watch and some day race against the best like Kevin, Andrew Josh and every other great driver out there. What is best you can ask for help and advise and these guys give it and most of the time take your car and fix it and show you how to like kevin Hebert and Joe Trandell did for me or have them sit down with you and talk about there setup. Any way you look at it you can gain a lot to race with them
P.S. It was hilarious to watch Andrew race on foot against the spec clas and get his but kicked
Thanks Chris

Markus

iTrader: (93)

Had a great time. I personally like to go to the big races to watch the 'Pros' run. I saw a lot of people recording the different Mains. Is anyone sharing videos of the races?

locked

iTrader: (1)

As a mediocre driver who loves racing both 17.5 and mod any chance I get, I'm one of those guys who would love to have Andrew or Keven kick my butt in stock as well, just to see what kind of lap times they can do in it. I'm pretty sure neither of them really enjoy 17.5 blinky though. If they did and wanted to race it, I would totally encourage them to do so.

I do think every half decent stock driver should also race mod, but I don't believe in this whole forcing people to "move up" thing. Keep racing stock too if you like it. Race days are painfully long if you're only racing one class.

BTW Hi Ian, Andrew did awesome! Wish I could have been there. Cleveland sounds like a blast. Oh, and I want to know all of Andrew's settings for the ORCA VX3. Be warned, I will surely bug you about this again next time I see you and/or Corey

Markus, Willie Thomas recorded some of the races. He posted them on his facebook. I think that's the only place you can see his videos though. They aren't on youtube or vimeo, etc.

goin2drt

iTrader: (77)

I see all the points. I guess there is a difference between pro vs very good and pro vs weekend warrior. If we want more folks to get involved in RC TC then I think we need a class that folks can join and not feel they are in the way. What about all the folks that would love to come to this event but are no where near the level these guys are. There is no TC class for them to race.

You have all made great points and I guess I am the minority. I have been able to be on the track with Kevin and while it was fun to be pasted by him about every three laps I would have zero business being in a race against him. I commend those that race in the class they should be in and work really hard to compete.

I guess I look at it differently. Same reason Kevin Durant shouldn't play in the D-league. Sure wouldn't that be fun for all the D-leaguers to watch him score 80 pts a game. Yeah your right they could learn from that experience. How about Tiger joining our local golf club event.

nwagner

iTrader: (6)

Any videos taken will be gladly taken by me and uploaded to YouTube and posted on the NORCAR FB page.

I brought a camcorder to the track but apparently my wife took the memory card out to use in something else, which I realized after the mains started.

nwagner

iTrader: (6)

Beginners with a Touring Car stand a much better chance in USGT.

ccm399

iTrader: (8)

Nate,

There should be a setting on the camera to lock it from actually working without a card. I have my DLSR setup like that. Saved me on Sunday when the card filled up!

Chris

ccm399

iTrader: (8)

Agreed, I good beginner TC path would be VTA to start then up to USGT then on to 17.5 TC.

The situation is MUCH better than the "old" days when we have Stock or Mod foam TC only. Nothing else. Back then stock was a HUGE motor and battery war! If you could tuned a brushed motor you still HAD to have fresh cells to compete.

Lipo, Brushless help a ton. Still need good stuff but the window is much larger than it used to be from what I can tell.

Chris

nwagner

iTrader: (6)

I'd give my left testicle for a video of Cyrul vs Hebert 1/12th mod qual.

elee32

iTrader: (18)

I like your enthusiasm...