17.5 Blinky, too fast for beginners?
 

What can we do as a hobby to make it less intimidating to race on-road? A decent 17.5 motor running in blinky mode can be a handful for a unskilled or beginning driver. It sure seem my cars are running way faster with brushless stock now than they were running 27 turn brushed motors a few years ago.

What would it take to make 21.5 turn brushless the entry level? Even an older driver with decreasing reactions doesn’t always need to run the fastest class. Currently we have a couple of the SoCal tracks running GT10 classes that are Stock Sedan with different bodies and spoked wheels. The speeds and setup are pretty much the same as Stock.

Anyone else out there think a 21.5 GT class could work? VTA cars welcome too. Basically just a 21.5 blinky class. All skill levels welcome but a slightly slower race.

Aren't you pretty much describing USGT? Thats what our 21.5 class is based on and it is proving to be very popular with beginners.

Always funny how many people want to add yet another class for someone. Why should people have to put a little time into something to get good at it when we can just add another class for them so they can feel special. smh

If stock touring isn't the class for you, or any beginner, there are plenty of other classes out there that are slower. Zero reason to create more classes.

Moose, talk to your track owner or RD. A 21.5 or 25.5 entry level class would be a local track issue. Not something that would be national.

Not really, we only run two regular sedan classes, Stock and Sportsman (USGT 21.5, open tire). And someone isn't going to win in either of them unless they are national a-main material, this isn't trophy for everyone nonsense.

As a noob myself (got into the hobby 7 months ago in 17.5 blinky sedan), I found 17.5 very fast. I later got into Canadian VTA (CTA) and found it much more manageable for a noob. We run 21.5 blinky in CTA. Now, I typically promote CTA to new guys getting into the hobby.

It's a slow day so I will jump into the fray.

My opinion only. I don't think you need to add a class. I think for the sport to be healthy folks need to be in the right class FOR THAT RACE OR TRACK and the organizer or owner could police it. 17.5 Sportsman at one race or track could have completely different levels of folks running so they should go in the class with their peers.

I see the problem is when you take one car, let's just take TC for example. You have a guy running mod as well as 17.5 "just to get more track time". Or you get another that runs both 17.5 novice (in which he dominates) and then he runs 17.5 sportsman to "give it a try". They should run one class. If you want to be that guy that has to win then race the novice and have fun, or you could be that guy that wants to run with better people and try to get better, then go with that class.

I am not a fan of the every body needs a participation trophy but if we want the hobby to grow a weekend warrior shouldn't be racing with the guy that is at the track 7 days a week and RC is his life.

At our track the guys at the races police it very well. When they get better they are not afraid to join the expert class rather than just race sportsman and kill everyone. We have great separation and courtesy. It keeps folks wanting to come back and/or stay in the hobby.

I am of the example the OP talks about and I have zero desire to drive a different car, chassis, tire or body then what I am running now which is Sportsman TC 17.5 so for someone to come tell me I am not fast enough to be in that class and force me to buy spoked wheels, slower motor and a GT body, I am not interested. I will be a speed bump before I do that. I can tune my 17.5 down far enough to be able to handle and work on my lines.

If a beginner runs a higher FDR in 17.5 that's pretty slow. They can just fit a bigger pinion once they feel more confident.

Yes, 17.5 is too fast for beginners. It is equivalent to 19t brushed motors. 27t brushed motors were slower and had more motor brake which allowed for a more controllable pace. 17.5 brushless is way more torquey and have a more straight away speed which I think I too much for a novice.

I know most people here will flame me but you guys are probably more seasoned than those wanting to join the hobby. But all people see and want to be fast which isn't the right way to learn.

You gotta learn to crawl before you walk, then learn to run.

Maybe it's best they to learn how to drive instead? :lol:

1/12 17.5 is a good speed, 1/2 the voltage
Easy to drive :D

+1 :lol:

Blinky 17.5 is too fast for some of the people who run 17.5, myself included. I stepped down to USGT (21.5). The cars look way better, and the racing is much closer because you don't need the hand/eye coordination of teenager who grew up on a Playstation.

17.5 is dead in my neck of the woods. Everyone went to USGT and the car count has skyrocketed.

VTA & USGT provide all of the "slow enough for the new guy" I think we need in on-road. I'd say 21.5 Tc isn't a bad idea as the "stock" class, but again there is USGT. If this was off-road (mega-popular) we could run a million different classes... but it's not- and more divisions seems to just lead to the watering down of on-road as a whole. Just my .02

Going to hop on the bandwagon to say, this is why USVTA and USGT is so popular right now. TC didn't exist at my local track until we started running VTA. The cars don't have to be lightening quick to provide a challenge or for people to have fun.