aray

iTrader: (8)

Hi - I'm just getting back into RC after a long hiatus, have my 1/8 buggy and SC10 reasonably set up, and would like to improve my skills so I can get to where I feel comfortable racing.

I am currently doing as many practice days and possible at my local track. (offroad, clay, definately set up for 1/8 scale) Which unfortunatley isn't that much, it's one day a week really. I'm decent enough where I can bash my way around the track, but I definitely need work.

Are there any "drills" or repetitive tasks that might improve my driving that aren't necessarily on the track? Maybe using slick tires in a driveway to simulate slippage with cones?

I live towards the center of my city, so most of what I have is to work with nearby are parking lots and concrete. Dirt is tough to come by without driving 15 mins, but I'm looking hard...

Anyway - just curious if anyone had any tips on what might be most efficient, or what may be a lost cause. Would be cool if I could find a solution to get an hour or so in after work.

tom2tone

iTrader: (99)

I myself don't know of any "drills" that you can do. There are some r/c simulator's that you can do on your computer. But I have no experience with them. I've learned over the years,like anything else it's just practice, practice, practice. Before I moved, I was lucky enough to live about 15 minutes away from a track. Now it's looking to be at least 2 hours to get to a track. So make it out when you can and just bash the rest of the time. Look around too and see if you can find a local bmx track. Some of them you can run on and other's actually have chains on them so people with r/c can't tear up the track. Good luck and keep us posted!

AndrewClaycomb

iTrader: (10)

Sign up for the novice class and go out and race. You'll get plenty of tips and you'll figure out the best lines on the track simply by following the other racers.

My other suggestion is to remember that slow is fast. It doesn't matter if you make a blazing fast pass only to flip and lose 20 seconds on the next lap. Figure out your most consistent speed and stick with it. At first it will probably feel slow, but you'll complete way more laps than you could by going wide open throttle every chance you get. Also, try to only see your car. Don't let the speed/presence of cars around you influence your choices in how you take corners/jumps.

rc18/xxxt racer

iTrader: (18)

Another thing is go to your local track on race day and marshall for the classes you plan on racing. you'll see what not to do and and what the fast guys are doing.

racer1812

iTrader: (31)

There is no better way than to just go and do it. Watching the fast guys is a good start but a untill the fast guys watch YOU they really can't help. It's easier for them to help you with what they see than it is to watch them and try to do what they do.

Maxxican

iTrader: (67)

i built a ramp and just practiced jumping and landing. Appliying brakes/throttle and steering in the air to get a feel for what the car does.
2WD cars aren't as controlable in the air as 4WD.

RevMaxx

3 words :

practice ... practice ... practice

tc3team

Most of the key points have already been covered...

slow is fast (it will be difficult to keep up with a pro unless your car is set up well and you understand apex's and braking points very well).

Watch the pro's- obvious really, as they know the quickest way around the track, and their lap times show that.

If your car isnt handling as well as you would like it to, try to understand why yourself before asking around. If you sort the problem yourself you'll feel happy for correcting it yourself

If you do make setup changes to your car, only try one thing at a time. this way you'll understand better what change made the car handle better, or worse.

Practice practice practice, and learn from your mistakes. If you cant take a double jump in one shot, slow the car down and do it as 2 seperate jumps, rather than waste time being on your roof.

One last thing- A reliable car is one that's going to give you maximum enjoyment for your sessions of racing, check it over after every heat to make sure all is well with it

There's nothing worse than not starting the mains because you didn't spot a potential problem in time!!!

aray

iTrader: (8)

Thanks for all the advice. I appreciate it!

Trying to get to the track when I can, and trying to go out and run the SC10 at least once a day. I think I'm actually ok at jumping, mainly it's steering and judging distance that I need work on at this point. Practice with the SC10 in the driveway should help on that.

I think I'm about three weeks away from starting to race. I've been out to the local tracks and watched them race and mashalled, so I'm starting to understand it a bit more. Mainly I just want to get my skills to a bit of a better point before I get out there. (also need to wrangle a pit guy, thinking my nephew wants to earn a couple bucks...)

I would like to run the buggy in the driveway a bit more, but it just hooks up with the cement a way too much, I'm thinking it's not much like dirt. Theoretically is it possible to run super hard (drift maybe?) tires to simulate slippage? That's one of the things I really need to improve on, tight turns where the terrain is loose. Would be nice to be able to do that nightly.

Mr GoodCat

From a Newer rc driver....Here it goes I practice practice practice alone on track when ever possible and think it helps.....BUT you must race others to get better. If you are the nervious type you will be while racing,you need other people in your way,you need to have distraction of others passing you and you passing others,not being able to hear just your vehicle. I think I have learned more while racing in a heat or main than just making laps by my self....

I also make a point to get to different tracks with different layouts and soil types (outdoor in the summer)this can also be a big help.

MOST OF ALL HAVE FUN !!!!!!!

kuruption

iTrader: (24)

Ever hear the term "muscle memory" ??? It's something you get by doing.

When I got back into it (way back, like 5 weeks ago), I ended up racing right away. Sure, I did some practice, but in reality, you just need to jump in. When you do a 5 minute heat or a 20 minute main, you spend time in the driver's stand. If you flip over, a marshal will flip it right side up. No running over and doing it yourself (causing a loss of that muscle memory). It's even better during a 20 minute main.

For me, it is worth spending the $20 to race for the day knowing someone else is going to flip me upright when I screw up instead of having to run out of the track and do it myself.

tc3team

+1 Totally agree with this!

Ive raced for half my life (15 years) and there will be times where you do not enjoy it as much.

Some days you'll win, some days you won't.... That's all part of going racing

And you'll never stop learning about something new

msbeckysboy

iTrader: (3)

I am teaching my 7 year old how to run a onroad mtx3 prospec at the Sugar Bowl -Atlanta GA .
First thing , he is scared of the car , and that is great . ( slow and easy )
2 nd weekend he got brave and hit the out side wall . Broke the car and was done for the day . Lesson well learned - sit and watch .
He respects it a lot more , you break it , you sit and watch .
The most important rule of thumb I have him taught is , walk the track and stay in the black line ( groove ) laid down by the others .
The lap times are steady on the rise for him , slowing down for him and holding his line will keep him safe when the Murnan Modified,s blast by .
When a car gets around him he naturaly wants to stay with them , causing him to get out of control . Run your own pace .
Probably the hardest thing for him to master was smoothing out his index finger , easy on the gas .
It took me to loosen the two speed to shift at 8000 rpm and the clutch to engage quickly for him to know what happens when 2 nd kicks in .
Toe your front tires out 1 degree on each side .
Toe your rear tires in 1 degree on each side .
Thats a starting point that will help the car steer its self straight .
I hope this will help you some ,and i hope i did not give you any bad info .
I all came from other people to me from my own mistakes .
Greg

Foxxrocket

I like to drive the track slow, a few laps. It helps me remember the track layout better. So when it's time to race, I worry more about hitting my mark, than which way to turn.

Mr GoodCat

msbeckysboy brings up a good point that I forgot to mention....WALK the track I have found on some of the bigger tracks I really don;t have a good sense of what the is like on the farthest out lanes how rough it might be or holes. Or how much pitch there is to a part of the track, I find it hard to tell from the drivers stand.

When marshaling if they allow it marshal different spots, this will also help if you can;t walk the track.