JamieDexter

Im 14, and thats about how many time i hit the walls per lap
But its because i went from a stock TL-01, to an X-Ray and im just starting to gte the hang of it.

johnbull

Hi friends. Greetings from Malta.

This one has come at just the right time for this thread.

At yesterday's IRMCC Christmas Cup meeting, son Josh walked away with it like he usually does, winning all 3 finals just as he pleased. That's nothing new.

But guess who was second?

None other than the old man himself. And in case you ask; NO we were not the only 2 competitors.

Yes that's got to be an early Christmas bonus.

For those wondering what equipment we use, Josh races an AE TC3 FT, and I race a Yokomo CGM. Both cars run with Corally's excellent motors and cells, Novak GTX speedos, KO Propo transmitters and servos, and they are both prepared by JOHN BULL RACING. That's me.

And yes, I came second on consistency, my placings in the 3 finals being 4th, 2nd and 3rd. I wasn't that much slower than some of the more favoured mod runners, just kept it on the road longer.

But man, does age put you at a disadvantage. It certainly does. You loose concentration easier, your eyesight is lousy, your reflexes even worse. To add to that it was cold, and blowing a howling gale. The cars were literally REMOTE CONTROL. It wasn't us that were driving them, but the wind.

But it was great fun, and it was the best result we could have expected.

And it didn't half ribb the young pretenders!!!!!!!!!!!!

As soon as I have a pic, I'll post it.

rayhuang

iTrader: (5)

I think theres a few points not hit on here that are significant-and a few I'd like to say-yeah-your right. One for sure is that young kids today play a lot of video games. Even young guns in F1 and NASCAR are known to learn tracks on video game counsels long before they run on them in real life. Montoya comes to mind in his first year in F1. I just turned 39 on Saturday and I have actually started playing racing games on my newly acquired Xbox (first time in 5 or 6 years I bet). Why? Well I loved racing sims back in the day anyways-but I also see it as a siginifcanty beneficial tool for racing. Works for 13 yr olds!! Hand eye coordination and More significant-learn to control something you are NOT hadrwired to in nay way. I raced karts for a long time-I held the steering wheel and the gas and brake pedals were a thin piece of leather away from my skin!!! Video games teach you to trust what you can only see!!!

I sadly cannot blame my eyes yet. In fact my eyesight was just chcked and it was awfully darn good. 20/40 I think?

SO-whats my excuse for taking 6-years to start achieving some small degree of success? I am not 100% sure. I know I have maturity (youll never see my slam my radio down, kick my car, throw tires across the room), a lifetime of racing and wrenching on cars and karts and a true LOVE for motorsports. Those sort of things make it easier to understand what makes a RC racing car go and why it wont. But-it seems I have no gift for it. Any gains on the track and on the stop watch are brought upon by pure desire and determination (OK-and a adequate racing budget and good equipment).

Maybe-what you dont see are how many young immature racers just give up!!! WHile you see guys like myself who hit the same walls as younger guys-stay in it. Keep pounding away and hoping to achive some degree of success. Much as others have previousely stated.

Now my next challenge-run Modified. Again-no natural talent for it. I will apply the same principles as before.


I look on the brighter side of things always!! SO I figure-I race against some guys 10 years younger who have raced 10 years longer than me!!! I might be pretty fast when I am 49!!!

JDXray

iTrader: (3)

Good points Ray, lol.

But i have to say your eyesight is very good compared to mine. I am just a kid and i am at 325/20 in my left and 300/20 in my right. (Contacts)

And yes i would say those Driving Simulators help since. I love to play Grand Turismo 3 and others. (Cant wait for the 4th one )

I think if you can drive a 1/12th and master that, you can run any car,any class, anywhere. Just my philosophy that i heard.

I dont think its the age of anyone to make them good. Its just yourself and they way you take it. Because you'll see those guys who hit like 1-2 walls and go crazy and take there cars off and start wrenching... then you see those guys who hit boards every 2 secs but just keep going... I think it takes a good racer to ask questions (not to many), figure it out yourself and try little things little at a time. I think this hobby takes time and effort to become good, but there are those who get there first car and within a week-year there very good.

Jon

tc3stocker

Mike Reedy and Ryan Cavilieri (sp?) nuff said

JohnB

iTrader: (1)

Very well put Ray. I like that.
For me, now at 38, started when I was younger, like 1985 and raced until about 1991. I think I was faster then but couldn't afford to travel to any big races. I started racing again about 4 or 5 years ago with my son, now 12 years old. Mostly to keep him off motorcycles (which I grew up racing).
I've notice that to be competitive nationally or even around the region you need to race in big races. When we travel to a big race it takes me a couple days to settle down and get up to the faster pace you don't see locally (or at least locally for me). Sometimes you don't have a couple days.
We have a couple fast guys locally but if your lucky enough to race every week with some national level drivers, then it would probably be easier. You have to be pushed or challenged to run the fast pace. Like Ray said, if you have the desire to go faster.

take care
john

johnbull

Finally got a pic from Sunday.

Ist is my son Josh. The old man in 2nd is me.

So you see, we oldies can still do it.

JohnB

iTrader: (1)

Good job!!!! Great to see a Father/Son team. Like I said in the other post, my son is only 12. I can't wait for the day he starts beating me!!! Of course, he can't either

take care
john

johnbull

When my son was 12 I hadn't started driving RC yet.

He actually started me into this hobby. Now I am president of the club, and put lots of time and effort into it.

But I have to say, I enjoy it too, especially on occasions like Sunday when I ended up 2nd.

Joro-1976

Hi all i have been racing since 1989 till 1999 then i quit for some reason. Since that day my father have been ask if i dont want to start again , now that time has come i am back and it is wounderful!!
What class are you gays driving? I am only driving 1/10 electric touring nowadays !!


J.Btj

johnbull

Hi Joro. Greetings from sunny Malta.

We race electric touring cars too.

Upto about 5 years ago we used to race F1, Pro 10, wide touring cars, etc but nowadays it seems to all be touring cars, wherever you go.

I miss the F1 and the Pro 10s.

We also have a couple of electric Stadium trucks which we have fun with.

Joro-1976

Iguess that you are driving on tarmac all seasens, here the wether sucks at this time a year so no racing out side ..

Claydoh

In another thread somebody had the quote, " the older I get, the faster I was" Well, I am 41 and have only been racing rc for 4 years now and don't seem to be getting much better. I got new glasses and they help but honestly, I just don't react fast enough. And after 8mins in 19t 1/12th, my feet hurt from standing still. It truly is an individual thing as I know some guys who are very fast and older than I am but I am aging badly due to numerous injuries and sitting/rotting behind a desk. But the one thing I have the kids don't is patience. I can wait till the car in front screws up, I don't need to force a pass and I know there is always next week.

Baja

I find that the older i get the more i like the longer races, hour plus stuff. Don't need to push as hard to save the car. practice and ability to set up a car seem to make more of a difference than age.

johnbull

I think the line "The older I get, the faster I was" is from Peter Winton's signature on RC Racechat.

But yes, I think I have to agree.

One thing I don't seem able to do yet is wait till the guy in front "falls off". I don't have the patience to wait.

Still, I enjoy it and I forget all the aches and pains when I'm up on the drivers stand.