54LikesRyde it like you stole it: the Ryde Drivers thread.
11-07-2011, 02:08 PM
My first car, which I still have, was a Tamiya Madcap. It's hotted up a fair bit. My first race meeting in '95 or '96 was an offroad meeting on grass with wooden jumps put on by Frontline Hobbies in Newcastle (it was the first meeting they'd run).
Not long after that I did my first race meeting at Maitland. At that time my two younger brothers and my Dad raced too. Ryan drove a Tamiya Avante 2001, Shaun a Tamiya Manta-Ray and Dad a Tamiya Super Astute. We drove against each other a lot at a local BMX track too.
My first major meeting was the Canberra Offroad Nationals in '97 (I think) – the first major meeting at which I was not a Junior. Still driving the Madcap I finished in the D-Final in 540. Better results with better cars were to follow.
Within a year or so we were also travelling down to Castle Hill onroad on Friday nights to race there. I initially raced in the Offroad onroad class there – they sometimes had wooden jumps too. My first onroad car was a Tamiya M-01 Mini Cooper that Ryan had already campaigned for a couple of seasons.
I could go on and give you most of my racing history, but you just asked for how I got started.
Not long after that I did my first race meeting at Maitland. At that time my two younger brothers and my Dad raced too. Ryan drove a Tamiya Avante 2001, Shaun a Tamiya Manta-Ray and Dad a Tamiya Super Astute. We drove against each other a lot at a local BMX track too.
My first major meeting was the Canberra Offroad Nationals in '97 (I think) – the first major meeting at which I was not a Junior. Still driving the Madcap I finished in the D-Final in 540. Better results with better cars were to follow.
Within a year or so we were also travelling down to Castle Hill onroad on Friday nights to race there. I initially raced in the Offroad onroad class there – they sometimes had wooden jumps too. My first onroad car was a Tamiya M-01 Mini Cooper that Ryan had already campaigned for a couple of seasons.
I could go on and give you most of my racing history, but you just asked for how I got started.
It's great when the family thing happens, would have been good bonding times, and that is a long drive to Castle Hill on Fridays!
Are you family still racing?
11-07-2011, 02:42 PM
No. I try and get them interested occasionally, but the others haven't raced since the mid-2000s. Dad has some cars he bashes a bit with sometimes, but he's not interested in racing anymore. I got Ryan to pick up my transmitter a month ago for the first time since then (he's better with a wheel but can drive with either thanks to a year spent practising with a Golden Arrow before we started racing). It was a day where I'd just gone to the track to do some maintenance, so it wasn't in great condition, very loose. I didn't think he was going very quick until I had a go. A quickly realised that there was no grip at all, one of the rear tyres had come unglued and was near bald anyway, and the peak was well and truly off the battery. By comparison he was actually making it look easy.
Shaun is into dirt bikes now, just a social thing. When Ryan gets the time he races a Hyundai Excel at places like Eastern Creek and Ringwood. When he shows me the time sheets he's usually ahead of some much quicker cars, and often battling an MR-2 for class honours.
11-07-2011, 02:58 PM
I actually like racing on grass. It's a different challenge, and adds to the variety that is offroad. I wish our track requirements were a little more lax to encourage circuits of different surface types.
No. I try and get them interested occasionally, but the others haven't raced since the mid-2000s. Dad has some cars he bashes a bit with sometimes, but he's not interested in racing anymore. I got Ryan to pick up my transmitter a month ago for the first time since then (he's better with a wheel but can drive with either thanks to a year spent practising with a Golden Arrow before we started racing). It was a day where I'd just gone to the track to do some maintenance, so it wasn't in great condition, very loose. I didn't think he was going very quick until I had a go. A quickly realised that there was no grip at all, one of the rear tyres had come unglued and was near bald anyway, and the peak was well and truly off the battery. By comparison he was actually making it look easy.
Shaun is into dirt bikes now, just a social thing. When Ryan gets the time he races a Hyundai Excel at places like Eastern Creek and Ringwood. When he shows me the time sheets he's usually ahead of some much quicker cars, and often battling an MR-2 for class honours.
No. I try and get them interested occasionally, but the others haven't raced since the mid-2000s. Dad has some cars he bashes a bit with sometimes, but he's not interested in racing anymore. I got Ryan to pick up my transmitter a month ago for the first time since then (he's better with a wheel but can drive with either thanks to a year spent practising with a Golden Arrow before we started racing). It was a day where I'd just gone to the track to do some maintenance, so it wasn't in great condition, very loose. I didn't think he was going very quick until I had a go. A quickly realised that there was no grip at all, one of the rear tyres had come unglued and was near bald anyway, and the peak was well and truly off the battery. By comparison he was actually making it look easy.
Shaun is into dirt bikes now, just a social thing. When Ryan gets the time he races a Hyundai Excel at places like Eastern Creek and Ringwood. When he shows me the time sheets he's usually ahead of some much quicker cars, and often battling an MR-2 for class honours.
It seems you don't lose the RC skills in most cases. Maybe your brothers may come back to it at a later date.
What has been the most important RC race meeting to you.
11-07-2011, 03:35 PM
It's a good way to look at it. You hear the talk about the variety of tracks, but it's either pro jumps or against them. So surface would be a great challenge. Would be good to see temporary grass tracks with wooden jumps. That way we could include Illawara again.
It seems you don't lose the RC skills in most cases. Maybe your brothers may come back to it at a later date.
What has been the most important RC race meeting to you.
It seems you don't lose the RC skills in most cases. Maybe your brothers may come back to it at a later date.
What has been the most important RC race meeting to you.
Anyway, my most important race meeting... It would have to be the 1999 Nationals at Maitland. On my home track I won both 540 Titles. In 2WD I had to come from 3rd on the grid. The track wasn't just muddy for the first final, it was mud. I had to use some tricks to look after the motor and get some speed out of the car in those trick conditions (including going down 4 teeth on the pinion and running 4WD front tyres on the rear -- this was before control tyres), it worked and I easily had the fastest car on the track in that race, once passing two cars on the 30 m front straight. But by the time the 3rd final came around, it was one race each to myself and Simon Wenzel from SA. Simon was running a B2 with no slipper which made it quite quick. I dropped back to 4th on the first lap, and only caught Simon with a minute to go when he made a mistake and rolled over on the hairpin. All this after I missed the start of the first heat. We had handout motors for the meeting, but Dave Smith would only let us have them 20 minutes before the start. It takes 10 minutes to run one of them in, and then we couldn't get the soldering iron hot enough. It was bitterly cold. At the end of that race I got an official warning for driving backwards on the track. After being the last car finished by 30 seconds I turned around at the end of the straight and drove the 5 m back to the stairs to make picking my car up easy. People get away with murder by comparison today.
On the 4WD day I had things a bit easier. I TQed (the only time I have ever done that at a major meeting though I've been on the front row a few times), and once Simon Nicholson got involved in an accident at the first corner the race was mine to lose. The XX-4 was great that day, I chose to run the 3rd final despite having already clinched the title by winning the first two, breaking the 540 track record and making it 3 from 3. Footage of one of these finals still exists on VHS. I've been meaning to get it digitised but never get round to it.
That was also a good meeting for Ryan who finished 2nd in 4WD Group 20 behind Scott Pettet who'd only recently moved down from Mod. Ryan won the 2nd Final after a DNF in the first caused by a mid-air collision. He led the 3rd final too, but Pettet pulled off a very aggressive overtake with just a couple of laps to go.
Dad had been quick at recent club meetings leading up to that meeting too, but decided not to race in order to be scrutineer.
'99 was the first National Title Maitland hosted, having hosted the NSW State Titles the year before. So it was an important meeting for the Club too. The meeting was run quite smoothly despite the rain, and it cemented our reputation as a great place to race the big meetings.
11-07-2011, 03:55 PM
The current track regulations we have were initially copied straight from the IFMAR rules when AARCMCC started doing offroad too. I don't believe the ORRCA Australia regulations were so strict. Interestingly an IC Nationals or State Title (I can't remember which) was held at Redhead on Grass with wooden jumps in the mid-2000s even though the regulations were the same as what we have now. The same official who wrote the regulations was the one who approved the meeting to go ahead. This suggests to me that even he was aware that the regulations were too strict for Australian racing.
Anyway, my most important race meeting... It would have to be the 1999 Nationals at Maitland. On my home track I won both 540 Titles. In 2WD I had to come from 3rd on the grid. The track wasn't just muddy for the first final, it was mud. I had to use some tricks to look after the motor and get some speed out of the car in those trick conditions (including going down 4 teeth on the pinion and running 4WD front tyres on the rear -- this was before control tyres), it worked and I easily had the fastest car on the track in that race, once passing two cars on the 30 m front straight. But by the time the 3rd final came around, it was one race each to myself and Simon Wenzel from SA. Simon was running a B2 with no slipper which made it quite quick. I dropped back to 4th on the first lap, and only caught Simon with a minute to go when he made a mistake and rolled over on the hairpin. All this after I missed the start of the first heat. We had handout motors for the meeting, but Dave Smith would only let us have them 20 minutes before the start. It takes 10 minutes to run one of them in, and then we couldn't get the soldering iron hot enough. It was bitterly cold. At the end of that race I got an official warning for driving backwards on the track. After being the last car finished by 30 seconds I turned around at the end of the straight and drove the 5 m back to the stairs to make picking my car up easy. People get away with murder by comparison today.
On the 4WD day I had things a bit easier. I TQed (the only time I have ever done that at a major meeting though I've been on the front row a few times), and once Simon Nicholson got involved in an accident at the first corner the race was mine to lose. The XX-4 was great that day, I chose to run the 3rd final despite having already clinched the title by winning the first two, breaking the 540 track record and making it 3 from 3. Footage of one of these finals still exists on VHS. I've been meaning to get it digitised but never get round to it.
That was also a good meeting for Ryan who finished 2nd in 4WD Group 20 behind Scott Pettet who'd only recently moved down from Mod. Ryan won the 2nd Final after a DNF in the first caused by a mid-air collision. He led the 3rd final too, but Pettet pulled off a very aggressive overtake with just a couple of laps to go.
Dad had been quick at recent club meetings leading up to that meeting too, but decided not to race in order to be scrutineer.
'99 was the first National Title Maitland hosted, having hosted the NSW State Titles the year before. So it was an important meeting for the Club too. The meeting was run quite smoothly despite the rain, and it cemented our reputation as a great place to race the big meetings.
Anyway, my most important race meeting... It would have to be the 1999 Nationals at Maitland. On my home track I won both 540 Titles. In 2WD I had to come from 3rd on the grid. The track wasn't just muddy for the first final, it was mud. I had to use some tricks to look after the motor and get some speed out of the car in those trick conditions (including going down 4 teeth on the pinion and running 4WD front tyres on the rear -- this was before control tyres), it worked and I easily had the fastest car on the track in that race, once passing two cars on the 30 m front straight. But by the time the 3rd final came around, it was one race each to myself and Simon Wenzel from SA. Simon was running a B2 with no slipper which made it quite quick. I dropped back to 4th on the first lap, and only caught Simon with a minute to go when he made a mistake and rolled over on the hairpin. All this after I missed the start of the first heat. We had handout motors for the meeting, but Dave Smith would only let us have them 20 minutes before the start. It takes 10 minutes to run one of them in, and then we couldn't get the soldering iron hot enough. It was bitterly cold. At the end of that race I got an official warning for driving backwards on the track. After being the last car finished by 30 seconds I turned around at the end of the straight and drove the 5 m back to the stairs to make picking my car up easy. People get away with murder by comparison today.
On the 4WD day I had things a bit easier. I TQed (the only time I have ever done that at a major meeting though I've been on the front row a few times), and once Simon Nicholson got involved in an accident at the first corner the race was mine to lose. The XX-4 was great that day, I chose to run the 3rd final despite having already clinched the title by winning the first two, breaking the 540 track record and making it 3 from 3. Footage of one of these finals still exists on VHS. I've been meaning to get it digitised but never get round to it.
That was also a good meeting for Ryan who finished 2nd in 4WD Group 20 behind Scott Pettet who'd only recently moved down from Mod. Ryan won the 2nd Final after a DNF in the first caused by a mid-air collision. He led the 3rd final too, but Pettet pulled off a very aggressive overtake with just a couple of laps to go.
Dad had been quick at recent club meetings leading up to that meeting too, but decided not to race in order to be scrutineer.
'99 was the first National Title Maitland hosted, having hosted the NSW State Titles the year before. So it was an important meeting for the Club too. The meeting was run quite smoothly despite the rain, and it cemented our reputation as a great place to race the big meetings.
Anyway, this is a tricky one...
If a novice racer had no clothes for racing and a budget of only $45, how would you super style him out? Closed toe shoes and a hat are essential.
11-07-2011, 03:56 PM
Interestingly an IC Nationals or State Title (I can't remember which) was held at Redhead on Grass with wooden jumps in the mid-2000s even though the regulations were the same as what we have now. The same official who wrote the regulations was the one who approved the meeting to go ahead. This suggests to me that even he was aware that the regulations were too strict for Australian racing.
racing at Redhead was always a refreshing (??) & interesting change from racing on liverpool's offroad track. different tires, different setups entirely. minimal tire wear. there used to be an inter-club challenge too - 1 month in liverpool, next mth in Redhead, back to livo, etc ..
i'm sure the area occupied by the track is still unused and the control stands (IIRC there were 2) still there.
is anyone interested in resurrecting grass-racing at newcastle??
11-07-2011, 04:06 PM
I went there about three years ago when I was in the area and there was just a big grassy area that could have been used for RC. But I just checked Google Maps and maybe it has been resurrected:
http://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=red...h&z=20&vpsrc=6
Does anybody know how to insert an image from Google Maps into one of these posts?
http://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=red...h&z=20&vpsrc=6
Does anybody know how to insert an image from Google Maps into one of these posts?
Last edited by nckmat; 11-07-2011 at 04:17 PM.
11-07-2011, 05:41 PM
Sounds great. I wish I had won a big race at least once, just to stop people dismissing my ideas because they have and I haven't.
Anyway, this is a tricky one...
If a novice racer had no clothes for racing and a budget of only $45, how would you super style him out? Closed toe shoes and a hat are essential.
Anyway, this is a tricky one...
If a novice racer had no clothes for racing and a budget of only $45, how would you super style him out? Closed toe shoes and a hat are essential.
Well, tyres are more important for your set-up, so we'd have to make sure they had a good set of soft rear tyres before spending the rest of the budget, but assuming the car is good to go: For $45 and requiring shoes and a hat your choices are either the Salvation Army Store or Target. From those two options I far prefer the Salvation Army store. They are likely to have much better hats for a start. I have a jacket that I wear at work, at night clubs and 80s retro parties that cost me $10 from a Salvation Army store.
There are more style options if you go this way too, being a Novice racer is an impressionable time. You need to give them a look that is both their own and isn't going to have them falling in with the wrong crowd. Dress them in the clothing of the day and you're just teaching them to get the car of the month. Who wants to have a 22 like everyone else? No, give a Novice a good beret, an 80s thin tie in fluro orange and shorts and shirt from the 30s to go with their Dunlop Volleys and you've put them on the road to restoring Vintage Tamiyas or modifying a B4 to be FWD, which is far more interesting for everyone.
i believe they had both a Nats and a state titles altho' it was rained out in 1 of the years.
racing at Redhead was always a refreshing (??) & interesting change from racing on liverpool's offroad track. different tires, different setups entirely. minimal tire wear. there used to be an inter-club challenge too - 1 month in liverpool, next mth in Redhead, back to livo, etc ..
i'm sure the area occupied by the track is still unused and the control stands (IIRC there were 2) still there.
is anyone interested in resurrecting grass-racing at newcastle??
racing at Redhead was always a refreshing (??) & interesting change from racing on liverpool's offroad track. different tires, different setups entirely. minimal tire wear. there used to be an inter-club challenge too - 1 month in liverpool, next mth in Redhead, back to livo, etc ..
i'm sure the area occupied by the track is still unused and the control stands (IIRC there were 2) still there.
is anyone interested in resurrecting grass-racing at newcastle??
I went there about three years ago when I was in the area and there was just a big grassy area that could have been used for RC. But I just checked Google Maps and maybe it has been resurrected:
http://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=red...h&z=20&vpsrc=6
Does anybody know how to insert an image from Google Maps into one of these posts?
http://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=red...h&z=20&vpsrc=6
Does anybody know how to insert an image from Google Maps into one of these posts?
http://maps.google.com.au/maps?clien...en&sa=N&tab=wl
11-07-2011, 07:01 PM
Don't worry people dismiss your ideas just as easily if you've won a big race.
Well, tyres are more important for your set-up, so we'd have to make sure they had a good set of soft rear tyres before spending the rest of the budget, but assuming the car is good to go: For $45 and requiring shoes and a hat your choices are either the Salvation Army Store or Target. From those two options I far prefer the Salvation Army store. They are likely to have much better hats for a start. I have a jacket that I wear at work, at night clubs and 80s retro parties that cost me $10 from a Salvation Army store.
There are more style options if you go this way too, being a Novice racer is an impressionable time. You need to give them a look that is both their own and isn't going to have them falling in with the wrong crowd. Dress them in the clothing of the day and you're just teaching them to get the car of the month. Who wants to have a 22 like everyone else? No, give a Novice a good beret, an 80s thin tie in fluro orange and shorts and shirt from the 30s to go with their Dunlop Volleys and you've put them on the road to restoring Vintage Tamiyas or modifying a B4 to be FWD, which is far more interesting for everyone.
The last I heard there was a Baja group that was using it, but they lost control of it, and since the land is actually owned by a Greyhound club (I believe) it may not be easy to get use back for RC.
That actually does look like it is in use though. Certainly looks in much better condition than the onroad track at Magic Kingdom in Lansvale for instance:
http://maps.google.com.au/maps?clien...en&sa=N&tab=wl
Well, tyres are more important for your set-up, so we'd have to make sure they had a good set of soft rear tyres before spending the rest of the budget, but assuming the car is good to go: For $45 and requiring shoes and a hat your choices are either the Salvation Army Store or Target. From those two options I far prefer the Salvation Army store. They are likely to have much better hats for a start. I have a jacket that I wear at work, at night clubs and 80s retro parties that cost me $10 from a Salvation Army store.
There are more style options if you go this way too, being a Novice racer is an impressionable time. You need to give them a look that is both their own and isn't going to have them falling in with the wrong crowd. Dress them in the clothing of the day and you're just teaching them to get the car of the month. Who wants to have a 22 like everyone else? No, give a Novice a good beret, an 80s thin tie in fluro orange and shorts and shirt from the 30s to go with their Dunlop Volleys and you've put them on the road to restoring Vintage Tamiyas or modifying a B4 to be FWD, which is far more interesting for everyone.
The last I heard there was a Baja group that was using it, but they lost control of it, and since the land is actually owned by a Greyhound club (I believe) it may not be easy to get use back for RC.
That actually does look like it is in use though. Certainly looks in much better condition than the onroad track at Magic Kingdom in Lansvale for instance:
http://maps.google.com.au/maps?clien...en&sa=N&tab=wl
What would you judge to be the most harsh insult to give to another driver, who just hacked you so bad you missed out on the A's because of it. And bear in mind we are not talking about whether it's acceptable to insult, just which would be the worst. Multiple choice this time.
A. "You granny poo licking gorilla face"
B. "You slag"
C. "You talentless fairy"
11-07-2011, 07:05 PM
Good call on the clothing. Novice driver could then walk off the drivers stand and head over to Newtown for some pizza no problem. Once they are in Junior Stock they may then want to drop the Volleys, they may end up like my really old friend who is 42 and still wears volleys and thinks they are cool!
What would you judge to be the most harsh insult to give to another driver, who just hacked you so bad you missed out on the A's because of it. And bear in mind we are not talking about whether it's acceptable to insult, just which would be the worst. Multiple choice this time.
A. "You granny poo licking gorilla face"
B. "You slag"
C. "You talentless fairy"
What would you judge to be the most harsh insult to give to another driver, who just hacked you so bad you missed out on the A's because of it. And bear in mind we are not talking about whether it's acceptable to insult, just which would be the worst. Multiple choice this time.
A. "You granny poo licking gorilla face"
B. "You slag"
C. "You talentless fairy"
(i) B.
(ii) A.
11-07-2011, 07:37 PM
You know a lot of people outside don't get RC racing and think it's silly. I wonder... which would be easier for outsiders to come with, what would have the most social cred. I kind of think the Vintage guys could get less slack, because they are technically collectors, and don't spend an unhealthy amount of time with other grown me playing with toy cars at the track which is more obvious than time on forums and ebay.
So what is more acceptable to the layperson, grown men playing with Modern RC cars, or grown Men playing with Vintage RC cars?
11-08-2011, 03:48 AM
Good point, I should have said either gnarliest, most killer or deadliest.
You know a lot of people outside don't get RC racing and think it's silly. I wonder... which would be easier for outsiders to come with, what would have the most social cred. I kind of think the Vintage guys could get less slack, because they are technically collectors, and don't spend an unhealthy amount of time with other grown me playing with toy cars at the track which is more obvious than time on forums and ebay.
So what is more acceptable to the layperson, grown men playing with Modern RC cars, or grown Men playing with Vintage RC cars?
You know a lot of people outside don't get RC racing and think it's silly. I wonder... which would be easier for outsiders to come with, what would have the most social cred. I kind of think the Vintage guys could get less slack, because they are technically collectors, and don't spend an unhealthy amount of time with other grown me playing with toy cars at the track which is more obvious than time on forums and ebay.
So what is more acceptable to the layperson, grown men playing with Modern RC cars, or grown Men playing with Vintage RC cars?
11-08-2011, 03:54 AM
How would like to see the hobby/sport grow, I mean what would you do right now and long term?
11-08-2011, 03:55 AM
11-08-2011, 04:00 AM
Now a word from our sponsor......
Please get your entries in ASAP, it makes the whole day run a lot smoother if we can get all the races organised before we set up.
Also, we need somebody to do canteen and organise the shopping before hand, I am running race control but could do with a hand setting up and taking entries.
If nobody puts their hand up for canteen then we won't be able to have and I'm sure nobody wants that.
Do we have any other entries for Novice? Brent? Ash? If not I'll just put Jaz in stock.
Peli,Brent J and I had a run this afternoon and the grip is awesome and the little bit of rain we had tonight will probably get rid of the last of the dust, so this weekend could see some excellent racing.
SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY! BE THERE!
Please get your entries in ASAP, it makes the whole day run a lot smoother if we can get all the races organised before we set up.
Also, we need somebody to do canteen and organise the shopping before hand, I am running race control but could do with a hand setting up and taking entries.
If nobody puts their hand up for canteen then we won't be able to have and I'm sure nobody wants that.
Do we have any other entries for Novice? Brent? Ash? If not I'll just put Jaz in stock.
Peli,Brent J and I had a run this afternoon and the grip is awesome and the little bit of rain we had tonight will probably get rid of the last of the dust, so this weekend could see some excellent racing.
SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY! BE THERE!