Mason

to the OP: suspension has a lot to do with clearing jumps. If you're bottoming out you're losing forward momentum. One spring rate change, can, let me be clear, can (not will), be a game changer in that regards. Obviously you have trade offs elsewhere to contend with.

hairymuffin

iTrader: (104)

It can be a little over rated, a good fast motor/esc tuned weol and a dialed car and tires in the hands of a very good driver will win all day long, or at least run with the front runners. Mainly racing on clay tracks. Carpet may be a different animal

m3rcfh

iTrader: (4)

(op, sorry for us hi-jacking the thread. This is actually a great discussion)

I couldn't agree more with end stock racing, haha. I keep saying I'm going to completely switch over to mod and abandon stock, but there aren't enough people running mod around, plus I don't have enough practice to run mod consistenly.

On a serious note, I believe that big part of people deciding to stick with stock is because of our typical carpet/astro track layout in the US. Stock driving is just easier than mod (let's get honest here - we barely need to use brakes on stock). Lap times are super close, because there aren't enough features on the track, and rarely a jump that only a mod car can clear. Maybe because we want the tracks to look attractive to beginners and occasional bashers? I don't know. But looking at the UK and EOS tracks, I doubt a stock car would keep up with a well driven mod.

So people factor in more tire wear, more chances to break something and harder to be good at driving versus "speed you can actually purchase" on the stock classes (i mean that by spending hundreds on different motors, discharge banks, batteries, e.t.c chasing a tenth of a second).

I say either change the name of the class to "17.5t open" and let everyone do what they want, or restrict the gear like they are doing for 21.5. Only a certain ESC, motor and battery allowed (even then people will push the rules, but should be more level)

Homer723

Tekin type R, reedy s+, Hobbywing v10, Surpass v5r

Homer723

I guess I just don’t get stock racing. Unfortunately it’s popular so you either race stock or don’t race. There are some guys at our track that have a stock buggy and a mod buggy and race both when there’s enough people for a mod class. I can’t wrap my head around spending more $, pushing your electronics to their limits, and going slower. And mod is so much more fun to drive imo. Just make the class open and you can run whatever gets you around the track fastest within your comfort zone.

From what I’ve seen in the past, leaving it up to the racers to tech themselves never works. If the track isn’t doing any tech then you get an out of control stock class.

Jcharger13

iTrader: (15)

I own the HW V10 G3r and it’s a good motor but the Xfactor seems to be on another level. The fandom icon torque is a beast too. I honestly think my old V16 R1 had more balls than the Hobbywing does.

andrewcoley

Homer I should add apologies for thread hijack, sorry!

Interesting you and seemingly everyone else on this thread feels the same way.

Seems pretty simple to me...clubs change rules to open/mod only. Everyone buys a mod motor. All costs go down except maybe tyres, and everyone gets to genuinely compare themselves to everyone else at the club in ABCD etc finals.

Done! 🤷‍♂️

billdelong

iTrader: (33)

I'm going to be completely honest, only reason why I am willing to ditch stock is because the club in our area has introduced a 1/10 dirt program with a watered down track which offers almost no tire wear. Because of this, I feel that there is no reason to run stock, however on the turf track, the mod classes do wear faster than the stock even though the lap times are comparable, so there is a valid concern to have some form of stock... perhaps a controlled tire with open motor? On a wet dirt track with virtually no wear, there would be no reason for a controlled tire.

Chris Reilly

Where I am there is no stock for the reasons you stated. To much room to cheat. Mod is also cheaper. I race clay offroad 4 hrs each way from where I live. Our local oval scene is struggling with 17.5 and 13.5 rules breakers. We havn't had a stock class without a big race in over 25 years for offroad.

andrewcoley

Cheers for the info Chris; kind of feels like someone at ROAR needs to have a serious look at the regs. Less cheating less cost etc; so many benefits.

Trlmatt

iTrader: (1)

My track has decided to do a 17.5 independent class and a 17.5 sponsored class. If your motor is over 100 bucks pr your sponsored you run sponsored class. If you don’t have either you run independent. This has helped me worlds and I do t see how anyone would be bothered by it u less it creates less people for them to sandbag against. For me being new it was discouraging knowing the three same guys are on top week after week. Now I feel like it’s anyones race in my group and I’m happy with the rule change. Lot of guys like me don’t have thousands to invest In the hobby month after month

RonF

iTrader: (9)

Stock class racing in US is basically centered around close racing, with driver making the factor, ie NASCAR etc. But what ends up happening is more money is spent on every little speed advantage in such 'close' racing. Zapping batteries, motor magnets, etc from the brushed days. And now in this thread I see over charged batteries, pucks etc for that little extra advantage. Nothing changed it seemed. Which makes me, as a over 40+ racer, glad Im going with 13.5 and mod classes for my re entry even more. Maybe full mod, just depends on how I like it.
I see the need for 21.5, 17.5, 13.5 and mod as stepping stones for experience levels, but it shouldn't be a money pit in what is considered a driver skill level or entry level class. In my experience.

For the OP, have you asked the fast guys what they do or will they tell you? Could be whats been mentioned or maybe they aren't in blinky mode at all if no tech.....

Homer723

I’ve asked and got defensiveness and attitude. I’ve also asked the track owner about it and he got defensive. Which makes me think they’re not legal.

I ran into this at another track I used to race at a few years ago. Stock buggy carrying the front wheels out of corners and running with mod down the straight. No tech. RD actually said over the speaker during a club race that the stock guys needed to back their cars down, they were getting too fast. I think it’s the elephant in the room. Everyone knows it’s going on but no one wants to do anything or make anyone look bad. From what I’ve seen it’s the hard core stock guys that live at the track. Every club race is a world championship.

A funny story. I was doing tech at a regional race a couple years ago and one of the fast stock guys from the other track came thru tech. I was checking every car before their race. His battery voltage was 8.9v! And he copped an attitude when I told him to back it down to 8.42 max or he didn’t race. He was so used to not being teched that he didn’t reset his charge end voltage.

Davidka

iTrader: (85)

1st point, are the guys you asked sponsored? If so, call their sponsors and tell them how your questions were received. Name names.

2nd point, that’s a 1 strike = out issue. You caught him deliberately cheating, he should’ve been shown the door with zero tolerance. Treat cheaters this way and it stops in a hurry. Again, if he’s sponsored, call he sponsors and shame him and them publicly. “He’s a cheater and brand xxx supports cheating and cheaters”. Work that into the track community’s culture and the cheaters either stop or they leave.

andrewcoley

What a shame about the attitude of these guys; I think you’re right re cheating, otherwise why get defensive? But again...if no stock class, no need to cheat...So simple to sort.

As for the battery voltage, not only is that cheating but it’s a pretty serious fire risk in my book.

Re classes, I’d be in favour of a 21.5 beginner class (first year of racing only) and then everyone else mod. You don’t have to run a 6.5, so let people choose. If beginner class was 21.5 I think it would be slow enough to be not enjoyable for better drivers, no sandbagging etc.

And while we’re at it...sandbagging to get in a non pro class to win a trophy at a club RC car race. (Insert crying smiley)