It's Everybody's Fault
12-23-2006, 01:07 AM
#121
Originally Posted by Scottrik
Bob Stormer showed up with a kid from his village. Bob and Randon (Bob's son) took set this kid up with an X-ray tourer and put did JUST what I suggested...tapped the 6-cell pack between cells four and five to make it, effectively, a 4-cell pack. The kid did great, had fun, finished EIGHT minute heats, and I don't think he broke anything. Track time is what helps a newbie learn to drive, and broken cars mean reduced track time. Period.
Scottrik
Scottrik
Finally when the kid never misses a corner, it's time for the 6 cell pack. Tellling a kid he has to buy something or he can't race is crap. I can't imagine a scenario where a noob would show up to any track in America and the race director wouldn't ask the "helpful" guys in the club for a "spare motor" the kid could use, or pack or whatever. Anybody that's been racing for a while has TONS of stuff they would never bolt into their car anymore that's PERFECT and still WAY TO FAST for a noob. Every club member would (or at least SHOULD) be more than happy to help out. Plus, it's fun to help the new guys. No club we race with would ever tell a noob he couldn't run, no way.
Those 4-cell packs I loaned Bill for his son to use in touring. Had he melted them right to the ground, I couldn't have cared any less. I hadn't used them in years (although I did cycle them just in case). An old pack of batterys made a kids and his dads weekend... PERFECT! I more than got my moneys worth on that one.
12-23-2006, 01:20 AM
#122
Tech Apprentice
Bob,
Where you still running 5 min mains for stock? What batts were you running, 3300, 4200 or something in between? What has been described here happens at our track in stock. The younger kids to include my two, lose interest when they can't make it around the track without hitting the walls. I will ask our club president if we can implement this. I agree there should be no complaining from any club member when it comes to helping out someone new to our hobby or to anyone that has a question. I would rather help someone than race if it came down to it.
Kevin
Where you still running 5 min mains for stock? What batts were you running, 3300, 4200 or something in between? What has been described here happens at our track in stock. The younger kids to include my two, lose interest when they can't make it around the track without hitting the walls. I will ask our club president if we can implement this. I agree there should be no complaining from any club member when it comes to helping out someone new to our hobby or to anyone that has a question. I would rather help someone than race if it came down to it.
Kevin
12-23-2006, 01:46 AM
#123
Originally Posted by KevinL
Bob,
Where you still running 5 min mains for stock? What batts were you running, 3300, 4200 or something in between? What has been described here happens at our track in stock. The younger kids to include my two, lose interest when they can't make it around the track without hitting the walls. I will ask our club president if we can implement this. I agree there should be no complaining from any club member when it comes to helping out someone new to our hobby or to anyone that has a question. I would rather help someone than race if it came down to it.
Kevin
Where you still running 5 min mains for stock? What batts were you running, 3300, 4200 or something in between? What has been described here happens at our track in stock. The younger kids to include my two, lose interest when they can't make it around the track without hitting the walls. I will ask our club president if we can implement this. I agree there should be no complaining from any club member when it comes to helping out someone new to our hobby or to anyone that has a question. I would rather help someone than race if it came down to it.
Kevin
12-23-2006, 01:59 AM
#125
Tech Elite
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: MOOD;; feeling good not racing ,saving shed loads of money,lovely Tan i have aswell
Posts: 4,762
Originally Posted by Bob-Stormer
I believe that 4 cell is the way to go for noobs in touring. I did the same thing for Bills kid at the Minot race. Loaned bill a few 4-cell packs, he didn't alter the gearing and INSTANTLY, shaved 8-10 seconds off of every lap. Car survived, kid had more fun. Nobody wants to be stuck in the wall every other corner.
Finally when the kid never misses a corner, it's time for the 6 cell pack. Tellling a kid he has to buy something or he can't race is crap. I can't imagine a scenario where a noob would show up to any track in America and the race director wouldn't ask the "helpful" guys in the club for a "spare motor" the kid could use, or pack or whatever. Anybody that's been racing for a while has TONS of stuff they would never bolt into their car anymore that's PERFECT and still WAY TO FAST for a noob. Every club member would (or at least SHOULD) be more than happy to help out. Plus, it's fun to help the new guys. No club we race with would ever tell a noob he couldn't run, no way.
Those 4-cell packs I loaned Bill for his son to use in touring. Had he melted them right to the ground, I couldn't have cared any less. I hadn't used them in years (although I did cycle them just in case). An old pack of batterys made a kids and his dads weekend... PERFECT! I more than got my moneys worth on that one.
Finally when the kid never misses a corner, it's time for the 6 cell pack. Tellling a kid he has to buy something or he can't race is crap. I can't imagine a scenario where a noob would show up to any track in America and the race director wouldn't ask the "helpful" guys in the club for a "spare motor" the kid could use, or pack or whatever. Anybody that's been racing for a while has TONS of stuff they would never bolt into their car anymore that's PERFECT and still WAY TO FAST for a noob. Every club member would (or at least SHOULD) be more than happy to help out. Plus, it's fun to help the new guys. No club we race with would ever tell a noob he couldn't run, no way.
Those 4-cell packs I loaned Bill for his son to use in touring. Had he melted them right to the ground, I couldn't have cared any less. I hadn't used them in years (although I did cycle them just in case). An old pack of batterys made a kids and his dads weekend... PERFECT! I more than got my moneys worth on that one.
My son (Harry) uses 4 year old gp33`s 6 cell ,never ever get looked after or discharged or balenced ,slowest on on the straight ,i gear down he`s 27t aswell) he gets the corners right 90% on the time ,when he goes faster & starts crashing i bring he`s speed down to teach him ,so instead of shouting at him ,i tell him by detuning he`s car ,thus less arguments between father & son
12-23-2006, 02:03 AM
#126
This is something my local club has been implementing for quite some time now. An "L-Plate" class was introduced about two years ago just after I started, and it allowed new drivers to come and race whatever they wanted providing it was electric powered and had 4 wheels! When they were able to hit the right lines and not the track markings, they would be moved up by the race director to the "Inter-Stock" class. The rules for this are still very open, but the cars must be 1/10th electric and use a 27t motor. This runs seperate to the normal 27t class, which is far more competitive, and is the next stage after "Inter-Stock". Since introducing these classes, there are new drivers aplenty racing, all of which are rapidly improving. I started a few months before these were introduced, so was put straight into 27t class, something I am very glad happened, but for those looking for some fun it was the perfect thing to do.
Despite all these new drivers, turnout at my local club has been relatively low, especially throughout the summer months. There are the regular drivers that race nowhere else and show up every week, but it is the drivers that are very succesful outside of the club that are rarely seen. I dedicated myself to my club for a year and a half of solid racing there. I began racing in BRCA nationals at the start of this year, and due to having a lot of success, I put a lot of effort into the series, at my clubs expense. This happened with many other drivers competing in various championships around the country, and because there are so many every other weekend, the club suffers. Even though my club races 3 times a week, I was not willing to go down there for a meeting a few days before a national when I had just spent a large amount of time and effort rebuilding my car as well as I could. Now it's winter time however, and numbers are on their way back up again, due to a smaller number of local(ish) winter events, which aren't as regular as nationals.
Despite all these new drivers, turnout at my local club has been relatively low, especially throughout the summer months. There are the regular drivers that race nowhere else and show up every week, but it is the drivers that are very succesful outside of the club that are rarely seen. I dedicated myself to my club for a year and a half of solid racing there. I began racing in BRCA nationals at the start of this year, and due to having a lot of success, I put a lot of effort into the series, at my clubs expense. This happened with many other drivers competing in various championships around the country, and because there are so many every other weekend, the club suffers. Even though my club races 3 times a week, I was not willing to go down there for a meeting a few days before a national when I had just spent a large amount of time and effort rebuilding my car as well as I could. Now it's winter time however, and numbers are on their way back up again, due to a smaller number of local(ish) winter events, which aren't as regular as nationals.
12-23-2006, 03:02 AM
#127
Tech Elite
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: MOOD;; feeling good not racing ,saving shed loads of money,lovely Tan i have aswell
Posts: 4,762
Originally Posted by Ali Graham
This is something my local club has been implementing for quite some time now. An "L-Plate" class was introduced about two years ago just after I started, and it allowed new drivers to come and race whatever they wanted providing it was electric powered and had 4 wheels! When they were able to hit the right lines and not the track markings, they would be moved up by the race director to the "Inter-Stock" class. The rules for this are still very open, but the cars must be 1/10th electric and use a 27t motor. This runs seperate to the normal 27t class, which is far more competitive, and is the next stage after "Inter-Stock". Since introducing these classes, there are new drivers aplenty racing, all of which are rapidly improving. I started a few months before these were introduced, so was put straight into 27t class, something I am very glad happened, but for those looking for some fun it was the perfect thing to do.
Despite all these new drivers, turnout at my local club has been relatively low, especially throughout the summer months. There are the regular drivers that race nowhere else and show up every week, but it is the drivers that are very succesful outside of the club that are rarely seen. I dedicated myself to my club for a year and a half of solid racing there. I began racing in BRCA nationals at the start of this year, and due to having a lot of success, I put a lot of effort into the series, at my clubs expense. This happened with many other drivers competing in various championships around the country, and because there are so many every other weekend, the club suffers. Even though my club races 3 times a week, I was not willing to go down there for a meeting a few days before a national when I had just spent a large amount of time and effort rebuilding my car as well as I could. Now it's winter time however, and numbers are on their way back up again, due to a smaller number of local(ish) winter events, which aren't as regular as nationals.
Despite all these new drivers, turnout at my local club has been relatively low, especially throughout the summer months. There are the regular drivers that race nowhere else and show up every week, but it is the drivers that are very succesful outside of the club that are rarely seen. I dedicated myself to my club for a year and a half of solid racing there. I began racing in BRCA nationals at the start of this year, and due to having a lot of success, I put a lot of effort into the series, at my clubs expense. This happened with many other drivers competing in various championships around the country, and because there are so many every other weekend, the club suffers. Even though my club races 3 times a week, I was not willing to go down there for a meeting a few days before a national when I had just spent a large amount of time and effort rebuilding my car as well as I could. Now it's winter time however, and numbers are on their way back up again, due to a smaller number of local(ish) winter events, which aren't as regular as nationals.
or less big outside events on offer instead
12-23-2006, 05:41 AM
#128
I don't think less national rounds is the answer at all, neither is reducing the number of various competitions on offer, as there is not enough space to enter everyone in nationals. There was in fact an article about this on the back page of Racer magazine a few months back, I'll try find which issue it was as it is pertinent to this thread in some ways.
12-23-2006, 05:50 AM
#129
Originally Posted by Bob-Stormer
And the irony of that, as it pertains to our group is now the same guys that weren't showing up regularly for rookie, are now regularly NOT showing up for stock. Thereby pushing all the dedicated club members into one massive class of modified racing. Idea was good on the surface.
Scottrik
12-23-2006, 05:52 AM
#130
Tech Elite
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: MOOD;; feeling good not racing ,saving shed loads of money,lovely Tan i have aswell
Posts: 4,762
Originally Posted by Ali Graham
I don't think less national rounds is the answer at all, neither is reducing the number of various competitions on offer, as there is not enough space to enter everyone in nationals. There was in fact an article about this on the back page of Racer magazine a few months back, I'll try find which issue it was as it is pertinent to this thread in some ways.
just asked question if this would help Club`s re;;number of TOP drivers turning up
there is not a magical 1 answer to solve all prob`s i`m afriad
had alittle thought ,free up more time for the TOP drivers to attend the little/local clubs to help support them
as you have said when your car is setup for nats for 1 weekend you won`t go to the local club on the previous week
so less outdoor big events to attend the more local club racing TOP drivers will do ,thus you be more inclined to turn up if you had 2-3 A nats drivers there in the week
get me
???
12-23-2006, 08:53 AM
#131
Tech Adept
I help run a local indoor club and we like most have problems with lack of racers. Just over 12 months ago we nearlly had to call it a day. There has allways been a good turnover of racers but getting them to carry on racing month after month is the problem. The numbers tend to vary from as low has 12 per meeting during summer to the mid 40's January to may.
We try to encourage the new drivers with help and putting them in heats with drivers that do similar number of laps. One thing the less skiiled driver wants is to be lapped 6 or 7 times and thats what they tell us. Another problem can be track layouts. We have 12 layouts which we vary each week. For example if the track is too technical the less skilled are not happy, if its to flowing the top drivers moan. Neither can we afford to loose.
Has with most clubs getting help seting up and especially packing up is a night mare. If you then have a word to try and get the help this puts people off coming to race.
So the problem we have is not getting newcomers (we have been lucky with the local paper and hobby shops supporting us) but keeping a good number of core racers week in week out. Over the last 3 years we have had 250 differant drivers but only now have a core of about 18 (Used to be half a dozen). Now because we have tightened our belt we only need 23 drivers per meeting to brake even compared to 30, 18 months ago.
From my experiance noobs do not like to be told what they need to run (like batteries or motors) they just want to turn up and have fun and then hopfully they get the race bug and keep turning up so rule changes in my opinion/experiance will not help the problem.
I wish I had the answer but I do not but it does fall on every body especially at club to help keep a club going.
We try to encourage the new drivers with help and putting them in heats with drivers that do similar number of laps. One thing the less skiiled driver wants is to be lapped 6 or 7 times and thats what they tell us. Another problem can be track layouts. We have 12 layouts which we vary each week. For example if the track is too technical the less skilled are not happy, if its to flowing the top drivers moan. Neither can we afford to loose.
Has with most clubs getting help seting up and especially packing up is a night mare. If you then have a word to try and get the help this puts people off coming to race.
So the problem we have is not getting newcomers (we have been lucky with the local paper and hobby shops supporting us) but keeping a good number of core racers week in week out. Over the last 3 years we have had 250 differant drivers but only now have a core of about 18 (Used to be half a dozen). Now because we have tightened our belt we only need 23 drivers per meeting to brake even compared to 30, 18 months ago.
From my experiance noobs do not like to be told what they need to run (like batteries or motors) they just want to turn up and have fun and then hopfully they get the race bug and keep turning up so rule changes in my opinion/experiance will not help the problem.
I wish I had the answer but I do not but it does fall on every body especially at club to help keep a club going.
12-23-2006, 12:10 PM
#132
Originally Posted by SRAD
Look at today. People strut their stuff around because they have a %50 off deal from a manufacturer. BIG DEAL!!
......maybe if you won a National, then and only then should you be able to strut for a minute......
12-23-2006, 12:34 PM
#133
Tech Initiate
Instead of pointing out the obvious and continous problems that we all know to well, which has been going on since before sliced bread, why not introduce a possible SOLUTION!
Fast Faisal
Fast Faisal
12-23-2006, 03:58 PM
#134
Originally Posted by KevinL
Bob,
Thanks for the info. I will see what they say.
Kevin
Thanks for the info. I will see what they say.
Kevin
If you do it and it works well, and it will, others will follow suit. The only downfall I've seen is 4 cell guys tend to get "punted" on the straight when in with the noob 6-cell guys.
I'd like to try it with 5-6 of skilled club guys. I'm betting instead of seeing a spread of say 6-7 laps from the top racer to the 6th place racer, they might all finish within a lap or two. Racing would be VERY exciting. I don't care who's in it, or what car it is, or what equipment it is, or even if I place dead last, I just want a good race. I think it's fair to say that's all any of us want.
12-26-2006, 08:02 PM
#135
MC SMOOTH BULLSEYE ! ! !
Cold one, Race fee, One year membership in the club, PM me your add... I go away and race and immediately join the club and often only race at the facility once or twice, the important thing to me is knowing that I make a difference in the survival of RACING......
Many out there know how hard it is to make a go of anything really worth while and how hard it is to even get people to help. Most only want and are not willing to give in return for what they say they truly love which is the HOBBY/SPORT of competitive racing.
In order to provide this it often takes time, effort and money which most racers feel giving a few dollars is what makes it happen. When in all actuality it is not. I have been reserving my energy and awaiting the start of the nitro season. I have been taking advantage of electric racing allowing my mind to rest from knowing that I must return to the fact that Our Club, my extended RC family needs me and my brain and pocket to get things done. It is often that small dedicated groups like the one that I have linked with often go broke attempting to make a track and keep it alive. As many know my philosophies are quite simple:
"Lead follow or get out of the way"
"Don't talk about it be about it"
"Failure is Not an option"
If all of the racers would realize what we do is not for profit but for the love of the sport and nothing else all would be fine. When you get into some of these battles it is like pissing on a full scale blazing brush fire, and you just cant WIN... I have watched and spoken to many track owners in the states and around the world to try and figure out what is the right thing to do, many of them failed but I try my best to learn from the failures as well. It has been some time now and I for one know my group as well as I will not give up; but we would try even harder if we had our racers come behind us and know that they have our backs and not just ready to pounce on the slightest problem that arises. It would help if the racers knew that sacrifices have been made to meet the simplest events and allow them to run.
We need people to give a damn. I have so much to say on this but to not rant but rather vent and know that there are the mcsmooths and the Howharts and the Shops and tracks that know the pain, the sacrifice that go into a day a simple few hours of racing. I take this time to commend those that do, stand up and take an active role instead of finger pointing and crap talking which is so easy to do. Come out and do some work help make this the great SPORT we all know that it can be. It can only be that way if we the racers put racing first and not just our own racing interests.
Many out there know how hard it is to make a go of anything really worth while and how hard it is to even get people to help. Most only want and are not willing to give in return for what they say they truly love which is the HOBBY/SPORT of competitive racing.
In order to provide this it often takes time, effort and money which most racers feel giving a few dollars is what makes it happen. When in all actuality it is not. I have been reserving my energy and awaiting the start of the nitro season. I have been taking advantage of electric racing allowing my mind to rest from knowing that I must return to the fact that Our Club, my extended RC family needs me and my brain and pocket to get things done. It is often that small dedicated groups like the one that I have linked with often go broke attempting to make a track and keep it alive. As many know my philosophies are quite simple:
"Lead follow or get out of the way"
"Don't talk about it be about it"
"Failure is Not an option"
If all of the racers would realize what we do is not for profit but for the love of the sport and nothing else all would be fine. When you get into some of these battles it is like pissing on a full scale blazing brush fire, and you just cant WIN... I have watched and spoken to many track owners in the states and around the world to try and figure out what is the right thing to do, many of them failed but I try my best to learn from the failures as well. It has been some time now and I for one know my group as well as I will not give up; but we would try even harder if we had our racers come behind us and know that they have our backs and not just ready to pounce on the slightest problem that arises. It would help if the racers knew that sacrifices have been made to meet the simplest events and allow them to run.
We need people to give a damn. I have so much to say on this but to not rant but rather vent and know that there are the mcsmooths and the Howharts and the Shops and tracks that know the pain, the sacrifice that go into a day a simple few hours of racing. I take this time to commend those that do, stand up and take an active role instead of finger pointing and crap talking which is so easy to do. Come out and do some work help make this the great SPORT we all know that it can be. It can only be that way if we the racers put racing first and not just our own racing interests.