So, does anyone race minis? I would love to get one, but I really would like a place to race it. Of course, now that Tamiya's track is closing, that certainly puts a damper on things. I am thinking it would be a good idea to get a group of mini racers together before-hand. What do you guys think?

the Carbon lipo by Orion is great. I use it in a mini and weigh it down with a lead strip like tonyG has. Still its severely underweight. Thats the great thing about this advantage is that now you can redistribute weight according to your track and setup. Adding weight to the front or rear will help manage under/oversteer problems. I also use the Novak Lipo cutoff. Don't have or use a balancer yet but havn't had the need to after 50 runs.!

The Tamiya Track is closing, but Fred is trying to still have a track near their new office. I would most likely be portable I.E a parking lot track.

With that in mind there is a very strong mini following in the Orange County area.
Even SoCal Raceway had 2 or three heats most nights,
You might even Check w/ Charlie B I can't remember the name of his racing program, but he may have a mini class. I think it is in LaMirada??

We've had a very active mini program at SoCal for 2 years. Unfortunately, SoCal appears to be closing and has suspended their onroad racing until interest picks up. They may have some onroad racing on Friday nites. Also some of us are looking for other tracks and are trying to restart a mini program

I would really be into working on getting a group of mini racers together. I have been kind of disillusioned with the way sedan/TC racing has gone. The cars just don't even look like real cars anymore. However, the minis are great. It looks like a good, fun, and relatively inexpensive alternative. Even my wife would like to get in on it.

I'll see if I can get in touch with Charlie B about having a class at OC Circuit. Let's keep everyone posted here so that we can get a group going and have a place to race these things.

Almost forgot, what do you all think of the new M04L? I have a thing for old Beetles and am thinking of picking one of these up. Do you guys think it will be as quick as the M03?

I've got an M04L Beetle on the way, don't much care how it goes...it looks cool. My guess is it'll be to the Alfa what the M03L "New" Mini is to the M03M Swift is, which is to say "close enough" for 99% of us.

Did I mention it looks cool?

How about bending corners raceway for mini racing (M03, M04)?

Hey all you Mini Driver Fanatics. S&N Trackside Hobbies has just announced a TAMIYA MINI only weekend race event for October 6-7, 2007. Can you imagine 150 mini drivers competing in a weekend of fun??

Link to the 2007 MINI MAYHEM race thread is here, with race details and race entry form:

http://www.rctech.net/forum/showthre...24#post3398824

We're looking for all you Mini nuts to come to invade Wisconsin for this weekend event. Come on Troy, Dan and the rest of you Seattle Mini drivers. (Midwest Airlines now has direct flights Seattle to Milwaukee - they heard that we were going to have this event!) All you East Coast Mini lovers (hey Doc, are you listening?). Memphis TCS had 50+ minis for their regional - how about all of you folks form a caravan up to Wisconsin for this event. California guys - here's your chance to see what indoor carpet racing is all about. I bet "Boomer" Ernst will even make some chilli for race attendees.

I'm in and so would some of the SoCal mini guys. Carpet or asphalt????

Carpet indoors. This race will take place, rain or shine, on Trackside's 50x100' CRC carpet layout. Lots of indoor pit space.

Sorry about the initial bad link. The Race event thread is under General forums, racing forum, 2007 Mini Mayhem Race. The link here should now work.

We would love to see you SoCal Mini guys join us. (Midwest Airlines has direct flights to Milwaukee out of San Diego and LAX)

Argh.

I'd LOVE to come play, but TWO trips to Wisconsin in a year is a bit much. Too bad something couldn't be scheduled around the vintage races out at Elkhart Lake, but that would be too much to hope for. I'd probably drop dead just from ANTICIPATING a week like that!!

I'm in for mini racing at Bending Corners. I just need to get my Beetle delivered. I will keep you guys posted.

Does anyone know when these will be finally available?

Come by SoCal on a Friday nite. We're trying to get something going there for now , since it's home to us. Most of us run the MO3's. They are not as difficult to get to handle. Right now we can use all the support we can get. I think they are available overseas right now

Tower still shows "late June".

Pretty much all the Asian "usual suspects" plus several others have them in-stock. I ordered one from RC Mart along with a couple bodies I wanted...the additional postage with the kit makes it about exactly what Tower is showing as their price.