CEFX 2010 - A new Evolution.
06-01-2010, 04:45 PM
#331
Well, I am back home and catching up from the Reedy Race. Here's a bit of info on the race:
Thursday I began practice with a very similar set-up to the ROAR Carpet Nats with the exception of the front shock oil and pistons as I went back to a more normal set-up (3 hole pistons, 40wt). Everything was pretty good as I just got used to the track and did a bit of testing with tire additives. Every heat I struggled with this actually until the 3rd actual race of Invite as my car always started terrible and then got better as the run went on. Through practice I tested a little with ackerman inserts, springs, shock positions but I knew that my tire prep was off so it was impossible to tell much until I could make my car start with the traction it had at the 2-3 minute mark of each race. I also distracted myself with running the Tamiya version of the Evo that I built but because of how totally different it drove I stopped running it after the 4th round of practice.
Honestly, I was also very apprehensive as I knew it was the first race with the car on asphalt and on my own at the track. I knew I needed a good showing and with the track being the home track for TOP Racing, I just had a really uncomfortable feeling there at the race which was confirmed by the crowd when I had a good race with EJ in the 3rd race of Invite. I struggled with major understeer in that heat as I finally figured out the additive fairly good. There were a few comments from the crowd towards myself and the Evo which I guess I should have expected. Shame that people can take shots at someone for something they know nothing about. I am sure that if they knew the truth, the comments wouldn't have been made but I guess that's the way it goes. I shouldn't let it bother me but I guess it really has over these past few days......
Sunday morning I rebuilt a few things from the day before as I crashed the car pretty bad in the 4th race the day before. Nothing major was hurt on the car (basically destroyed the body) and I decided to roll the dice and change the entire rear end set-up. Changes in rear toe, roll center, width of suspension mounts, width of wheel hex, camber link, shock position on the suspension arm and camber all proved to be a huge improvement as I had a great day Sunday with a much, much better car. In the end I finished 7th overall (my personal best Reedy ROC finish ever). Looking back at the race, I am very pleased as it could have been better but also much worse. I think if we had the chance to start the race over right now, of course everyone else may be able to gain a little but for sure I would benifit the most with the extra track time, set-up time and tire additive set-up to really have a stronger chance. I'm not delusional to think I would have had a chance against Paul (who was the fastest at the event until the last race when Marc's car was amazing) but I know I would have a much better starting point to race with those top 5 guys.
Thanks to everyone out there for the support and interest in CEFX and the Evolution. With the way the race finished, I am quite happy and confident that with a bit more time and testing we will be much stronger in the races to come.
Back to work.... Germany is fast approaching...
Thursday I began practice with a very similar set-up to the ROAR Carpet Nats with the exception of the front shock oil and pistons as I went back to a more normal set-up (3 hole pistons, 40wt). Everything was pretty good as I just got used to the track and did a bit of testing with tire additives. Every heat I struggled with this actually until the 3rd actual race of Invite as my car always started terrible and then got better as the run went on. Through practice I tested a little with ackerman inserts, springs, shock positions but I knew that my tire prep was off so it was impossible to tell much until I could make my car start with the traction it had at the 2-3 minute mark of each race. I also distracted myself with running the Tamiya version of the Evo that I built but because of how totally different it drove I stopped running it after the 4th round of practice.
Honestly, I was also very apprehensive as I knew it was the first race with the car on asphalt and on my own at the track. I knew I needed a good showing and with the track being the home track for TOP Racing, I just had a really uncomfortable feeling there at the race which was confirmed by the crowd when I had a good race with EJ in the 3rd race of Invite. I struggled with major understeer in that heat as I finally figured out the additive fairly good. There were a few comments from the crowd towards myself and the Evo which I guess I should have expected. Shame that people can take shots at someone for something they know nothing about. I am sure that if they knew the truth, the comments wouldn't have been made but I guess that's the way it goes. I shouldn't let it bother me but I guess it really has over these past few days......
Sunday morning I rebuilt a few things from the day before as I crashed the car pretty bad in the 4th race the day before. Nothing major was hurt on the car (basically destroyed the body) and I decided to roll the dice and change the entire rear end set-up. Changes in rear toe, roll center, width of suspension mounts, width of wheel hex, camber link, shock position on the suspension arm and camber all proved to be a huge improvement as I had a great day Sunday with a much, much better car. In the end I finished 7th overall (my personal best Reedy ROC finish ever). Looking back at the race, I am very pleased as it could have been better but also much worse. I think if we had the chance to start the race over right now, of course everyone else may be able to gain a little but for sure I would benifit the most with the extra track time, set-up time and tire additive set-up to really have a stronger chance. I'm not delusional to think I would have had a chance against Paul (who was the fastest at the event until the last race when Marc's car was amazing) but I know I would have a much better starting point to race with those top 5 guys.
Thanks to everyone out there for the support and interest in CEFX and the Evolution. With the way the race finished, I am quite happy and confident that with a bit more time and testing we will be much stronger in the races to come.
Back to work.... Germany is fast approaching...
06-01-2010, 05:30 PM
#332
Josh, I hope you had a great time over at NorCal. It was good to talk with you about car setups 
Looking forward to trying out your setup.
Looking forward to trying out your setup.
06-01-2010, 06:37 PM
#334
06-01-2010, 06:45 PM
#335
Don't sweat the haters! Do what you need to do to make your car the best you can. Judging from the videos posted of the Reedy race you came a long way in a small amount of time. Being you went at it alone says a ton to your devotion to make the car work properly. Sure it is easier to dial it in when you have more then 1 person running as a team. Don't let the talk slow you down bro keep at it and I am sure it will be huge when all is said and done.
06-01-2010, 06:51 PM
#336
JayL - It's just crazy to me to think that myself and others who are running the Evolution are getting grief from guys running the Photon - a car I designed from ground zero for a company no one heard of when I went there. I was laughed at repeatedly for going there and now look at how things have changed. On top of that (no pun intended) we ran on the new Solaris rims that I also designed.....
Advil - Thanks.
bigbank66 - I'll get a set-up posted asap. Working on new set-up sheets as I am not going to post anything using a Photon sheet.
DirtyRacer - NorCal was great. Being a former track owner I really appreciate all the work that Kevin and his crew have put into the track. It's definatly a great facility and knowing Kevin and his dedication I am really looking forward to coming back to NorCal for the Reedy Race next year. I would like to come to the ROAR Nats but it's right after the nitro WC in Houston and money will be really tight for me so I may miss that race but I'll be back next year for the Reedy for sure!!
Matt - You can use the kit locators but you don't need them depending on the battery you use. Honestly, I don't know about the new red aluminum locators as I didn't design those and I don't have any so I have no clue about them. The Speed Power battery is only around 265g so you need to balance the car on the battery side. The Thunder Power 25C and SMC packs are around 280g so you only need a little on the battery side. The Thunder Power 40C & 50C packs are around 300g so with these you don't need to balance the battery side.
Advil - Thanks.
bigbank66 - I'll get a set-up posted asap. Working on new set-up sheets as I am not going to post anything using a Photon sheet.
DirtyRacer - NorCal was great. Being a former track owner I really appreciate all the work that Kevin and his crew have put into the track. It's definatly a great facility and knowing Kevin and his dedication I am really looking forward to coming back to NorCal for the Reedy Race next year. I would like to come to the ROAR Nats but it's right after the nitro WC in Houston and money will be really tight for me so I may miss that race but I'll be back next year for the Reedy for sure!!
Matt - You can use the kit locators but you don't need them depending on the battery you use. Honestly, I don't know about the new red aluminum locators as I didn't design those and I don't have any so I have no clue about them. The Speed Power battery is only around 265g so you need to balance the car on the battery side. The Thunder Power 25C and SMC packs are around 280g so you only need a little on the battery side. The Thunder Power 40C & 50C packs are around 300g so with these you don't need to balance the battery side.
06-01-2010, 07:08 PM
#337
double post
Last edited by DirtyRacer; 06-01-2010 at 07:32 PM.
06-01-2010, 07:08 PM
#338
Tech Fanatic
iTrader: (17)
Josh-
I hope we made you welcome at the pit table you were sitting at. It was fun hearing stories on how Mike asked you a question on the forum about having the battery standing on it's side. That was a good laugh. Infact on that table we had KO, CFEX & TOP. It was great chatting with you on your future plans. I really would like to see you develop a better spool for the Photon and a nice beefy front universals. Come back next year. Don't let the back talk stop you!
-John G.
I hope we made you welcome at the pit table you were sitting at. It was fun hearing stories on how Mike asked you a question on the forum about having the battery standing on it's side. That was a good laugh. Infact on that table we had KO, CFEX & TOP. It was great chatting with you on your future plans. I really would like to see you develop a better spool for the Photon and a nice beefy front universals. Come back next year. Don't let the back talk stop you!
-John G.
06-01-2010, 09:25 PM
#341
06-01-2010, 09:50 PM
#343
