MarkA

iTrader: (21)

I think what Colin was saying but didn’t make it very clear is that if you're going to run heads-up heats at SoCal's two-day race, you're better off with 2 qualifiers (like a normal club race) and then AAA mains on Sunday instead of running 4 pointless (no pun intended) heats all leading up to a single main.

kevink2

I don't really consider R/C a spectator sport- if it were they'd charge admission. Why should a whole racing program be affected by the two or three people there to actually watch (who are there not because they enjoy just watching, but are probably there because they themselves are interested in participating)?IFMAR starts are good for the racers, and saves a little wear and tear on the cars, because there isn't as much 1st turn hacking. and it's more fair for the guys who comes up the number 5 car. In head to head qualifying, if you're not either 1 or 10, you're at a distinct disadvantage. Drivers tend to be a little more courteous in IFMAR q'ing, because it's plainly stated that you should let the faster guy go. The only thing it doesn't let you do is hone your pass blocking techniques which are sometimes useful in head to head racing. And personally I don't really care if the announcers thinks it's boring.

Boomer

Kevin,

Personally, I agree with you on all points, although I find it much more boring to watch IFMAR qualifying since I can't see who is leading, etc.

I personally think that IFMAR quals are the best way to go. But I'm a driver, what do I know?

I do acknowledge the other "side's" point of view. I think that they have some valid points.

Mark and Colin - after re-reading Colin's post, yes, I see the point he was making. Right on point! I still think it would be better to have 3 and 3, then, so we could have a toss-out in each. I disliked my gas mains when I had a mechanical problem in one and lost everything because of it - I really think I would have ended up 2nd or 3rd if I'd had a toss-out. . .

What about starting someplace other than the straightaway?

MarkA

iTrader: (21)

There is a better way to mix up the heads-up heat races than what we’re doing right now at SoCal and Hobby Shack races.

Get rid of the 1-0 and then 0-1 starting system. Instead, write down 1 through 10 on pieces of paper, throw them in a hat, and draw out a number. Let’s say 4 gets drawn. For that night, 4 would get pole in the first heat, 5 second, 6 third until you get back to car number 3 starting last and then the grid would be reversed from that for the second round. Since nobody knows what the grid will look like until right before the races, the eight people who weren’t there first thing in the morning to sign up for 1 or 0 are not penalized. Everyone would have a random chance on any given night to start on the pole for a round and it would take all of 45 seconds more work for the race director.

On top of that, it means Slim and Jim would no longer have to hear stuff like, “I signed up for car number one, how come I got switched to three” and then have to explain that they were not the first person there to sign up for car number one.

ErikF-Fike

I've gotten a little lost... are you guys talking about club racing with IFMAR starts or just at national events?

Where I race its who got there first (on the grid) for the first round and the second round the guys that usually finished in the top 3-5 will reverse order and start in the back.

I don't know... we take our racing seriously, but serious enough to want to have IFMAR strats at regualar weekly races.

I also don't race in the R/C meca of Calif.

Eric

MarkA

iTrader: (21)

I can see where someone would get lost in our thread and this will probably just add to the confusion…lol.

We got started talking mostly about running IFMAR starts at “big” races because SoCal will be having a two-day race in December that is supposed to be four rounds of heads-up qualifying and one main while many of us ran a two-day race done right this past weekend at Camarillo with four rounds of IFMAR qualifying, qual points system, and AAA mains.

IMO, running IFMAR starts on a weekly basis at club races works at Hot Rod and could work at Camarillo because they have large enough tracks and time to do it but on a weekly basis, SoCal is probably better remaining heads-up. Lap times there have been sub-9 seconds before and an IFMAR start wouldn’t be much better in that case. But, with the right layout, they could do it at the “SoCal Grand Prix” and help legitimize the race as a big event in December.

I can see both sides to a IFMAR or not start at club races. Some people want as clean a shot at qualifying as possible while others want to get their money’s worth with 3 “races” in a day. Just depends on your point of view.

thirdplace

iTrader: (2)

Hay, Mr Green,What do you think?
Heads Up? or just GO GREEN?
lol

Graphitedust

IFMAR, IFMAR, IFMAR.........I can't stand that guy. He cheats, cuts the course, and stepped on my car when he was turn marshalling, and my car was still on the pit table!. He beat us all up on Sat. night, but third place, sherman, and Mr. Green put him in his place in the main! Last I heard, he was crying to Jim about some maniac, who I think beat him, that raced a Tamiya mini cooper in the second heat. I think he needs to call 1-800-Greenbody. By the way....have any of you met my friend who sits on the southwest corner of your pit table? His name is Mr. BLUE!!!!!!! Ifmar......yea, whatever.........

Mark A: Wonder no more.......

MarkA

iTrader: (21)

Speaking of last Saturday at SoCal, I hear Sherman was bringing it on. Shoulda hardwired sooner, eh, Sherman?

Colin C

I was thinking that it would be nice to have the IFMAR setup for sportsman classes for several reasons. One being that in Sportsman classes it generally holds better drives who would be attending bigger races that use the IFMAR format.

As for spectators, I noticed that they dont seem to relise who is were, and just are like "Cool! Look how fast they are! Nothing like my radio shack car!", and are impressed if even without knowing the order.

Mark, thanks for clearing up the misunderstanding Boomer had over my suggestion to have a club style qual instead of a points based 4 qual format.

I can also see how it would be hard to do IFMAR starts with a full grid and 9-10 second laps, that would need to have no delay in starts, and would also defeat the purpose if by the time the last car on the grid is mooving, he would need to get out of the way of the first car, and besides it would be too close before lapped trafic in front would be an issue. For instance there would be about a second gap before room must be given, and in some classes (the faster ones) that would not take too long.

As for the number drawing from a hat, that would be nice to get Mark off the first grid position in heat 2, but takes all of the battery stategy out of the quals unless IFMAR starts are used.

I was refering to Chris Spring (bubbles) tendancy to flip flop between sportsman and intermediate before

Graphitedust

Sherman ran a Reedy Rage in the main....fast.

Colin C

LOL! I take 5 min to write a post, and all of these post come up!

So is that how the shermantor did it?! Way to go =], now to secretly hard wire Ron's Car!

I think I have met both Mr. Green and Mr. Blue... All we need is a Mr. White

MarkA

iTrader: (21)

I liked those motors. It’s a shame they had to replace it with the MVP.

thirdplace

iTrader: (2)

Down with IFMAR starts at socal.
I say stay with what we got. It has worked just fine for a long time. So i say, heads up. Go green or Go blue TAKE YOUR PICK.

Graphitedust

Congratulations, Colin. By the power vested in me (which is zero)by SoCal Raceway and RC Tech, You are hereby crowned "Mr. White...........

Just a thought.....If you (or I should say "the group") wants something closer to Ifmar starts without the problem of the leader coming up on a car that hasn't started yet, perhaps the following would work:

Regular type start, but space the cars two or three times farther apart from each other on the grid. Less bunching up, maybe more clean or open track for each guy? Just a thought.....

Ya know, I just had another thought....being that we are running transponders, we could run a "modified Ifmar" start. Each guy starts spaced out on the grid and the time doesn't start for each car till it crosses the line......could all be spaced out around the track for that fact, time wouldn't start for each car till it crossed the line. Sort of a simultanious Ifmar start......

MarkA: Aside from the pretty colors, what do you think the difference is between the Rage and the MVP? It was my understanding that the armature has the same parts number for both motors....What makes these motors act so different? Don't seem to remember the Rages that I've run (or any motor for that fact) getting so hot or being so soft.