Racing the FW-05R or NTC3?
What a great forum. It's great to get advice from people that have real racing experience (and not have to read a hundred posts about which car is has the highest top speed).
I’m sitting here with a brand new FW-05R hop-up version kit and a Factory Team NTC3 kit. Both are new and I’m trying to decide which one to build over the long Minnesota winter, and which one to sell. I’m guessing that a lot of you with FW-05Rs have experience with the NTC3, as well.
Engine: OS 12TR R-Spec (with RD Logics Turbo II pipe for the FW-05R)
Radio: JR XS3 with stock servos
Racing: This will be my first season of organized racing at my LHS. I’ll be running in the rubber tire classes. The course is a prepared parking lot surface and is usually very tight, with a short straight and a few bumps. The fast guys all ran NTC3s this summer and I rarely hear them get into 2nd gear on the straight. The rest of the running time will be on a course setup with track dots in a large unprepared parking lot, with buddies. This has been my only driving experience so far, so the club racing will be a big change. From what I’ve read so far, it sounds like the FW-05RR is more suited for the small, tight track layout.
The initial cost of the FW-05R will be about $300.00 more than the NTC3, after buying the kit and buying the necessary upgrades and spares (full exhaust system, steel ring gears and everything necessary to bring it up to FW-05RR specs). This is not a show-stopper for me, but I don’t throw money around that easily.
Will I be kicking myself mid-season for not going with the FW-05R, or is the difference between these 2 cars not going to be so much to a novice racer?
TIA,
Dan