(this is my race report from last weekend, and as i race for GO Engines, will duplicate it here)

Well guys,

I just came from the first stage of the Chilean Nationals 2009. A 2 day event on a very high temperature ambient (+- 97°F) with great drivers and awesome track.

This race was the first for me with the new R2 chassis, i received the RTR version couple weeks ago and i decided to put it on test on this race AS IS (or at least wanting to change just small things). I didnt had the time to check every screw on the car, just installed my servos, engine, pipe, receiver and battery, changed the stock diff oil and shock oil and went to race.

I used the stock shocks for the first 2 x 10 minutes qualifies without any problem and then noted a very small leak on one of the shocks mainly due to the shock cap being unscrew (i think, due to high heat). So, i decided to go with the old Super Big Bore Jammin shock i was using on the old chassis.

It was a great experience to put this chassis on test going stock but going calm to know the chassis better, didnt put me on the A-Main, i had to race B-Main starting on 1st place.

B-Main was a 20 minutes race, i did a very good start and started to gain a little gap from the pack ... at minute 5 or something, i noted my steering went slower and 1 lap after i had no steering at all !!, marshals throwed my car on the pit area and my pitman discovered that the servo arm screw was off, he installed a new one (always have one on the pit area lol) and went back to the race, on 7th position. After a lot of fighting and my pitman yelling me to calm down a little, at the minute 19th i got the lead, just one minute to go and A-Main with Matrix R2 RTR .... HERE I AM !!!

A-Main was a 40 minutes high heat race, i did a more or less good start and took 2nd position ... by minute 4 or so i lost a position, being on 3rd but with 4th very very close to me. My fuel strategy was fueling every 8 minutes as my engine was giving me almost 09 minutes and 15 seconds. BANG !!! my engine stops just a curve from the main straight and pit area ... my pitman forgot to yelling at me and i had a flameout (great friend but first time asking him to pit me) and went back to race on 6th position ... i started to climb very slow on positions, did my next fuel stop without problems and got 4th position but almost a lap after the 3rd place. After a lot of fighting for the last minutes of racing i knew i had to do just one more fuel stop and the 3rd place 2 more and he had a difference of 1/2 lap from me, he enters to fuel up and when he go out of pits i was just 1 car difference in front of him, he is a very good driver (made the TQ of the event) and the pressure was all over me, i knew that i had to maintain the position and create some gap at least to fuel up and go out fast, after a couple mistakes from him a had a good gap, at least long enough to refuel and try to go out of pits in front of him, i was 3 curves before pit area and BAAAANGGG ... new flameout ... DAMN !!!, dry again !!!, the other guy entered to refuel while i was out of race so i was 1+ full lap behind now

So, even when i did my best over the last 5 minutes of racing, i was unable to close the gap and ended in 4th place.

I went down the driver stand yelling to my pitman about how he left me dry 2 times !!! and he was kinda overwelmed by the situation and just laughed and said "calm down Pato !!, just 2 times man not bad for our first time together !!!" lol !!!

Anyway, it was a GREAT weekend, a lot of great racing action and i ended more than happy with my equipment, my GO Engines 7 ports worked flawlessly, my VP PRO Tyres worked AWESOME and the chassis was a great refresh of agility, low weight and performance, im more than happy with the new R2 platform and i CANT WAIT to put my hands on the PRO version. Next race in 2 more weeks, new track totally unknown for me so lets see what happens.

Here is my Setup :

Setup CEN R2 RTR :

Option Parts Used : Just SBB Jammin Shocks for the finals.

Diffs : 3.000 - 3.000 - 1.000 (Ultimate Racing Silicones, new sponsor for 2009 !).

Shocks : 45/40 on stock shocks with stock springs and 50/40 on Jammin

Shocks with silver springs, all on Ultimate Racing Silicones.

Rear Shock Position : Upper outer hole on the tower, outer hole on the arms.

Front Shock Position : Upper middle hole on the tower, outer hole on the arms.

Chassis Front Height : Arms leveled with ground.

Chassis Rear Height : Arms just a bit over leveled with ground.

Downstops : All unscrewed, full suspension travel front and rear.

Bars : None

Brakes : 50% / 50% bias.

Tyres : VP PRO 804 Turbo Trax on qualifies, VP PRO 802 Cutoff on B Main and VP PRO 804 Turbo Trax on A-Main.

Front Toe Out : 1° aprox.

Rear Toe Inn : 2° aprox.

Front Camber : 1° aprox.

Rear Camber : 2° aprox.

Engine : GO Engines 7 ports.

Pipe : GO Engines EFRA 2047.

And obviously, some pics :

The TRACK :





















Some personal Pics :







































































Well, hope to improve on my driving with this chassis, so far on that same track i raced on weekend, i improved my lap times on almost 2 seconds, my average time always with old chassis were on the 42 seconds field, and on this race i did consistant 40's during the weekend, with one high 39 and high 37 !!! (low 37 its lap record).

cya guys !!