Sorry to hear about the hiccups in the Kuching Asean race. I'll like to share and comment a bit though I did not participate, I think is tough and challenging to make everything faultless, especially without a club or bodies with voluntarily personnels to help run a big race. Mr.Thian organised this Asean race with minimal help I guess from the local hobby shop in Kuching, I guess they tried to accomodate every request but sometime things just don't turn out smoothly.
As for the 3 ports, seriously I think we Malaysian must give this a try, it will help to bring in more hobbyist, reduce the cost of racing in this hobby and bring our standard up to Americans, European and other developed RC nations level. We always think we are fast...but I can safely say we are NOT, skill wise we are way behind them, that's why we keep going for the latest and fastest modified engine! Man...RM1200-RM1500 for a tiny .12 engine!
Many newcomers dare not race because everyone else either running a JP, Max or Rody mods, they already have fear in joining let alone racing those mods engine. There are many 'fast drivers' out there...even guys with 2-3months experience are fast...but have you seen them drive? Is like a Tomahawk locked on and homing on your ass, this is the worst thing to watch. They think 'wow I'm as fast as so and so...', yeah right and why didn't u beat him 'consistently' in every race?
Many gave up the hobby because they can't coup up with the cost racing in heavily mod. Just imagine the Worlds runs .12 3port, 16% and standard plug. Malaysia Bolehland runs runs .12 5port Modified, 25% and Turbo plug! And yet some ask ...how good this fuel in protecting our engine? how durable are these engines? C'mon man...u think F1 engine last a lifetime?
As for pit crews or supporters, again..we must be considerate as the organiser will never know how many guys in your team are coming to the race (unless you specify in the reg form) So usually they will arrange for the no. of racers signed up and maybe 20% extra for tables and chairs. Now if every 100 racers were to bring 3 guys...and demand a chair...wow...what do you think will happen in the pit with 300 guys?
As far as I know, all the drivers have to turn marshall after his heat, so every group will help the each others, everyone must have the discipline and beginners will learn from this. Was surprise Asean race never impose this rule? It happens in US, Europe and Japan. Probably not the Worlds race coz big event will have enough fund to 'employ' marshalls. Don't expect small race to have such fund right?
I am not siding or against anyone, but sometime things does go unexpectedly, life sucks but live the best of it. RC hobby is fun and please enjoy it. If everyone expect a 100% perfect in RC, I dont think RC is suitable for them. You see in RC nitro racing nothing is 100%, Azri told me that he started from the bottom with some engine problem too and just race consistenly without even thinking of winning, suddenly became the winner, TC Boy race aggresively and won the race but got disqualified, TQ Andrew lead almost throughout the race and engine failed in the last 7min, Rudy and Steven can have engine problem, Mizan, Kok Heng...these are all top drivers and yet they never made it but these people never give up to enjoy the hobby...they will come back for more! Ever notice why they never get bored? Coz RC is FUN, winning or losing a race is nothing, learning and gaining experience from every races is the most important of all - and that's what a good driver usually has.
Have fun.