Newbies guide to race day - by a newbie
 

Having recently taken part in my first ever raceday at Eden Park Raceway, I thought it may be useful for other race virgins to have a little guide as to how race day works and what to expect and what you may need.

I hope that others will add to this, as am sure I'll forget something - or indeed that other clubs may do things a little differently - either way, there'll hopefully be a good thread that you'll be to have a gander at to have have a good idea as to what goes on.

So you arrive at the track what happens first.

Park your car and grab a space/set up your gear etc

Then you'll have to book in, this will just be a case of confirming your name, the class your going to race in and if you have your own transponder and of course paying your race fee and giving over your BRCA number if you have one (can do three racedays without one).

If your club does handout transponders then you'll need a body reamer - I didn't have one but a fellow club member leant me theirs - you'll have to make a hole in your shell to mount it, and you will need an extra body clip (large kind) to hold it in place (worth having a couple in case the blighters pop out). Some transponders will be self powering, so you won't need to plug this into your receiver.

So that's your hole made for the transponder, what next - check the race listings to see what your car number is and what heat you'll be racing in, then go and get your car number sticker and stick it in your car.

If your needing a handout transponder then you'll collect this at the start of each heat and return at the end of each heat - again check the heat listings to make sure you pick up the right transponder number.

Raceday itself will consist of a number of heats and then culminate with A,B and maybe C finals at the end.

In your first heat your car number will signify where you start in the staggered start. Your times for this heat will directly affect where you start in the next heat. When you reach the finals, your overall times will affect if your in the A (top half) or B (bottom half) final.

(make sure to check the print outs after your heats, so you can see where you finished in the last heat and also where you'll start in the next heat)

At the start of the staggered start (you should be able to get a lap around the track in before your heat actually starts) you go when the automatic computer voice calls out your car number - likewise at the end of the race (5 minutes) they'll be two electronic beeps, the first beep telling you the race is nearly over and the 2nd beep signifying the end.

After all your heats have finished, you've made it to the final, the start for this is not staggered, and is a standing start for all, your overall position in the previous heats dictating where you start on the grid. This time, they'll be a series of beeps - at the end of which the signal to go - then your off.........

In between heats you may need to undertake the marshalling role. Whilst I'm sure all clubs will have their own way of doing this the way it worked at EPR was that you marshalled the race after yours, this basically involves a number of people sitting at various locations on the track (normally the parts where everyone crashed) and all you have to do is put cars back on track if they get stuck or turn over, of course whilst trying to avoid getting hit in the feet at speed.

Thats pretty much it :thumbsup:
　
So what do you need with you?

power supply (car battery etc if no mains power),
battery charger,
batteries. (I had two lipo's, but to be honest only really needed one, was able to borrow someones charger to top the battery up between heats),
tools,
spares,(including tyres for wet/dry conditions)
paint brush - to clean up car between heats,
sarnies,
table and chairs for pitting if no facilities (or the boot of your car in my case),
　
Hope this proves useful, and please add to all :thumbsup:

I had a really really good day and highly recommend all of you reading this thinking about starting racing......to start racing
Cheers
matt
　
　
　
　

looks like quite a good guide for giving someone who's never been to a race meet an idea of what to expect ! :)

Don't forget marshalling duties! :thumbsup:

Also in the heat the first 'beep' near the end signifies to finish your lap.

Other than that, not a bad summary! :p

Also if they are new to the scene with a brand new car it may take a few races for things to settle down and get the settings usable and comparable with others.

there is no way to get the settings right without track time, especially moreso if you have an on-road variant.

Also helps a LOT if you can find someone willing to suggest changes, ie if the club has a forum, join in, chat and they can show you what may need to be changed.

Cheers Chris :)

lol I was writing about marshalling as you posted about marshalling.... oh i didn't realise that's what the first beep meant, cool........so if you've just passed the start line when the first beep goes - will your lap count if you pass the finish line after the 2nd beep?

Forgot the most important thing
 

moved to threadstarter

thats a good effort there, i remember my first race day i was a little lost but my club made me feel very welcome and i had been to a practice day so i had an idea on how the place worked.

it might help to edit the original post to include the updates on marsheling etc incase someone doesnt read through all the replies.

:thumbsup: top idea, hadn't occurred to me to do that.....tis done :thumbsup:

Nice guide. What about a video blog to accompany it, showing the booking in, start of race stuff?

I'm going to have my first trip out to a club night next week and this has helped me feel a little more relaxed about it.

Cheers Tezcat, glad it's helped, :thumbsup:

(as for a video blog to accompany it.....going to be doing my first indoor meet this month, so could give it a go :))

Good guide pal. Im going racing for the first time ever in a fortnight. This has helped me;)

Cheers mate :D (gonna need to update the main thread starter in a while to include multi legged finals, did one of them at my first regional the other day :thumbsup:

loan transponder mounting
 

i recently learned the hard way that a hand out/loan transponder is to be mounted to the rear wing, not inside the shell.

Not necessarily, I always ran mine mounted through the front window on all my shells ... if it's in teh wing it can sometimes get ripped off.

Saw a car up EPR with their transponder on their wing the other day for the first time....what's the prob with mounting on the shell :confused:

Don't think i fancy putting it on the wing, just buy a proper mount & put it inside, job done

Me neither....I opted for buying an MRT, super small and saves the kafuffle of putting in and taking out after each race :thumbsup:

when the belt cuts a groove through the expensive and now non replaceable club transponder.

i also thought it would be safe in the shell,
but someone landed on my buggy knocked the pin out, the transponder was then bouncing around inside and got caught in the main belt, snapped the belt, and broke the front pulley and ground a nice ridge in the casing of the transponder.

Not a happy club organiser, :-(

Now I have a pt for both my buggy's saves any hassle or grief.

Oh I see, so mainly a 4wd prob then?

Would always suggest that hand-out transponders are securely mounted inside the bodyshell rather than on the wing!

Yes there is the slim possibility of damage by belt of spur in a 4WD but conversely a transponder that falls from a wing can lead to hours of pleasure pacing the track looking for the priceless commodity! :thumbdown:

That's why I always (and still do) thought why mounting in the shell was better - whenever my PT unpinned itself, at least was contained within the shell so wouldn't do a runner - all you'd be down was a body clip.

I found that if you clipped the bodyclip over both ridges in the bodyclip then it wouldn't run anywhere :thumbsup:

hi guys, what i find is just remember to have FUN :p:thumbsup: and if you take some1 with you to help in the pits that would be a geat help but to be fair any were ive raced theres normaly some1 willing to help, im very new to 1/8 racing any more tips:)

All it counts to me is Racing.. and i like all kinds of topic related to racing.... :thumbsup:

Thanks, very useful!!! :thumbsup: :D

On the marshalling point, i would just say, marshal the way you would like to be marshalled if you crash, at recent meeting i have noticed that marshals are watching the race rather than the section of track the are positioned at. If you crash you expect the marshal to react as quick as possible to your car, if your watching the race you not going to react as quick as they do.

marshal techniques
 

A good point to remember with the preassure of marshal duities is to get in and out quickly and after you have turned or untangled the cars in your zone, leave the track area whilst watching the race traffic coming at you. Nothing worse than hitting a marshal :p..or being hit by a buggy for that matter

Brilliant guide m8, very interesting and something a lot of newbies to the sport should have a read of.

Great advice
 

I have now completed 2 race meets, one at torch, my 1st, and one at the new indoor at shrccc. After 22 years out of the game.

I have to say the post had great acurate advice as i found on my 1st meet.
Be ready to get racing as it runs quickly if your not ready.

Ask anyone for advice, dont be shy, the 10th off roaders, as they were 22 years ago, are GREAT guys and always happy to help out a newby or an old timer returning.

I am very happy to be back in the game, with my used cougar SV at a bargain price from one of the westwood bros, (Jay).

2 lipos are ample, a charger and tools, along with some spares(bashed the car a bit 1st meet lol)

I would say, to returning people, dont use the old stuff, they are not man enough for the new brushless motors and lipos etc, get a new buggy, sell the old one, the new ones have slipper clutches, needed to stop ripping ya gears apart!
there is plenty of choice and to be honest, there very cheap now, compared to years ago, there the same price kit/battery/esc etc, but in 20 years, the price is the same but cost of living has gone up loads.

when i gave up 22 years ago, i have £5000 of car stuff( A final club level) in the boot of my £500 cortina.
sold it all and bought an XR3 lol..... 18 years old and found night clubs and women......... hehe

Now, for £350 for an RTR car and lipo/charger, to around £750 for a top spec car and esc and all the better toys. Its VERY cheap.

Go second hand on things and its even cheaper.

in the old days guys, we had 10 to 20 motors, 10 to 20 nicads, motor tuners, peak chargers, one use per day nicads, run for 5min 10 seconds and done. all about power versus lasting 5 mins...

NOW, its all about driving, set up, tuning and looking good! LOL. everyone can have power, speed, handling and compete with the big boys for WAY less than a grand.

If you are thinking about coming back, do it, great fun. much fun had and everyone is so friendly..... 10th off road is suddenly becoming huge again!!!!

Get Racing!!!!

Seems to be a lot of Americans popping up. Hi Guys!:D

Wow a year on and threads had 4k views!! wow

Anyhoo,,,coming back to the world of RC mighty soon :)

just about to take the plunge into this hobby/sport very good read sure it will help me a lot

I'm going to go to my first ever club night tonight at Martime Racing in Chatham and I'm very nervous and excited!! Just brought an AE B4.1 second hand. I used to mess with my savage in carparks etc but this will be my first ever race.

I don't want to make a complete cock of myself so with the info this thread had given, I have an idea of what I need to do - so thankyou.:)

Thanks for this!

I found it handy to pick up who sat near me and was in the leg before mine!

When he got up and headed for the track, that was my cue to get the batteries in, pick up the car and get ready to go.
Plenty of time then for a snack & a pee before your turn. :thumbsup:

Just wanted to ask about charging at places without mains supply. What kind a battery do you take, would it just be a normal car battery you can buy at halfords to run your charger off?

Car batteries can work fine, but you have to be careful they don't get too deeply discharged, or it'll be dead. (been there, done that). They are designed more for quick bursts of power, and like to be kept topped up.

Leisure/caravan batteries have stronger plates inside, so are much more durable. They are happy being discharged down to 50% each weekend, and then charged up again. I got a good one from halfords for £80.

Great advice in this thread.
Just going to comment on post above about 12v batteries. While I'm sure that the advice about leisure batteries is right, if you have a local garage they usually have a good supply of used 12v batteries. I got one that they were going to dispose of as it had come from a car, but it's has so far done me 2years as a power source for stuff when camping and recently for running my chargers, soldering iron etc. when it gives up I'll get another. Free.

Maybe a new leisure one would work better, but give it a try - what have you got to lose!!

total virgin
 

Hi all, went to Bury metro yesterday to see whats what thanks to the guys for putting me on to this site, First off I have never raced an rc car only time I have used one was a nephews toy some years ago, as I am reaching to age of 50 I have been looking for new intrests I have visited a model flying club which seems a bit to much like hard work than fun so visiting Bury yesterday on a very wet day I chatted with a few guys and watched some racing, I must say bloody hell that was fast which has made me that little bit more intrested in having ago, looking through the tinterweb the mind boggles at the amount of rc related stuff , so I am asking as a newbie what sort of equipment I should be looking at as a newbie thanks in advance for your comments suggestions
regards Steve