[maineyak]

Even though 2WD & 4WD were still being raced together the RC10 with its lightweight, efficient drive train and fantastic suspension ruled the day. I really got on with the RC10 and started producing some reasonable results in the Std class at Radio Race Car rounds. I was using Demon motors at the time and there seemed to be a new model every month started with a 28T, then 27T, 27HT, Mr T, Mr T Special. At a RRC round in Oxford I purchased a ‘works’ Mr T special standard motor from Nick Adams out of the boot of his car. Turns out it was faster than any modified I owned…

At the same time as the RRC and occasional BRCA rounds I also started racing in the Tamiya series using a HotShot. I used to travel to a lot with Rory and his dad and we shared a lot of TQ’s and wins and we were both offered sponsorship by Keith Chaplin of Malvern Models. I think it’s fair to say that initially I had the upper hand over Rory but he just got better and better each week. While I found my level in the RRC rounds Rory attacked the BRCA series and started making A’s. Keith was happy with this as Model Cars usually followed the BRCA rounds so with me in RRC race reports too he got great coverage.

As part of the sponsorship deal Rory and I received a PB mini Mustang. I hated that car. It was like a fragile Airfix kit and I rarely finished a race with all 4 driveshafts. A group of us entered a race at Romsey and in frustration I ended up drop kicking out of tent and never used it again. Thus ended the Malvern Models sponsorship.

It was at around this time from racing at Worcester I met Nick Marson who for his sins also struggled with a PB. It was kind of out of the blue one Friday night racing at Glos he asked me to try one of his new speed controllers he had been working on. At the time I was running a Laser packed with relays but Nicks was slimmer and smaller and had something called mosfets in it. The difference between the two was amazing. I described it as it made my std motor into a modified motor. I believe that was the 2nd controller he ever made and I kept it for a while and then became a test mule as new modifications came out. The rest is history Marson became Nosram and he started selling speedos to the public. I’m still in touch with Nick today. He lives in Texas now and is still into RC but planes rather than cars.

After the PB I bought an Optima and proceeded to bling it up with one way rollers on the front and an orange wasp? belt drive. On a smooth grass track at Eastnor Castle I won the A final with one way rollers on front and back! The car really suited my fast and flowing style of driving. Having no reverse and no brakes didn’t really affect me. I was bought back down to earth again the next weekend back at an open meeting at the Gloucester track. The car was a pig, with no traction and the belt constantly jumping. Rory walked away with it again, with a PB no less. Another lesson learnt.

Next Up: THE Reedy International.