Team no idea goes budget racing

[Team No Idea]

Right then chaps and chapesses, this could be a bit long winded so please bear with me!

The recession that we seem to find ourselves in has sparked off a few things in my noggin. As many of you know I am a salesman for Kawasaki and the recent decline in motorcycle sales has left me with days getting quieter and quieter……..so during one of these quite days I flicked through Oople and a few other known RC sites and a common theme/topic is starting to emerge..Budget racing.

Now I started racing only 2 ½ years ago and to be honest this new technology such as brushless and lipo is all I have ever known and it has taken me this long and a fair few hundred pounds to reach my first regional A final. For example my X-6 alone has set me back well over £700 by the time you include the donor car and electrics! Let alone tools, equipment the 5 different 4wd cars I’ve raced with (Pred XRS, X10, B44, S4, CAT SX) the B4 and the SC10….All of which sit on the shelf looking pretty. No wonder I’m skint!

Anyway back on topic….so here is what I’ve been thinking, did I really need to follow the latest trends and technologies to get to this point? Did I NEED to spend this money buying top motors, transmitters and lipos to reach level I’m at? (Which is still miles away from what you might call….. erm..ok?!)

To find out I have a plan, I would like to do a “Top Gear” style challenge.
Firstly I’m setting myself a budget of £100. This has to last me through until next spring.
With the £100 I have to buy the car, electrics and everything I need ready to enter a race. Now “Easy!” I hear you cry, “buy an RTR Madrat!”. Good plan but then there is no money in the pot for tyres or spares. So it has to be a used car.
Just to add to the fun I’m going to have to use old school brushed motor and ESC as again my budget won’t stretch to brushless. And to make it even more fun, the only power source I can use is going to be old fashioned stick packs (because I’ve got loads of them at home already and they won’t cost me anything)
Because of the budget I guess it’s also going to have to be 27mhz. No Spekrum here! And possibly only 2wd as 4wd tend to be more money

So here are the rules
No Lipo
No Brushless
Stick packs only
No sneaking fancy electrics or chassis parts from my other cars!
I can't use a car I already own, I have to go out and buy one (that’s the whole point!)
£100 budget for the entire length of the test (all winter)

The car has to compete in at least the following

EPR winter series (if indeed there is one this year)
The Petit RC (again if there is one)
End of season race day at plough raceway
The open class in the Faversham 4wd regional
And finally a 2, maybe 3 hour endurance race

At the end I hope to find that I can justify the money I have spent so far in my racing career. If it turns out that I can compete on the same level as I do now on a budget of £100 my good lady will probably lop my moose nuggets off!

I’ll update you as things progress!!

Thanks for reading!

Any further ideas? feel free to comment!

[tmaxxlosixxx]

yea sounds good way of getting new ppl in to the sport iv seen my club decline in members it used to be about 80 on a club nite now its lucky to get 15 through the door so ur idea is great

[glx]

i think it's a good idea - clubs could have the 100 class based on ur rules - and a this could a way to get new people in rc

[lochness42]

Good luck mate, however I wonder if you'll really make whole winter. Oh and fact that you already have stick packs is great.

[Team No Idea]

Cheers for the comments chaps!, ive found a few cars that are looking like good contenders. Hopefull ill have something sorted after the weekend!

[sfry61]

Wow Martin, that makes you think. Ive spent nearly £100 on lipo's and double that on a speedo just to reach a regional A final. The sport demands that you spend that much if you want to stay competative

Your idea should certainly bring some fresh faces into the sport, which can only be a good thing