Lee Martin Joins Tamiya TRF team

[jimmy]

Lee Martin, multiple BRCA National off road champion and Euros A-Finalist has joined the Tamiya TRF racing team for 2010. This is massive news for Tamiya and will give them a distinct racing presence in the UK that they've not had for many years. We caught up with Lee to get an interview on the new move.

Hi Lee, thanks for taking the time to talk to oOple about the move to Tamiya. You were with the well established Associated race team for a while now - what prompted the move to Tamiya?
I decided that it was time for a change and a new challenge, I already had a great relationship with Marc, Toni and Victor and I knew that it was a team I wanted to be a part of. I am really going to miss working with my friends at AE but in 2010 I am going to push the boundaries and hopefully achieve my RC goals with Tamiya, a team of which I’m relishing being a part of!

Tamiya had a particularly good showing at the European Championships last year, did this have any influence on your choices for 2010?
Of course, when you see the car perform the way it did on a track we race on all year round it has to raise an eyebrow! This was not the decider though, it was how the team all worked really well together and are as happy about seeing each other do well as themselves!

Hupo Honigl prepared the cars for the Euros, including the car Marc Rheinard won with. With Hupo moving on from Tamiya, where do you think this places you - Will you be helping the touring TRF boys also?
I don’t think I will get away with not doing so! I actually prepared the B4 marc used to finish 5th last year and also had Mr Boulter prepare Victors B4 which sadly he didn’t manage to use due to illness, but I’m sure he would have been dialled with! So already I’m thinking I will be preparing Marc’s car and hopefully to similar success, Hopefully with me in front though ;-)


You had a very good showing first time out with the TRF511 at the Petit - do you think there's much left to prove with the Tamiya cars?
I still think we have a lot to prove in the UK and Europe. I am aiming to get to as many races as I can to promote the TRF511 and show how good the car can be, offering help and advice to anyone who needs it along the way. The more I can teach people, the more fun they will have racing the TRF511!

The Tamiya buggies haven't been popular at larger race meetings and it seems there's a lack of support trackside - do you think things will change now there's a TRF guy in the UK?
Definitely! I’m hoping with my inclusion into the team that I can start a TRF511 stronghold in the UK. I have already starting building a small team of drivers to run the TRF511 in all areas of the UK, I just hope we can get some backing from the UK distributer so that parts are readily available. I know MK Racing has showed a willing to stock parts and I think we will come to some arrangement in the near future.

What do you like about the 511 / dislike - anything you'd change or like to see improved?
I am currently in talks with Rudebits getting some special brass parts made so that I can play with weight distribution on the TRF511, this I think will help for future tuning options. How could you dislike anything about the Tamiya car? Its beautiful! I have a couple ideas about things that can be improved, but none effect the handling, just making things easier to work on. Maybe you will see some parts coming from RyMart Racing ;-)

Do you have any ideas about a 2WD TRF buggy - have you been told anything?
Nope! It all seems very top secret…. If they do make a 2wd though I am the first to admit it will be exciting! Until then the Losi XXXCR2 is the car for me.

Who are your other sponsors, and anyone you'd like to thank?
Firstly I would like to thank Team Associated for the support and help they have given me over the past 5 years. I have driven for the factory team since late 2005 and it possibly the best opportunity I have had in RC, I learnt so much with them and they will always have a special place in my heart. Major thanks to Brent Thielke and Craig Drescher and everyone at the factory.

I would then like to thank CML and Dave Duggan for being so understanding through this change period and I will continue to be backed by CML using Savox servos and Fastrax and ETronix products.

Now I move on to the future and thank Team Tamiya for giving me this opportunity to race with them for this year and the future, pairing me with such RC greats as Marc and Victor. I have to thank Marc Rheinard, Kiyo and Hide for making this all possible!

More thanks; More thanks go to David Spashett and Horizon UK for the support of a 2wd and 8th scale car for the 2010 season. David has been inspirational with his willing to have fun and win races, not just for his products but for his drivers benefit! It’s something that has also inspired me. Jonathan at Atomic Carbon is also thanked and I’m looking forward to developing the new 2wd for him as much as I can, although the CR2 is already rocking! Watch out for a special edition coming for sale at MK Racing ;-)

Other sponsors include:
Tamiya, Speed Passion, Speed Power, Horizon, Atomic Carbon, J Concepts, MK Racing, Jab Graphix. KIFOPAINT, CML, Ghea Racing, Fastrax, Etronix, RyMart Racing, Kangawallafox Foams, Rudebits, Xenon Racing, Acer Racing, SMD