Speed Vs Strength

[jsw123]

Having just taken part in my first club race this weekend (it was awesome btw, I frickin' loved it) I now have even more questions for all you ooplers.

The one that I'm most in need of opinions, as the thread would suggest, is the question of the cars speed vs it's strength.

I entered my first race with my TLR22 and in a reduced field of 7 I finished 4th. After 4 heats I had qualified 3rd for the two legged B final of 7 cars.

In the first leg, with a rush of blood to the head, I shot off the track at the first corner and went straight into last. After 5 or 6 laps I'd got back to 4th and had 3rd place in my sights. But alas, I could see something looking a little odd at the front of my car. My left shock had come loose and the car was no longer drive-able. Gutted. A screw had threaded and come loose, I'm guessing in my first corner crash.

My question is, at this stage of racing should I get as many aluminium/titanium hop ups as possible and carry the extra weight, or, accept that I'm going to crash and break stuff regardless and keep the lighter plastic parts?