Where did the hobby go ?

[_sleigh_]

Still got my motor from that series, and the nail varnish marked pinion. Think I've even got the front tyres we used, they were the Fastrax 2-Row studs in Yellow.

[Nick Goodall]

I remember the Euro's in Teeside 98 having a limited amount of tyres you could use, once decided you had to go and get them marked up with Nail Varnish......

Was still expensive but not as bad as it would have been!

It would be great if they could include Tyres as part of the Entry fee for the meeting (makes it fair for everyone, and the BRCA could make a bit more to pump back into the hobby)? Just an idea, not one for the sponsored drivers though...

Would just mean nobody had to take tyres with them, just a couple of pairs of wheels and then collect tyres with your race numbers etc!?

[Lee]

It is a great idea nick but what are the odds of it happening?

the sponsored drivers will not be over impressed but it should not matter the cream will always come to the top

[Rob Fitzgerald]

I don't see tyres being included in the entry price but you could designate a qty and mark then with nail varnish - the TC boys have been doing this for years.

I am not sure if this is needed or desirable for nationals (never done an offroad national myself) but maybe an idea for consideration at regionals ?

The thing that worries me (and I have no facts to back it up) is that drivers will come in from TC (more the merrier) but will bring with them 'TC Mentality' - and that mentality can sometimes be a base of throwing money at it to move yourself up a few places. Who wants that ? Not me thats for sure - there are many things that I am enjoying about offroad right now and the current lack of that mentality is one of those things.

[Lee]

Too right rob i was looking the other day at the stuff i have for on road racing like £130 tyre warmers, boxes of additives all sorts of weird and wonderful tyre combinations.
The technology to some extent has killed the fun factor of racing over the years.
i just cant wait for round 1 of the NE regionals, i just hope the BJ4 gets here in time

[Chris Doughty]

there is nothing I would prefer more than to be able to use a set of (pre-mounted would be ace) 'standard' long lasting tires for a while meeting. everyone else to do the same.

I would quite happily sacrafice grip for this, half the fun of off-road can be the lack of grip.

this would also negate the speed is king factor. and reward the 'driver'

but every year there has been so much talk of what people want, but it has never been suggested at the AGM.

[Lee]

ok so when do the proposals have to be in? or has the date passed?

[Rob Fitzgerald]

I am pretty sure you have had it for this year as far as the BRCA AGM is concerned and new proposals.

That said I am pretty sure there is nothing to stop anyone suggesting this at regional level is there ?

I know thats what I would like to see in my region.

I think the easiest thing is not to set a compound as I cannot see a 100% accurate way of policing that - but if you went for a fixed set of rear per day then it would self police as far as compound is concerned.

Why not say you can have a max of 3 rear tyres - no I havent gone mad - but it would allow for a broken wheel or torn tyre.

How many sets do you think it should be ? (talking regionals here)

[Stu]

There is always lots of talk about controlling the number of sets per day, running extra 'budget' classes, and such - all are always totally unworkable 'on the day', there is simply not the time or personnel running the meeting to control it. It often seems a good idea but is never practical.

I race at NE & NW regionals along with all nationls on a tight (some of you will know how tight I am ) budget - I have an ace time at racing. I frankly dont care if I'm in the Z final, cos' I've got a life.

Maybe if Kiddy ran Schu Spikes as nominated tyre it would help (this'll not happen however) but nothing else will make a spot of difference to me.

[Rob Fitzgerald]

Being in the Z final is always better than staying at home doing chores - never forget that

Does it really need to take long ?

When you book in you take your 2 rear race tyres - they get marked with 2 blobs of nail varnish and checked for your BRCA number on them on the inside.

If when you car gets teched after each round you dont have nail varnish you are in trouble. Anyone found cheating gets hung drawn and quartered !

[Stu]

This was done, it was stopped (approx 6 years back) due to time & personnel issues.

[Rob Fitzgerald]

Hi Stu

Is it worth considering bringing it back ?

Just how long can it take ??

[Spencer Mulcahy]

I am in the same boat as most of you regards money. I have done nationals for the last two years (around the bottom three finals) and I dont think that I am making up the numbers. I wont throw money at the sport as I dont have any spare, so I will use one set of tyres per meeting and I have run 18 month old cells and a 12 month old motor all year without changing brushees and it is still like a rocket down the straight. I think of it like this yes the top drivers are fast but they can control the cars better than me and I can enjoy watching them when I am not racing. I dont think money makes a fast driver talent makes a fast driver and good setup, I was at Kiddy on Sunday and my best time was 12 laps in 314 Neil Craggs best was 14 laps but his car wasnt any quiker than mine or had more grip he just drove it better. You could spend a fortune to watch a formula one world champ but you wont be racing with him, on sunday I spent a little (one set of tyres) and I was racing at the same meeting as the world champ. I was in the bottom final on sunday but I won it so all I have to say is I won my final and I am happy with that.

[Stu]

Spencer, you are 100% correct.

Rob, I suspect you are aware, but not too many are, of the ammount of time & effort that goes into running a regional, never mind a national.
It is not alot of time to check a set of tyres, I agree, but it's 4 tyres on 10 cars in 13 heats over 4 rounds and 15 finals - for two days.
Everone wants it done, but, no one actually wants to do it.

[Northy]

I was racing at Nationals when we had the limited number of tyres rule. I actually enjoyed it, it added another method of tuning your car, when would you fit your new tyres?

Changing weather conditions was a problem though. Also you had to be organised, you didn't want to be in a queue to sctrutineer your second set of tyres if you were on next!

The club did NEED more people to run scrutineering however.

G

[Stu]

G normally talks crap but he is right here. It's great in principal, but not practical.

[PaulRotheram]

But would you like to do that for 120 competitiors Rob? Booking in takes a good while, and the racing is always on a tight schedule. I've scruitineered and helped run nationals at times and it is all ready hard work to do for 3 days.

I like things the way they are in off-road at the moment, I choose to treat racing as a competition as I enjoy to compete to race and hopefully beat others, even though I have a small budget and most of my gear is second hand, or bought cheaply - it still brings a nice smile to my face when I beat others who I know have spent alot on their gear . (even though it may not be often!)

I don't buy new tyres for every meet, I sometimes go as far as 3 meetings before a new set of boots touch my car. That is mainly down to the fact I can't afford to run a new set of tyres every meeting. But I still try and do what I can.
Sure it annoys me when I know I could of done better if I had the funds to pay for that second set of tyres which I needed to give me the grip I required to get around a wet.. or loose track but I try to make the best out of the situation.. and if I can't then there's always next time.

I'll hopefully be racing in the mid wests this winter, and quite a few other events. I'll be running well used and abused cells, motors that I got cheaply by coincedence, second hand esc, servo and radio gear. I want to do well, and hopefully I will.. but i'm confident that my driving will make up for the lack of 'new' items that I own, of which I belive will not make me any faster even if I did!
The way I see things is that you can take it as far, or as little as you like.. as long as you are in the hobby for your own reasons and are enjoying it.. then nothing else matters.

[Northy]

Originally Posted by Stu

G normally talks crap but he is right here. It's great in principal, but not practical.

Cheers Stu, love you.

G

[Stu]

I'm not gay so I don't love you. I do like your lass tho

[Northy]

Fair do's.