40+ Buggy? SDRC Saturday 10/29/16

I decided to race in the 40+ Buggy class while testing a few setup changes and tires. 

I changed to softer rear springs on my 22, which were the gray low frequency springs with a rate of 1.96 lbs/in. I also raised the ride height from 21mm to 23mm. These changes should increase the rear grip. 

I guess my changes worked!  I turned a 17.6 fast lap and a 17:15 run. This was faster than the expert stock buggy TQ!

In the second round I decided to try some new rear gold dirt webs. Oh right I'm trying dirt webs again!  Lol!  These new tires were about 0.5 seconds slower for my fast lap compared to the 1st round. 

Our main was the 2nd heat this time , so the track would be a little more damp compared to qualifying, where our class was the 5th heat. I decided to switch back to my older set of rear dirt webs, which were clearly faster than my new set.  This turned out to be the right choice as my fast lap went down to 17.3 and I win the race by taking over the lead, when the 1st and 2nd place cars crashed with about 2 laps left :)

Back to Expert Stock Buggy

Saturday 10/22/16 would be my first time in the "refreshed" layout. The track was running in reverse and 3 features were changed so that the cars could go backwarda on the current layout. I think it was better the other direction :-/

I had planned on racing 40+ buggy, but when I overheard some of the mod guys dropping in to teat their 13.5 cars for the upcoming Top Gun race, I switched back to expert stock buggy instead. Oh well. 

I blew out on the main, clipping a pipe and getting stuck early causing a pile up. Lol. Oh well.

I haven't been motivated to do well at club racin since the freebie race at the beginning of the month. At least I have a good time hanging out with my friends :)

13.5 Buggy?! SDRC Raceway 10/15/16

My friend talked a few of us into running 13.5 buggy so we could just race each other,. Lol!  It was fun!  But no challenge for me :).  Maybe I'll go back to expert stock buggy next weekend?  There was also a 40+ buggy class.  But most of the guys in there are not that fast.

The guys made me start on the 10th grid spot while they all started at the other end of the straight. I managed to catch them by the end of the 1st lap. But I caused an early crash, so I waited. This allowed the leader to open a big gap, which I managed to close by the last lap, then took over the lead when he crashed!  Two of the guys beat me on fast lap though. I wasn't happy about that. Lol!

Friday night blowout! 10/14/16

I ended up in the B main due to so-so qualifying runs on balding tires.

In the B main I get rear ended coming into the quad, then bobble and crash a few time, so I decided to practice making the triple!  I landed it about 5 times total. It was fun!  Lol!

Wednesday night racing?! 10/12/16

I was talked into racing Wednesday night at SDRC. I would only go if I could borrow some tools and a charger. This way I would only need to bring my car, radio, battery, and a couple sets of tires :). Then I could skip hauling my roller bag up and down the stairs!  I need to lighten that thing!

I crashed a few times :(. I was also running balding 2.4" electrons about to peel off the wheels. 

Two cars dropped out for the 2nd round, so I had an empty track to run on!  I didn't crash a all and ended up winning the heat, turned my fastest 5 minute run (17:14), and TQ'd!  I only held onto it though until the next hear ran. Lol!

I started 2nd, but would finish 4th after shorting the 1st double and crashing.  I also have the race on video!

Back to club racing

No more of this CA vs AZ stuff.  They decided to stay home. So it was back to normal club racing on Saturday 10/8/16.

I raced my B5m in Expert Stock Buggy, to use up some old tires in my inventory.  I wasn't really trying to go as fast as possible. Oh and my brother was able to race again and actually stay for the mains this time!

I'm always saving spots for my buddies as I'm usually the 1st to arrive at the track. 

Still made the A main with my B5m on balding tires! :)

Blew out in the Main though as the track was too dry for my balding tires. Oh well.

Corner weighting

I decided to pick up the SkyRC corner weight scale system sold by Fantom Racing.  I wanted to corner weight my 22 3.0 with laydown gearbox because all the power wires are on the left side of the chassis, and I thought the cross weights would be off.

Confirmed. My 22 cross weight was at 49/51%. To adjust this I raised the ride height 1 turn on the lightest tire (1 round of wedge added to the right front-299.2g).  Oh and I used my DE setup wheels for corner weighting, as I wanted to remove the effect of different tire weights and focus only on the chassis. 

After adding wedge to the right front, the weight on that tire increased to 304.1g and the cross weight changed to 50/50% :)  The weight on the left rear also increased, while the weights of the left front and right rear decreased (the opposite cross weight). 

While I was at it I also checked my B5m. 

No adjustment needed!  The cross weight was at 50/50%

Another interesting measurement was the front and rear weight bias. On the B5m with standup gearbox it was 37/63% and on the 3.0 laydown was at 41/59%. The laydown gearbox shifted the weight forward by 4%, compared to the standup gearbox in the B5m. 

AZ vs CA, Round 4

This time it was Saturday 10/1/16, and SDRC's 1st ever "Racer Appreciation Day" race (RAD). Race entry was free for today!  But limited to 2 classes.  A 3rd class would cost you $500!  Lol!

I signed up to race Expert Stock Buggy and 13.5 Buggy. I would race my 3.0 with a "dirt" laydown gearbox in stock, and my B5m with a 17.5 in the 13.5 class. I wanted to compare lap times and race results between the 2 cars, while both had a 17.5 motor installed. 

I didn't have the cleanest run :(. But I turned a 17.9 at least?  But I wasn't in the main just yet. I figured I would need to turn at least a 17:15 to make the main and not get bumped out. 

Holy crap!  I did it!  I turned my 1st 17 lap qualifying run!  And I turned a 17:15 which put me 6th in the main!  Woohoo!  After the 4th heat, I dropped to 7th, but at least I was in :)

My nerves got me in the main :(  I over jumped the 1st double in the quad section, so I rolled the second double, and the cars behind me jumped over me. I did it again on the next lap and dropped to last. Oh well?  I made the main at least?  I would end up finishing 8th. At least I wasn't last. 

No drama in 13.5 buggy. I basically finished in 2nd every race. And I had slower runs and fast laps than my 3.0!  I guess a laydown gearbox car is faster?

AZ vs CA, Round 3

Round 3. More of the AZ crew showed up at SDRC on Friday 9/30/16. I guess to practice for the Racer Appreciation Race (RAD) on Saturday. 

Fred tried to save pit spots on our usual table, but some of the AZ crew took them before the track opened?!  Oh well. We ended up on the left side, right next to the track. Which wasn't too bad, as I had a front row seat to watch the Mains. :)

I raced expert stock buggy and mod truck tonight. I wanted to try my new setup for the laydown gearbox.  Not sure if my changes worked or the track had more traction. I was able to turn a 17.7 second lap at least!

Turned a 17.780! On balding microns and damp track. 

I started 6th, but moved up to 4th by lap 2!  I managed to push the guys in front of me to make mistakes, and moved up to 2nd, where I finished :)

My radio battery died on the last lap!  Opps!

I'm still working on a comfortable setup to drive. I think I'll change the ackermann setting and roll center to make it easier to drive.  I still managed to finish 3rd at least.