Took the day off work to fix up the house a little. Which has been a solid excuse for just catching up on perhaps the last true news source for unbiased who's hot list, The View. It's the perfect all star lineup to stay up to date on who's dating who and where it's cold in the US.
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| Ty is so hot right now. |
Since I'm home catching up on celebrity buggies and trucks, I also have a clothes washer repair man coming by, for his third time in as many weeks. No biggy, it's under warranty, but as someone who prides himself on taking things apart, breaking them and then zip tying and dremeling it back together; a repair man just stings a little.
I've gotten to hang with the repair man twice already and I'm all set for our third date. Fingers crossed that he brought his "A" game.
While I wait and take in Ye Ole View, it's forum time. It sounds like things are heating up on both social media and forums for rc racers.
At RCtech.net, the
seemingly endless debate of saucing continues.
In the search for better traction, and faster lap times, we, rc car racers put toxic liquid chemicals on our tires. The "tire sauces" allow the rubber to soften, which equal traction, which equals faster lap times. All at a dollar and health cost, because softer tires wear faster, and a health cost, because toxic chemicals are bad.
This is the RC world saying, "Yes, to steroids." They are bad, but we want the benefits.
And unlike athletic endevours, no one is saying we can't.
Tire softeners are not cheating, because it is not an unfair advantage. If they were banned, then using sauce would be cheating.
The bottom line is: we're racers. Tell us the rules to race by and we'll fill in the gaps. Until the rules change, the playing field is, well, level.
Unlike that cruel mistress Tire Sauce that we do have a choice to use or not, some choices are written down. And we call those choices "rules."
Like the simple race sign up sheet.
Just like not being able to run 4wd in a 2wd class, you also need to know if your "sponsorship" puts you in a new category.
That was too vague a request for some at the Nitro Challenge. And unfortunately, two "Open Class" podium finishers at this past weekend's Nitro Challenge got the boot(disqualified) for not following the rules.
By announcement, all 700(!) or so racers had to comply with the race organizers rule: "Don't race open if you have a chassis sponsor."
Pretty simple.
But the rule was broken.
I'm intrigued by this "category" assigning in our hobby. It really is a tough subject when there are not a broader guide as to how to categorizes yourself.
If rc was like bicycle racing, I'd still be a cat 5 trying to"cat up" which would most likely lead to me showing up to races more to get "upgrade points" or something similar. If I was racing in a slower bicycle racing category to achieve higher results, I would be shamed and called a sandbagger.
Thankfully for this "dabbler in the rc arts" rc car racing is different. It is run what you brung, use what you feel is justified and within your skill. The clock will sort everyone out.
But I do ask is that we keep the e cigs off the drivers stand. Because some of us are trying to breathe that sweet sweet nitro.
Take care and watch out for each other.
-Tommy
