2014 IFMAR Worlds: Not Taking It to the Streets

The controversy began  in early in 2013 when IFMAR let the world know they would be racing the 1/12 scale Worlds race on asphalt.  Literally, "Taking it to the streets."

That early announcement didn't settle well with a lot of racers now preparing to race Worlds in Florida. But racers were now scared that the action would be out in a sandy, Walmart parking lot doing figure eights around manatee mailboxes.

So, IFMAR has made a change to the program 1/12 scale racers will be expecting at Worlds this year in Florida.

By popular demand, they've decided on carpet.

"Dear all,

Taking into consideration the predominant general feelings and thanks to the goodwill and co-operation of the organiser IFMAR has commonly agreed to revert the 2014 IFMAR world championship 1/12th from an Asphalt to a Carpet surface race.

We are well aware that this may come over as a bombshell. Many people will have to reconsider their engagements due to this important new element and its short notice.
A swift and ample communication flow is by then fundamental.
We trust you to spread this important information at your very earliest convenience to all concerned levels under your control.

Yours in the sport,

Frank Mostrey,
IFMAR electric sections."

Since the 1/12 scale category has traditionally been fought out on temporary carpet tracks in hotels and gymnasiums world wide, it does make sense.

These 1/12th scale cars are precision instruments.  Running just millimeters off the ground. Making even the most highly prepared Off Road World competitor look like an amateur contestant at your local mud bog tractor pull.

This would rule. No joke.

Carpet has been the level playing field, world wide for a variety of reasons. It's more consistent, it's mobile and really someone found out that a model car 3mm off the ground, is pretty useless in your everyday parking lot behind the hobby shop. 

That doesnt mean asphalt racing doesnt still exist 1/12th scale, though. In fact just a few Worlds ago, the who's who of the "Jedi" class took it to the streets.

Here is a solid eight minutes of fantastic 1/12 action on asphalt:

The problem is, that fantastic track pretty unique and highly maintained. It is basically a scale race track that would be proudly displayed in the detailed scenery of a model town, and not commonly available for for the everyday club racer.

So, Florida will be indoors, on proper carpet as the world has come to prefer.


RC Racers are not a large, or particularly vocal group of hobbyists. So, when changes need to occur for the good of the majority, it is good to know that promoters and organizations listen. IFMAR listened and decided to give the racers what they felt was the best option for a level playing field at a world wide event. Good on IFMAR.

Thanks for reading!
-Tommy

Totally Kyosher: Lazer ZX-6 and Ultima SC6 Release

Super Bowl Sunday!!!!

And I'm pumped.

While trying to order deep fried potato slices straight from France late one night, in preparation of the upcoming super bowl, I came across the website The-Kyosho-Store.com.

As seen in French ads

I can't say I was surprised to see the Ultima SCR and Lazer ZX-6 in an ad, but I still would have liked to see photos. I am an AE Fanboy for sure and have always been impressed by Kyosho as well.

Well... as long as the kit is Kyosher.

A Kyosher kit refers to the fact that Jared Tebo himself, has hand packaged your kit, and he oversaw the humane sacrifice of an RC10B4.2 to the RC gods for your first win.

I agree, that's absurd. No sacrifice is humane.

Even with my cereal eating, cartoon watching, spray painting too many cars- imagination, I could do nothing but take guesses at what they would look like...


Ultima SC6
Short course has seen a slight decline in popularity these days. It could be just the indoor season, could be the price of tires, or it could just be those early SC takers moving on to buggies for a moment. Time will tell.

Kyosho is pretty straight forward when it comes to creating a new kit. And, although it has just come to the attention of Team Associated, Kyosho learned a long time ago that metric hardware and not using the same molds for a decade at a time, were the way to go.

Buggies are the kernel idea for both stadium trucks and short course trucks. With the RB6 and RT6 already paving the way, we can only imagine the SC6 being a aluminium chassis or possibly some sort of extended version of the RT6 chassis.

Unfortunately, being chased by all these metal chassis and more and more Guns and Roses over the pa at the track, it is beginning to remind me of action movies from the 90's.





The short course bodies haven't changed much since their debut years ago. I'm hoping the SC6 will change that. The "parachute" effect needs to be taken care of, and I think Kyosho will look to their past to put some aero into the design:

Blogger rendering of possible Ultima SC6

As for the much anticipated and highly hush hush ZX6? Well, they may finally try and prove to their loyal fans that they had got it right a long time ago. By using an aluminium chassis like the Optima Mid.

Unless they step on sacred ground, and sacred injection molds, this will never be rere-ed

This blogger's first buggy

These are just a simple blogger's renderings. Looking forward to the real deal.

Also, there's going to be a documentary on The Reedy Race. Set for release in February.







Good looking footage. Excited to see more.


If you're in the Portland, Oregon area, keep and eye out for this stuff that got stolen from a track owner and an all around good guy:

Racers Edge 1/8 Roller Bag
Two NIP Orion R10's 2-3c 160AMP
Junsi I charger (little Blue one)
Much More 24amp power supply(black)
Two Peak 4000 shorties, One Orion WTS pack
Old Orion 10.5
Blue Plano style box full of tools(Lots of MIP) with the small parts organizer on top
Rpm Camber gauge
TA ride height gauges
Protek Shock tool
Harbor freight calipers 
One ugly OLD Light blue Jconcepts car stand
OTT light
Top Gear PIT MAT


Contact topgearhobbies.com if you see anything.

Have a great Super Bowl Sunday. If that's not your thing, go out and enjoy a probably empty track for some quality practice.

Thanks for reading!
-Tommy

FRIDAY. Part Deux

SWorks and Atsushi Hara have teamed up. The Speedmaster brand is set to provide the world with a car that Hara has been quoted as saying, "is 70% there."


Full interview here:

Eager fans await the remaining 30% of the SWorks car.

1/8 nitro buggy is no class to shake a stick at. It requires plenty of resources. Most of the resources are used to talk people into marshaling and pitting for hours at a time. But it also takes money. Sworks cars are roughly half the price of the leading competitor's in the 1/8 scale buggy marketplace. Being backed by an IFMAR champion is a great way to sway consumers.

I am looking forward to more from the other "news" sources while taking it super easy this weekend and following the ETS round two


For those spending your workday or weekend combing your local craigslist ads for the elusive Eddinger , impossible Worlds, or improbable Cadillac vintage barn finds, AE is still making  nightmares come true for investors by making available those parts that were impossible to find just months ago:

Turbo Mirage, back in action and available at rc10.com

In preparation for my weekly Tuesday night clinic at my local track, in which I show the others how to come in the bottom half of any field I enter with style and grace, I'll be putting in plenty of VRC-PRO laps trying to mimic the pros:

Damn, nitro races are long. 

For many of us it's payday Friday, so don't spend it all in one place, don't pee in the wind and support your local track.

Also! Dont be afraid to see a good movie or two





Thanks as always
-Tommy

Hara Still without an Antenna Tube Sponsor

Atsushi Hara and Hobbywing announced yesterday that they are joining forces and gunning to debut at the round two of the ETS Series. Track and cars look great and you can follow real new about the the race here: http://ets.redrc.net/

All in preparation of  ISTC Worlds in October. Since I am mostly an off road driver myself, I have very little understanding of what any of those last few sentences mean. But I do have an idea of what it may look like:

Hara, Hobbywing and Yokomo together. What antenna tube will he choose?

I hope they consider the team name Lion-Force to give the full effect of the universe domination they intend to unleash upon the Euro Touring Series.



In the rc world, even the best of us get it wrong once in a while. That's why we sometimes need a hand from the turn marshals.

Everyone marshals 

Those internet corner marshals were asked to help Team Associated earlier this week after announced the highly anticipated, Stealth transmission re release. Complete with an unfortunately assembled  brace:

Rerelease assembled for photos by folks that may havnt seen one in a while.

The social media and forum marshals quickly saw the transmission brace was installed backwards and ran quickly, used both hands, and had that pic shiny side up. AE quickly bounced back and corrected the photo mistake without losing .5 that lap.

One of the reasons this hobby is built around "club" racing is that it takes a club or group to help each other out. We all pay for parts, race fees, and take time out of our lives to make it happen. We should all look around and do our best to make sure we're all having a good time with this leisure we've earned.

No wires, no worries. Remote control leisure times.

We all need reminders sometimes of what it's all about.

The first product release of OnTheTone is already on the horizon. It seems the best reminder of how much fun we should be having out there may be stuck in the bottom of the box your latest new kit came in. Ya know the bag with stickers, crummy tools and an antenna tube that we disregard after finally assembling all those shocks and ball cups? Well, I've been thinking it may be time to release the OnTheTone Antenna Tubes(OTTAT) to remind us what we're out there doing with our free time.  We're driving an rc car and try to have some fun while at it.

Something to take seriously until you see the antenna

To get this "hallow" business plan of selling antenna tubes in this 2.4ghz world we now race in, I've just got to get a few dollars together. And this is where the crowd funding and Kickstarter comes in.

The OTT Antenna Tube. Any color you want, as long as it is black.

Accepting donations from $1-$2.  $1 for the tube and $2 for the "Premium Level" tube plus a sharpie marker.


In the the package of the "Premium Level" donation for will include a sharpie and antenna tube. The tube for where the chassis holds it (Remember with or without antenna wire inside) and a sharpie to write OTTAT on your vehicle(or tow vehicle that you may, or may not be riding in.) Now you too can "rep" this purely fictional non-news, rc blog. Simply write or draw where you please.

OTTAT's first sponsor?

If we get this going and talk Atsushi Hara into running the OnTheTone Antenna Tubes, we could be that sweet yellow arm lion of that universe defending robot.  I promise, I won't spend the crowd sourced funds on my dream rc car, The Predator.

No, not the kick ass alien with guns and dreads.

Predator: The kick ass mid nineties super sweet 1/10 4x4 by Tenth Technology

It's iffy weather this weekend in the Pacific Northwest.  Perfect weekend to fit in an overhaul of the ole nitro car in preparation for the spring and summer. That means some of my weekend may be filled by politely asking a few of my brain cells to slowly exit as I take solvents and diesel to that 1/8th beast. It's car maintenance like this that keep me stoked for the seasons to change and out of trouble and around the house doing my best Michael Salven impression of a precision overhaul.

1/8 nitro onroad is a category of RC that I fell in love with this past summer. It asks a lot of your driving and maintenance, but gives back plenty at the end of a race day. Plenty of noises, fumes and adrenalin to come down of during the car ride home. Plus that never ending grin of "damn those are fast."

Looking forward to more nitro this coming summer!

Headed down the YouTube rabbit hole and came across this "behind the scenes" at Tenth Technology and Schumacher in the mid 90's. This video is just as hard to watch as any VHS from the 90's, but there are some gems in there. Including some wise words from inventor of the rc ball differential himself, Cicel Schumacher.



If you get the youtube bug and want to hear more about Cicel and his start in rc, check this informative video from 2006 that gets going at the 3 min mark.



There's always something to take from the past and I'm thrilled at what's currently available to buy, watch or read up on.

Spring will be here before we know it. Let's enjoy the indoors, try and crack a smile at our silly mistakes, and keep helping each other figure out this damn fine hobby.


Thanks for reading
-Tommy

Hirosaka: "A small manufacturer, big dreams"

Above is the tasteful header for the Hirosaka brand's website.

 This picture depicts a man staring down. Focused on the task at hand. Wearing a Monster Energy flat bill hat. Maybe not that last part.

The Hirosaka website is full of the rich history of the family and many photos of Masaaki and Masami early in their careers. Like this proud picture of Masami with what is most likely a winning car:

I stayed up all night, but could not find the re release of these pants on AE's or Yoke's websites.

The Hirosaka website is full of content. You're surly in for a long read if you venture down that roughly translated rabbit hole of Japanese toy car racing history.

From what I can tell they are saying that Masaaki is the manager of this outdoor track. They've also Included a link to a video containing a outdoor nitro track and maybe the creepiest voice over in YouTube history.  You've been warned.

The further I get into the website, the more I am blown away and have to question Google Translate's accuracy. From what I've gleamed on their site, Masami may have been  trained early on to race for 8 minutes(1/12th scale) without closing his eyes once.

Whoa. Treat yourself if you're into the obscure.

http://hirosaka.jp/Hirosaka 

The Hirosaka family, Masami and Masaaki have announced their electronic motor and esc products and things look promising. Familiar to anyone with a Speed Passion, but promising.

Whatever it started as, the name on it alone is good for two tenths a lap

Let's face it. The winning rc formula is clear: Take one part Hirosaka and one part green paint. Stir.

1 million out of 1 million aint bad

In other news, Tamiya just blew some minds with the release of their new TRF530 at the Toyfair in Nueremberg. Even Tamiya recently had just announced they were leaving behind the racing offroad buggy world, they've gone ahead and kept one foot in the competitive offroad world.

Yup

Belt drive and 4 wheel are still popular in many aspects of rc, but 4 wheel 1/10 buggy has yet to fully embrace the drive train. Whatever works, as long as Tamiya keeps feeding us their quality rc.

Belt or shaft drive, I don't envy anyone in the market for a 1/10th scale market. There are just too many choices. That keeps me to playin it safe with trusty B44 platform until Team Associated drops another metric bomb on us.


One motor is cute, but four wheelers in my stable, I'll take two motors. Here's to hoping Hirosaka ESC can handle two silver can 540's in my Clod Buster.

Are we all old enough yet to admit we always kinda wanted one of those Clods in the back of RC Car Action?

 In other phenom news, Atsushi Hara will make a return to the Yokomo Euro Touring Series driving, well... a Yokomo.

The super talented and very "pop" styled driver has been showing up to everything form of racing with whatever brand he decided was the right tool for the job. Now settling back with Yokomo, and taking delivery of some fresh, amazing paint for his BD7s from TD Takashima.

TD's paint is finally rivaling my one color, spray bombed wonders 

So, Atsushi and Yoke have come to a deal.  It's still  fun to follow Hara's racing and his car choices when available. Watching him show up at last years Reedy Off Road race with a mid motor Kyosho RB6 was awesome.

Hara's 2013 Reedy RB6: Ahead of his time.

As an unprofessional myself, it's comforting to know even the pros sometimes get to use their preferred tools for the job. That means they're not all just running what the sponsors hand them or putting up with inferior products. This is good for the progression of quality all around.

Thanks for reading!
-Tommy

Lamborghinis are mid motor.

Change is good! Unless it's in pennies... then you end up at a coin-in-to-cash machine each spring, making the toughest decision of all: $.08 per dollar less in store credit or $.15 less in cold hard cash.  In either case, you will most likely end up with more coins.

The changes in our hobby are hot right now. And with those hot changes, come heated forum debates. RCTech.net is more popular than ever with rumors, preorders, spyshots and keyboard engineers pointing out any design flaws or poor anodizing color choices found on the soon to be released Team Associated RC10B5 and RC10B5M.

Lambos: Mid motor cars were driven by short dudes. Way before AE made it cool

It's no big news that AE boldly decided on two versions of the upcoming B5, a rear motor and a mid motor. Though neither version has even been raced yet, that doesnt keep the forums from concluding and reviewing both anyways. Which is great, because we were all wondering how good it was. But, as it turns out, one 2wd buggy may be all we really need.

Ryan "The Lutzinator" Lutz has blogged that the rear motor just didnt work for the Reedy this past weekend. So he opted to swap to Mid motor for the final rounds of 2wd. More here:
http://lutzinator.com/?p=1448

It took about fourteen years, but no rc company is embracing change(increments of tenths: .1 .2 ect..) and thus adding to chatter on the forums than Team Associated. They've got the trusty B4.2, all Centroed up, and still on podiums. Yet, primed for replacement.

As a lover of all things 80's myself, rc cars, skateboards, and Lambos, I also happen to be a fan of BK. Some racers old enough or well versed enough in RC10 lore may remember, BK and AE split the band up shortly after that win in 1993 and thus his photo was removed from the kit packaging and advertising art. AE suggested artistic differences.

3 out of 4 har working winners aint bad.

After the split, Team Losi(way before TLR) scored Kinwald and together they thrived. So well, that AE now considers that period the Dark Days, hoping all will forget their composite chassis rival during the 90's.That dynamic duo of Kinweald and Losi ended sometime this millennial with the RC Micro Machine company that Losi became, and BK settled with that little brand that could, X-Factory.

While it may sound like BK and X-Factory were selling internet fetish footwear, they were in fact leading the world in the mid-motor conversion of Associated B4s world wide.

During the 2000's, while the 2wd 1/10 scale buggy industry was busy with making rear motor cars point and shoot like they've always done, X-Factory, it's U.S. fans and The BK spent years making the mid-motor car work where none could before, on US clay and outdoor tracks. Albeit, with a lot of Brian Kinwald's dremel magic.

X6^2 was a math problem famously solved by BK using a front wing, parts from over half a dozen manufacturers and plenty of blue and gold anodizing.

 Throughout the 2000's XFactory + remote control google searches ended NSFW 

About the year 2012, Brian K and Team Associated decided to get the band back together. This left the forward(err mid) thinking folks at X-Factory in a position to hopefully put some resources into their 4wd car and now available X6 Cubed.

Bringing us full circle to racing rc cars today. With his knowledge and experience, I have no doubt that BK put his stamp on the RC10B5 and RC10B5M. I'm looking forward to seeing the combined result in person at tracks in next coming months.

A few months ago the good natured and neon green Geo Tracker driving hosts at Radio Impound got the goods on Brian Kinwald in an interview that any RC car enthusiast should listen to, at least once.

http://radioimpound.podbean.com/2013/04/16/kinwald-edition/

Radio Impound Podcast mobile

Kirby Hand, Gotti Jr, and Jason Ruona have a great podcast going at Racio Impound. Although, most of their basketball references go way over my head. I enjoy their stoke on rc and tales of the good ole (usually)Trinity days. Check them out.

In a sad turn of events, R.O.A.R has announced that there will be no door banging VTA class at nationals this February 26 - March 2, 2014 in Nebraska. Stating, "lack of signups" as the reason. Bummer, cuz I've been partial to watching cool looking cars slide around the carpet and pavement. Oh well.

Roar does intend to run 13.5 touring instead, with a haunting harmonica played in the background.

Plenty of used VTA cars will be for sale in Omaha this February 

It's Wednesday, the bands back together, and my local track just got a solid new track change.

In the footsteps of the great bloggers before me, I'm considering a something like a Friday Quiz to lighten the snarkyness that I spew throughout the week. Winners, losers and 12.5 milli-yard cheater motors get a virtual pat on the back for just showing up.

Thanks for reading!
-T

VRC Pro:Virtually Simulating Remote Controlled Toy Auto Racing

With every skill, practice makes perfect. And what better way to practice rc racing than skipping work and playing video games?

It just seems rigged when Bowser get's all the red shells

Here in rc car racing land we want to go faster, drive smoother and be more consistent. The tracks we run on are typically well groomed, watered often and in a controlled environment. Unfortunately, they are also usually 30 to 45 minutes from home or work, if you're lucky enough to have a track at all.

Most everyone at one time or another will attempt some "dialing it in" or "scrubbing the tires" in front of  their home. That may work okay for hand eye coordination, it also teaches how to rebuild or repair because of mud, dust and that all too familiar, cruel mistress, the high speed run for the neighbors:


High speed tests: Killing RC cars since day one


Time to pick up the pieces and google around for some sort of training aid. That's where VRC Pro comes in.

It's an rc racing video game. But' it's not that type of game. There are no points, no levels, no big bosses.  It uses your transmitter to actually practice remote controlled car racing virtually to practice remotely controlling cars... ugh. I got lost there...  it's better than RC Pro Am. It's a simulator. It also provides you with stock setups or you can venture out on your own in search of faster laps times

Maybe I should have finished grade school before perusing this gaming career

And it is free to download and play? Dang, homie.
You can use on road, off road, nitro or electric, 2wd or 4wd.  Sweet, right?
But don't take this unpaid blogger's word for it; Even Atsushi Hara and Hayoto Matzusaki get stoked it:


When it comes to number of gaming screens, three IS the magic number

So the simulator is 100% proven to be an affective tool for those stuck inside and gaining popularity. Usage is so high right now and it's even developing it's own world championships



Which will hopefully lead to more YouTube edits of famous awesomeness like this:


I really wish all rc racers had microphones to get some Leroy Jenkins going

So, there's all kinds of ways to practice your hobbies virtually, whether that's driving rc cars in a video simulator or attacking another guild in WOW.  These days you can fine tune your skill without the temptation to launch your precious new rig off a neighbors ramp or attack them with a long sword. That should keep maintenance down while gaining some new skills. Unfortunately, it could lead to rc racers staying indoors, and at more LAN parties than tracks. Which is a bad thing for this already niche hobby filled with tech junkies.

2021 IFMAR Worlds?

So variety is the spice of life, video games in moderation and change out of sweatpants to get groceries. It all makes for a better tomorrow.

Working on a questionnaire to email to Pro Drivers and RC Industry types in general. Email or comment with ideas and people you want interviewed.

Thanks for taking the time to read
-Tommy