by Hey there gang.
I just got back from school. Me and three other guys that I race with
went to the R.O.A.R Canadian National 4 cell championships this past
weekend. One of the guys I went with has TQ'd and won this event in stock
a number of times, and I have traditionaly placed very well there in the
past, although I have never won this particular event.
Well, that was not to be the case this time, however.
In recent history, racing in my locale has changed drasticaly. Turnout is
very low, and competetion is scarse, and it has been several years since
I've gone to a big race anywhere, and I also took a couple years off of
racing in there too. All of this puts a warm and fuzzy edge on lightning
quick reflexes and razor shapr handling.
Anyway, we all entered the 1/12 scale stock class, which we had trationaly
done quite well in. For example, the last time I raced 1/12 scale stock
in this event (back in '94, I believe), the people from my club (me
included) got 1st through 4th place, all on the same lap, and all of us
lapped 5th place. Anyway, enough fond memories of the glorious past.
We did 5 rounds of qualifying, 2 rounds, resort, 2 more rounds on
Saturday, and a final round on Sunday. I purchased my very first 2,000
mAh pack (some 389's) when I got there Friday night for practise, and I
ran 'em for the first time Saturday morning. I also ran my Mignight 2
stock motor (the first one I've ever bought, and the first run I've ever
done with one) then too. See -- I told you our club has been out of
contact with the outside world recently -- I had been using that handout
Slot Machine ][ motor from the '94 race prior to entering this year. Too
bad there were no handouts this year.
Throughout qualifying, I was on the ragged edge of dumping -- I had a
*** dump in one of them. The fast guys were turning 14.5 second laps
(for their fastest ones), and I got the occasional 14.9 or so, averaging
in the low 15's. I actually got lapped -- this was a new thing for me. I
ended up qualifying 5th overall Saturday night, with a 32/8:15.0 TQ was
33/8:05 or so -- definately fast. Sunday morning, a copule people in the
B qualifyer did some smokin runs (one of 'em was a GIRL!) and that bumped
me down to 7th overall. One of the guys I was running with, who has won
this event in the past was 10th overall Saturday night, and ended up 13th
overall Sunday morning. That really bit -- he gambled and dumped for his
last chance qualifyer. In the 3rd qualifyer Saturday night, traction had
gotten so good that I traction rolled (a 1/12 scale pan car, remember)
twice in one race, and realizing a trend, I backed off a bit in that
corner and got up on 2 wheels about 3 or 4 more times. Just that one
corner though. No more full wash in the rear tires!
Anyway, in the Sunday qualifyer, the little kid (looked about 14 or so)
that had TQ went and did a blistering 34 lap run (34 in 8:07 or so -- I
can't quite remember exactly what). Travis (the TQ) is a great guy --
he's very curtious on the drivers stand, and is a great clean,
non-agressive driver. I ended up 7th overall -- not what I was hoping
for, but kind of what I expected, but at least I was in the A!
So I asked Travis what he was running -- I wanted to know how he could go
so much faster than I. Well, he runs 415's - 420's for batteries. A 1/12
scale car draws an average of about 15 amperes, and at 20 amperes, he can
get 2 more laps out of his batteries than I can? Well, that might explain
a thing or two. In one of the runs where I over-geared and dumped, my car
was almost as fast as everyone elses down the straightaways, and my lap
times did dip into the 14's on several occasions. So it looks like I and
the car can handle it -- the batteries however can't. How the heck did we
manage in the days of 1200 SC's?!? I tell you one thing -- we didn't have
the awesome amp draw and torque of them Midnight 2's.
Off to the mains.
One of the guys who I went with has raced 1/12 scale on one occasion prior
to this event -- he ended up qualifying somewhere in the B along with the
guy who won several times. Anyway, they ended up getting 2nd and 3rd, the
guy running his 2nd ever 1/12 scale event taking 2nd in the B. He's
pretty damned good -- I'll have to look out for him in the future.
Well, Travis (TQ) had a real bad 1st main, and a real bad 2nd main, and he
got 2nd in the 3rd main. I got a 6th, 5th, and a 6th. So Travis and I
tied, and it went to our 3rd main (I believe he had 8th, 7th and 2nd, but
I'm not sure), but mine was better. Tough luck for such a great kid. And
the girl whupped my hiney big time -- she got two 3rds and a 1st (the guy
who won sat out the final). The guy who won overall has taken me and
other people I race with out of very big leads on numerous occasions when
we were lapping him in the past -- well, he was lapping me this time! He
had TQ in the 1st two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, and broke in the
next three qualifyers, then won the 1st two mains.
Anyway, I had fun, and learned again what it is like to have close, tight
competetion. It kind of sucks not winning, but I would be real
dissappointed in everyone else had I won, since I really didn't think we
were that great before going over there. But I didn't expect to be all
alone in the A!
Even though I did the best out of our little band of 4 guys, I got the
smallest trophy!
___
TTTTT OO M M The sixth sick shiek's sixth sheep's sick. |~~~|
T O O M M M So if it is in or if it is on it is as it is, *
T OO M M be it in or on. `-'