Wow, some great responses which tell me something, people feel passionate about RVRCCC.
I have been racing at Leyland on and off for the last few years and love it. I take it for what it is, a fun club. That is why I have been bring my eldest, so that he can have fun. I like to try to be competitive but with a budget (my car and Olivers) and knowing my own abilities, i know my limits and aim for realistic finals (C or even B).
As others have already stated, the club has a great feel and attracts both new and seasoned racers. The increase in 'regulars' reflects the hard work that all at the club put in (especially Eric and Pete). I think we all race at Leyland with the acceptance that the track is what it is. If we wanted a track built for buggies, with lots of jumps, crossovers, rough surfaces etc designed for buggies, then we should choose a club/track more suited for that. The fact is Leyland is what it is and is a great venue.
Regarding crashing, this is always going to happen. Those in the A and B finals should have no excuses as in most cases they should be able to drive without either causing a smash, or being able to avoid the crash. The loud smashes tend to come from those racers in the C/D finals, who maybe are driving cars too fast for their abilities? This is always going to happen when we get the 'need for speed'. The starters/novices in the lower heats/finals will always break wishbones and the dads/pitmans should just accept it. We all were there when we were kids.
Regarding foams, I have just been converted to foams rather than using minipins. It was purely down to money and not being able to afford new pins on a regular basis. They are nothing new, I raced foams week in week out 20 years ago on carpet. Last Friday my first race was a wow experience. I had forgotten how much extra grip they gave the car. Once i get used to turning in later etc I am sure my lap times will come down. Foams do not make you go faster on the straights, just round the bends/corners. Surely if more people are using foams, racing should be tidier with less cars flipping over the track markers into other cars or drifting wide round bends into other cars. So surely no one should be concerned by the quantity of cars running them.
Regarding carpet/floor damage, as Eric stated on Friday we need to have a minimum ride height to prevent damage after the jumps. Do we have any spare sections of carpet that we can simply place on the landing zone to help reduce damage to the wood?
At the end of the day, i think the way the club operates works extremely well and should continue. If a driver wants more than the club can cater for then there are two options, respect the club for what it is, or, get more competitive buggy racing elsewhere.
A great debate but not everyone can be pleased in a hobby that accepts all abilities on the same playing field.
Great work RVRCCC
