Fancy Racing in a dedicated 1/8E Heat?

[Andy P]

I am new to oople so hello.

OK Coventry model car club is proposing a dedicated electric heat as a support class in its Dirt Masters. 9th 10th July with free camping. proceeds from the event are going to charity.

http://www.cmcc-online.com/

The problem is support there are currently only 4 drivers down for the event as minimum they need 8. Posts have been put on maxbashing to drum up interest but no takers.

Also what other 1/8 electric events are there in the UK this year i am quite keen to run competitive 1/8 electric, as running in Nitro events does not suit the characteristics of the class.

Interested in peoples thoughts on this

[jasonwipf]

Well posting here is a good start to promote the E class for that race. Next I would contact your local hobby shops and push the idea with any E supporters so they can tell their E 1/8th guys to run it and support the fledgling class.

The most significant thing you and ALL other E 1/8th buggy racers can do is a slow but worthwhile process of promoting the class and getting convertees.

Here is how with my story from Houston, Texas. And yes, what you are about to read was mythotically planned by the few of us in the beginning with the long term goal of mass conversion in the next 2-4 years. Here is the story on the local club racing scene:

2009
In 2009, me and 2 other guys started running 1/8th E buggies with the Nitro guys (they had 20-30 vs. our 2-3, or 1:10 ratio). 1st and foremost, be GOOD and win or podium with your electrics so you are the desirable machine people want to get and now and forever you kindly tease the nitro guys when they flame-out, blow a clutch, run out of gas or have tuning issues (kindly / tounge and cheek, do not be an ass hole). Slowly they start to convert themselves out of frustration over their nitros and to maybe win or finish races more. By the the start of the 2009 season we had about 7 E buggies.

2010
At the start of 2010, with a about a 1:4 ratio we were still a minority but accepted as a trend and not a fad. We continued our wins and pushing of the class and all its wonders and glories. As more and more people converted and we started winning more and more races by mid year we were about 15 E buggies vs. their 25-30 or almost 1:2 ratio (mind you many nitro guys trying it out were now running both nitro and electric so the overall numbers increased,and beginners to the hobby jumped into Ebuggy cuz of the ease). Now once we started getting enough for our own class the calls for pitting rules really set in as nitro guys whined about how we never broke down, were too fast and all manor of jealousy; not to mention we were getting 2/3 of the podium positions now! So we finally got our own class and it was strong! By the end of the year we were about 20 vs their 25-30. (again over all numbers of cars increased as people ran both E and Nitro and E buggy spawned more beginners into the hobby)

2011
At the start of this years racing season 2011 we won the rights to our own Sportsman E buggy class cuz the new E buggy guys were getting slaughtered by the Expert E buggy guys. Now, on any given club race we teeter between 40-60% of the entries or almost an even split between E & Nitro. At this point some E guys have gone back to Gas (only a few) and we still have more nitro guys joining our ranks and newbees starting RC as an 1/8th E buggy.

Promo or teaser points to say to the Nitro guys at races or new guys entering the hobby to start conversion in your area:

1. "I got tired and frustrating tuning with my nitro and wanted to be driving more than I was wrenching on the car."
2. (when someone is frustrated with their nitro, approach and point to the center area and say) "I see the problem here, you need to put a brushless motor in this thing!" (with a joking smile)
3. "Electric is cheaper in the long run when you consider the cost of Nitro over the year" (By 100s or more if you race alot)
4. "Dude, I want to hear what my car is doing and/or chat with my friends while driving. I get tired of screaming over a nitro engine or choking over the fumes."
5. " I can tune or play with my electric in my neighborhood without the neighbors calling the police over the excessive noise"
6. "My electric has way more power and delivers it more consistently than my nitro ever did."
7. "I love not having to tune my nitro when the humidity or temperature changes during a race day, its plug and play!"
8. "I just got to be a better driver with my electric than I was with my Nitro because I have more actual run time on the driver stand and can focus on tuning the car itself not trying to keep the motor running correctly"

Biggest initial complaint about those considering E racing?

Complaint: "Batteries are too expensive:
Answer: www.hobbyking.com SOLVED

Complaint: "I fear lipo explosions"
Answer: "They are not explosions, its more like a big matchhead flair ups that burns slower" "If you don't want your lipos to flame, don't buy cheap ESC/Motors, do not cross your wire polarities and set your lipo cut off properly on your ESC." DONE

Fear: "My lipo will explode/flare upon a hard landing"
FALSE: People crash lipo powered airplanes from hundreds of feet and they survive. I have personally taken old lipos and gone out to the parking lot to show fellow racers me toss it into the air 30-40 feet and it crash down and I still cant get it to flame up. HOWEVER, stabbing it with an exacto blade or a small sharp stone between the lipo and your battery tray on a hard landing could puncture the lipo and cause a flame up. Yes its the punctures of the membrane that cause the flame NOT the impact. So, run foam under your battery, get a hardcase battery or slip a thicker shrink wrap around it such as: http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...dProduct=10429

Sorry for such a long post but that should arm you with some history and strategy for building your numbers across the pond.

[Andy P]

Thanks For the reply interesting story.

Currently i am still quite new been driving for about 6 months slowly getting better, like you say need to be winning to generate interest.

Had it a couple of times turn up on the track put batteries in the car switch on and go. while other Nitro drivers have been having issues getting the car to run. I would recommend Electric to a new 1/8 starter as it is so much simpler than Nitro and lets you drive without fuss.

I have heard the phase 'Choose your weapon' when it comes to people complaining that electric does not have to pit. which is very true.

Also it is nice to be able to speak while racing can get a good bit of banter going.

cheers for the response can only hope the same thing happens in the UK i will try my best to make it happen.

[jasonwipf]

TY. Even if your a beginner keep up the talking points it will etch it in their brains the value of E over Nitro, trust me.

A good rule of thumb for the pitting is to do a mandatory E buggy pit every 8 minutes of run time of a race, where by the Ebuggy goes into the pit and pauses or is picked up by a pit guy for a count of 3, drop and GO. That simulates the time the nitro guys have to take and equalizes things. That was our solution here to shut up the Nitro guys on pitting. The rest was about choosing your weapon like you said.

[dodgydiy]

concerning puncturing lipo's in an 1/8, just cut a block of wood the size of your pack and either mould or vacform a protective cover, its that easy to effectively protect them from damage. i like my electric 1/8, it goes really well, better controlability and more reliable, and quick!

[rondoolaa]

they race electric 1/8th conversions every wednesday night, starting around 5.30pm, book in by 6pm,

its at a track in marldon, paignton, devon, uk.

http://www.torbay-rac.co.uk/

check out my video i took last wednesday,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH_pc...i9GEI&index=11


they also race a 1/10th electric heat too

[graveltrap]

Full details of THE Midland Dirt Masters can be found here

Qualifying will be run to the same format as the Nitro cars, but finals will be shorter (10 minutes I think) but you get two of them! This shoukld suit the run time for leccy rally X better!

5 cars booked in atm, but as Andy P says we need 8 to have an exclusive heat, basically it's down to the number of Marshals needed to cover the track...