South Eastern micro racers unite!

[c0sie]

There is a distinct lack of micro racing around the South Eastern region and without some pro-active work the situation isnt going to change...which is a shame cos I love Cockneys me

Anyways, if you run a club, or are a racer at a club in the South East that either races offroad micros indoors or would be keen to get micros racing around your carpet please use this thread to advertise yourself and we (as a collective micro posse) will do ou best to try and rustle up some interest!

At the end of the day the more micros I hear of racing around the South East the better it is for all. The region benifits from the increased interest and hopefully a number of those drivers will filter through to the National scene which keeps me happy

So here we go...South Eastern clubs and micro racers unite

[c0sie]

Additionally, if anyone has any ideas on how we can boost the interest around the region then I am all ears

There are a few well known shops around the region that might be able to help by directing their micro racer customers towards the forums as well.

Does anyone know of any clubs other than Wycombe, Aylesbury, Watford and the new Ockendon club that race micros indoors at all??

[Mark Stiles]

The absence of a shop local to the Wycombe club really hurts us in my opinion. Apex do their best to promote WRCC and the classes we race, but most of the time our customers live too far away to make a weekly trip up to Wycombe for racing viable.

When Wycombe Models was open, even though the bloke running it had the worlds worst customer service and generally showed the hobby in a bad light, what he did do was sell loads of Mardave kits and direct people to where they could race them. We once had 49 drivers for a Mardave club night - we get 15 now.

The initial buzz around micros has gone now and I am finding it difficult to sustain the class at WRCC. In 18 months we have gone from getting 25 regulars, to fewer than 10 on most nights.

A few people have said they gave up micros because they couldn't be arsed with the hassle of performing a LWB conversion to a shark. Others have said that they have just found something they find more interesting to do (not everyone finds a hobby and sticks with it for 10 years like me!). I have no idea why the other 80% stopped coming!

With the attendance figures thing, in the past I have found that 10-15 drivers is the magic threshold. Once you get about 15 regulars it snowballs and the popularity increases. If it's single figures then it struggles to promote itself and the numbers die right down. We had just 4 at WRCC a couple of months ago. We get 8-10 now since I've been back racing, but I'm struggling to see where the next 5 are going to come from...

[c0sie]

Just remember, your club members dont only have to race an extended Shark ST anymore. With the new RC18B2/T2 platform coming out in both "Team" and "RTR" versions the "smaller" class is now as viable as the "bigger" class as was proven at UKMicroX.

The new Carisma is due out in the Autumn which then opens up the bigger class to more options than just the single chassis as it is at the moment also.

Before hand it was always a case of "just get a Pro Shark ST, plus all these extras, and a bit more" where as now the options available to new drivers are alot vaster! (Is that a word?)

The new RC18B2/T2 RTR is listed at £165 on the CML site with a 2.4Ghz transmittor and reciever!
The Team version comes in at £110 and won the UKMicroX so it cant be that shabby

There are options there to tempt one and all, it just needs a renewed push which is what this thread is about

[sldmodels]

You do have to remember though, that numbers are down all over the place, not just micros. A lot of people starting racing micros as it was cheaper than other classes, but it was only a matter of time before the prices of kits and parts went up.

The nationals are just that, but there's no reason why you can't get a few regional clubs to setup their own series, either on their own in partnership with their local clubs, we do it in the Midlands with Stafford, Broxtowe and Bedworth (we used to have a club just in the Welsh border but the names escapes me at the mo'). Our numbers are down for that series, but that's believed to be in part, to us moving away from Central Booking this year, next year, we're going back to it.

[Jonesy]

Not only the South Easr though Cris.

I'm hopeful of something (maybe next year) of a series between Ellesmere Port, Oswestry and Southport if the interest is there. I believe we'd probably be only looking at 15 or so racers to start with, but that should hopefully generate more interest in Micro racing up North

[c0sie]

Im up for generating more racers all over the UK! But I was starting down at the bottom and working my way upwards

[Mark Stiles]

Originally Posted by c0sie

Just remember, your club members dont only have to race an extended Shark ST anymore. With the new RC18B2/T2 platform coming out in both "Team" and "RTR" versions the "smaller" class is now as viable as the "bigger" class as was proven at UKMicroX.

Well, actually, no.

An 18th scale class car of any kind is basically pointless for anyone racing at a club where everyone else has a shark. The performance gap is huge. What would be the point in someone running an RC18B2, when the other 9 guys all have sharks? Who is he gonna race other than himself?

The class structure is fine at national events where you have the entry numbers to make it viable, but it's pointless for a club that struggles to attract 10 drivers to start with. At WRCC we offer micro off road - just one class. If we had 4 or 5 RC18B2's show up, then we'd ask them if they wanted a separate heat/final/championship, but until that happens they go in with the sharks, otherwise they have nobody to race against.

We had a new racer turn up with a Caster Racing Fusion on Monday. It took him all of 2 rounds to decide he was going to buy a shark at the soonest available opportunity!

[c0sie]

Then surely you are in the wrong for letting that guy decide that he has to race a Shark ST and nothing more?

When I first got a micro back in 2005 I raced on my own against 30+ touring cars...and now look where we are.

New drivers and racers arent going to come along on silver plates, if it was that easy we wouldnt be in the situation where regions were concerned about the lack of drivers.

Your Caster bloke turns up every week, understands that he isnt going to beat the Sharks but has a bloody good laugh with a car that cost him at least half of the price of the cars that you guys are running.....he happens to bump into one of your ex racers and explains that the smaller cars are now viable but alot cheaper and ex racer matey comes back along for a look...with his 2 kids and decides that the smaller car, B2 etc is for him.

Bingo, afew new drivers on the books.

It aint hard...it just needs a non "small cars are shit" attitude and some time to develop!

I have heard numerous people telling me that people are leaving cos they need to spend £300+ on a race ready micro...now there are other options..they just need nurturing.

[Mark Stiles]

Here's the scenario Cris;

Joe Bloggs turns up with is 18th car, has an enjoyable nights racing with us, but is well off the pace of even the slowest 16th scale drivers. This is not down to his driving ability - he is of average ability with a tc and on a level playing field he wouldnt be last at WRCC

At the end of the evening, he says this;

"Tonight was really good, I enjoyed the racing even though I was off the pace. I want to be more competitive, so is the LRP shark definitely the car to have? From what I have seen tonight it looks that way..."

What am I supposed to say?

"Yes, that's right"

or

"Well, actually, if you go and find some buddies who race 18th cars then you can race around with them instead"

You have to admit that in this case, there really is only one viable answer Cris!

Even 2 years ago when we got 25 drivers to our club meetings, 24 of the cars were LRP's! The Carisma may well change the situation, but until then, a shark is the only car to have if you want to be competitive at club level when everyone else has a shark.

I have openly said that if 4 or 5 18th scale cars show up then they would be welcome to their own heat/final if that's what they wanted, but so far the most 18th cars we've had racing at one time is one!

[Mark Stiles]

Originally Posted by c0sie

When I first got a micro back in 2005 I raced on my own against 30+ touring cars...and now look where we are.

That's because you had a vision and the desire to create a new class. 99% of drivers wish only to turn up and race competitively with others, using equally matched equipment on a level playing field.

[Mark Stiles]

Out of interest, how many of the 1/18 4WD runners at the micro X raced that as their only class, and how many raced in 1/16th 4WD too?

[sldmodels]

Don't just think that bigger is better or faster. Me and Lee (4cellracer) used to really go at it at Feton Manor a few years ago, him with his Blaze ST, and me with a TC5. I had more power, more obvious speed, but he would be right on my arse-end or passing me, and that was amazing fun, because it was competition, and that's what we want isn't it?

[DCM]

Originally Posted by c0sie

I have heard numerous people telling me that people are leaving cos they need to spend £300+ on a race ready micro...now there are other options..they just need nurturing.

It was the cost and the constant attention the cars needed that put me off running them as a viable class during the winter, it worked out more expensive than running touring car.

[Checa]

Well for me the only race prep i did for all last seasons nationals and club meetings was blow the carpet fluff off it oh just remembered i fitted the LWB chassis and that is it and i didn't do to bad for an old bloke

[Mark Stiles]

Originally Posted by Checa

Well for me the only race prep i did for all last seasons nationals and club meetings was blow the carpet fluff off it oh just remembered i fitted the LWB chassis and that is it and i didn't do to bad for an old bloke

I concur!

If you think the prep needed for a micro is high, then I dread to think how neglected your other cars must be!

The whole reason I like micro is because you can get away with doing sod all prep work on them! Hell I even took to charging the battery while it was still in the car at the tail end of last season because I couldn't be arsed to take it out!

[Mark Stiles]

Originally Posted by sldmodels

Me and Lee (4cellracer) used to really go at it at Feton Manor a few years ago... he would be right on my arse-end... and that was amazing fun, because that's what we want isn't it?

I think I just threw up in my mouth...

[slow bob]

get in contact with chris sleven (chris.s) and janos that run the taplow model car club as they have already said they would be happy to accomodate micros, i am shure micro drivers will have loads of fun there....


I raced at wycombe for a couple of years with my rc18 then the lrp sharks and ftx blazes came along so i upgraded to the blaze what i found is the car was faster but it didnt have the same fun factor as the smaller rc18 it was like driving a crap 10th scale rather than a great micro ... dont know if it is just me that thought like this but the shark & blaze killed it for me as car was like the control tyre of the micro scene

now with the brca rules changed for the 1/18th class and all the 18th divers owning the 1/16th blaze because they needed to buy it to be competitive i dont see a way back for the 1/18th class even with the new rc18 b2

i would love to see a revival of the micro classes but the rules must be firm from now on so manufacturers can all build cars that are of equal performance as veriety is what will restore the scene

[c0sie]

Originally Posted by Mark Stiles

I think I just threw up in my mouth...

[gaffer]

Originally Posted by Mark Stiles

I think I just threw up in my mouth...

Mark, you the man.