Cars of the 2008 Summer Season

GREAT JOB MONTE!!!!!

Is that the same car you ran last time at BSCC? If it is- way cool.

Man that is a pretty car.  Sure you want to run it as it might get banged up?
RR

Eventually.....

Sorry Monte, you opened that door. ;-)

Yes.

I think the problem is with the test block that is used for the ground clearance. It is made out of wood with a plastic laminate. Sturdy (non-flexing), non-magnetic AND very flat. The actual track is pretty flexible plastic with magnetic rails with bulges here and there. It's quite possible that the strong magnets pull the track up to the car, or the car down to the track. At the crest of the bulges the car may rub the bottom. Perhaps we should either increase the ground clearance rule, or test on a piece of track to see how close the car bottom will get to the track surface. It won't take into account the bulges but it will be a more realistic with regards to the racing conditions.

I was worried that my magnet (racing magnet with the thick side down) was rubbing the track, shorting my lane and robbing me of essential power. To test this theory I covered the magnet with a white lane sticker. After one heat the sticker was in one piece still (it lasted the whole race) but the sections were the magnet sat were totally black from rubbing the track. And I still had power issues at the same spot so the magnet did not seem to short out the track.

Thanks Rico, I'll take a look at your car at the next race. I did some more work on my Porsche and I'd like to come out to see if it works any better. My biggest problem was the rear tires coming in contact with the body. I don't think its possible to get a "heavy" magnet car to NOT drag or touch down at some points on a sectional plastic track. Like you stated, if the heavy magnet pull isn't pulling the flexible chassis down to the track, it is pulling the flexible track sections up to the chassis. I'll go with the listed clearance and call it good. We all know if the car drags too much you pay for it with your motor! So, show me your spacers and I'll show you what I use............   -----------------------Bill

So here's my views of the BSCC summer season. The cars were extremely fast! By the end of the season everyone had really fast cars! Yes, the majority of the cars were the Ferrari 312s, but that's to be expected when a class is based on RTR type production cars.  When one particular car shows dominate performance, racers will migrate to that particular style of car (if they want to improve their chances winning). The cost of the cars was high. Well no kidding! You're starting out with a car that costs $40 to $50, and the rules allow modifications. Modifications = $ ! When the rules specify only a specific brand of parts for those modifications, modifications = $ X 2 ! The basic rule of thought is; if JOE used part A in his modification and it worked, then I need part A to keep up with JOE. What I did not see was a lot of low dollar modifications and R&D. I did not actively participate in the series. The main thing that turned me off was the destruction of the cars. I have a hard time destroying my $50 cars. The only thing worth anything on these 1/32 cars is the bodies, and for the most part you can't replace a body without purchasing a whole new car (because the chassis are specific to each car, so now after damage it's a $100 car).  I think racing cars where replacement bodies are available would be an improvement in a program where damage is inevitable. In the end the fastest guy won the series, and without a lot of extra expense to his car. A lot of expensive cars were broken. And Art looked like the most improved racer to me! Congrats ART!!!  -------------------------------Bill