Racing stock or mod

Here is the real deal on racing stock and mod from someone that has raced for 20 years in both. Stock is more forgiving on the setup of the car yet the car still has to be light and free spinning. You don't have to run as heavy a spring or shock oil and if you’re off a bit on tire choice it doesn't matter because you’re not spinning the tires lose every time you take a corner. It does matter that you take the corners tighter but at the slower speeds you have more time to react to the traffic and can cut the corners tighter just because of the slower speeds. The major problem with stock is if you do miss a corner and crash you most likely out since you don't have the power to make up time like you do in mod. Now mod on the other hand is more critical of the setup because at those speeds handling is crucial. The car jumps further and harder then stock and cornering speed is higher so tire choice and spring / oil selection can cost you a race if the car is too loose into or out of the corners. Granted the theory of sticking a bigger motor into it and being able to overcome the other racer on the straight away has some truth unless racing against a large section of mod racers although not long ago this matter since battery technology wasn't up to the level that we have today with 4300 cells virtually eliminating "dumping" when the different from first to last is less then 5 seconds in the "A" main qualifying. You can not compare the level of racing locally to anything like Cleveland where there are 175 touring cars in stock class and 100 in the mod class and the "A" main qualifying was closer in mod then it was in stock. As it seems you are trying to say stock is tighter racing. Well I don't see it. Plus the concept of stock is for the beginners to learn to race and then to move up to real racing in modified. But then again to race stock you have to have a fantom dyno to wring every last rpm out of them, along with pushed and zapped cells and as was already said graphite this and titanium that. So the only thing different between stock and mod is the motor huh? And the driver that has the guts to drive it.

Getting into a new class of racing

I started out running mod 1/12th scale back in 86 and I can tell you it was a nightmare. I broke more parts off the back since we ran 6cell and 18 turns back then. But if it hadn't been for the fact that we had 20 to 30 racers each week I would have quit. When starting a new form of racing, having people to race against is the main point. If you went to race and you had 4 regular drivers and you never won you can get disillusioned quick. I have seen more people start in 1/12 and stop racing completely when they didn't run right or run as good as they thought they should. The whole point is to race what is the most popular class. That means you can go anywhere and race and have fun. Track time is what improves your driving the most. If no one shows you can't race. Not because your not good enough but just because there is no one to race against and that's never fun.

Racing for Fun

I have been racing for 20 years now all across the middle US and would think that qualifies me as a expert on RC cars for the most part. I have had my good years and bad years. When I use to race up at Tait's Raceway in Saginaw, MI I was dirt oval track champ 87, 88, 90  got 5th in 86 and 3rd in 89, Offroad track champ 88, 12th in 86, 3rd in 87. I also ran 8th over all in the 1990 Michigan Speed Association oval series. So you might ask what am I doing now? Having fun. Racing where I can. From organized events like State and regional Roar events to the back yard and the farm field. (watch out for the cow pies) I don't win as much as I use to. Sometimes I get lucky and stay out in front. Other times I make mistakes and crash and burn. But the point is I get out and race. I have fun with friends, whether it's bench racing or tight racing on the track, the real point is to be out there. When I go to a regional event it's not to win it's to get the experience of racing against some of the top racers in your region. Get out there, see what it's like. Understand that there are racers out there that can kick the top dogs butt at your local track and they don't seem so hot then. So you don't beat the top guy at your local track but you do what you can with the equipment you have. And until you stop tagging the wall you are not doing as good as you can, because there is no "Driver in a Can" you can buy. If you have to be turned over during a race because you crashed yourself it's likely that you won't win. Because you have to finish to win.

Racing Scheduling

So the race was cancelled. I don't mind that it was cancelled but the way it was done ticked me off. A friend was there early Thursday and was talking to one of the employees about getting his 1/12th scale ready for the coming weekend race and all was good. So Saturday night we get to talking online to some of our other friends (who were at the hobby shop Thursday night) and they say the race has been cancelled. So we call the hobby shop and get a recorded message that the race is cancelled. Well I know they have a list of names and numbers and could have got the word out better. I mean if you have email I'll send you a schedule or you can check this page out. But get the message out just don't expect the racers to know that you cancelled the race. We lost a lot of racers in where I us to race because of cancelled races that where not announced at all or cancelled the day before. It can really kill a hobby shop. And if this don't make much sense call it a rave. A rant is when I know what I'm talking about.