Thursday, June 26, 2008

CORR Racing a hit with R/C Enthusiasts


TRAXXAS SLASH CORR PRO2 STADIUM TRUCK

I've been enjoying off road R/C racing off and on for years now. I have always been a die hard Associated Electronics fan and never found myself drawn to models done by Traxxas. Times have changed! I am a proud owner of the Traxxas Slash CORR (Championship Off Road Racing) Pro 2 styled 1/10th scale truck.

This Traxxas model is hitting the industry with a whirlwind of interest. Browsing R/C enthusiast forums you will find page after page of interest in this thing. For a $200 investment, you can own a RTR (needs batteries) kit. This thing is competitive right out of the box. Many clubs are implementing a Spec Class for this that keeps the playing field level and investment into the new class minimal.




For me I promptly added a LiPo cutoff and soldered in connectors to run my Orion LiPo batteries. I dropped in a Futaba 2.4Ghz receiver and was ready to hit the dirt! I visited NorCal R/C in Union City this last weekend with club member 'hopbot' and there were 4 other Slash owners there that day. This was the first indicator that this thing is taking off really fast.

My first impressions were grins ear to ear. It's easy to drive, handles the jumps and turns well, and is the most scale looking truck I've ever run. Seeing the suspension working hard through the bumps and landings was impressive and reminded me of watching full scale CORR trucks on the Speed Channel. With the body covering the wheels completely and seeing them suck up the terrain I was also reminded of watching 1/8th scale Truggies absorbing jumps out at Delta R/C.

I ran it hard and pushed it to the best of my ability. I ran 4 packs through it back to back with brief periods of time between and the motor and esc stayed pretty cool under the pressure. There were three of us on the stand at one point and we did some true door to door racing and with the body covering the entire chassis and wheels, it made for some really fun and exciting moments and all of us on the stand were laughing non stop.

It's built well and has a lot of interchangeable parts from other Traxxas models. It's easy to work on and I think engineered with durability in mind. After my run I did get a bit of a click in the drivetrain and will be tearing down the gearbox to see what the cause is but considering what I put it through - this is nothing compared to the parts I would have replaced on my T4 had I run it that hard and put it into the air so often.

If you are considering getting into off road for the first time or are a seasoned veteran - I think you will find that this new offering from Traxxas is a winner! NorCal is serious about a Spec Class for these and also going to setup a 3 man team Enduro Race in the coming months. Delta R/C, Capital City, and Lakeport Hobbies have all shown interest in supporting a Spec Class as well if enough attendees show up. I dont' think that's going to be an issue as all the local hobby shops are having a hard time keeping these on the shelves!

-Justin aka: "Catalyst"


Tuesday, June 24, 2008

UPDATE: Official Meet CANCELLED: Wed. June 25, 7:00 PM @ Mother's Raceway II, Foster City


UPDATE: Tonights Meet is officially canceled. Many members had to change their plans last minute for various reasons, so we will meet again on Wednesday, July 9.

Tomorrow night will be our first Meet Up at our new location for Mother's Raceway in Foster City. Be sure to come out and experience the fun!

As previously mentioned; We will be holding our Spec Class Races / Practice, and the track will be open for general driving in between races. Setup will begin approx. 630-7:00PM. We will have power, and a table - that said, to ensure you are comfy and have your own space, you may want to consider bringing chairs/tables, work light, etc.

There are stores right across the street and fast food options about a mile away.

We hope to see everyone there!

-BAPRCC

Friday, June 20, 2008

Meet Up at NorCal Hobbies this Sunday, June 22

Looks like a few members are interested in heading out to NorCal Hobbies on Sunday. For the latest information on who is coming and when, keep your eye on the boards.

Should be great weather out there! See you all at the track ;)

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Why I like this club, and why you just might as well!

I have been a part of this club for almost its entire existence and I have to say, I have no regrets. The people that participate in it are some of the best I have met in this hobby. We have people who are into everything from full on racing to creating their own cars from scratch and everything in between. We even have a couple of members who are just starting out and have yet to learn all of the intricacies that this hobby has to offer. The best part though is that they all get together to share good times and everyone benefits from that.

I have seen many clubs come and go as I have been involved in the R/C industry for over 10 years and so far, this is the best bunch of people I have had the privilege of knowing. I willingly come to the events and am guaranteed a good time.

If you haven't yet, join us on the message boards and come be a part of the fun. And no, no one is paying me to write this stuff either, this is genuinely a great group!

-Chris (aka:"Knytemare")

Official Meet: Wed. June 25, 7:00 PM @ Mother's Raceway II, Foster City

Hey All, Just a friendly reminder that we will be holding an official Meet one week from today at our NEW Mother's Raceway location in Foster City. We will be holding our Spec Class Races / Practice, and the track will be open for general driving in between races. Setup will begin approx. 630-7:00PM. We will have power, but everyone will need to bring their own chairs/tables, etc.

Hope to see you all there!

New Location:

View Larger Map

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Track Test: DeltaRC 1/10 scale off-road track

Here are some pics from the trip Catalyst and I took to DeltaRC in Antioch. As you know from the last trip i took up there, they have a great covered 1/8 scale off-road track. During the hotter months they set up the track outdoors and this year are offering a new 1/10 scale specific off-road track. Both the 1/10 and 1/8 scale tracks are really nice. The 10th scale track is still on the slippery side, with a lot of loose, sandy dirt that's heavier in some places. after watering, its really got some great grip, but with the temperatures nearing 100 degrees, the track tended to dry out quickly and felt completely different to the wetter, grippier track.

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i had the B44 and the RC18T out there and Cat had his J82. i didnt fair very well with the b44: just didnt feel i had the track figured out - i'm a slow learner and would probably do better focusing on one vehicle per practice ;) When there was traction, the B44 was really fun to drive, but running the track dry was hard - just too much power and a lot of sliding around turns. it was hard to line up for jumps and as a result, they became really hard to hit.


The RC18T was a lot of fun and really surprised me as to how well it handled. it took the jumps really well and pulled through the turns. the loose nature of the track made the long rear straight difficult to manage however, so hitting a larger rock could spin the truck around completely! i'll post my setup in the RC18T thread.


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There were a lot of 1/8 scale buggies and truggies and it was loud! they are amazing to watch flying over the jumps - way high over the jumps! The 8th scale track is really big - it makes the 1/8 scale truggies look like 1/10 scale ones (see above) ;) The people are really friendly and talkative and Chris, the Delta RC employee on staff that day, was really helpful with how to handle the track.


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The pit area offered AC outlets and some shade under a tree if you were not lucky enough to bring your own canopy ;) The pit tables are big so Cat and i could pit at the same spot.


The drivers stands are covered, which was nice considering the heat, and the shop offers beverages. Overall, a nice day of practice! i think as the track gets more refined - they mentioned it would be pounded again - and it gets worn in and traction becomes more consistent, it will be a nice addition to NorCal.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Reminder: Official Spec Class Meeting this Wednesday, June 11 - 6:30PM

Hey All,

Come out to our Official Spec Racing Class Race/Practice this Wednesday evening, June 11 at 6:30PM. Meet up with the club at Mother's Raceway in South San Francisco for practice, laughs, and some friendly competition.

Also(in between races), the track will be open to any type of vehicles Members want to run - so bring what 'ya got!

We are looking forward to seeing everyone there and hope our newest members can make it out too!

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

RC Lifestyle: RC Car / Super Mario Bros. MashUp

Now this is impressive!! Take a look at what this RC Car / Video Game enthusiast has done:



Now that must have taken a lot of time, patience and practice! All he used was an RC Car with a bell protruding from the sides and a few hundred wine bottles filled with different volumes of fluid.