Bay Area Peninsula Radio Control Club

Help Wanted!

2011-06-28T10:39:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

As discussed in the previous post, we're looking to kick things back into gear here at BAPRCC. However, the new approach will focus on BAPRCC becoming the #1 online destination for local Bay Area RC enthusiasts to gather, exchange ideas, pics, videos, etc. While we would still love to do in-person meet ups, we'll let those happen organically. Of course, we'll continue to sponsor and encourage them as often as people want, but formal meets will be less frequent than before.

With all that said, we need a handful of volunteers that would like to help helm the club (via helping update this blog, the Facebook page, etc). If you have a strong interest in RC and want to help, drop us a line! There is no minimum commitment - just put in what you have time for!

Happy RC'ing!

-BAPRCC

We're BACK!!

2011-06-27T17:17:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

Obviously, this club hasn't been active since early 2010. A lot of things changed with many of the founding members, but I personally would like to take another stab at this again soon. (Perhaps in fall of 2011 or early 2012). Please respond to this post or send an email and let us know if you are interested and your level of commitment. Hopefully we'll generate enough buzz to get this going again.

Also, please check out and leave comments on our facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bay-Area-Peninsula-RC-Club/31108109118?v=wall

Regards,

BAPRCC

Happy 2010!!

2010-01-28T11:15:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

The club has been in hybernation for some time, with members doing their own thing, but it's time to get the show back on the road! We're looking to meet up soon and do come catch up. Login to the message boards and let us know when you would like to meet!

We'll post back here once we have a time and place.

Looking forward to seeing you soon,

-BAPRCC

Knytemare's old crew video! Check it out!

2009-09-10T19:26:00.000-07:00

Discuss it here!

New Slash chassis from Gorilla Maxx!

2009-08-19T08:32:00.001-07:00

FROM GORILLAMAXX:

The G1S features an innovative 2-piece chassis design specifically for the popular Traxxas Slash off-road race truck. Experience improved performance and durability. Crafted from 1/8" CNC machined aluminum plates. Direct fit - No modifications required to install. Includes decals and metric hex screws, black velcro battery straps and instructions.

Product Features:
- Direct Fit - No modifications needed
- Spec wheelbase and ground clearance
- Chassis assembly 0.5oz lighter than stock
- Improved front/rear gravity tuning
- Natural finish 6061 T6 billet aluminum
- Dual plate design cradles battery pack
- Stick pack or lipo ready - up to 8 cells
- RX mount holes on left and right side
- Slotted EVX mounting fits multiple sizes
- Heavy duty Velcro battery strap
- Includes metric hexscrews
- No threadlock required

Item no. GMX09-CHS-AL, $98

For more images and to discuss: GO HERE!

Remembering Frank Rochex - Talbot's Toyland's Hobby Dept.

2009-07-21T11:30:00.000-07:00

Hello All,

I am sad to report that a good friend of Bay Area RC'ers and Hobby Enthusiasts, and someone who encouraged the creation of the BAPRC Club, passed away suddenly last week. Chances are that if you ever stumbled into Talbot's Toyland during the last 35 years, Frank Rochex helped your Hobby dreams come true with his guidance, abundance of information, and friendly demeanor.

Frank was always someone I could depend on at Talbot's Hobby Department. I literally grew up going to see him, and all the amazing RC Vehicles and Trains in his Dept. It's truly shocking that he is gone at such a young age, and he will be sorely missed. My thoughts and prayer's go out to his family, friends and co-workers. On behalf of the Bay Area Peninsula RC Club, we give our deepest sympathies and condolences.

We hope to put on a club sponsored event at Talbot's Toyland sometime in the coming months, and would appreciate any support you can show to promote the RC hobby, Talbot's Toyland, and most importantly, remember an awesome guy. We think he would really appreciate the gesture.

Thank you.
-Bryan "B-Dog"
Loyal Talbot's Toyland customer of 30 years.

Next Meet - July 25 @ 2:00 - Mother's Raceway

2009-07-20T17:33:00.000-07:00

Hey All,

It looks like we are going to try to meet up this coming weekend on Saturday July 25 at Mother's Rraceway. Please respond to the thread now to let us know you are coming, and as always - friends and family members, including prospective new members are highly encouraged to come out and join in on the fun!

Check this thread for the latest information.

Next Club Meet

2009-07-01T14:19:00.000-07:00

Hey All,

It's time for us all to get together once again for some RC action and a BBQ. Be sure to log on to the message boards and let us know when you can make it out.

Click here to be taken to the Club Meet Ups section of the forums.

We look forward to seeing everyone soon!

2009 KickOff Meeting: Saturday May 30

2009-05-21T16:25:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

It looks like we are going to shoot for Saturday May 30 for our first official Meet Up! Please log on to the boards for more information and, please, LET US KNOW IF YOU PLAN ON ATTENDING.

We are all looking forward to meeting up with everyone then!

Hopbot's New RC18R Paint Job

2009-05-15T11:00:00.001-07:00

Hey All,

I just wanted to share a picture with you of an awesome new paint job done by one of the original member's of BAPRCC, Hopbot. Check out his new RC18R Exotek Body:

Fantastic job, Hopbot!

To comment on his sweet new paint job, check out others, and learn painting tips and tricks, check the message boards here.

Vote Now for KickOff Meeting Date

2009-05-11T11:27:00.001-07:00

Hi All,

While we have yet to get an "Official 2009 KickOff Meeting" off the ground, an informal get together took place this past Saturday by a few club members for some bashing action at Mother's Raceway.

The original KickOff meeting was postponed due to rain, so we need everyone to log on to the message boards and vote on a Saturday that works for them. We hope to have a strong showing and will be doing a BBQ as well.

As always, friends and family members are strongly encouraged to join any and all of our events. Be sure to vote now so we can get our first meeting scheduled! Let the fun begin!

2009 KICKOFF MEETING - POSTPONED DUE TO RAIN

2009-05-01T16:11:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Unfortunately we had to make the decision to delay our kick off meeting (tomorrow afternoon) due to rain. Let's start discussing a time to reschedule. Please login to the message boards and propose dates that work for you - we will then start another poll to lock down the new time.

Otherwise, we can shoot for next Saturday if that works for most people. Make sure to let us know how you all would like to proceed.

Looking forward to seeing everyone soon!

Featured Ride: Knytemare's Crawler!

2009-04-25T21:20:00.000-07:00

For our second installment of "Member's Rides - Featured Car", we'll be taking a look at Club Member Chris Wong's (aka Knytemare) Axial based 2.2 class rock crawler.

(The Joker)

When asked to give us a summary of his experience with his crawler, Chris had this to say:

"The rock crawling bug hit me several years ago when it was still in its infancy and at the time everyone was forced to scratch build their rigs. I sold it after a while but I still had the crawling bug and by this time there were quite a few companies making crawler kits, parts and other accessories. This got me fired up in a new way as my rig could be more competitive and much more refined. I started with Axial's axles and transmission. I knew I would using many aftermarket parts so that is why I didn't start with their kit.

(Close up of the wheel showing the engraving of the user name)

Many people ask me, "Why did you choose the colors that you did on the crawler?" Well, the answer is that I am a HUGE Batman fan and at the time of building, The Dark Knight was ramping up for its debut and I was quickly becoming a fan of Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker, so I chose the iconic green and purple as the main colors for my rig.

I had a blast building this rig that I affectionately call "The Joker" not just in the character it is based on, but also that at one point I jokingly said I would never finish it. I learned a lot about the new technology in the crawling world and can't wait to start competing with it!"

(The tightly packed electronics package)

===

This particular vehicle is comprised of quite a few different companies, much in the way my first crawler "Anomaly" was. Here is a break down of what it takes to complete this rig:

Chassis and Axles-
Axial axles and transmission
Team Associated shocks
Traxxas rod ends
Visionary Fabrications (Now DNA Racing) chassis and links
Xtreme RC Hobbies steering links

Misc Pars-
Proline tires
Mayhem Engineering wheels

Electronics-
Spektrum radio
Integy 55T motor
Novak Rooster Crawler Edition ESC
Hitec 5955TG servo

(A different body is used when actually being driven)

===

Much like my first crawler, this one was a learning experience. A new attention to detail was observed. I had a lot of fun building this rig and I hope you enjoyed taking a closer look at it!

To view images of a complete build up of this rig, please visit: The M2 Hobbies build up page!

2009 KICKOFF MEETING - Sat. May 2nd: Location TBD

2009-04-06T21:34:00.000-07:00

Hey All,

The Club has spoken and it looks like Saturday, May 2 is the date of our first official 2009 Kickoff Meeting. Check the boards for more information and to join in on the conversation.

As soon as we finalize the location, we'll post it up here.

Slash Vs. Dog

2009-03-18T11:52:00.000-07:00

One of our newest members, "Antioch Slashin" has shared a fun little video with us that I wanted to pass along. It features his new Traxxas Slash tearing up the backyard track - all the while giving his Jack Russel Terrier an outlet to release some pent up energy on. Take a look:

Have a comemnt? Make it here.

Help Plan Our 2009 KickOff Meeting

2009-03-14T12:13:00.001-07:00

2009

Hey Everyone!!

It's that time of year again - let's start planning out our OFFICIAL 2009 KICKOFF GET-TOGETHER!!!

Things are really tough right now for many people, so my thoughts are to keep this first meet up cost-friendly by meeting in a public space for some meet and greet action, where bashing is definitely encouraged but not required. It's been quite some time since we have met as a group (many "older" members haven't had the chance to meet everyone yet, and we have had so much growth in the club with new members that I think it's imperative that we all make an effort to make this meet up so we can all build our relationships with some face to face time.

I also think that, even though things are tough right now, everyone in this club needs to try their best and commit a little bit of their time each month to making meet-ups happen, whether you plan on running your RC's or not. Our meet-ups are as much about spending quality time with one another as it is about driving. I am open to all suggestions and feedback, so please, please send it my way. While I'm not looking to put a lot of regulations in place around our club, I do think we would ALL benefit from a little more structure than we have had as of yet.

Each and every one of you were drawn to and signed up to be a member of this club because you have a passion for RC as a hobby, and want to share that passion with like minded folks. Every single person in this club has proven to be a really genuine, awesome person, and we need to stick together in this tight knit community to support each other and get the most out of this hobby - This is true no matter what year we are in, but it's especially true now more than ever in these tough economic times.

PLEASE HELP US START PLANNING OUR FIRST OFFICIAL MEET UP HERE AND PLEDGE TO GIVE THIS CLUB YOUR ALL IN THE COMING YEAR.

On Behalf of each and every one of our members, a huge thanks to YOU and your passion/desire for the hobby of RC and the Bay Area Peninsula RC Club.

Join the discussion here!

BAPRCC Celebrates 1 Year

2009-02-28T13:01:00.001-08:00

The BAPRC Club officially celebrates it's first anniversary this month! On behalf of all our Members, blog readers, partners and contributors, a big BIG congratulations and thank you to all!! BAPRCC would be nothing without you all!

We have become the #1 club for Radio Control car enthusiasts in the Bay Area, and continue to grow. If you haven't joined the club yet, what are you waiting for?? We look forward to more club meetings and outings over the next year, and look to YOU for continued support and involvement. Be sure to hop on our message boards to have your voice heard and become a more active member of the family!

Happy Birthday, Bay Area Peninsula RC Club!!

Have something to say?? Join the conversation on our message boards, here!

MIP releases new ball diff for 272's

2009-02-20T08:10:00.001-08:00

New from MIP:

With today’s high demand brushed and brushless power systems MIP,LLC now introduces our new MIP Ball Diff Kit for all Traxxas Magnum 272 Transmissions.

15 Diff balls arranged in a larger diameter
Engineering Grade Molded Gear
Sealed thrust assembly for more runs between rebuilds
Moveable Output Shaft to enable “In-Car” Diff adjustments
High strength, hardened alloy steel for durability and ware resistance
Genuine MIP Made in USA Quality

Prices are Retail

Part #08116 MIP Ball Diff Kit Traxxas Slash/Fits all Magnum 272 $55.00
Part #08118 MIP Ball Diff Re-build Kit for Slash $16.50
Part #08119 MIP Diff Gear for Slash Diff $4.00
Part #08120 MIP Female Outdrive for Slash Diff $13.50
Part #08121 MIP Male Outdrive for Slash Diff $25.00
Part #08122 MIP Output Shaft for Slash Diff $10.00

Traxxas vehicles that come with the Magnum 272 Transmission:

MIP Ball Diff #08116 will work in all seven.

1. Slash
2. Rustler VXL
3. Rustler XL-5
4. Stampede VXL
5. Stampede XL-5
6. Bandit VXL
7. Bandit XL-5

NEW PRODUCT: Xray 1/10 Pan Car GT

2009-02-11T13:24:00.000-08:00

The exciting world of 200mm 1:10 GT racing… synonymous with “speed,” “precision,” and “champions.” The ideal class for XRAY to unveil its latest engineering masterpiece: the XRAY X10 “GT version.”

Based on the all-new XRAY XII 1:12 pan-car, XRAY Project Manager Martin Hudy created the perfect platform to dominate the new World GT class of 200mm 1:10 pan cars.

Knowing that the X10 would need a versatile design — participating in classes with either open-tire rules or spec-tire rules — particular attention was paid to the rear end of the car to give it the perfect combination of rear traction, corner speed and steering under any conditions. Well-proven yet “conventional” T-bar technology again proved to make for faster and more consistent handling.

Top-quality materials such as self-developed composite mixtures, HUDY Spring Steel™, premium Swiss 7075 T6 aluminum and highest-grade graphite are part of XRAY’s signature, and the X10 has them in abundance. Designed in virtual reality using the world’s most sophisticated CAD tools, and manufactured using the world’s best machining and molding machinery, the X10 achieves a level of premium perfection in all details that is second to none. All parts are purpose-designed and manufactured by XRAY, so all parts fit and work perfectly together, with many parts fully compatible between the X10 and XII platforms.

The XRAY pedigree is carried over into the X10, allowing for a car that is very easy to build and dial in for any level of RC racer. Setup and tuning could not be easier, and exquisite quality and customer service are our promise to you. Get the holeshot, lead the pack, take the win with the new XRAY X10.

Main features:

All-new XRAY 1/10 pan-car with authentic 100% self-developed XRAY parts, designed and manufactured parts by XRAY in Europe
Legendary XRAY premium design, workmanship & material quality and unmatched attention to the finest details
Based on the conventional and proven pan car platform with redesign by legendary RC designer and XRAY’s award-winning Chief Designer - Ing. Hudy Juraj
Simple yet effective and proven design, well thought-out details, unmatched precision of all small details
Specially designed and optimized for brushless and brushed motors
High-competition design with focus on ultra-low weight, resulting in super-lightweight construction.
Optimized for indoor carpet racing as well as outdoor asphalt racing
CNC-machined chassis from custom-manufactured 2.5mm high-grade graphite material with specially-designed compound for carpet racing and asphalt racing
Chassis accommodates 4-cell battery packs for GT racing
Chassis layout optimally designed to give sufficient stiffness for excellent handling, but flexible enough to generate sufficient grip and traction
Super-narrow chassis design and layout with all weight centralized along the centerline
Chassis and rear pod features pre-drilled centerline holes for optimum weight balance adjustment using HUDY Balancing Tool #107880

Check out more features / Discuss your thoughts on the new entry to the World GT Class.

New Product: Team Associated Short Course 10

2009-01-29T11:33:00.000-08:00

Source: Associated [rc10.com]

Team Associated's website has a teaser for the new SC10 that will spell trouble for the market that Traxxas has on 1/10 Short Course trucks. Though details have yet to be released, the truck appears to be 2wd and electric. The attention to detail is impressive, and the truck looks undeniably Team Associated. If AE is able to keep this truck fairly inexpensive (+/-$250), they should definitely have a successful vehicle on their hands.

Have a look and be sure to let us all know what you think!

UPDATE: NEW PICS OF THE SC10:

Got something to say? Do it here!

Limited Edition RC8 Electric

2009-01-23T20:13:00.000-08:00

New from Team Associated:

For a limited time only, Team Associated is offering the world-famous RC8 Factory Team kit including the eConversion kit (#80930) and Factory Team 16mm ‘Big Bore’ shocks, making for the ultimate electric-powered 1:8 scale buggy!

RC8FT Electric Limited Edition Kit features:

* Factory Team threaded, hard-coated 16mm ‘Big Bore’ shocks with springs feature extra-large bladders for full volume compensation and 4mm gold shock shafts for durability
* Clear RC8e body #89523 included
* Rigid one-piece motor mount utilizes standard motor screw mounting pattern
* Molded battery tray supports 7.4-14.8V battery packs with room for foam pads
* Utilizes 3 hook-and-loop straps to secure LiPo batteries into battery tray
* Accepts two ROAR-approved 1:10 scale size 7.4v LiPo battery packs
* Receiver, servo, and battery tray remove from car in one piece for easy maintenance and cleaning
* Convenient wire routing keeps critical electronic wires out of drivetrain components and simplifies disassembly
* Large speed control mounting area raised off of chassis to allow for easy screw mounting of common speed controllers
* Speed control mounting area includes convenient switch mounting boss
* The 4.30:1 ratio gear boxes produce maximum punch allowing the RC8 to accelerate harder out of the corners and up the biggest jumps
* 4mm woven carbon fiber shock towers for maximum rigidity, strength and light weight
* Blue aluminum hexes and wheel nuts featuring nyloc providing the ultimate in security
* Wing angle and position is fully adjustable and secure
* Lightened 43-tooth diff rings make for the absolute minimum rotating-mass
* Captured outer CVD pins
* Metric hardware throughout
* Milled 3mm black hard-coated 7075 aluminum chassis
* Factory Team blue titanium turnbuckles

Note: The RC8FT Electric Limited Edition Kit does not come equipped with the parts needed for use with nitro engines. Body comes clear and requires painting. Assembly required. Tires, batteries, motor, speed control, and servo are not included and must be purchased separately.

80903
RC8FT Electric Limited Edition Kit
MSRP: $859.99
Availability: February 2009

Discuss it here!

Kyosho 1/10 RTR Nitro Desert Race Truck

2009-01-05T17:06:00.000-08:00

Kyosho has entered the 1/10 Scale CORR Truck arena with their newest vehicle, the DRT.

According to Kyosho's site:

"The New DRT (Desert Race Truck) stands alone when it comes to power, handling and overall performance. The latest spec. .18 powered race truck brings home the goods in this new era of off-road action. The advanced chassis design promises real racing performance while superior handling allows it to be easy to drive. The stable stance lets you power through the dirt even on blown out 1:8th buggy tracks and takes on big jumps without missing a beat. With power that pushes the boundaries of common sense for a 1:10 class machine, you can turn local open space into your own private desert, short course, or road race circuit. Under the advanced engineered body is the perfect chassis layout. The DRT shares many of its parts, option parts and performance with the DBX and DST. Kyosho knows what you want and the DRT is no exception, the DRT comes fully assembled and ready to hit the dirt. This will cut down on the prep time, while the other guys make you wait to have fun Kyosho brings you Nitro experience to your finger tips.

* GXR .18 - New GXR .18 now delivers monster torque and power with Kyosho?s proven reliability.
* Massive 105cc Fuel Tank - Includes newly designed 105cc fuel tank to supply the large 18-size engine. Delivers stable fuel supply even under severe driving conditions. Can deliver run times of more than 10 minutes.
* Compatibility - 80% of DST/DBX parts and option parts are compatible with the DRT.
* No Guess Work - Lower suspension arms are both the same front and rear, this takes out all the guess work with part numbers.
* Fully Interchangeable - Front / rear and left / right suspension arms, front / rear knuckles and front / rear shock stays are all interchangeable. Newly designed suspension with maintenance-friendly ball connect system.
* Dirt Proof Radio Box - Dirt-proof radio box protects the receiver and battery box from the outside elements. It can be attached or removed from the chassis with just four screws for easy maintenance.
* Fully Digital Servos - A new two-channel radio is included with the GT2. The radio features throttle and steering trim adjustments, dual-rate to simultaneously increase or reduce left and right steering travel, and servo reversing switches for both channels. The servos are the digital variety for superior response.
* Shaft Drive - The drive shafts run through the center for chassis to give you better lower CG and optimum weight balance."

Click here for more information about the DRT.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2009-01-01T01:59:00.001-08:00

2008 had it's ups and downs, but it also saw the creation of this very club! Thanks to all our loyal members and supporters! Let's make the next year and even better one, with more members, events, support, etc. Without you, BAPRCC would be nothing.

Here's to a Happy, healthy, and prosperous 2009!!

Merry Christmas!!

2008-12-25T08:16:00.000-08:00

From all of us, to all of you:

Have a very, Merry Christmas and Season's Greetings! Hopefully Santa brought you some fun new R/C toys!

Happy Hanukkah!!

2008-12-22T09:12:00.000-08:00

To All of Our Friends,

As you celebrate the Festival of Lights may your home be bright with happiness and love. Best Wishes at Hanukkah, from the Bay Area Peninsula RC Club!

NorCal Hobbies to have indoor offroad course starting soon...

2008-12-16T15:24:00.000-08:00

So those of you with RC18B/T that we used in Spec Racing or others who don't have one yet but want to see what is coming soon, check out the following thread over at RCRacing.com: http://www.rcracing.com/msgthread.cfm?t ... essages=58

It will be an indoor carpet track with jumps and obstacles for Slashes and the 1/18th scale offroad vehicles like RC18s and Vendettas. Looking like a couple of us might be trying this out. I still need to get some parts to convert my RC18R but should be fun!

Got something to say? Join the discussion!

Farewell Send Off for Club Member Armand Utan

2008-12-10T15:01:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

It is with much regret that I pass along news of one of our Member's leaving the country for an extended amount of time. In his short time with us, Armand has become a valued member of the local RC community, and a great guy to share this awesome hobby of our's with. He has been a stand up member of the BAPRC Club, and his presence will be missed.

But hey, it's not like he'll be that far away - with today's technology, it'll be easy to keep in contact with him and trade stories about what's going on here, as well as Indonesia (where he is headed).

With all this said, please join us at the "Toys 4 Tot's Race" at NorCal Dec. 20 as it will be his final RC event for quite awhile with the Northern California Crew. He'll even be donating a brand spankin' new RC vehicle to be raffled off to help cover the cost of a track tarp.

If you haven't had a chance to meet him in person, you'll get one more shot at it. Hope to see you all there, and let's all wish Armand the best of luck in the next chapter of his life!

Got something to say? Join the discussion!

New Track developing in Brisbane..?

2008-12-09T14:33:00.001-08:00

There aren't many details yet, but "Kodyh" has recently reported that a new, privately owned off-road RC track is being developed in Brisbane (near HWY 101 at Candlestick Park). We're hoping to get pictures and more information about this soon. In the mean time, we are told you can contact Daniel At 415-756-3491 for location and more information.

Brisbane, CA

View Larger Map

Check out this thread for more information.

Sneek Peak: 2nd Off-Road Track, NorCal Hobbies

2008-12-09T13:20:00.000-08:00

Hey All, NorCal Hobbies is constructing a second off-road track to compliment their current one and BAPRC club member FabolousRC has provided us with a sneek peak of it!

A few of us were there last Sunday and watched it being built (and even contributed a little bit to the effort). The current plan is to have this track be a little more "wild" than the current version (which is tailored for the Traxxas Slash). It even has a slick "over/under" feature which the Slash clears easily. Whether races will be held on it or not, is still to be determined - however, when asked about this, a NorCal "official" stated that he "definitely wants to hold races on it". Stay tuned for more details!

Got something to add? Join the discussion!

NorCal Hobbies Toys-4-Tots Race - Dec. 20-21

2008-12-05T10:43:00.001-08:00

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to share an exciting bit of news with you about an upcoming event that will benefit many kids this Holiday Season. Our good friend, John Hicks, at NorCal Hobbies had the following to say regarding this event:

Its that time of year again,and Norcal Hobbies will be throwing another Toys-4-Tots race this month. Norcal had a really nice participation last year for these races, and is hoping to have even better participation this year - all for a great cause. NorCal will have 2 seperate race dates for Onroad and Offroad.

The 1st date is Saturday Dec. 20th for the offroad portion of these races. Due to race conflicts with other venues,we wanted to make sure we have a greater chance of participation by all for this worthy cause.

The 2nd date will be Sunday Dec 21st for the Carpet portion of the Toys-4-Tots race.

Race fees are 15.00 plus a Toy for your 1st entry. 2nd entry is $5 and anything after is free! This will be a fun race that helps alot of children in need locally.Please mark these dates down and Norcal Hobbies hopes to see you all there.

Got something to add? Join the discussion!

Team Associated e-Conversion kit

2008-12-01T11:24:00.000-08:00

For those of you who have been drooling over Associated's line of 1/8 scale cars and trucks and wished they made electric counterparts, your wish has been granted! (sort of).

From Team Associated:

"The new Team Associated e-Conversion Kit has been designed for the RC8, RC8T, and SC8 to be easily and neatly converted from nitro to electric power. The e-Conversion is a well thought-out, practical design that has been engineered to work as an integral part of the chassis. Enjoying the awesome power and convenience of LiPos in your SC8, RC8 or RC8T has never been easier!

AE e-Conversion kit features:

* Rigid one-piece motor mount utilizes standard motor screw mounting pattern
* Large speed control mounting area raised off of chassis to allow for easy screw mounting of common speed controllers
* Speed control mounting area includes convenient switch-mounting boss
* Utilizes 3 hook-and-loop straps to secure LiPo batteries into battery tray
* Molded Battery tray supports 7.4-14.8V battery packs with room for foam pads
* Accepts two ROAR-approved 1:10 scale size 7.4v LiPo battery packs (#703 Reedy LiPo 5000 PRO (2), #704 Reedy LiPo 5000 w/connector (2), #705 Reedy LiPo 3200 w/connector (2), #709 Reedy LiPo 5000 35C (2))
* New sealed receiver box for proper electronics placement
* Receiver, Servo, and battery tray remove from car in one piece for easy maintenance and cleaning
* Easy bolt-in chassis installation requires no modifications!
* Convenient wire routing keeps critical electronic wires out of drivetrain components and simplifies disassembly
* Includes two pinion gears (15T, 16T) and two spur gears (46T & 50T)
* Comes with all needed hardware to mount components onto chassis
* Motor, ESC, and batteries are not included
* RC8 conversion requires RC8e body #89523

$129.99 MSRP"
Have a comment? Join the discussion!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

2008-11-27T10:54:00.000-08:00

From all of us at the Bay Area Peninsula RC Club, Have a very Happy Thanksgiving! Be sure to save room for pumpkin pie, too!

Recap: NorCal Hobbies, Nov 26 - Indoor Carpet Racing

2008-11-27T09:38:00.000-08:00

The indoor carpet racing at Norcal Hobbies ROCKED! It was sooo fun! b-dog crossed the line a hair in front of me at the end! if it was an RC18-only class we would have had a fun battle ;)

The night was awesome, b-dog and pigiron - it was awesome hanging and racing with you. fabulous, it was awesome just seeing your crazy collection of rc's - that optima is the stuff! great racing guys, i am totally hooked on carpet racing, i hate to say it, but it is way fun! you had me saucin' up tires and worrying about my line - man, i might just turn into an on-road junkie yet... 18th scale first though!

we had a really good turn out and lots of racers recognize the baprc t-shirts (we need a banner for our pit area!). there were 4 rc18s (mine, pigiron's, and b-dog's with one exotek r18 that was sweet) and then 3 tamiya minis that easily had 3 laps on us all and were sort of tanks on the track. no matter though, we let them finish 1,2,3 and we all fought over the rest of the spots. hopefully more minis show up so they can move them to there own class as they have a little more heft to them and really do take you out in their desire to pass you. near the end we were finally getting a little more aggressive and the minis were laying off a little, but it was getting brutal for a while - like slash class without the slash's! over the course of the night i think each of the baprcc RC18s took fourth place once and all 4 of the rc18s had 22 laps at the finish, so it was really close racing (see the race results).

the coolest cars of the night were the world gt cars - man, these things FLEW. i mean they really flew! they were easily faster than the TCs (13.5 tcs were getting 35 laps, world GTs around 44, 12th scales were getting in the 50s). man, they were riding on rails, definitely a sight to see.

we started racing a little after 7pm and i didnt get home until about 12:30am... nice long night of racing! but we were all pooped at the end.

it was great finally dusting off that rc18 and i am so happy i converted to 18r from 18t. it was fast and stuck on the track and just felt awesome. thanks b-dog for letting me borrow your nightline body, when i get back from my trip, i'll have to spend the rainy days dialing in that little car ;)

Got something to add? Join the discussion!

NorCal Hobbies, Nov 26 - Wed Night Indoor Carpet Racing

2008-11-24T18:47:00.000-08:00

Hey All,

A few guys are talking about heading down to NorCal Hobbies this Wednesday evening for some indoor carpet racing. Most guys from our club will be running RC18R's, but any on road car can be driven there. What better way to kick off the Holiday Season?!

It looks like we'll have about 3-4 guys there for sure. If anyone else would like to come, you should definitely do so! We need some other club members faces to make some appearances!

I've got plenty of room in my car, so if anyone wants a ride, feel free to ask! You can check out the latest information about this in our message boards .

Hope to see you all there!
-Bryan

NorCal Hobbies - Sat, Nov 22 - "Turkey Shoot Out"

2008-11-21T22:19:00.000-08:00

Looks like NorCal is doing their 3rd annual "Turkey Shootout" this coming Saturday, with Turkey and Pies for the top 3 in their classes. A handful of BAP-RC Club members will be attending. Whether you plan on racing or not, you should definitely come out to witness the action! Racing usually begins aroun 9:30-10AM. Club Members will be there earlier than that to set up their pit tables and get some warm up laps in.

You can check this thread in our message boards for more information.

New Product: Protoform LTC-R Sedan Body

2008-11-18T11:34:00.000-08:00

Proline releases new 1/10 TC body. This Global Body Spec ready race body is designed specifically for rubber tire racing whether it’s on a carpet or a paved surface racetrack. It was designed with slightly more steering ability than the Mazda 6 and Mazda Speed 6 body styles, yet a bit less aggressive than the Protoform R9-R body. To further aid balance and rear grip the wing mounting location that’s slightly more rearward. The LTC-R features two trim lines, one for IFMAR, EFRA, ROAR, JMCRA racing at the 115mm height as well as the BRCA’s 120mm height rule. The oversize rear wing helps performance on a poor-grip surface that’s commonly experienced in club racing but also incorporates trim lines for sanctioned style racing. Available in 2 different weights of genuine lexan and comes with protective film, decals and wing mounting hardware.

Courtesy of www.redrc.net

Member's Rides - Featured Car: Tamiya Durga (Owner: Armand Utan)

2008-11-12T13:57:00.000-08:00

Hello All!

I'm excited to announce a new feature of this blog that will provide more insight into our Club Members, and their R/C Vehicles. As with real cars, you can tell a lot about a person by looking at their RC car. What kind of style do they have? Are they laid back, aggressive, fuctional, maticulous, etc. From time to time, we'll take a closer look at some of our Member's rides, and get all the details from: specs of the car, how long that Member has owned it, what it has meant to it's owner, how much damage it's taken, races it's participated in, etc.

In our first ever "Member's Rides - Featured Car", we'll be taking a look at Club Member Armand Utan's (aka: FabolousRC) Tamiya Durga.

When asked to give us a summary of his experience with his Durga, Armand had this to say:

"I decided to get back to my off-road roots after unsuccessfully trying to live up to my own expectations in touring. I had looked at several cars before I decided to purchase a Tamiya Durga. Prior to purchasing, I had narrowed my choices down to either Tamiya or Kyosho but the Lazer ZX-5 was too cost prohibitive at the time and the Dark Impact was hampered by the knightmares of a short wheelbase chassis and limited (stock build) gear adjustment - Not to mention the standard gearbox wouldn't withstand brushless motor use (which was new to me at the time) . After reading a lot of positive reviews regarding the Durga, I purchased one from TowerHobbies. It was pricey, but I felt it showed a lot of promise. After I received my new vehicle, I brought the body to Lex Tyler and had it painted."

"While the body was being painted, I began work on building my new ride. It took me three weekends to complete the car, which included replacing some of the kit screws with stainless steel screws I had leftover from my touring car (which would make the car much easier to work on)."

Parts that have been broken on the car:

- Rear shock tower; twice. Handling related.
- Rear gearbox cover. "When I broke the shock tower the first time, I had to replace my shock tower with the carbon reinforced one. Well, the carbon reinforced one was so strong, it tore the shock tower mount on the soft plastic on the gear cover
So now, the gear cover is once again carbon reinforced and it was so strong, the shock tower broke again. This time from the bottom up instead of from the top."

"Generally, the Durga is a pretty durable car. If you tuen the car right, it is pretty nimble and fast. If you tune it wrong like my car, it is a NIGHTMARE! (no pun intended)."

Future Durga Projects:

"I am planning to build a Durga with all the carbon parts I have. I am currently saving up for the carbon chassis and the TRF501X original shocks. Why TRF501X original shocks instead of the DB01 optional shocks or the Aeration Shocks? The plastic shocks shaft on the Durga is shorter than all of them. It was actually perfect for the car because it kept the car level when the shocks sagged when fully equipped with the battery."

"DB01 Optional shocks and Aeration Shocks are much longer which puts the car higher off the ground, effectively raising the center of gravity. The original 501X shocks are similar to the plastic shocks in shaft length which mimicked the handling of the Durga. This car is intended to be a TCS only car, which gives me a lot of freedom in experimenting with the current car that I drive."

Now for the details and specs:

"Currently, I have the following Tamiya Options on this car":

- 54015 Tamiya Assembly Universal Shaft Front DB01
- 54016 Tamiya Assembly Universal Shaft Rear DB01
- 54018 Tamiya Slipper Clutch Set DB01
- 54035 Tamiya Carbon Reinforced L Parts Steering Arm DB01 (Center Cover Only)
- 54037 Tamiya DB01 Aluminum Suspension Mount Front
- 54038 Tamiya DB01 Aluminum Suspension Mount Rear
- TRF501X Steel Outdrives

"I'm in the process of installing these after-market parts":
- 3Racing DB01-01/LB Aluminium Front and Rear Damper Set For DB-01
- Avid RC Rubber Shielded Revolutions bearings

Electronics:

- Futaba S9402 HS HT MG Servo (non-Digital). "It is about as fast and as powerful non digital servo you can get and I have been using it since my touring days. It never disappoints me. It is a single most effective investment I ever made".
- LRP Sphere TC Brushed/Brushless Lipo ready ESC. "The hobby shop 'made me' by this. I still have not quite tinkered with it yet to the point that the setting is exactly how I want to run. I kinda screwed up while setting it up from the default setting."
- Novak 10.5 R Sensored Brushless motor (sintered rotor). "Awesome motor and highly recommended".
- Spektrum 3000 2.4Ghz Receiver with KO EX-1/EX-10 module. "I originally ran the car with a DX3.0 and it was a tad slow in reaction time. Then I was able to acquire a module for my EX-1 Mars which makes my car 10x faster in reaction. I had to readjust (still readjusting) on how I drive the car because the car is so much more sensitive to slight changes now."

Future Electronics equipment:

- Ko Propo 2123FET. "Fastest Digital Brushed Servo in the world. The part that worries me is that, the car is already super twitchy with the S9402 and how much XXXX times does the 2123FET is going to make it worse or is it going to be actually better (because I might be able to countersteer better)".
- Fantom Racing 10.5R motor. "Fantom was famous for churning modified Trinity stock and modified brushed motor in the past so their brushless effort remained to be seen. Honestly, I like it because the motor can is green which matches with the car".
- Venom Brushless ESC - " - See the reason of Fantom Racing 10.5R motor. Yes, it is green".

Battery: Team Orion Rocket Pack 5000mah Nimh Stick pack; Radio Shack GP3300 Stick Packs.

Shoes: Tamiya DB01 Fr/Rr Black Wheels or JConcepts Rulux B44 Fr/Rr with Team Losi Taper Pins Fr/BK Bars Rr or Panther Racing Bobcat 4WD Fr/Switch 2.0 Rr

Charger: Team Integy 16x7Pro; Duratrax ICE

Power Supply: Rivergate 15A

Great stuff, Armand! Thanks for sharing so many details about your ride!
To check out other Member's Rides, check out our Message Boards.

Drift Basics

2008-11-12T11:32:00.001-08:00

Just thought I'd share this video describing RC Drifting basics - courtesy of HPI. Man, these look like so much fun!

REMINDER: Club Trip Nov 14-15, LakePort Hobbies - Clear Lake

2008-11-10T11:36:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone,

A few BAP-RC Members are planning a weekend get-away trip to Lakeport Hobbies in Clear Lake for this coming weekend!! If you haven't already indicated whether you would like to come, now is the time to do so!! To find out more about this trip, and let us know if you plan on coming, check out our message boards. Again, if you are interested in coming, the more the merrier! This invite is open to everyone - even those of you who check out this site, but for some reason haven't "officially joined The Club"! :)

Check out this thread in the 'boards for additional information about Lakeport Hobbies.

You can see more pictures and video of their facility and events by going to http://www.lakeporthobbies.com/

New Product: Reedy Micro Brusless System

2008-11-06T12:37:00.001-08:00

As mentioned on our message boards, Reedy & Team Associated have joined in on the Micro/Mini Brushless Motor and Electronic Speed Control bandwagon.
ESC Specifications:

Cells: 2‐3 LiPo, 6‐8 NiMH
On Resistance: 0.1Ω
Brakes: Proportional
Reversible: Yes, w/Brakes Only Option
Low Voltage Cutoff: Adjustable
Dimensions: 35mm x 26mm x 21mm
Weight w/Wires: 31g (1.1oz)
Power Wires: 16AWG Silicone
Connector Type: Motor/3.5mm socket, Battery/none
Motor Specifications:

Cells: 2‐3 LiPo, 6‐8 NiMH
Diameter: 22.5mm
Length: 33.6mm
Shaft Diameter: 2.0mm
Weight: 57g

Available in these motor variations:
5000kV
5500kV
6100kV
7000kV
8000kV
9500kV

Want to learn more? Join the discussion!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

2008-10-31T09:33:00.000-07:00

From all of us at BAP-RC, Have a fun, happy, and safe Halloween!

Off-Road Track Review: Norcal Hobbies' New Layout

2008-10-27T16:37:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

I headed out to Norcal Hobbies last Sunday for a few hours of practice. I focused on improving my driving with the B44 and was excited to see the new track layout. IT IS AWESOME!

The track has amazing flow! By the end of the day I was able to push it hard and get in the rhythm and it felt great! The front of the track features a nice big table top jump that wont break (as many) cars. just after that there are a series of corners and a hairpin that leads into a corner table with a single mini jump just after it. Kevin Jelich (the track's designer) apparently hits that table wide and clears it and the mini jump, I tried it and its a pretty tricky thing to pull off cleanly.

After another tight turn there is a double and then a turn into a long step-up leading into another high speed double, then a hair pin into the back straight. This progression is super fun once you get the flow!

The back straight is very fast with an elevation change about half way through and a slow climb after into a chicane area. Hitting full throttle on the back straight is awesome and super fun to watch as the cars bump over the elevation changes and slow hard for the end turn into the chicane.

Another fast, tight turn takes you into a set of doubles then a wide turn back to the front table jump.

The track is now being run wet so I ran my M3 holeshots. they worked great! Tire wear is good but only as the track stays wet. When it starts to dry, it gets slippery and the tires start to wear faster. I will try the harder R3 compound next time around to see if the wearing is better. During races they lightly water before every heat so hopefully I can make it a couple of race days with one set of tires (right now I am about one race day and maybe one heat on a single set of tires).

There are a lot of jumps, but no car breakers like we've been used to. I love the crazy air from the other layouts, but there is enough action on this track that I didnt miss it at all. Also, they took a lot of the infield piping and cut it in half so Slash trucks and biggues wont get stuck on them. Even my B44 had no trouble getting out of a jam if I miss-jumped and ended up off the track.

Awesome track, Kevin Jelich and crew have done it again!

Any thoughts? Join the discussion!

-Hopbot

ROAR Region 12 Race @ Ripon 10/25 - 26

2008-10-22T15:29:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know, there is a BIG race coming up this weekend for on-road RC enthusiasts. Ripon will be holding a ROAR Region 12 Race on October 25-26. A few of our Club Members will be out there participating in this awesome 2-day event.

Good Luck, gentlemen!!

For more information about this event, check out this thread in our message boards.

New RC World Record: 161.78mph!

2008-10-14T19:37:00.000-07:00

The world speed record has been broken yet again. Nic Case has done it again! From Schumacker Racing ...

"Nic Case drove his stretched Schumacher Mi3 “streamliner” straight and true down the Rockingham drag strip to set a brand new world record for top speed achieved with an RC car this Saturday. He posted 155mph on his first run to shatter his previous record, and his second run extended the new record to an incredible 161.78mph!

The International Speed Challenge event hosted by the Rockingham drag strip and race directed by Billy Weeks was a well attended entire day of high speed running on a world class surface. Using ROSSA rules and speed record standards, the event attracted many top names in RC drag racing and speed running to try their hand in a controlled and official atmosphere. David Akers even “crossed the pond” with a great showing from the UK to make it a truly international event.

Schumacher USA Sales Manager Shawn Palmer narrowly missed wins in three classes, and took second place by less than 1mph with his Fusion 28 RTR nitro sedan and his CORE lipo and Speed Passion powered Mi3.5 Race touring sedan."

To check out pictures of this incredible vehicle, GO HERE.

MeetUp: NorCal Hobbies - OffRoad, Saturday 10/11

2008-10-10T12:40:00.000-07:00

Hey All,

Looks like we have a decent number of club members headed out to NorCal Hobbies this Saturday for some off-road action. To see whose coming and let everyone know if we should expect to see you there, check the 'boards.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Weekend Trip: Lakeport Hobbies Raceway; Nov 15-16

2008-10-07T14:24:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,

The Club is currently planning a weekend get-away trip to Lakeport Hobbies in Clear Lake!! They recently completed construction on their slick looking indoor offroad track, and have invited us up to participate in one of their Sunday race programs. This facility runs every Sunday - Rain or Shine!Needless to say, we are all excited to check out their facility! To find out more about this trip, check out our message boards.

If you are interested in coming, the more the merrier! This invite is open to everyone - even those of you who check out this site, but for some reason haven't "officially joined The Club"! :)

Check out this thread in the 'boards for additional information about Lakeport Hobbies.

You can see more pictures and video of their facility and events by going to http://www.lakeporthobbies.com/

Recap: Mini-Z Shopping Mall Race - Inside Line Racing

2008-10-01T17:16:00.000-07:00

Our friends over at Inside Line Racing have provided us with a re-cap of their recent Mini-Z Shopping Mall Enduro Race that took place on Sept. 20, 2008. Here is what Binh from ILR had to say:

"Second time back to the mall was an experience. All aspects of the set-up went pretty well. I even had time to get the lap timing system going early to test and see if it was working properly. And the timing worked perfect during practice. Twelve o’clock rolled around and time for racing. All the cars were on grid, horn went off and we were racing. Only one small problem, one of the teams was not counting. I had to then re-boot the system and try again. I tired everything I could think of to get the system back up. I finally figured out that somehow the tile floor was interfering with the RF loop. I then placed the loop on the track and we were back racing. The only problem now was that there was a little bump before the timing system, which made is more exciting for the fans. As the cars went by they jumped a little. It was fun to watch. We ran five one hour mains to determine the winner.

The first main went down to the wire with Team 2 (Perez, Jaime, Fraz) winning by just four laps. Hernandez kept his team in the hunt with consistent fast laps. He was running a mod AWD and was certainly the fastest car on the track all day. The first race came down to who was more consistent on the track. At this point most teams did not really have a strategy yet. Teams 1 through 7 were separated by 101 laps. Winning team had 376 laps.

First main results.

In the second main, Team 2 had problems early on and was fighting from the back of the pack most of the race. Team 3 (Tony, Stephen, Randy) knew that if they did not win the second main it would be very hard to win the last three to finish on top. With that in mind they took over lead from Team 4 (Hernandez, Art B, Hello Moto) once Hernandez had to go in for a battery change. The AWD was faster but it required more battery stops. From lap 85 to the end of the main, Team 3 did not look back and easily won by 14 laps. Team 4 once again came in third. Team 5 (Steven, Oscar, Art M) showed improvement in the second main but could not run down Team 4. Winning team had 383 laps.

Second main results

Team 2 restored the order in the third main. It was not easy though. There was a very close race between Teams 2, 3, and 4 with many lead changes. Hernandez put down the fastest lap so far in the day, 7.80. This was the closes race so far with Team 2 winning by just 9.70 seconds. Team 2 at this point put up the most number of laps, 388. Every team by now has stepped up their lap count and the racing was getting very close. Teams 1 though 7 were now only separated by 64 laps.

Third main results

In the fourth main Team 3 evened things up at two a piece with Team 2. They were now knotted and the final main would decide the champion. Early on in this main, Team 4 looked to be the clear winner. Hernandez put them out in front early and his team put up consistent laps to keep the lead late into the race. Team 4 had the lead until lap 346. The modified AWD needed a battery change and a new driver. At this point they had a 7 lap lead and it was going to be up to his team to hold on for the victory. However with Steve Perez and Stephen chasing you down, it would be a hard task for anyone. Perez and Stephen eventually ran down Team 4 and Team 3 won by 13.98 seconds. Team 3 now had the highest lap count with 389 laps.

Forth main results

In the last main, Hernandez was determined to get his team a main victory and he left it all on the track. He put down some the fastest lap of the day in the last main. Team 3 came out fast and lead every lap except for 20 laps. The last main was the best main of the day. Every team got faster on the track in faster with their pit/driver changes. At lap 269 Stephen came in for Team 3’s last driver change. That driver change put him into second place with 18 minutes to race. Perez was on the track for Team 2 and his team decided to let him just come in for a battery change and do a back to back driving stint to finish the race. Now imagine 15 minutes left and you, in this case Stephen, have a small two lap lead over Perez with an eternity to drive (15 minutes). We had a good sized crowd gathered now and the pressure was on. Which ever team won this last main was going to be the mall champion. The gap was bouncing around at 1 or 2 laps the whole time. There was complete concentration and the crowd was getting into it. In the end Stephen’s youth might have played a role in the victory. Team 3 now put up the most laps of the day with 395 laps.

Fifth main results

Thank you to all the racers that came out and raced. You all deserved to win. I would also like to thank Joel Johnson won sent a great raffle prize, and ASF car. The winner was a seven year old boy. I would like to thank PN for send raffle prizes. Iron man of the race was Mike aka GoFast. He teamed up with his 7 year old son and his son’s 7 year old friend. This meant that Mike did most of the driving. Good job Mike, rest your arm. I will get the lap times up soon."

Official Results:

1^st Place: Team 3 Stephen Bui, Randy Luu, Tony Truong 48 pts

2^nd Place: Team 2 Steve Perez, John Frazier, Jaime M 47 pts

3^rd Place: Team 4 Jonanthan Hernandez, Art B, Hello Moto 40 pts

4^th Place: Team 5 Steven Huynh, Oscar Y, Art M 32 pts

5^th Place: Team 7 Binh Do, Alan A, Layman Reid 26 pts

5^th Place: Team 6 Mike Ma, Adrian, Matthew 26 pts

5^th Place: Team 1 Eric Vasutin, Ken Brumblay, Hung Nguyen 26 pts

For more information about Mini-Z's and Inside Line Racing, check out their site:

http://www.insidelineracing.com/

Recap: West Coast Touring Car King's Race @ Marin R/C 9/27-28

2008-09-30T13:22:00.000-07:00

The Marin R/C West Coast Touring Car King's Race turned out to be an awesome 2-day event and thanks go out to all who set it up, and a big congratulations to those who placed in all classes!!

Recap provided by club member Justin "Catalyst" Bowden (Who placed 2nd in a stacked 17.5 class!! Congrats!):

"Thanks again to Jesse and crew who put on a really unique race format that was the most fun and best competition for any race I've personally been involved with! Those that missed the race really missed out. Competition was thick in all classes and even with money on the line, and talent in the entire field - there were no problems whatsoever. It was well organized, and everyone in attendance appeared to be having a great time!

Time Trials were a great idea and hopefully this becomes something done on the club level more often. It raised the bar for events to come and despite the competitive spirit of the racers, it actually seemed to build some comraderie between racers as we all stood and cheered each driver on.

Cash prizes were thought by some to possibly bring out the worst in racers but this wasn't even an issue. All those in attendance were serious but there were no issues in tech, no problems with attitudes on the track, clean racing, and even with a couple early computer glitches - people just rolled with it and kept in the spirit of having a good time!

Track records were shattered - and for me personally, I broke into laptimes I've never ran. Track conditions were excellent on Sunday and Jesse is a master of knowing how to get the right balance for fast lap times. Even in practice - seeing some of California's best put in insanely fast laps was quite the spectacle!

The apple crisp changed lives! It was great to see the racers being shown appreciation for supporting the local venue.

Congratulations to all those who made the podium! Jeremy was the man to beat all weekend in 17.5 and never fell of his pace. Lex had a seriously hooked up car and his line amazes me. He showed up with the crown and is a local King! EJ - wow what a main in 10.5...seeing you KJ and Jesse start with inches between you all for a few laps blew my mind! MiniMod ran strong all weekend and gave everyone serious competition and placed in both 10.5 and 13.5 to back up his TQ from the Time Trials.

Thanks again for offering such a great event with Special thanks to Jesse Stark, Christian and Marin R/C, Joe Nolasco with live webcam, sound, organization and all, Blake and 707paint.net for donating the awesome bodies, ABR for hooking up the baker to serve us up apple crisp, and a quick shout to Mendoza for being cool and watching his significant other fill in for the no show trophy girl!"

Videos of the A-Mains (courtesy of "ZoomZoomer" - www.rcracing.com boards):

10.5 Qualifier featuring KevinJ, EJ Evan and Lex Tyler

10.5 A-Main

17.5 A-Main

For more photos, check out this thread on the RCRacing message boards.

New Product: Traxxas Slash Todd LeDuc (Rockstar) "wrap".

2008-09-24T13:43:00.000-07:00

Upgrade RC (the makers of our BAP-RC Club decals) recently released a new Todd LeDuc (Rockstar) replica "wrap" for the Traxxas Slash. This is yet another option for Slash owners looking to give their ride a custom look, and something that will set them apart from all the other's running the stock red/blue bodies.

West Coast Touring Car King's Race @ Marin R/C 9/27-28

2008-09-19T10:50:00.000-07:00

Marin R/C in San Rafael California is hosting their 2 day event the weekend of September 27th and 28th. This is a Touring Car only onroad racing event that is really going to be the premier race for this facility this year. Track Director Jesse Stark has been cooking up some new, never seen format options and fellow R/C enthusiast Joe Nolasco is working on entertainment with music and a earth shaking sound system.

What's new in this format? Well here's a statement from Jesse regarding how this race will be run over the two day weekend:

"When I starting thinking about the idea of putting this race together, my first thought was we need a 2 day race at Marin at some point this year because we need some sort of signature race. For the most part, the Marin track has really established itself and has had a steady amount of entries through out the whole year and I'm very thankful for all the racers who have been so supportive and I know I'm speaking for the guys at the shop also who appreciate the good racing we've been having too. I just wanted to do something different than the same old format I've been seeing for the past 15 years. I kicked around some ideas about having quarterfinals, semi-finals and mains like BMX or Motocross does and taking the top 4 of each heat instead of the usual "race against the 5 minute clock" we all use in RC now. Probably a little to much for me to handle something like that right now, but maybe down the road I will develop that idea into something. So until then I came up with this. We all have raced for trophies before, so I wanted to step it up to a money race. We all have done 3 quals and a main before, so I wanted to step it up to individual time trails."

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Here is the format:

Classes:
Stock 17.5 Sedan (Sportsman)
Super Stock 13.5 Sedan (Expert)
Spec Mod 10.5 Sedan

Saturday:
Open practice from 9:00am-11:30am

Individual Time Trials 12:00pm

First round of individual time trials will start at noon beginning with 17.5. Each driver will hit the track solo for 8-10 laps. We will take your single best lap time out of those laps. There will be a total of 2 rounds of Individual Time Trials for the 3 classes followed by 1 Round of Qualifying on Saturday

(i.e. - Let's say you are racing 13.5 and your single best lap time in the trials is a 12.7. That 12.7 might be 3rd fastest overall out of let's say 20 drivers on Saturday. You earned yourself a "3 seed". You will start 3rd on the grid in the first 2 rounds of qualifying. There will be 2 rounds of individual time trials. If you don't improve your lap time in the 2nd round, your single best lap time is what is seeded regardless of which round of trials it's from)

Whoever TQ's the Saturday Time Trials in each class will win a free painted sedan body donated by a premier painter on the West Coast - Blake Cannon from 707paint.net!!!

Sunday:
Open practice 8:30-9:50

3 total Rounds of Qualfying 10:00

The racers who show up on Sunday only will be seeded to the back for that 1st Round of Qualifying on Sunday mourning. There will be a re-sort after that round to update the Qualifying Heats.

After Qualifying is completed the Mains will be run based on those results.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This will truly be a do not miss event in the bay area for 1:10 scale onroad Touring Car racing. Not only is the format unique but there is an added bonus...Ca$h Prizes to be paid to top 3 places in each class. Yes that's correct - Cash Prizes!!!

In addition there are some Sponsors for this race including the host Marin R/C, Schumacher U.S.A, 707Paint.net and NorCalRC.com.

For more information you can follow the thread on RCRacing.com or call the Marin R/C shop at (415) 454-0122‎.

Hope to see everyone out there!

-Catalyst

Want to comment? Join the Discussion!

Slash 2 Hour Enduro Race: Sat. Sep. 20, 3:00PM @NorCal Hobbies

2008-09-18T17:20:00.002-07:00

If you haven't heard by now, this Saturday afternoon, there will be an event like none other in the Bay Area taking place at NorCal Hobbies in Union City. The event will be a 2 hour Traxxas Slash Enduro Race that will consist of (at least) 3 man teams. You can check out the rules in the flier below. Be sure to come down and be a part of the fun - whether you wish to join in, or just check out the non-stop action - it's sure to be a blast!! Team BAPRC will be fielding a team for this race, so root us on!! There will also be a raffle for a brand new Traxxas Slash that anyone can purchase tickets for.

Got a comment? Join the Discussion!

Off-Road Racing Report: NorCal Hobbies 09/13/08

2008-09-16T06:29:00.000-07:00

Hey there all, we had a great time at norcal Saturday! I pitted with Pigiron (thanks for letting me have a table PI!) and Fabrc brought his air compressor by (totally useful, thanks man!) Darksoul was also there (great chatting with you and frank!). There were A LOT of people there yesterday, I left a little after 5pm and they still had mains to run!

The new addition to the track, called the "rythm section", is a series of 6 mini jumps right after the hairpin that leads into the step down jump. This was pretty painful in every class. Things got really shaken up and we saw what usually are the fastest cars on the track (4wd mods) lose out to the 2wd 13.5 drivers - I think those bumps really changed everyone's game.

The slashes actually handled it well since they had some good ground clearance. The 4wd mod class had it pretty bad since you could get stuck on the apex of the mini jump and be stuck there spinning your wheels! The jumps were hard to master but at some point everyone KNEW what to do, doing it consistently was the difficult part.

Double-double-double was the easiest way to tackle it, but if you missed that first double, you were either on your lid or singling the next 4 or 5 little jumps. It was pretty brutal. some of the pros were triple-tripling it, but even they could not do it every lap so a lot of time was lost there.

Slash
Darksoul, Pigiron and I all raced slash. This was fun as usual! They combined the mains into one big 10-car main, which I think is still too many slashes on the track at once. With a handful of really good pro-level drivers and so much traffic to contend with, it's just a lot of big trucks to have to deal with. I am not sure how the other guys placed, but I managed to come from dead last and finish 5th.

The guy to beat in slash was James Arluck. He's definitely a seasoned expert on the track, but his slash was really fast! he was running the 23t pinion, but the power was there to really take him over the jumps, and far! I actually had a 19t pinion (from the 23t) for the added torque and Arluck's looked like it had even more! This seems to substantiate the claims I have read in other forums that the quality of the titan motors can vary greatly. This was only my 4th outing with the slash and my motor is feeling way sluggish.

Work had me super slammed all week so I didn't get to do the overhaul I wanted on my cars (again!) but i burned the midnight oil to completely clean out out the slash, re-lube the transmission and rebuild all the shocks with new o-rings. I made some minor tweaks to the front suspension (heavier oil) and I loved the way it handled. I just need more speed out of that titan motor!

My suggestion for the slash: break in a few motors (use the water break in) and test which is faster. I'm going to break in my spare motor and maybe get another, break that in and test before I race slash again - I dont have a lot of runs on my current motor, I broke it in and i clean and lube it before every race, but it's feeling slow - hopefully the other motor works better.

Rookie
PigIron rocked it in rookie with his Losi XXX-CR - he did great! He didn't get much practice time because he broke a caster block. Super prepared with some spares, he made the fix and did fairly well in the qualifiers. He really turned up the heat in the main with some solid and steady driving that sealed him a 2nd place finish! Congrats PigIron!

We had been discussing earlier in the day about how rookie is actually pretty difficult as there are some seasoned rookies in there as well as the really novice drivers. some on road folks start out in rookie even though they have excellent driving skills and some rookies have been in there for a while. The difficult thing is there isn't an easy graduation point from rookie. For example, any rookie with a 4wd automatically goes to 4wd mod, one of the more competitive classes at the track (hence me being thrown into the fray ) - it would be great if there was a middle stage, some sort of sportsman level for 2wd and 4wd, where you are better than rookie, but not having to battle it out with the pro level drivers right from the start.

PigIron also took a few laps with the Golden Fox (his TC4) on the on-road course in preparation for the Sunday Marin event, his setup looked solid!

4WD Mod
4WD Mod was fun, but hard! I hadn't had any practice time from my rookie race a few weekends ago and I was anticipating being pretty slow - and I was! I started to feel a bit battered by the time the mains came as I just couldn't break out of rookie driving habits. slow-n-steady doesn't win races in 4wd mod

I ended up in the C-Main and had decided that I would just drive as aggressively as possible (for me) - not try and fly off the track or anything, but really push harder than I have in past races. this mental shift really paid off! I was clearing the front triples consistently and I was finally going full throttle on the back straight. I ended up in a battle for first with Brice Arnold- lot's of lead changes and really aggressive driving by both of us. It was really fun and totally exhilarating. I actually felt some freedom to push it once I started to clear the triples and not worry about breaking. I managed to hang on to the lead and it really made my day - I had thoughts in qualifying that I didnt belong in 4wd mod but this race really was fun! I wish I had driven as hard during qualifying, and certainly will push it harder now that I've broken through that mental barrier.

Another great day at the track. Thanks again Pigiron for the awesome pit area, we had a few guys out there representing the club (Fabrc, Darksoul, Pigiron)! I cant wait for the next one!
-Michelangelo "Hopbot"

Want to comment? Join the Discussion!

Recap: Slash Bash @ Mother's Raceway - 9/10/08

2008-09-15T10:36:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone for coming out! It was nice to see some newer faces and other Club members (Marco "PigIron", Jessie "Wharthog", Steve "Badboy", & Armand "faboulousRC") Turnout was a little low due to a few regulars being busy - in addition to a few others having to cancel last minute -We missed you guys!! It was still a great time out.
If we continue to see a strong Slash presence, we'll have to try and incorporate some new jumps designed for that size vehicle - the tabletop we were using was from our 1/18 scale Spec Class - so it got a little more abuse than it was designed for.
We'll also need to bring out an additional set of lights since the days are definitely getting shorter now.

Hope to see you all at the next one! You can find more pictures here.

Racing Report: GroundPounders Club Event - September 7th, 2008

2008-09-09T21:49:00.000-07:00

The GroundPounders event on September 7th was a blast! I headed out very, very early on Sunday morning and met fellow club member Justin (aka: Catalyst) at his place to carpool up to Windsor CA, where the GP Club holds their monthly races. They put on quite a good event. Apparently, the turnout was one of the best in recent times with 118 entries! There were 21 different races with various on-road electric and nitro cars including: oval, touring cars and pan cars just to name a few - and of course, the featured Traxxas Slash race. There were three different jumps and roughly 16 slashes bumbling around the track! It made for fantastic entertainment for the crowd of people that had gathered throughout the day to watch the racing. The winner received an enormous trophy!The BAPRC Club had a strong showing. Marco (PigIron) took the win in Novice Oval, while I (Bryan aka "B-Dog") and Catalyst won the Novice Electric Touring Car and Slash B-Main (which bumped him into the A-Main) respectively. Everyone at the event was very friendly and helpful, which provided a great atmoshpere. All in all it was an awesome day of racing and we are all looking forward to the next one! Thanks again to everyone involved.

While there aren't a ton, you can check out the rest of the pictures here.

Meet Up Tomorrow Evening, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 7:00PM

2008-09-09T12:01:00.000-07:00

Hey All,

We will be meeting up tomorrow evening at Mother's Raceway in Foster City at 7:00PM. The track will be open for general driving and we will have a good group of Slashes out there as well.

To find out more information, check the boards here.

As always, please feel free to come down and either participate or just check out the fun!

New Product: Pro-Line Desert Rat for Traxxas Slash

2008-09-03T17:09:00.000-07:00

Here comes the flood! This is the second body option Pro-line has thrown out there for avid Slash owners in less than a month. Slash races are going to start looking just like the real thing soon.Straight from the Pro-Line site:

"The Desert Rat reaps in that bold, off-road desert look. It’s extremely pronounced fenders give it an attack-like stance, low profile styling make for fast straight-line speed, and it’s equipped with simulated side mirrors just like the full-scale Trophy trucks. Exceptional detail throughout including bed shrouding, radiator and extreme shock detail including reservoirs just behind the cab. And not too worry it’s made from genuine GE .040 thick lexan, so it’s as durable as the punishment you throw at it."

Price: $35.00 Thanks to Knytemare for the heads up.

Off-Road Racing Report: NorCal Hobbies 08/30/08

2008-09-03T06:46:00.000-07:00

This last race day at Norcal Hobbies was absolutely awesome! I pitted with B-dog, which was a blast! Lots of people are recognizing the shirts now. We pitted just across the table from some nice guys who have seen the BAPRCC shirts up at Marin RC and had some great things to say about our on-road racer Catalyst - who is building quite a name for himself on the asphalt, go Cat!

The day was just phenomenal! Definitely the best race day I have ever had! I didn't get a chance to do my normal tear downs of the B44 and Slash during the week, so I wasn't feeling too confident when we arrived. I hit the track as soon as possible to practice and get the B44 and slash dialed - I raced Rookie and Slash classes again.

Rookie Class
With the B44, I managed to pull 1st place in the first rookie qualifier, and 2nd place in the second one. I ended up taking 1st in the rookie a main - a lap and a half up on second place! Man, that is the best I have ever done! Still not amazing lap times, but during the qualifiers John Hicks (the announcer) told me it was time to move out of rookie and race with the big boys, so I will be in 4wd mod the next time I race there. Wow, I am stoked! While my lap times are good for rookie, I need to shave off at least 5 seconds to even have a chance at the top 5 spots in 4wd mod, so I got a lot of learning to do! I'm just so totally happy, it's ridiculous

Here's a video B-Dog took of the Rookie A-Main race:

Slash Class
With the Slash, I was feeling way better on the track compared to the last few times out - I'm finally learning to adjust my style and not drive it like the B44 all the time Before the weekend and inspired by club member Badger, I took a lot of cans of Tamiya paint and painted over the stock Slash body - this grabbed a lot of attention on the track as it stood out and actually ended up feeling sort of CORR-style. thanks for the idea Badger!

I managed a 3rd place finish with the Slash in the second qualifier, which felt great. That put me in the pole position for the B-main (we had lots of Slashes as usual, so we ended up with A and B mains) - I was totally happy with this as I usually have a pretty poor showing with the Slash.

B-Dog pulled in a second place finish in qualifying after making some suspension changes - he's really taken to the Slash class and has progressed quickly over the last few races. While some house transponder issues plagued him, he solidified a spot in the Slash A-Main! Congrats B-Dog!

The 1st and 2nd finishers from the B-Main would get bumped into the A-Main so that put the pressure on a bit as I really wanted to get bumped up. I tried to drive clean and stay away from any tangles on the track and it paid off - I finished 1st and got bumped into the A main! Man, i would have never imagined it, especially not with the Slash. Lot's of awesome drivers to contend with in the A-main, including B-Dog! I managed a 5th place finish with B-Dog coming close after me in 7th. I am stoked about this considering the talent in that race - watch out for Team BAPRC!

All in all, an amazing day! Once again, it was awesome pitting with B-dog. Club member fabulousRC was also on the track that day and Fullmetalgrave and Nacho2oo2 made it out to watch. We also added a new member, Darksoul, who races in the Slash class as well and is the guy to chat with if you are into large scale RC (1/8 scale and bigger)!

Watch out 4wd mod class, I'll be tearing it up from last place for a while

Places To Drive: "Cowabunga" - Foster City

2008-08-25T17:14:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday - after a long day of racing at NorCal Hobbies - I decided to stop by an old stomping ground I frequented with my bike as a kid - known by many names, such as "The Pit" and my favorite, "Cowabunga". I was tired and really wanted to go home and relax, but something kept urging me on to at least take a look. I had been recommending this spot to others as a good "basher" spot for months, but still hadn't been there to see it myself in years.

I'm glad I did!

Now, this is a bashing area folks! By my guestimate - this area was created sometime back in the 70's by kids looking for a spot to ride their BMX bikes - and some 30+ years later, it's still here and is better than ever. I'm not sure who maintains this area, but it definitely looks like it's increased in size and quality from my memories of it as a kid.

Many of the jumps there are just ridiculous, but if you run a mod or something with a little "oomph", you just might clear some of these monster jumps Just make sure to bring spare parts!
There are a few tame areas, with some smaller jumps - and I think this could be a pretty neat place to do some BAPRCC Spec Slash races. It's worth noting that the surface is very loose, so be prepared for that.

You can find more pictures on the BAPRCC photobucket account.
Join the discussion here.

New Product: Team Losi RTR 1/10 Scale..?

2008-08-22T18:26:00.000-07:00

According to the official Losi website, they will be releasing a brand new RTR 1/10 Scale vehicle on August 29 priced at $179.99. What will it be? Your guess is as good as ours. Perhaps a CORR truck to compete with the very popular Traxxas Slash? It makes sense, but does Losi have the cajones to do it? I guess we'll find out soon.

If you sign up for Losi newsletters, you can find out a day early on August 28, here.

Meet Up Tomorrow Evening, Wednesday, August 20 7:00PM

2008-08-19T13:33:00.000-07:00

Hey All,

We have a small group meeting up tomorrow evening at Mother's Raceway in Foster City at 7:00PM. Since most coming to the meet won't be racing the Spec Class 1/18 scale, we will probably not setup the full track, but rather just use some track elements (ramps, etc) for something more along the lines of "bashing".

To find out more information, check the boards here.

Please feel free to come down and either participate or just check out the fun!

The plot thickens....

2008-08-15T18:16:00.000-07:00

Discussion here. Click here for Team Associated's site.
Thanks to Catalyst for the heads up.

New Product: Traxxas Slash Body, by Proline

2008-08-15T16:31:00.001-07:00

Finally!! Proline releases their new body for the Traxxas Slash:
Click here for more information: Proline.com

Off-Road Racing Report: NorCal Hobbies 08/09/08

2008-08-11T10:08:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, a few guys from the club headed out to NorCal Hobbies for some off-road racing action. For 2 of us (myself & Badger), this was the first taste of racing either of us have experienced in many, many years. We both ran in the Slash class, which was so large they had to split it into two heats. For all three of us, this was an absolute blast of a day!! We even had the chance to meet a fellow club member, FabolousRC, who introduced himself to us! Again, it was a pleasure to meet you, Fabolous! Also, Hopbot (Michelangelo) took TQ in the qualifying rounds for the Rookie class, and finished 2nd in the main!!! Congrats!!

Quick video of a Slash qualifying round:

I had a ton of fun, but realized quickly that something wasn't quite right with my setup. After practicing at NorCal in the weeks before, I decided to swap out the standard receiver that came with the Slash and replace it with one that would work with my JRXS3 radio (no need to worry about frequencies at the track). From then on, my Slash seemed sluggish, and definitely didn't have the same power that it had before. After talking to Hopbot about it, he took a look at my radio and figured out the problem for me: My end point adjustments weren't set to the end!! Duhh!! A big thanks to Hopbot for that!!So after that fix, my Slash had nearly 30% more power - a huge difference! I was now able to easily clear the second jump on the triple, instead of landing on top of it and flipping on my lid as well as get up to speed on the straight. Hopbot made the fix for me before we started the Slash Main, which they decided to experiment with by combining the entire Slash class for a ridiculous 16 truck field which was totally fun, but not something they will do again. It proved to be way to chaotic for announcing, and more importantaly, turn marshalling. They simply couldn't keep up with the amount of trucks that needed attention, nor could they always see where a stranded truck was located.

After the races, John -the race director, informed me that they will cap future Slash races at 10 trucks. With that said, my times improved greatly in the Main for me when compared to the qualifying rounds. I was much more confident and my truck handled the track much better as a result of the earlier fix. Unfortunately, there was an issue with the house transponders and they weren't able to get results on all 16 trucks. Apparently, the times were counted, but they will have to do some "digging" to get them. Hopefully that will happen so I can see how I did in the main.

Hopbot's First Qulaifying Race: Rookie Off-Road

Here are a few quotes about the day from the the other guys:

Badger (John): "That was an absolute blast yesterday and that was mostly because B-dog and hopbot was there to battle in the same Slash class and hang out with all day....Thanks again to B-dog and hopbot for hanging out with me and making the day very fun."

Hopbot (Michelangelo): "Hey there all! NorCal really was a blast yesterday! The track is even better than before: much more flow, less treacherous triple in the front (although no lack of carnage in the 4wd mod mains) and incredible traction.....overall it was a great day! it was awesome having other baprcc guys out there and it actually makes you feel a little more confident knowing you have some supporters there. Next race day: August 23rd. I cant wait!"

To read more about the days events, check this thread in the message boards. Click here for pictures.

Off-Road Racing at NorCal Hobbies, Sat. August 9th - Track Opens at 8:00 AM (Un-Official Club Meet:)

2008-08-08T15:13:00.000-07:00

Hey there all; a few of us (me, B-Dog, maybe Catalyst) are heading to NorCal Hobbies for their twice-monthly Saturday off-road racing. It would be great to have a few of us representing BAPRCC!

I'll be racing rookie class with the B44 and the Slash class. I'm guessing Cat will bring his Slash and J82, and B-dog will bring his Slash along as well!

The track opens bright and early at 8am and racing usually starts between 10am or 11am. i hear that this might be a really big turn out (some are predicting triple digits!), so if you plan to race get there early to secure a pit table (or bring your own). B-Dog will be bringing his table (a 6-footer).

If you are interested in racing or just watching the amazing drivers that turn out to at NorCal, reply in this post, it would be great to see you there!

-Hopbot (Michelangelo)

Wrap Up: Official Wednesday Club Meet - 08/06/08

2008-08-07T16:36:00.000-07:00

Our first ever meet at the new Foster City Mother's Raceway location was a great event. No Spec Class racing happened - Instead, the track was quickly taken over my just about every type of RC vehicle available!! Let's see if I can remember all of them: From what I recall, the following vehicles appeared at one point or another: assorted Associated RC18's, Evader BX, E-Maxx, E-Revo, two Slash's, mini-inferno, T3, 2 crawlers, and I believe "Jello" busted out a touring car of some sort.Needless to say, watching all those different types of vehicles tear around (and apart) the track was pretty hysterical.

Thanks to the newbies (Badger, BeeFzX3, Jello, and Kurt) for coming out! It was really nice to meet and see you all in person! Of course, thanks to everyone else's continued support as well.
I want to personally thank each and everyone of you that made the effort to come down, bring munchies, setup, tear down, etc. On behalf of the club, we really appreciated it! For more pictures of this event, click here and here (thanks for the pictures, Jello).

As a side note, there is now talk of getting together to run a Slash class as well. More details to come.

Oh, and thanks to "Badger" for sacrificing his Slash for our entertainment. That thing was absolutely flying off those ramps!! Must have gone at least 20 ft. in the air!

Reminder: Official Club Meet Up this Wednesday at 7:00PM

2008-08-04T19:21:00.000-07:00

Reminder: This Wednesday evening we are holding an Official Club Meet and Spec Class Races / Practice. In addition to the Spec Class, the track will be open for general driving. Setup will begin at 6:30-7:00PM.

If you plan on stopping by and joining in on the action, please feel to let us know by leaving a comment on the message boards here.

So please, come on down and have some fun and laughs and help kick off our first ever meet at Mother's Raceway in Foster City! (formerly located in South San Francisco).

We will also be grilling up some Kosher Hot Dogs for all. If you plan on coming and would like to bring something for the BBQ, the club would truly appreciate it.

-BAPRCC

Track Report: NorCal Hobbies (Union City) & Hobby Town USA (Fremont)

2008-08-03T23:58:00.001-07:00

I went out to NorCal Hobbies in Union City on Sunday and had a total freakin blast on the off-road track! I brought out my RC10T4 and Traxxas Slash, and got 'em dirty. The new track layout (yes, they've made some additional changes to make it more friendly to beginners and slash's) is awesome. Still a chance for some great hangtime, but they eliminated some of the crazy angles/jumps that sent many a car/truck on it's lid, or to the sidelines with broken parts and replaced them with something, more,...tame. Kudos to the crew who worked on the track. It's fantastic.

The Slash continues to be a very popular ride - it seemed like just about eveyone running off-road had one. I am truly amazed at how fun and durable these things are. Here is a short video of the new layout:

MoMo got to do some on-road driving thanks to a regular who lent her one of his cars! I didn't catch your name, but if you happen to see this, thanks a lot for that!!

Oh, and after the trip to NorCal, my GF and I drove by the parking lot of Hobby Town USA in Fremont, and low and behold, they setup a temporary asphalt track every Sunday (in the parking lot) - open to the public for free. All scales are allowed, both electric and nitro, and there were about 10 guys out there. Setup is usually between 10Am-12PM, and take down tends to be around 5-6PM, depending on how many guys are running. I grabbed a few pics to share with the group (below). For more pics from today's action, click here. Check out this video for footage from an on-road race put on by these same people.

Wed. August 6th, 7:00PM - Next Official Night Meet & BBQ

2008-07-29T11:42:00.000-07:00

Hey All,

Well, it's been a busy summer with lots of us getting our RC "itch" scratched at various places, but it's time to get back to some good 'ol Spec Class Races / Practice at our next Official Meet Up. As usual, the meets are not just about the Spec Class Races...the track is open for general driving and there should be a good deal of show and tell going on too!

If you plan on stopping by and joining in on the action, please feel to let us know by leaving a comment on the message boards here.

So please, come on down and have some fun and laughs and help kick off our first ever meet at Mother's Raceway in Foster City! (formerly located in South San Francisco).

We will also be grilling up some Kosher Hot Dogs for all. If you plan on coming and would like to bring something for the BBQ, the club would truly appreciate it.

-BAPRCC

Racing: Norcal Hobbies Off-Road Race Report

2008-07-14T20:26:00.000-07:00

Here is a recap of my first rc race at Norcal Hobbies this past Saturday. it was an awesome day, a great event, and i know i'll be going back for another race again as soon as i can! i hadn't raced for over 15 years, so i was really nervous and i didnt know what to expect, read on for the details...

== around 6:30am ==
after some late night tuning (and taping ;)) i'm ready for action! a little nervous...

i taped the slash body to try and stand apart from the other slash's on the course. it proved helpful. (FYI: they had some clear slash bodies in stock).

== the track ==
i arrived a little early, but the pits were already open and a few spots already claimed. i found a table and set up my space. i couldnt wait to see the track after hearing so much about it, it didnt disappoint!

the track is amazing! when they said "slash friendly", i expected something tamer than last time. this definitely was not tame!

this new layout is larger than the previous design and offers more of what makes racing fun: super fast speed and crazy air time. the straight has been moved to the back and provides plenty of space for some really high speeds. while the right side of the track is more about speed and technical ability around turns, the left side of the track is a jungle of car breaking features which provided a ton of entertainment (as well as broken a-arms).

after the straight and a few tight turns, there is a deceiving step-jump that requires some delicate finessing of the throttle to just hop over. anything more, and you were flat on your back, anything less and you were stuck on the step

this proved to be a great pile-up area but as the day went on drivers seemed to master it... except for the slash class. the slash's had so much trouble clearing it without ending up belly-up, that in the mains, they made a detour for the slash race. not everyone agreed with the change, but at least there wasnt a pile up every lap ;)

the step-jump is followed by a small table top, then after a turn, a giant step-down that is also deceptive: in the first 4wd qualifier, three cars went to the pits with broken front arms. again, this requires some gentle throttle and coasting over to hit the back side of the step-down. if you over-shot it, you are likely to land nose first as you try and turn while landing - hence the broken front arms.

the highlight of the track is right in front of the drivers stand: a giant set of double-jumps followed by a big table top. it was advised that drivers double the jump and then tackle the table if they wanted to get by it without breaking ;) for the slash class, there wasnt enough power to do anything other than the double-single.

of course, in the mod classes drivers were back-siding the table top on the opposite end! the air time in the 4wd mod races was especially insane! you could reach out and touch the cars from the drivers stand!

the reaction from the crowd was awesome every time one of these bullets flew over all 3 of the jumps. turn marshals were advised to stay out of the area and there were some really close calls with cars inches away from heads. helmets should be required for marshaling that part of the track! ;)

overall, the track was super fun and really interesting to run - at times the speeds were intense, at others, the jumps and other features kept you on your toes.

== the races ==
the racing was really fun. a lot of great drivers were there. racing was well-organized and aside form a quick run that had to be made to radioshack to fix the lap-timing computer (we got a little extra practice time before the mains) everything went off without a hitch. john hicks did the announcing for most of the day with other drivers filling in while he jumped into a race.

i managed to shoot some videos with my camera (pretty crappy quality) of the 4wd qualifier and mains. these proved to be some of the most exciting races of the day with amazing speeds and unreal air off the front triple. lots of broken cars as well ;)

some of the the 4WD qualifiers:

i raced the rookie class with the B44 and also raced in the slash class. i was hesitant to try and tackle two classes on my first race day, but i really wanted to try out my birthday present (the slash) and also wanted to put all that b44 practice to the test ;)

once the track was open for practice i went out with the slash. although i hadn't driven it yet, i started with a setup posted by badboy on the rcracing.com slash thread. the truck felt OK, but i definitely was not use to it. further more there seemed to be some issue with the throttle where i could not get consistent acceleration and if i gunned it sometimes the truck would just stutter and stop. i managed to adapt to this and got to know the track. after about half a lipo pack, i moved the pack to the b44 and went back out...

much better! the b44 felt really good. i used the same setup i had on the previous track and it seemed nearly perfect. i felt confident pushing it into turns and it stuck like it was on rails! after practice i headed back into the pits to figure out the issues i was having with the slash. i didnt have much luck. then, out of the blue, i heard my name being called - rookie qualifying was starting and i was late!

i ran to the track, reamed out a hole for the transponder and slapped the b44 together, checked in, then ran up to the stands. ugh, i was already flustered ;) the race went pretty well. i think after some nervous mistakes i manged to hold onto second.

to make the day even more exciting, the slash qualifying was RIGHT AFTER rookie, so more running, reaming, and being late! the slash didnt do so well with the throttle issue plaguing me i had very inconsistent laps and finally crashed and popped the right front shock cap putting me in last place. after marshaling the next race i went back to the pits to work on the slash. i got some help from the guy next to me in the pits (kevin) who had been running integy shocks, so he had his old spare slash shocks. i rebuilt the shock and replaced the cap. then spent about 30 minutes trying to solve the throttle issue, basically making it worse and then i hear "mitch, rookie heat two is starting". crap! late again.

i hadnt really touched the b44 from the last race, i just slapped it together again, threw in the transponder and headed to the track. i was getting more comfortable and was able to keep second place with some jumps into first. i even got some nice words from john hicks (commentating) on the smoothness of a couple if my laps and handling the jumps. that made me feel pretty good ;) ended up in second again due to nervous mistakes but overall, i felt good.

the second qualifying round for slash was up and again, i didnt do so well. the throttle issue was worse and i ended up popping the right front shock cap again! i didnt finish this one.

back in the pits i spent some more time with the slash. the throttle issues ended up being a result of the novak smart stop. removing it fixed all throttle issues. since the 8 minute race wasnt likely to blow the lipo pack, i felt OK running with out it. i rebuilt the shock, made some tweaks and was ready to go again.

for the mains, i wasnt late! ;) for rookie, i battled for first place with another 4wd driver (brian baladad) and it proved to be a pretty exhilarating race! we traded the lead spot several times and then a crash set me back and i finished second. i felt really happy with the race, the b44 handled amazingly well over the jumps and all that's left is me learning to drive faster! ;)

slash mains were not directly after rookie so i had a couple of races to rest, then hit the track. it was doing so much better, but now my steering was way off! not sure what happened but i had to steer to keep the truck straight down the back straight. ugh! i managed to deal with it and actually held onto forth place, which made me really happy considering all the problems i had with the slash that day. of course, on the last jump, the right front shock popped again! i am getting aluminum shock caps for sure!

So there it is, 2nd place in Rookie, 4th place in Slash. an awesome finish to an amazingly fun day! there were lots of racers there who were totally helpful, lots of camaraderie, and finally putting faces to some of the names you read on the boards. some racers who do on-road at marin recognized the baprcc shirt and asked about us, so we know we are getting out there ;)

here are all of the pics from the day

i cant wait until the next race, who's with me? ;)

Meet at NorCal Hobbies, Sat. July 12 - Track Opens at 8:00 AM

2008-07-11T10:43:00.000-07:00

Hey there all,

A few members will be heading down to NorCal Hobbies for their saturday off-road race.

A few of our guys will be racing 4wd mod and the hugely popular Traxxas Slash. The track opens at 8am, and the shop at 9am. Check the race schedule at rcracing.com for more details. You can also see who's planning on coming by checking out this thread.

-BAPRCC

CANCELLED Official Meet: Wed. July 9, 7:00 PM @ Mother's Raceway II, Foster City

2008-07-06T11:09:00.000-07:00

***Unfortunatley, last minute cancelations are forcing us to cancel tonight's meet. Two people who dropped out today were going to be running their Spec Class vehicles, which would leave only 2 of us. I apologize to the few remaining people who were going to come out.

Hopefully we can get something going soon where we can all make it out. Perhaps next wed? If night meets are becoming too hard for people to attend, maybe we should consider another time of the week?

-BAPRCC

Lots of hot new stuff!

2008-07-02T12:18:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to let everyone know that we added a bunch of hot new stuff to the news section of the boards. Everything from new pinion gears from Novak to help with those Nitro>Electric conversions to new ESC's and even new cars!

Topics include:

New drift spec electronics from Novak
New JConcepts body for the B44
Mugen MBX-6 Buggy
And ... Masami Hirasaka driving an 1/8th scale buggy?!?!

Go to the boards and check it out!

CORR Racing a hit with R/C Enthusiasts

2008-06-26T11:47:00.000-07:00

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"

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

2008-06-24T11:01:00.000-07:00

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

Meet Up at NorCal Hobbies this Sunday, June 22

2008-06-20T15:52:00.000-07:00

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 ;)

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

2008-06-18T14:04:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-18T10:16:00.000-07:00

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

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

2008-06-12T07:58:00.000-07:00

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

2008-06-10T13:03:00.000-07:00

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!

RC Lifestyle: RC Car / Super Mario Bros. MashUp

2008-06-03T23:57:00.000-07:00

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.

Spec Class Races BEGIN!!

2008-05-29T11:49:00.000-07:00

At about 6:30 PM last night, we began setup on the Spec Racing Class track at Mother's Raceway - shortly after, practice began. As guys made their way around the track and began to get a feel for it and how to take the jumps, the anticipation and excitement began to grow.

In our previous meeting, the track felt a tad tight, so this time around we added a bit of width to each lane, and it felt pretty much spot on. There was just enough room to past, while still feeling snug and technical.

Please excuse the poor video quality (below), as my digital camera doesn't do that well at night. The visibility for the drivers is MUCH better than the camera makes it look (We also added a second set of lights this week, so the entire track is flooded with light)

It didn't take long for everyone to decide we were ready to get the competition going, and our first Spec Class races began!! The competition was awesome, and the laughs were constant as club members made their way around the track, battling for position (and to stay upright!).

In my opinion, this is by far the most fun I've had at an outing with the club thus far. As anyone can tell you, it's one thing to drive around in practice and bashing, but it's entirely different when you feel the "heat" of competition breathing down your neck and are concentrating intensly to drive your best and not make mistakes - all while trying to pass or keep pace with the guy in front of you! It's also important to note that the competition is strcictly about fun, with no pressure at all; whether you have the fastest or slowest time for the night.Before packing up for the night, we were able to get three racing heats in, each at 5 minute durations. While we have yet to purchase a transponder setup for lap counting/timing, Amir (aka: Digitalflyer) brought out his laptop and lap timing software and has all the results saved. Special thanks to Tasia (aka: Lady Vengeance) for helping keep track of the cars amongst the chaos!! We will be uploading all that information ASAP, so check back soon for more details.

You can check out more pics from last night here.

Thanks for all who came out, and see you all at the next one!

B-Dog

Footgage of practice before the racing began:

Announcement: Spec Class Meets Occur Every Other Wednesday, beginning May 28, 2008.

2008-05-29T11:41:00.001-07:00

Hey All,

It has been voted on by the club, and beginning (last night) May 28, 2008 - we will be holding our Official Spec Racing Class meets every other Wednesday evening. For more details on exactly when and where these will be held, be sure to check this site and the message boards for more information.

Our next Spec Racing Class evening meet will be held on Wednesday, June 11.

Thanks!

-Bay Area Peninsula RC Club

Reminder: Official Spec Class Meeting this Wednesday, May 28 - 6:30PM

2008-05-26T22:11:00.000-07:00

Hey All,

We are holding an Official Spec Racing Clas s Practice this Wednesday evening, May 28 at 6:30PM. Meet up with the club at Mother's Raceway in South San Francisco for practice, laughs, and some friendly competition.

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

Meet Up at 3rd and Detroit - Saturday, May 24 1:00PM

2008-05-22T12:46:00.000-07:00

Hey All,

A few of us will be heading down to San Mateo for some bashing at 3rd and Detroit (BMX off-road park) Saturday, May 24 at 1:00 PM.

For more information, check out this thread.

Club Meets this Saturday and/or next Wed. Night? YOU Vote!

2008-05-20T11:22:00.000-07:00

Hey All,

There is talk of meeting at Mother's Raceway this coming Saturday and/or next Wednesday evening. Please let us know if you plan on attending by casting a "yes" or "no" vote here and here.

These are great opportunities to come out, meet some of the guys, and get some fun and exciting practice.

Spec Class Practice Sessions

2008-05-15T12:10:00.000-07:00

Last night I got home at nearly midnight from our second Spec Class meet. I had an awesome time - good food (thanks to RCRookie), great people, fun conversations about RC, and a really challenging track!

When the RC18 Spec Class was proposed, i was happy to go along with it, but truth be told, i've only ever raced 1/10 scale off-road and was not expecting much action from the smaller 1/18 scale buggies. The Spec Racing Class is designed to keep the playing field even and competition high by requiring everyone participating to have pretty much the same vehicle (an RC18T, RC18B) in a nearly stock, out of the box, condition, identical drive train, and the addition of on-road tires (the club meets are on pavement). I thought it would be fun to bash around now and again but not much else. Now it's turned into something of an addiction!

First, these smaller scales of today rival the bigger 1/10 scale RC cars of 20 years ago (the last time i was racing RC) - especially the RC18 series of vehicles. These are shaft-driven 4-wheel drive, have full ball bearings all around, ball differentials front and rear, oil-filled shocks and all the other advances you would expect in a race-class machine. in fact, when i started to do a little homework on these, i found that there are very active racing communities for these scales. my initial prejudices against these smaller cars went away almost immediately once i took it out of the box (did i mention they are RTR?) and took it for a spin.

WOW!

This thing, even with the stock out-of-the-box motor, really moves! i've had this fantasy of getting a 1/8th scale truggy (4wd truck) and this little RC18 might just keep me from needing to get one! These really are Mini Truggies!

So now i'm in love with this thing, but will the pavement really be that fun? well, the group has done an amazing job fashioning a track that combines all the technical pieces of a good on-road track, with some of the challenging elements of off-road tracks - all in all, a good curvy track with jumps! i was astonished at how much driving on this track feels like an authentic race experience - an off-road one to boot! I walk away from the night with that same giddy feeling i do after i get back from the off-road track!

I love the fact that this does really feel like a real race machine, on a real track, and that what i learn at these events will help me with my 1/10 scale racing. all the things i would learn from the couple of times a month i can get down to the off-road track with my B44 (roughly an hour away for me) are here in the Spec Racing Class: keeping focus, looking for the right line through the track, anticipating speed for jumps and learning to be consistent. what's more, these little vehicles are so durable and inexpensive to maintain, that i'm way more confident pushing the truck to its limits (and my own). This makes me less afraid to make mistakes, and through these mistakes, i'm learning a lot if things i can use on any track.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of these events are just hanging out with fellow hobbyists and talking RC. In my area and in my line of work, very few people i know, if any, even know that this hobby/sport actually exists (I think that's a trend these days for a lot of hobbies), so it's really great to have members show up with their latest builds, talk about their last race meet, compare paint jobs, ask questions, and share experiences we've had in this hobby of ours. There's nothing like good, solid camaraderie to finish a fun night of racing!See you at the next Club Meet!

- Michelangelo

For more photos, click here and here.
(thanks to B-Dog and Knytemare for the great photos)

Reminder: Official Meet Up This Wed. May 14 - 7:00PM

2008-05-12T11:07:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder to everyone that we are holding an Official Spec Racing Clas s Practice this Wednesday evening!! Meet up with the club at Mother's Raceway in South San Francisco for practice, laughs, and some friendly competition.

Also, please note that we will be BBQ'in burgers for us all. If anyone doesn't want burgers, please feel free to bring anything you want to throw on the grill.We are looking forward to seeing everyone there and hope to see some new faces as well!

Official Spec Class Practice: Next Wed. Evening, May 14 - 7:00PM

2008-05-08T15:30:00.000-07:00

Hey All,

It's time for another Spec Racing Clas s Practice!! Meet up with the club at Mother's Raceway in South San Francisco for practice, laughs, and some friendly competition.

Also, for anyone who doesn't have a "Spec" vehicle, we would still love for you to come out and bring whatever you have! Any meet we have is open to everyone and any vehicles you might have.

We look forward to seeing you all there!

-BAPRCC

Update: Spec Racing Class

2008-05-06T16:35:00.000-07:00

Hello All,

The Spec Racing Class is in it's infancy, and there has been a lot of debate on how to regulate the vehicles being used. By creating the Spec Class, the club is trying to create a low-pressure racing class for the casual RC Enthusiast that provides/encourages as much fun and laughs as it does competitiveness. To accomplish that, the club must ensure that everyone's car/truck is exactly the same in every IMPORTANT way.

To keep things both fair and competitive for all who want to participate, all major components of the vehicle that make, deliver, and handle the power - as well as those that affect the overall handling of the vehicle must be the same.

With that said, we don't want to make it impossible for people to customize their vehicle at all. So, as a compromise, we will allow members to vote hop-ups into the approved list on a case by case basis.

We encourage anyone who is interested to get involved! The more the merrier. To join the conversation and help the club decide what hop-ups should be allowed, join the discussion on the message boards.

Regards,
B-Dog

Spec Racing Class Practice: A Blast!!!

2008-05-03T01:43:00.000-07:00

Mother's Raceway --South SF. While a few guys had to cancel last minute, those of us who braved the extreme wind and cold had a total blast! We all set up in about 15-20 min, and then began last minute preparations on our cars. We tweaked the layout of the track a bit, including some of the obstacles. One section we were going to use for a "bumpy" area (by laying down flat top cones and covering with a heavy rubber backed floormat) proved to be way to unpredictable (the trucks were flyin' all over), so we turned that section into a set of "doubles" jumps that worked out fantastic! We also used some pieces of carpet to hold down corners, which turned out much better than expected. They not only held down the corners, but provided a nice surface to cut across for those who wanted to take the turns sharply.
We attempted a few rounds of mini races, but with no turn marshals, it was a little tough (We need YOU at the next practice!). In the end, we had a great night out and learned a lot about how we want to layout the track. We all got a lot of good practice in, and it was obvious that we all could not wait to do it again. This class is proving to be super fun, and will provide everyone with a really great, low pressure, yet competitive place to drive - with plenty of laughs to go around.To keep track of the latest information regarding the Spec Class, click here. If you would like to know when we will be meeting next, check out the Club Meets section of the message boards.

More pictures: Here

Reminder: First Spec Class Practice - Wed, April 30: 6:30PM

2008-04-28T12:01:00.000-07:00

Hello All,

Don't forget to mark your calendars for our first Spec Racing Class practice this Wednesday evening. We will start setup between 6:30-7:00PM. For those who don't have an RC18, or who are still undecided on if you want to participate, we highly encourage you to come down and check it out. Everyone is extremely friendly and I'm sure a few of us would be willing to let you practice a bit with our vehicles to see if it's something you might want to try! This class is all about fun, and there is no pressure at all! For more information about the Spec Class, click here.

Hope to see you there!

B-Dog

FYI: There is a Wendy's within walking distance, and plenty of other options within a very short drive of our location at Mother's Raceway (right off 101 in South San Francisco).

From the Lab: IT's ALIVE.....IT'S ALIVE!!!!

2008-04-28T11:22:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you take a Tamiya Durga, add a Castle Creations Sidewinder brushless setup, and throw in some custom electronics to handle the 14 Volts delivered by the custom A123 battery pack?? 1+ Horse Power that literally smokes the tires when you hit the throttle, AT ANY SPEED!!!

"Dr." Shtarbucks has emerged from the lab with his latest creation, and it's quite a beast....This cas leaves burnouts like a dragster (and he has already had to superglue the tires back on to the rims because the raw power of his system ripped all four clean off). The video DOES NOT do this thing justice, but believe me, this buggy is a sight to see! There was no way he could give it full throttle in the area he was running it - not to mention the tires could not hook up with the pavement.

First Spec Class Practice - Wed, April 30: 6:30PM

2008-04-22T11:26:00.001-07:00

Hey All,

It looks like we will try to hold our first Night Meet with a Spec Class practice next Wenesday evening (4/30 ) beginning at around 6:30 PM at Mother's Raceway in South City. For more information, check out the forums.

Night Meets / Racing

2008-04-17T16:35:00.000-07:00

To try and be as accommodating as possible for all our members, we are currently discussing the possibility of scheduling night meets/racing at Mother's Raceway (say 6-9PM-ish..?) .

There are some fast food joints within walking distance and we could even BBQ if there is interest. Also, we do have lighting if we need it.

To join in on the conversation and cast your vote for which night(s) work for you, check the boards.

Marin R/C Electric On Road Racing Report

2008-04-16T22:53:00.000-07:00

Well it was a beautiful day and there was some great racing at Marin R/C in San Rafael, CA this last weekend. Being my first on-road electric Club Race I was eager to get onto the driver's stand and off the fence. It was a good field of about 40 entrants and there were 9 total classes. This included 1/10th Sedan, 1/10th Pan Cars, 1/12th Pan Cars, Mini's, and F103GTs in various motor and skill classes. It's an amazing setting right on the water and the facility is top notch with a full hobby shop on the property that has supplies for R/C vehicles, planes, and helicopters amongst other things and the staff there is quite accomodating.

Being the "new guy" was a little intimidating but I was quickly greeted by helpful racers and there were many laughs to be had on the driver's stand during the 1/18th scale and Mini races. The Expert A Main for 13.5 and 10.5 1/10th Touring Cars was extremely tight racing and exciting to spectate. Racers were in a train for several laps and the passes were amazing. The traction was great and on race day it was about 80 degrees with a nice breeze off the water.

I highly encourage folks to check out Marin R/C in San Rafael and they host Club Races every other weekend typically. It's a class act there and the setting is stellar! Hopefully next time I'm out there I will have some results to brag about...but until then it's been a lot of fun learning the ins and outs of racing on-road.

-Catalyst

News: Spec Racing Class for BAPRC Club..?

2008-04-16T19:10:00.000-07:00

There has been some recent club talk regarding the creation of a Spec Class for club racing. For those not familiar with Spec Class racing, it's basically a special classification of cars and equipment created to keep things fun, exciting, and cheap.

Hop-ups are not allowed (unless approved by everyone) so it keeps the playing field even and the cost down for all members who participate. You can let us know what you think and find more information about it here.

Possible Meet Up at Mother's Raceway this weekend...

2008-04-16T11:05:00.000-07:00

There is discussion about a possible Meet at Mother's Raceway this coming weekend. For the latest information on meet-ups and to suggest a time, check the boards.

Wheelie Small!

2008-04-11T08:28:00.000-07:00

saw one of these last weekend at NorCal, this video was the first time i had even heard of scale motorcycle racing! great video and coverage of the racers.

Wheelie Small // Current

Official Meet Ups

2008-04-10T15:07:00.000-07:00

Hey All,

We are going to try to plan these a little more in advance to make sure everyone has a say on when/where they happen. If you have suggestions on a date/time that works for you, please let the group know in the Club Meets section of the forums.

Also, as an FYI: A few members will be headed up to Marin R/C in San Rafael this weekend.

Thanks!
- B-Dog

Grand Theft.....Auto?

2008-04-09T22:10:00.000-07:00

In the news:

As we all know, the passion we share for RC cars can sometimes be hard to explain to those outside of the enthusiast community. Imagine having to explain that passion to the cops when they arrest you for Felony Grand Theft (RC) Auto!!

That's exactly what this guy will have to do if the Cops ever get their hands on him! Apparently, he was willing to go way beyond normal boundaries to get himself the "car of his dreams" valued at more than $600 (which makes his crime a Felony).

Bay Area Peninsula Radio Control Club

Help Wanted!

We're BACK!!

Happy 2010!!

Knytemare's old crew video! Check it out!

New Slash chassis from Gorilla Maxx!

Remembering Frank Rochex - Talbot's Toyland's Hobby Dept.

Next Meet - July 25 @ 2:00 - Mother's Raceway

Next Club Meet

2009 KickOff Meeting: Saturday May 30

Hopbot's New RC18R Paint Job

Vote Now for KickOff Meeting Date

2009 KICKOFF MEETING - POSTPONED DUE TO RAIN

Featured Ride: Knytemare's Crawler!

2009 KICKOFF MEETING - Sat. May 2nd: Location TBD

Slash Vs. Dog

Help Plan Our 2009 KickOff Meeting

BAPRCC Celebrates 1 Year

MIP releases new ball diff for 272's

NEW PRODUCT: Xray 1/10 Pan Car GT

New Product: Team Associated Short Course 10

Limited Edition RC8 Electric

Kyosho 1/10 RTR Nitro Desert Race Truck

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Merry Christmas!!

Happy Hanukkah!!

NorCal Hobbies to have indoor offroad course starting soon...

Farewell Send Off for Club Member Armand Utan

New Track developing in Brisbane..?

Sneek Peak: 2nd Off-Road Track, NorCal Hobbies

NorCal Hobbies Toys-4-Tots Race - Dec. 20-21

Team Associated e-Conversion kit

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Recap: NorCal Hobbies, Nov 26 - Indoor Carpet Racing

NorCal Hobbies, Nov 26 - Wed Night Indoor Carpet Racing

NorCal Hobbies - Sat, Nov 22 - "Turkey Shoot Out"

New Product: Protoform LTC-R Sedan Body

Member's Rides - Featured Car: Tamiya Durga (Owner: Armand Utan)

Drift Basics

REMINDER: Club Trip Nov 14-15, LakePort Hobbies - Clear Lake

New Product: Reedy Micro Brusless System

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Off-Road Track Review: Norcal Hobbies' New Layout

ROAR Region 12 Race @ Ripon 10/25 - 26

New RC World Record: 161.78mph!

MeetUp: NorCal Hobbies - OffRoad, Saturday 10/11

Weekend Trip: Lakeport Hobbies Raceway; Nov 15-16

Recap: Mini-Z Shopping Mall Race - Inside Line Racing

Recap: West Coast Touring Car King's Race @ Marin R/C 9/27-28

New Product: Traxxas Slash Todd LeDuc (Rockstar) "wrap".

West Coast Touring Car King's Race @ Marin R/C 9/27-28

Slash 2 Hour Enduro Race: Sat. Sep. 20, 3:00PM @NorCal Hobbies

Off-Road Racing Report: NorCal Hobbies 09/13/08

Recap: Slash Bash @ Mother's Raceway - 9/10/08

Racing Report: GroundPounders Club Event - September 7th, 2008

Meet Up Tomorrow Evening, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 7:00PM

New Product: Pro-Line Desert Rat for Traxxas Slash

Off-Road Racing Report: NorCal Hobbies 08/30/08

Places To Drive: "Cowabunga" - Foster City

New Product: Team Losi RTR 1/10 Scale..?

Meet Up Tomorrow Evening, Wednesday, August 20 7:00PM

The plot thickens....

New Product: Traxxas Slash Body, by Proline

Off-Road Racing Report: NorCal Hobbies 08/09/08

Off-Road Racing at NorCal Hobbies, Sat. August 9th - Track Opens at 8:00 AM (Un-Official Club Meet:)

Wrap Up: Official Wednesday Club Meet - 08/06/08

Reminder: Official Club Meet Up this Wednesday at 7:00PM

Track Report: NorCal Hobbies (Union City) & Hobby Town USA (Fremont)

Wed. August 6th, 7:00PM - Next Official Night Meet & BBQ

Racing: Norcal Hobbies Off-Road Race Report

Meet at NorCal Hobbies, Sat. July 12 - Track Opens at 8:00 AM

***CANCELLED*** Official Meet: Wed. July 9, 7:00 PM @ Mother's Raceway II, Foster City

Lots of hot new stuff!

CORR Racing a hit with R/C Enthusiasts

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

Meet Up at NorCal Hobbies this Sunday, June 22

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

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

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

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

CANCELLED Official Meet: Wed. July 9, 7:00 PM @ Mother's Raceway II, Foster City