Well its almost here, another year for the legendary Capital District R/C Racers oval racing club. Once again this year we will host our events on the "Short Track" configuration at Competition Hobbies in Latham NY. Opening night is 9 May and that's only 5 weeks away. There will be a planning meeting on 10 April at the Rensselaer Boys & Girls Club at noon. The tentative Schedule is posted on the Clubs Site, which has been upgraded to: CDRCRacers.com (http://cdrcracers.com)

You will also find the announcement regarding the approval of the new 3600mA batteries for the DIRT season on the Club's site.

We are grateful to the volunteer Track Stewarts, Eric and Rich, and to Tom G for agreeing to Race Announce. We will be announcing additional needs and work details where all hands will be welcome to get the track in race ready shape as we get closer to opening night and when the weather starts to cooperate. Anticipated details include:

Watering / Sprinkler System
Turn 4 drainage improvement
Driver stand down-spout and drainage improvement
Inside rail repair (if required)
Wall Painting
Scoring system wiring
Light Check
Once again this year classes will include:
EDM Sportsman (Novice Gearbox Car)
EDM Big Block
Truck
Truck Novice (Attendace dependent)
Late Model (4-WD TC-3, LOSI, etc. with Late Model Wedge bodies)
Anything else with 3 or more vehicles.

See Ya ................ At The Track
Kirt

Please Note:
The battery situation and message posted on the CD R/C Web Site is already out of date. We will be having discussions at the meeting regarding batteries, so bring your information, concerns and opinions on Sunday so we can finalize our actions (and get you the most for your battery dollar)

Kirt

Kirt, if it helps, I've amamded the WDRA rules to allow the 3800s. I'll have an explanation on the website shortly.

Hey Paul
Thanks for the update, we'll most likely be doing the same this Sunday at our annual meeting.

I'm totally bumbed that I couldn't get out to be with you guys at Eagle One this past Sast., but we've found out recently that my Faher-in-law is real ill, so it's going to be lots of weekends in Vermont helping and visiting for the next few months.

I'll catch up with you guys sooner than later.

Kirt

Don't sweat it. I'm not sure there was space for more people anyway! LOL!

Hopefully you'll be able to make it to the Summernats.

Anyone know the officials for the next season? and what went on at the meeting?
*Tom*

This year’s DIRT Season shows more enthusiasm than I’ve seen in a while and that’s fantastic! There where more interested people at the meeting this Sunday than we’ve had at some races; and even more great ideas.



For starters we plan on working Monday evenings, as we might as well get into the Monday night habit, starting around 5 PM. The first work night is scheduled for Apr 18th (rain dates are Tuesday) and we will continue right up until opening night.



The first wave of work will include:


Cleaning debris off the racing surface
Repair any damage
Repair pit tables
Repair outlets
Lighting maintenance
Scoring loop switch installation
Painting: walls (possibly tables and drivers stand)
Drivers stand rain gutter and drainage
We will open on May 9th, with organized practice until approx. 9 PM followed by one round of heats, just to get into the racing state of mind and everyone’s data loaded into the computer.. Entry fee is $5 per vehicle; all summer long.


See Ya ................ At The Track :thumbsup:
Kirt

Kirt
Me and my Dad will be down to help with anything there is to do. I also think we got a family friend back into the sport so I guess there will be many joining us this year.
*Tom*

i will be there too
vic

If anyone is interested We got a spot to showcase our RC cars and drift them in Tuner Wars in Lake George on June 4th and 5th. We were hoping to get more people interested and host it through the club to get more people to come. So the more people we have to drift(four wheel drive with any motor perferably mod it goes better) it will be even better. Get back to us so we can make plans.
*Tom*

Hope to see your smiling faces atTonight's first "Work-night" for the DIRT Track starting around 5PM
Plan on finding the racing surface, (debri removal)
Wall Painting
Driver Stand rain gutter, run-off work
Pit table evaluation
Etc.
Please bring some basic tools for these types of activities.
Kirt 727-3456

The track is now raked off and in fine Mid-July condition. I cannot believe how dry everything is laready this year.
The scoring loop is now safely encased in palstic conduit, making the track grooming a much less stressful time, especially after catching it last year.
The Big Track drainage pipe was un-earthed, but is currently plugged with last year's mud; we'll try to pressure it clean next week.
The Short-track turn 3 & 4 wall is almost completely rebuilt, after it took a bite out of Todd, however we ran out juice in the screw gun and will finish it next week.

Next week we a planning on
Fixing the few pit tables that are in need or repair
Finishing the turn 3 & 4 wall,
Fix the Drain
Replace broken lamps

After that, we should be ready to go, maybe hot laps a week early :>)

See Ya ............. At The Track
Kirt

me and myt dad will hopefully be down next week. We are still looking for drifters for our expo at Lake George?
*Tom*

The inside walls and the track will be dragged sometime mid week next week. will all the rain coming it will be stupid to drag it this week. I think most would agree. I have to assemble the new nailboard and it will be done like I said.

Hey There Al

Just curious what you mean by the inside wall? We took a good hard look at the plastic, which makes up the inside edge of the track surface, and it's fine. This is the first year I can remember that it didn't frost heave. Please advise what it is you're refering to, as if it's the short track turn 3 & 4 wall, we need to talk about it please.

We'll be working again each Monday, so we'd be happy to see you and work together. The surface is going to take some work to get it loosened up enough to hold any moisture; I was even thinking about roto-tilling it by setting the depth to about 2", then packing it with the tractor. THis would save you a lot of nails.

Hope to see you Monday. Feel free to give me a call.

Kirt

I`ll take care of the surface, next week at some point, as for the walls, I mean the inside rubber, they are way too low, and need to be raised up about 1", or 1.50". The old nail board will work for the moment until I get the new one ready, and dont worry I have all the nails I need.


Like I said I will be up during the week to work a little on the offroad track, so I will take care of the other stuff then!

Fastaljr

Looks good for another work night, starting around 5PM

We are planning on replacing rotted wood on the pit tables and installing a rain gutter on the drivers stand an dmaking final repairs to the turn 3-4 short wall.

Basic capentry tools, screw guns etc will be the order of the night.

Re-laming track lighting will also take place.

Time and owner permitting we will run the new scoring system switch (Oval to Off-Road) and install lights and receptacles on the tables which are now lacking those.

See Ya ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, At The Track :>)
Kirt

Ps Al; I see what you are referring to on the Big Track Turn 3 & 4, but please don't raise 1 & 2 as they are fine.
Thanks

Which wise was it that said “what a difference a day makes”?

Well, what a bigger differences a week makes!



First the temperature was almost 40 Degrees colder with intermittent showers.

The tracks at Competition Hobbies are looking race ready, Kudos to Al Jr. (or the Track Elf, as I’m not really sure {LOL}) for his grooming and nail board work. This along with the much needed moisture from Mother Nature have the racing surface ready to go with a lot of spongy traction and very smooth.



As of last night:

The Pit Tables have been repaired.

The Lights and Switches are now all working.

The holes in the Drivers Stand floor have been blocked off

The Drainage System has been added to the front of the Drivers Stand.



Thanks to all the help we are a week ahead of schedule and will revise the schedule by adding next week to the schedule as follows:



May 2nd as a Test and Tune night with organized practice

May 9th Organized race format, 2 heats and a main, no points

May 16th The 27th Points Season begins



See Ya ……………Next Week …………….. At The Track

Anyone racing oval trucks this year ?

i think im gonna race mine dave, and usually matt and his dad race also

tony

cool i'll try to get the shocks done so i can come play......

Aaron said he'd make some shows along with Fred and his truck

Thats great K , now i just have to get motivated in doing my shocks......see ya soon .

hey kirt,,, what were the results of the team race last month????...this there going to be off-road racing on monday's ??...if there is i'll be there.....

later

offroad racing is done on wednesdays with a different club at competition

Is there still hot laps tommarow? If so bring your shovels and pails with all the rain we have had. If not we will see you by the beginning of the season on the 16th.

Hey Tom AKA RCer12A

It's unfortunate that it appearently rained a lot where you live (according to the weather maps). But, I don't believe it rain hardly at all in the Albany area. Coupled with the fact that the track drains faster than a waxed Corvette doing 120 means hot laps are going off tonight as scheduled. Of course pending additional rain, but that doesn't sound too likely.

So, please leave your beach toys home and don't scare others away. Because if it's on the web it must be true!......Right?.....:drunk:

See Ya..................At The Track :thumbsup:
Kirt

Not ready yet myself , tires to groove and tru .....will try next week.............And it's still a little too burr 4 me ..................

after being wet and cold all day the last thing i wanted to do was be out in the cold some more. i decide to stay in and finsh painting the new lid for the old rc10 tub.
its not the best paint job but who cares the way i drive it wont last long. see you guys next week.

Vic

The place looks great! Thanks to Jim's paint job the walls are once again a sparlking white. Thank you Kyle for moving the scoring system up from Rensselaer. Next week we will wire up the new loop wiring and we're ready to go.

The rain went all around the track, at least until 7:00 PM when I left, and the only thing with more bite than the low groove was the wind BBBBBBBBBBUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRRR !! I knew all those days of ice fishing with my Grandfather was training for something.:p

Bring your safety glasses if the weather is the same next week; as drivers were pulling over to wipe the wind blown water from their eyes; again an adavantage for us blind guys that already where eye-shields :)

A good group for just hot laps, and next wek should be even better with the scoring tower hooked up. We will attempt to run the system in "Practice" mode, which will score your hot laps to give you some idea of your performance. ONLY $5 each week!

Right now I believe we'll have an extended organized practice session followed by 1 to 2 heats; just to validate the system and get the drivers familiar with the new Ifmar heat starting system, just as we did for T/C Cars on the carpet. Each row will start slightly staggared with each car's first lap not couting, but rather initiating a separate clock; thus the car starting last on the grid has the same chance of TQing as the car on the pole as you are raing the track and not the other cars on the track.

See Ya ............. At Te Track :thumbsup:
Kirt

We will be down next week and it was a good group for hot laps the couples cars there looked awesome. The track is in very good condition from what it was last year at this time so the cars should be even better for bumper to bumper racing just don't pull a Harvick like at the 500 and make a full feild crash.lol.So it should be a very good competative season. See ya Monday
*Tom*

Tom, Tom, TOM
The last replays I saw clearly showed the 48 car as the "initiator" of both events. Looks like You'll have get your eyes checked in preperation for your Race Director position! LOL

WOW i cant see much but I saw the 48 do his deed .................LMAO

The track is very nice, I turned some nice laps, see ya Wenday.

Well so far the weather looks good for monday night action , i'm now ready to try and go fast on the little oval....how about everyone else ?

i'll be there, but im gonna race edm, my friend, who is a newbie BTW, will be using my truck,...please i hope he doesnt kill it, lol

ill be there with the late model and EDM

I just dont understand ?? Why not use the big oval to race??? The small oval is too small for my mini-T!

It's like this, the CD R/C Racers come from a background where the emphasis was on getting a car to handle and honing one's driving skills. Not so long ago the bigger oval had a reputation of a track that was too long for the turn radius and the best way to get around was to punt the car to your outside. As a Club we voted to confiure the second, or short-track, which kept the racing groove langth very close to what we had become accustomed to.

Now, how can this track be fine for 1/10 sclae EDMs and trucks, with some of the best racing I've seen at any Dirt track; yet too small for 1/18 scale Mini-t's? Now that I can't understand. :confused: Mind you, I not saying your wrong, just my opinion.

THe weather's going to be great, so don't be late. $5 gets you all the hot laps you can turn plus and organized heat or two. Fist one there please sweep and water.

See Ya............... At The Track
Kirt

will we be running 2 heats and a main?...looks like a great day for racing

tony

We promised people organized practice, so we thought we run that way for an hour and then depending on concensus runeither 1 or 2 heats.

Well its just my opinion. I would just think the biger the better? Well if evry one is happy with the configuration then it must be a good thing. So there is no 18th scale class on Monday?

We run what's brung as long as it's not raining. LOL

As it turns out, and as it was test & tune night running 2 heats a main, 2 mIni-Ts took the track and even a mixed field of a Truck with a 4WD Wedge.

Everyone seemed ot have a blast, even us guys that broke in our main :(

See Ya Next Week, when the points begin,........ At The Track

Kirt

Kirt I`m curious where u got that info from. I have raced the big track almost 7 years now, and not once have I ever had a punt a car to pass, infact most races I have ever seen where very clean and fast???? As for getting a car to handle on the big track vs the short track, I think by far its harder to get the car to handle on the big track. Thats the idea, you have the long straights, and have to make the car handle thru the corners. On the short track you are on the throttle alot less, and you have a ton less straightaway, so setup I feel is alot easier, and there is a better chance of getting caught up in someone else`s wreck, than on the big track where you have time to get around it.

Fast Al

All i can say is I hope more trucks show up this monday or 'i'll be swithing mine over to off road , does any one have phone numbers for the guys who said they were runnin trucks ? Hewitts anyone ?

dave,
i was gonna run truck but now that i have my edm, i think im gonna concentrate on that, i may also change my t4 back to offroad

dave if we dont get a better turnout for late models i have a t3 ill put down on the oval i just need to get some foams for it
Vic

I've contacted UPS this morning, now that their done with their wind tunnel testing they shohuld be tough competition! LMAO

Wind tunnel testing ? yeah right ! LMAO ,sounds good guys , i'll be there as long as the weather holds out.......................

dave myself lj and pinky are comming monday with our trucks iam going to try and get ahold of the smiths and lapan to see if they want to come down on monday