WELCOME RACE FANS

Check out the 2009 Snowbird Nationals promo VIDEO here:
http://www.snowbirdnationals.com
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I am very excited to announce that we have signed with the Radisson Resort once again for the 2009 Snowbird Nationals. The World's largest RC race returns to Orlando! The room block is set, so start making those hotel reservations now!

As a special THANK YOU from the Radisson - anyone that reserves their room in the month of June will get a FREE upgrade to a deluxe room (a $10 a night savings!). I am also excited to announce we were able to get the hotel rates the same as in 2008, with the 10 percent discount again if you stay five nights or more.

Our schedule will be similar to past years, with practice Tuesday and Wednesday, with racing Thursday through Sunday. Saturday will once again be 'Bump N' Run' day. Classes and complete race details will be coming out in the months ahead. We expect the best Snowbirds ever and hope you can plan on being a part of it!

Call the Radisson at: 407-396-1400 and mention the Snowbirds to make your room reservations.

Just to be clear on the rates. $89 is the base Snowbird rate, and $99 is the Snowbird deluxe room rate (with sleep number beds, etc). 5 nights or more brings the rate down almost 10 bucks a night for each room - so if racers reserve in June you can get a deluxe room for about 80 bucks (if staying 5 nights or more).

:woohoo: Its never TOO early to be thinkin bout Snowbirds!!!:woohoo:

With all the Lipo craze lately, are you expecting to have a lipo/brushless foam class for touring and oval this year?

That's right Dan! We'll be calling for reservations tonight! 2 adjoining rooms this year - right???! Can't wait!

Thanks everyone!! Classes - got some time on those. But things will be mixed up some with all the 'new' changing of the classes and what is being raced around.

Still 23 days to call the Radisson and get your FREE room upgrade to a Deluxe room for the Snowbirds.

what is the best way to get your equipment to and from the track if your an outer stater? i think i saw somthing last year posted on the snowbirds site about special rates for shipping to the hotel.

mike i know its early but getting classes out earlier will be helpful for two reasons,1. people can have more time to prepare for a class which makes for better comp. 2.the classes you set will be the ones people run localy your race has more of an effect on racin than anything i've seen before. i really hope you run 21.5 lipo this is an awesome class!

Class prediction (All car bodies)

21.5/3200 lipo
17.5/Open lipo (5000 mAh limit)
17.5 4 cell
13.5 4 cell (This may not make it as many have changed to 21.5 lipo)
Open Mod
SK Mods (these have really died out too, but maybe?)

I really hope to not see the sprints, or the touring oval cars again this year. Never really great to see the classes with only 1 main. But if there are only 4 or 5 classes to choose from, and they are published way in advance I think the competition will be great. I plan to make my 2009 vacation reservation for the birds in the next few weeks. 21.5 lipo for me. Maybe 17.5 lipo or 17.5 4 cell too.

Joel White

Hello... so far it is hard to pinpoint classes. Two years ago 19T was our biggest class then of course we all know the trend last year - next year who knows. But I know we will have Lipo... it is catching on down here. We try and run what is being run at most tracks, and hope to have the lineup out early this year.

Hotel didn't charge for packages which is nice! They have bellman and carts making it easy to transport to your room too...

Mike

I wonder how far the Amtrak station is from the hotel? I might just take that as long as I can carry on my hauler bag. What about flying? Anyone try that recently with your equipment?

Lots of road racers fly with RC and have good luck. Just need to get the scoop from them.... UPS some of the stuff and carry rest is big option too some do.

I wonder how far the Amtrak station is from the hotel? I might just take that as long as I can carry on my hauler bag. What about flying? Anyone try that recently with your equipment?

I flew a bunch of times last year with my gear. The closest thing I had to a problem was they took my paragon once. Pack your stuff in two of the Trinity hauler bags, shouldn't be any problems.

When we flew a few years ago just to play it safe I put the Snowbirds flyer in each bag at the top of R/C stuff just so they knew when they searched the bags that the stuff was going to an event. It might have been wishful thinking but worth it. I also split up my stuff into two bags ( one charger in each bag ) just to play it safe in case one bag never made it. Leave all chemicals at home, you can purchase all that at the race.

The Amtrak thing could be a hoot, pick up more and more racers, more and more bench racing. They have a Kissimmee station as well. Flying always sucks, this way you can at least sleep on the way back.
Tom

There is an aotu train that runs from Va to Titusville, the titusville station is about an hour from the race site. Don't know aboout prices but it might be good for a group of guys and a van.

I have flown everyyear Ive gone to the birds.
leave the chemicals. place some R/C related magazines on top incase your bags get sorted thru. Car Action buyer guides work perfect. Pack your support gear in with your clothing so it doenst get damaged. pit towel on the bottom clothes on top. split it up between several bags and you wont be penalized with one bag being too heavy. batteries pack em in your luggage or take them with your cars as carry on. (They weigh the most of anyone itm youll take). Radio; take as part of your carry on too. If the airline loses your luggage at least youll have YOUR cars and radio,the rest ya might be able to borrow from a buddy.

http://www.snowbirdnationals.com/snow2009/promo444.jpg

The Radisson and Thunder Racing worked out a special for racers to receive a free room upgrade to a DELUXE room if they book their 2009 Snowbird reservation in the month of June. This a 10 dollar a night savings! Most racers booked deluxe rooms last year, so staying 8 nights basically covers your entry! The Radisson rates for the race are the same as 2009, at $89/$99 and if you stay 5 nights are more you get a 10% discount making the rooms about 10 bucks less a night! Plus there is no resort fee, safe fee, shipping charges, and they have free internet!

Make your plans to attend and race the 15th annual Snowbirds, held in beautiful Orlando, Florida next to Disney World. All the top on-road and oval racers from around the world attend and the competition and racing action is awesome. You can see more about the history of the 'birds and tons of videos and pictures from previous years on our website:

http://www.snowbirdnationals.com

More race information will be coming out in the months ahead (with cool class changes and more).

Thanks,
Mike Boylan
rcthunder@aol.com

nice pic what a distraction from work... Love that 92 car:thumbsup:

nice pic what a distraction from work... Love that 92 car:thumbsup:

John, there is a car in that Picture?? LOL

Jim

Turn 4 will be in the House, We got our room(s) reserved. I may even race this year. I'll decide after i see what classes are offered.

Mike send me the orginal pic (the none PG one LOL)

He cant there stuck together face to face. LOL

Hello racers. Today is the LAST DAY to get your free room upgrade at the Radisson for the 2009 Snowbird Nationals. Call now and save big!

Radisson: 407-396-1400

Snowbird Dates:
Practice Tuesday-Wednesday / Jan 27th-28th
Racing: Thursday-Sunday / Jan 29th-Feb 1st

I called to book my room a few min ago, and they said the best they could do was $99/night? The guy had no idea about the race. He asked if I could call back tomorrow. Hope I can get the $79 rate tomorrow?

Joel White

HMM that is strange. Shoot me an email I will put you in contact with the sales manager. Maybe he was new... thanks!

RCThunder@aol.com

Overall the response has been tremendous. Hotel told me last week several rooms were already booked, more than they thought there would have been.

Thanks everyone. It's going to be awesome!

batteries pack em in your luggage or take them with your cars as carry on. (They weigh the most of anyone itm youll take). Radio; take as part of your carry on too.

FYI, New rules are you must carry-on all types of batteries. That's what we were told last year when we flew to IIC and to Snowbirds. The way I understand it, you can't check laptops etc, not sure how picky they are on other Items like cell phones and mp3 players etc.

Packing things amongst your clothes works well, they'll search your stuff but it works pretty good. I've never had any damage but it is always a good idea to tape things closed that could open, like a plastic box full of screws...ouch

I checked my batteries 7 times last year. They never cared and that is flying out of Logan where they are the biggest a-holes about searching, for obvious reasons.

HMM that is strange. Shoot me an email I will put you in contact with the sales manager. Maybe he was new... thanks!

RCThunder@aol.com

Overall the response has been tremendous. Hotel told me last week several rooms were already booked, more than they thought there would have been.

Thanks everyone. It's going to be awesome!

Thanks Mike-

I actually called the hotel today and got someone from "internal reservations", and they hooked me up with the deal. I have to thank you for getting the good rate. $80.10/night with the upgraded room!! :woohoo:

Joel White

re-peak for the Thunder Crew.....

re-peak for the Thunder Crew.....

Lipo or 4-cell? lol.


p.s. I forgot to send the dust pan and broom with that body, could have used the same one I swept my car up with lol.

179 days to go!!!

There will racing for both... hope to have it all sorted out by October as to what we will be racing. Getting close I think.

8 car - 8 team - ENDURO expo at the 'birds?

I miss back in the day of 500 lap races. Saturday night after bump-ups what about an Invitational 10 car race with 8 different car companies. 13.5 4cell. A certain number of minimum stops. 1 stop must change all 4 tires. Each team 1 driver - 1 spotter - 2 pit men.

Maybe if we can do something like this companies then can have conversions and start it up again. The early 90s we had the Masters, and so many memoriable races.

Thoughts?

(Hyperdrive, KSG, Custom Works, IRS, Maverick, AE, Silva, RIP, Darkside, CRC, etc.)

I still have my quick change car from the races at king!
Something to start thinking about.

does that include a battery change

Mike, it once took me 27 laps to change tires at a King endro.LOL After that I just charged batteries. Those were some great races and it was a team thing. Where you there the year they ran the 100 mile endro? 1250 laps, 600 ran Satruday night with cars inpounded untill Sunday afternoon for the rest of the race.

I'll be Frank's pitman for HD! haha

Great idea! We had a 500 lap SK enduro team race last spring & it was a huge hit! :thumbsup:

Larry - not sure I was at the one but ran a ton of the CAM 600's...

Will work on this for sure... it could make the end of Saturday BUMP-N-RUN day even more exciting.

You know Mike a slider chassis might make a good converison for battery changing.

Good point Larry - almost to the point there could be one for all kind of thing with a common slider brace incorporating holes for all cars.

Hello racers! As the summer nears I know the anxiety picks up as the indoor racing season nears. We are working on the 2009 classes and structure, and hope to have them out sooner than prior years. The goal is possibly the end of September. The focus will be a mix of what is being run Nationwide and what will support the most amount of racers and companies, while being fair and economical as much as possible. I know it is going to be tough to please all... but we will have something for everyone that is for sure!!!

Saw a brand new in the box sealed Bolink Enduro kit the other day. Quick change battery tray, the works.

I have never been to the "birds" and have heard much about them, including that the practice schedule runs all hours. Could someone just give me an idea how this runs etc. Thinking of going and was a bit curious how all these guys get practice time in!

Thanks

I have never been to the "birds" and have heard much about them, including that the practice schedule runs all hours. Could someone just give me an idea how this runs etc. Thinking of going and was a bit curious how all these guys get practice time in!

Thanks

A schedule is posted with each class getting a designated time allotment based on the number of entries. The schedule cycles through every 3 - 6 hours. They use speed rounds of practice when the lines get long so everyone gets time on the track. These work great giving you 1 - 2 minutes on track and then you can make a spring change and get back in line.

The key is to make the most of the time between practices so you can get the maximum benefit of your track time.
(A lesson I have yet to learn...lol)

Thanks Peter...

Here is a sample of practice from last year to get an idea:
http://snowbirdnationals.com/snow2008/2008schedule.pdf
http://snowbirdnationals.com/snow2008/2008practice2.pdf

Hope you can make it. We are going to start the countdown soon with a new page and information on the 2009 race. Stay tuned! Thanks!

Just an FYI- air tran has some great rates into Orlando right now. When I checked yesterday it was $148+taxes round trip from Boston!!

Looks like jet blue will be opening up their schedule into February by the end of this week. Southwest shouldn't be far behind.

Holy cow.. that is awesome! Thanks for the update.

Mike, now that some classes and rules have been established across the country when will the line up be set for the Snowbirds?