Now that Lipo is here and growing quickly, why not up the time to atleast 8 mins. Put some actull racing in the mix...
8 min q rounds and 10 min mains...:woohoo:
if you get into trouble, you have a chance to come back into the mix.

I dont know about 8 minutes but one of the tracks I race at runs 5 minute qualifiers and 100 lap mains ( not a timed race ) Lots a Fun and a cool change :thumbsup:

i like the idea of 5 minute qualifiers for 17.5 lipo and a set lap main instead of 5 minutes!

tire wear would be the only factor in running longer but it would be cool!

We've been running 5 minute races for YEARS, earlier this year I went to a race with the guys in Phoenix, and only ran 4 minutes...I felt like the race was only 1/2 over at the tone...

I am not in support of races much longer than 5 minutes though (6 wouldn't be bad for Mains) It's just too long for guys to marshal in HOT places in the country, plus it seems ever minute you add to the program actually adds roughly two minutes (never did figure out why) That could easily add 1 - 2 hours to a days race program...too many places already only run (2) rounds of qualifying to keep the race day shorter.

Now, I LOVE "LAP" racing. 25 lap qualifiers and 75 lap mains would be cool for some tracks...50 lap quals with 100 lap mains on others.

Qualifying is QUALIFYING, ...which is suppose to sead you into the MAIN. It's moreso used as PRACTICE trying to continually make the car better and better, which is FINE, but that's not really the purpose of qualifying.

Oh, and tire wear has never really been much different of an issue...you just have to manage your tires.

Oh, and tire wear has never really been much different of an issue...you just have to manage your tires.


caps verses foams. kat is refering to foam on asphalt.

I am old school I like 4 mins. I used to race 12th on road it was 8 mins of pain.

Dave,

Other than VELO all we run out west is FOAM, FOAM, FOAM, which is what I was referring too.

The only tire I notice that wears a bit quicker than 4 minutes was the RF, but not by much...unless the setup is WAY off.

My LOCAL racing is a bit brutal on Foams in 5 minutes, only because it's pretty rough asphalt, but the good 'Prepared' asphalt tracks, I really haven't seen much different wear when we went to 5 min. vs. what we had with 4 minutes...and it's ALL a whole lot less than what it was 15 years ago....(and we were only running 4 minutes then)

I normally start at about 2.25 - 2.28 on asphalt, and when then get down to 2.18 I throw them in the LOCAL track box...unless they are in really good shape, then I throw them in the CARPET box.

Now, I know NONE of the racers here in CALIF. are as good as the racers in Florida, so I'm sure your results will vary. :)

EDITED: We started running 5 minutes for the series in 2006. That year we ran ALL brushed / 4 cell classes. In 2007 we added the 10.5/4 cell class to the mix (all classes again were 5 minutes), and in '08 ALL classes are 3200 LIPO / BRUSHLESS on 5 minutes. 17.5 and 21.5 could probably go another 2 minutes with THAT battery. Opened to a 5000 mAh LIPO you should be able to competitively run 12-14 minutes. (My hand would go NUMB...as it did last SATURDAY when we ran Vintage TRANS/AM cars on the oval for a 'LAST MAN STANDING' race...which ran about 10-11 minutes.)

Now, I know NONE of the racers here in CALIF. are as good as the racers in Florida, so I'm sure your results will vary. :)NOW that some funny stuff right there!

Hey KOZ

I think Joe's alzheimers has finally kicked in completely. If I remember correctly Sean Cochran and Darryl Silva are from California and I believe they have won a few of those Snowbirds races down in Florida.

Hey KOZ

I think Joe's alzheimers has finally kicked in completely. If I remember correctly Sean Cochran and Darryl Silva are from California and I believe they have won a few of those Snowbirds races down in Florida.

yeah i know a few other's that have won nats as well,plus a big guy up north that's pretty fast..lol..

...not! But I've been told that we have a bunch of NON-FACTOR racers out here...so our results never seem to count!

In 21.5 we have seen that 100 lap main take anywhere from 5:56 to 6:16 and that is in the "A" and "B" mains so it's really only about a minute extra and the tires and traction seem to do real well. In 17.5 a 100 lap main would take somewhere in the 5:30 Range if 3.3 lap times was the average. The average lap on the 21.5 100 lap main is around 3.6 secondsi like the idea of 5 minute qualifiers for 17.5 lipo and a set lap main instead of 5 minutes!

tire wear would be the only factor in running longer but it would be cool!

Guys we ran 1/12 8 min 25 years ago on 1200 red scr cells, you can not tell me Lipo will NOT go 8 mins.

Has anyone told you LiPO won't go 8 minutes?

The question is do most people want to race 8 minutes. The answer is probably no.

WHY stay with 4 mins?

4 min's works for me. Keeps tire wear down, and keeps people interested. If you want "new people" like kids they cannot stand up there for that long and race. 4 min is long enough to keep your attention. Oh yeah and the fact that the day is already long enough at the track!

Joel White

WHY stay with 4 mins?

In addition to what Joel said above, I don't think weekly racing is close enough most places to make for an interesting 8 minute race.

4 min's works for me. Keeps tire wear down, and keeps people interested. If you want "new people" like kids they cannot stand up there for that long and race. 4 min is long enough to keep your attention. Oh yeah and the fact that the day is already long enough at the track!

Joel White

yeah, after all... you always blow out at 3 minutes and 57 seconds neway! Carl Edwards style!

Yea the left coast guys are not as good as the the Florida boys, then why are the Florida guys that are "fast" asking us about the lipo/brushless rollouts and such....Hhmmmm.....

They can't figure out how to work a voting machine, do you think they can figure out LiPO on their own!

yeah, after all... you always blow out at 3 minutes and 57 seconds neway! Carl Edwards style!

Ouch!! That was only one race. I wanted to let Zubie win anyway. LOL. I did catch up half a track though...In a 4 min race.

They can't figure out how to work a voting machine, do you think they can figure out LiPO on their own!

Ouch for that one too...LOL

personally i like as much track time as possible. I would run 10-12 mins if people would do it! :)

guys the "men" in florida run 10.5 4 cell or 17.5 lipo so tire wear would be a huge issue...

now if you run a sissy class and have time to watch paint dry than tire wear is not going to be a factor..

and in florida we have 25 plus entries in the 10.5 class....i think most turn outs including the coveted tour series is lucky to get 25 total entries!

booooooooooo yahhhhhhhhhhhhhh

don't go making this a florida sucks thread fellas.....we still have nice turnouts and 3 very nice permanent (not bicycle) (convention centers) tracks here in florida!

we are the oval capital of the world! and let's not even mention we have the snowbirds the worlds largest oval event! and a mouse with ears! winning college football teams! heat and the worlds largest roaches!

don't be a player hater! hate dave pull!!

Lipo is growing quickly. Instead of 8 min, it should be 4min because most of the people want to race 4 minutes.

===================

titu

worldinfo (http://www.worldinfo.com)

Its funny how you make fun of the SWT series, I hear the FOCAR series was pretty big,,,,,,,,where is it now?

Nice burn!

Well GA has 2 nice carpet tracks and nothing else, so there, lol.

Funny thing is, I've never claimed our SWT series was anything BUT a small series.

We generally range from 25 (on the tracks guys don't like) to about 50 (on the tracks they DO)

Over our 7+ years of the series, we've had highs in the 70's, and I've had lows of barely a DOZEN.

However, in 7+ years of racing....I've NEVER failed to put on a race, if one got rained out it was rescheduled...if we had a small turnout - it cost me from MY pocket several hundred $$$ at times.

We almost ALWAYS put on a great race, even in a class that may only have at times 4-5 entries...usually those 4-5 are lined up on each others bumpers.

We also have some of the WEST COASTS best racers who race with us regularly, including Gary Hamilton, Erik Steenhoven, Larry Ruby, Ken Collins, Jason Hastings, Scot Petitclerc and others, but almost more importantly, we've got guys who are just 'Sportsman Level' drivers who continue to race (AND TRAVEL) with us. We don't just run ONE track week in and week out...we challenge the drivers to diversity. SHORT Carpet one week, HIGH SPEED Velodrome the next, sometimes a PARKING LOT they've never seen before...I like to mix it up.

When things are GOOD, I like to do (5) different tracks for the 10 race series, but these days most of the racers kinda like doing the 'Drome and the Carpet, so we've had to stay where the money is.

The AVERAGE SWT driver travels 2-3 hours for each and every SWT race. I have nearly as many "LOCAL" racers for my CLUB racing that I put on, but the local race scene is much, much more laid back and low key....if a guy runs a 17.5 motor in the 21.5 class...but he's a guy who still can't catch up - BIG DEAL, he's out there having FUN, and probably quicker than he'd have been with a 21.5, so maybe he's not in the way.

:)

I bet you need safer barriers for Hastings....lol

if a guy runs a 17.5 motor in the 21.5 class...but he's a guy who still can't catch up - BIG DEAL, he's out there having FUN, and probably quicker than he'd have been with a 21.5, so maybe he's not in the way.


Something like this went down last Sunday at MTR, Only it was a pro driver trying to "catch" a supposed cheater....

...while on this discussion, I'll take the opportunity (cheap plug) to THANK All the racers who HAVE raced a SWT race in '08

http://southwesttour.com/images/swt_racers.jpg

Without YOU the racers...we have NO series, and NO racing! Thanks for YOUR support.

that larry ruby guy is bad news...key scratched my car one year!

Nice Kat! LMAO

he he he how ya doing ruby?

RUBY RUBY RUBY ! ........ how you been doing ? ....... keepin those guys straight out there ? ........lol

Rich

Ruby, who?? what's up Dude?

RUBY

...I'll tell ya how RUBY IS!

Ruby is a great dad, and I love it when he comes to the races with his Son...that kid is SO damn cute, can't wait til HE starts running these little cars.

Larry came up today for our local club race, we had about 50 entries in 7 classes with 21.5 being the big class with 14 entries.

It was a nice laid back day of LOCAL Club type racing, lots of fun, lots of laughing, a bit of REALLY Good racing...and a couple BRUTAL mains too. (Could have done w/o the 40 mph GUSTS of Wind though.)

40 mph gusts are great as a tail wind though!

LOL CLiff,

Yeah our Nastruck class got one heck of a run down the fronts straights...and felt like we were dragging a bulldozer on the backshoot.

I bet! When we used to run at the Dublin track we would get some wind sometimes but we would use the tail wind and hug the backstretch wall that blocked the wind when heading into the wind, worked great.

Whats the best lipo to use for a short track? Anyone sell them around here at a good deal?.

do any one know how much it is to upgraded to lipo. its only my first years i was just windering:confused

do any one know how much it is to upgraded to lipo. its only my first years i was just windering:confused

It really depends on what you already have;

Of course you'll need a Lipo battery $80-$120 depending on witch one you need/want. Notice I said ONE Battery because unlike nimh batterys it can be ran multiple times with no rest period between charges.

Some chargers are already Lipo compatible, some can be Lipo Upgraded. I upgraded my GFX for $60. If you dont have a charger several Lipo compatible ones are availible for $120 or less. I like the ICE charger, small,compact,charges Lipos and nimhs.

You dont really need a balancer but if you decide you do there not real expensive mine cost $40.

Most Brushless and Brushed ESCs are Lipo compatible. Its important not to run the Lipo pack below 6 volts, you can use a Lipo cut-off.

Any motor will run with a Lipo and most any chassis can be adapted to fit a Lipo pack.

So really all you might need is a Lipo battery :thumbsup:

we have a short track and most guys run the Orion 3200 but one guy runs a 2400 Orion and he finished second in the "A" main today.

Cliff,

I've got 2 packs of the 2400's I've been playing with and crunching numbers on...

My son and I ran them in our NASTRUCK class last weekend against the Orion 3200, they hung on great. My son TQ'd with them...I believe he won the main too (or finished 2nd) I forget...

When I tested them, they do drop the voltage harder under load (which I'd expect) but they have plenty of run time to use w/ both 21.5 and 17.5 for a 5 minute race.

At less than $35.00 a pack - these are great for a ENTRY level racer wanting to try his hand at LIPO. (There are also some GREAT deals right now on USED Orion 3200's right now with a lot of the guys switching to other brands.)

...also Cliff, have you been using any of the ORION 3400's yet, or know anyone who is/has?

(I haven't had a chance to get or test any of those yet)

I've cycled an orion 3400 pack. It was darn near identical to the numbers we got from the 3200.

Jason,

Thanks...that's what I was told to expect from a couple others...and what I'm banking on.

Jason, who is this Jason character you speak of.......I'm Hastings.....

...I thought you were the "WARDEN" lol

I really like the 2400. We have not tried the 3400 but I have one guy running the 3600 and his car is the same as every one elses, anything over a 2400 is just extra.