It looks like in Florida it has died overnight. At the carpet oval nats we had 20+ but that was mainly FLA guys and the switch to 17.5 LIPO has happened. Paved Nats they had to drop it with no entries. Just curious is it being raced anywhere else?

dead here!

dead in indiana

100% Dead @ Maximus. It's 13.5 or 17.5. I think we'll see some 17.5 Lipo and 21.5 Lipo next year, 4 cell racin is still around here!!!

I hope NOVAK accepts my trade in! Dead

Dead. Rosewood in NC is basically all lipo.

All (4) cell is DEAD out West

21.5/LIPO
17.5/LIPO

and for the small handfull who want to go really fast

10.5/LIPO (we've only had 3-4 willing to try this class this year, and I believe it was only at the VELO)

Will still be run at the BRL since 10.5 NiMH and 17.5 LiPO run together.

Will still be run at the BRL since 10.5 NiMH and 17.5 LiPO run together.

10.5/4cell is faster so that will prolly be the winning combo at every race this year!

I agree.

I was wondering about that. So 10.5 4 cell is faster. So is 17.5 lipo more along the speed of 19 turn 4 cell (a lap or 2 slower than 10.5)?

I know the 21.5 lipo and 13.5 4 cell are VERY close.

Didnt 17.5 Lipo End Up Being Faster Than 10.5 At Easley....i guess the voltage drop off not being as bad in lipos helped on that big of a track

Or they maybe werent going by brl rules of no heating the pack and voltage must be under 8.44........ I've heard heating and bumping the voltage makes a pretty big difference.

8.44 rules was inforced but heating the pack was allowed or atleast not part of the rules.

I don't know about the heating, but I know they were checking voltages. Anything above 8.44 and you sat that round out.

I was wondering about that. So 10.5 4 cell is faster. So is 17.5 lipo more along the speed of 19 turn 4 cell (a lap or 2 slower than 10.5)?


Joel,

It's been a while since we ran BOTH on the carpet together (17.5/LIPO and 10.5 4 cell) cause those were tests we did last year, and we started the year with the guys with battery sponsors being able to stay with the 4 cell/10.5.

The speeds were very CLOSE (with the same drivers running each) and that was with the ORION 3200's. I'd bet once guys get their 17.5/LIPO setup dialed, since they'll be using the bigger SMC packs...it won't matter which is being run - you'll see the same FAST GUYS winning with either combo.

Think about it - the 19t's w/ 4 cell were faster for a while than the 10.5's were...cause guys KNEW the fast setups for the 19t's. Once the learned the 10.5's, they just kept getting faster. The 17.5 / LIPO will be no different.

The difference is going to come down to THOSE who switch vs. THOSE who don't.

Both are awesome to run, and very competitive. (Stand alone, or mixed)




THIS IS BASED ON ACTUAL RESULTS - NOT OPINIONS, nor SPECULATION.

dont get me wrong though, i would much rather tape in a 4cell and solder it up than pull a lipo out of a bag, tape it in and plug it up. whoever said lipo was easier was wrong-the only thing that has changed is the soldering iron has swapped out with a lipo sack

10.5/4cell is faster so that will prolly be the winning combo at every race this year!

Hmm... We ran 10.5/4 cell for over a year and then switched to 17.5/lipo at the beginning of 2008. At first, 17.5 was about the same speed. Now we are almost two laps faster than 10.5 and two laps slower than the Pro-Mod track record (3.5/4 cell).

Will be interesting if the BRL season has the same results.

I ran half a 10th per lap faster with a 10.5/4cell setup over my 17.5/lipo setup last weekend in cincy.. same car, same weight, car handled great both ways... The horsepower difference was definately in favor of the 10.5/4 cell...

Hmm... We ran 10.5/4 cell for over a year and then switched to 17.5/lipo at the beginning of 2008. At first, 17.5 was about the same speed. Now we are almost two laps faster than 10.5 and two laps slower than the Pro-Mod track record (3.5/4 cell).

Will be interesting if the BRL season has the same results.

I think you guys run a lighter weight with the 17.5 than 10.5 does and that makes a big difference.

38 oz car with a 3200 smc will be faster than a 41 oz. car with a 4cell 10.5.

I ran half a 10th per lap faster with a 10.5/4cell setup over my 17.5/lipo setup last weekend in cincy.. same car, same weight, car handled great both ways... The horsepower difference was definately in favor of the 10.5/4 cell...

you are right about the heating(of the lipo) it will make up that much difference.

So far from my experience and that of people I'd trust is that on carpet the LiPO seems to be a little off of the NiMH. The LiPO seems to shine a little more outdoors on big tracks. We're talking seconds here not laps and no it wouldn't make a difference for club racing, but for lets say BRL finals it will. I'm also talking about with no heating. Heating is good for .2V and that might put the LiPO over the top.

I'm not saying that ultimately the LiPO 17.5 won't be quicker, but right now on carpet I'm not seeing it. from what I've seen i'd say same is true of 21.5 versus 13.5 on carpet.

We also used 3200 Orion's only. With BRL lipo open to 5000 (or 5400?), should be faster. My SMC 5000 pack that I bought for the Oval Masters cycles with some awesome numbers.

Something of a warning I hear about the lipos is NOT heating them. (Thinking of BRL country)

LIPOS do NOT like COLD, and COLD can kill a packs voltage.

Read the temp warnings for LIPO batteries in cold - ( I don't know what kind of temps in in the buildings at BRL races during the winter months, but I remember reading the outdoor temps were very cold during a few races)

We don't have that issue out here...cause it doesn't normally get that cold..and we never have to deal with SUB FREEZING temps on a race day.

(Oh we are NOT mandating LIPO sacks, nor prohibiting HEATING the packs either, since most of our racing is OUTDOORS. I'd rather if a pack is going to swell, it can be SEEN not locked away, hidden in a bag.)

the paved oval nationals was not a true indication of lipo..from what i heard the only rule in lipo was 8.44 but guys were dead shorting the lipos and charging at crazy amperages to gain that extra edge onthe other guy..were talking a 6 run lipo pack and it's garbage..


so far and it's very early on for us..but like fran said when it's apple to apple (great wheel) the 4 cell nimh car is a touch faster than lipo currently and that is with the big dog smc 5000 pack...as motor technology improves and the cars get dialed in even more with lipo i'm sure in time it will be even closer..

BUT if given the choice of either 4 cells or lipo the 4 cells will be the better choice..and when you get sticks like frank 4 cell is king(he he)

now how in the hell do you bad mouth lipo and a lipo sack and comparing that to nimh cells and the following

nimh cells
battery nurse 150.00
dpd 75.00
integy 0-30 50.00
new packs every 3 months x 40.00 = 120.00

lipo pack
30.00 sack if you follow roar rules
deans plug 3.50
ballancer 35.001 pack every 9 months priceless
not having it take a dump in your battery box in two weeks priceless
no more building packs priceless


lipo will end up being alot like all the other cells we used in the past..no doubt and you will hear about alot of voodoo as well...so far i like the switch and managed to sell 1600.00 in brushless 10.5 motors..chargers..batteries..and cell conditioners....

replaced it all with a used CE gfx 175.00 plus 60.00 to upgrade
1 smc 5000 109.00
1 deans plug 3.50
1 17.5 EA motor 65.00

not having to baby sit my stuff...priceless........

and i hated lipo 3 weeks ago? go figure

BTW the only way to keep lipo cost effective is to NOT allow anything over 8.44 volts
no hot packs at tech

the next few big races will realy have alot of black magic stuff going on behind the scenes and it will start a downward spiral in the lipo camp...some will be happy to read about it..others not so happy.

I Believe The Games You Will See In Lipo Will Come From The Same Camps Who Play Games At Other Big Races

Some People Appear To Wish To Spend More Time Trying To Ruin A Good Thing For Those Who Are Able To Enjoy Themselves Just To Prove They Can.

Hmm... We ran 10.5/4 cell for over a year and then switched to 17.5/lipo at the beginning of 2008. At first, 17.5 was about the same speed. Now we are almost two laps faster than 10.5 and two laps slower than the Pro-Mod track record (3.5/4 cell).

Will be interesting if the BRL season has the same results.

We found (so far) that the setup between 17.5 Lipo/10.5 NimH is much different .... from springing the front end to rollout....same for 21.5 Lipo/13.5 NimH.

now how in the hell do you bad mouth lipo and a lipo sack and comparing that to nimh cells and the following

nimh cells
battery nurse 150.00
dpd 75.00
integy 0-30 50.00
new packs every 3 months x 40.00 = 120.00

lipo pack
30.00 sack if you follow roar rules
deans plug 3.50
ballancer 35.001 pack every 9 months priceless
not having it take a dump in your battery box in two weeks priceless
no more building packs priceless


lipo will end up being alot like all the other cells we used in the past..no doubt and you will hear about alot of voodoo as well...so far i like the switch and managed to sell 1600.00 in brushless 10.5 motors..chargers..batteries..and cell conditioners....

replaced it all with a used CE gfx 175.00 plus 60.00 to upgrade
1 smc 5000 109.00
1 deans plug 3.50
1 17.5 EA motor 65.00

not having to baby sit my stuff...priceless........

and i hated lipo 3 weeks ago? go figure

BTW the only way to keep lipo cost effective is to NOT allow anything over 8.44 volts
no hot packs at tech

the next few big races will realy have alot of black magic stuff going on behind the scenes and it will start a downward spiral in the lipo camp...some will be happy to read about it..others not so happy.

AMEN! I hate the thought of subC cells in their current state....if it ever goes back to that, guess a sell out is in order....LOL!!

Dead in NC

Ritchie Mac

one less class at the birds in 2009?

dead in omaha

10.5/4cell is faster so that will prolly be the winning combo at every race this year!

i am not saying that you are wrong but down here in florida at boylans local track which is a short track the lipos were faster.. i think the fast lap of the day for a 10.5 car was something like 4.08 and the 17.5 lipo guys ran 3.99.. but that is on a shorter track... and they were running together

david you would have to compare the same driver to the same driver..we are all not equal...look at tompedanos times at minnreg in both classes...10.5 4 cell is a touch faster

We killed 10.5 this season. Too fast for many drivers. I miss the 8.5 pull off of the corner but I don't miss the tire bill.

Put a fork in 10.5 she's done!! Thank god!

shoot 13.5 and 10.5 are dead in florida...all in less than ayears time! ouch!