Morl 2009 [Archive] - Page 14

VR Swapped

06-07-2009, 08:34 AM

Looking ahead to Jones, If we don't have any type of delays.. and with possibly another full 25 heat field, what time does everyone estimate we should be done racing?

3 qualifiers and the mains for 25 heats equates to 14.2 hours of racing.

That is factoring in IFMAR starts, the 2 minute clock, 10 minutes between the first and second round, 20 minutes for the resort between rounds two and three, and 20 minutes for the mains resort.

So racing should be done around 11:30pm. That all counts on starting at 9am and so on.

Hope this helps.

HandyRacing

06-07-2009, 09:25 AM

Last year the racing was finished before dark, inclusive of a slight rain delay somewhere in the middle of the qualifying heats - but I think they ran two qualifiers.

(If I recall correctly)

Aaron Howe

06-07-2009, 11:54 AM

3 qualifiers and the mains for 25 heats equates to 14.2 hours of racing.

That is factoring in IFMAR starts, the 2 minute clock, 10 minutes between the first and second round, 20 minutes for the resort between rounds two and three, and 20 minutes for the mains resort.

So racing should be done around 11:30pm. That all counts on starting at 9am and so on.

Hope this helps.

Thank you very much for this info.

Can anyone confirm the plans for Jones.. I know we only ran 2 qualifiers and a main at Litchfield because of weather, and it sounds like you only ran 2 qualifiers last year (possibly also becasue of weather)... is the offical plan to run 3 qualifiers and a main?

I might have to miss this race based on VR Swapped's estimate. I wouldnt get home until aroun 2am, and then have to leave at 3 for a 14 hour drive. :-(

hankster

06-07-2009, 12:05 PM

To run a 3rd qualifier it has to start before 4pm. From the rules on their web site:

Format: Three rounds of IFMAR qualifying, if the third round has been started by 4:00pm, then mains for all participants. Five minute races, two minute grid time between races.

sbrady#0

06-07-2009, 03:17 PM

The layout looks like fun, and I am really liking that jump turn heading towards the drivers stand off of the back stright.

Just wondering why is there so many unused spots?

there is not rule saying you have to use all the dirt for a track. :thumbsup:
you have to see the track it is going to be fun to race on good job on the layout robert:thumbsup:

carbon madness

06-07-2009, 10:18 PM

That is true that you don't have to but there sure are some sick things you can do with some of the "empty" space. lol

In any case I can't wait to get racing on the track again (I did go to Jones last year, although I only ran that race), as last time I was looking fast in mod truck, although I had a sensor wire break. lol (of all things a small wire keeps me from have a good run :D )

Tdevil

06-07-2009, 10:31 PM

Thank you very much for this info.

Can anyone confirm the plans for Jones.. I know we only ran 2 qualifiers and a main at Litchfield because of weather, and it sounds like you only ran 2 qualifiers last year (possibly also becasue of weather)... is the offical plan to run 3 qualifiers and a main?

I might have to miss this race based on VR Swapped's estimate. I wouldnt get home until aroun 2am, and then have to leave at 3 for a 14 hour drive. :-(

If they are running novice at the beginning of the round like they did at Litchfield, that will get you on your way about 2 1/2 hours before the actual end of the program.

Aaron Howe

06-07-2009, 11:54 PM

If they are running novice at the beginning of the round like they did at Litchfield, that will get you on your way about 2 1/2 hours before the actual end of the program.

This could be true, except I am car pooling with Steve and Mike Champ. Which is not a problem at all, just means I'm not leaving until they are ready. And the classes could be totally moved around this time.

I did some more math and while it could go that late, I'm going to try and make it. Just means I gotta make the Girlfriend take the first shift driving out of town.

Thanks for the info everyone. See you in a few weeks.

Loony

06-08-2009, 01:23 AM

420 Tech R/C

06-08-2009, 07:00 AM

HERSHEYSQUIRTS

06-08-2009, 07:48 AM

Don't they reverse the order every other race? so Modified will be running first? Fish can you answer that?

Loony

06-08-2009, 08:38 AM

Yeah , if his times were equal to a-main drivers, it's time to say goodbye to novice.:wave:Besides dont the rules say that 3 races in novice class and it's time to move up???

from the Morl page:

2009 Rules
Novice – may not have competed in more than 3 series races in any prior season. Run what you brung. Any driver competing in novice, may only run the novice class.

I need to know this anyway because my 8 year old son is starting to get the racing bug...
It's gonna get expensive now lol....

I'm not picking on you Aaron, I'm just saying that your driving skill is more advanced than novice...:)

el camino

06-08-2009, 09:59 AM

Are the mod. classes going to run first?

carbon madness

06-08-2009, 02:53 PM

The morl rule states that you can't run the novice class if you were to race in 3 of them in a prior year. So that means you can run the current year in all of the races in novice as long as you weren't in 3 race for that class the year/s before this year (or the year you plan on running that class).

Aaron I agree with everyone, it is time to move up as you are good enough to be racing with the top guys in the main classes.

As for the class issue at jones, if they do the same as last year (based on looking at results on their site) they changed around the order between the mod and stock classes. And off the top of my head I think the novice class was before the stock class.

hankster

06-08-2009, 03:07 PM

Last year they reversed the order every race. I would guess they will do the same this year.... but I think novice was always first because a lot of kids run in that class.

Mike Howe

06-08-2009, 03:24 PM

Aaron,
They will run it in the same order.

Hey Aaron... when are you gonna move up from novice? you lapped the whole field.

Your time was equal too:
3rd Slash Spec A main
8th Masters A main
4th Stock Buggy A main
7th Stock Truck A main
5th Short Course A main
6th Mod Buggy A main

I'm gona have to disagree with ya'll on this one. There are a few things to consider. First of all. I just want to say, Aaron had only raced at our local track in GR about 6 times befor the race at Lichfield. He had maybe drove an R/C a dozen times in his entire life befor that.

He has had a TON of help in getting where he is. He was using my Radio, my GTB/13.5. It's my old truck with my setup on it. Not to mention the amount of help he's getting from all the guys at our Local track. From guys like Mike Champ, Roy, Steve.

Another thing to think about. He was in Novice. The first class of the day. The track conditions are going to be better then, than for anyone else thoughout the day. If you put a 17.5 in his truck and throw him in with the pack there is no way he will do as well.

The bottom line is. This is the first season he has ever raced R/C. Is that not novice? He seems to be learning very quickly, and has a natrual knack for driving. Thank the countless hours of video games? Maybe it's in the blood? I dunno.. Personally I think he just had a very lucky day. Let's see how Jones goes. :wave:

carbon madness

06-08-2009, 04:18 PM

Ture, he might not have did as good with the "blown" out track (although really the track held together really good for soft dirt), and yes he could have got lucky. Also waiting to see what he does at jones might be a good idea to see if it was luck or skill, but still to get 9 laps is a huge deal as that was the most ran all day. Although his lap times might not have been the fastest, staying smooth can put you on the top at the end of the race.

Really the only issue with him staying in the novice class is really you can only learn so much, after that you need to be with the faster drivers so that you can relearn just about everything in a differnt way (to an extent you have to relearn how to drive to go from good, to really good), and also being with the faster guy's will help you learn how to push the car just that much more.

In anycase having people recomend that he should move up to the main classes isn't a bad thing, as really that is an honor to have people recomend that you should move up a level in your racing.

Although the only draw back is that if he moves up then he will not be in any of the point battles after jones if he races novice.

Loony

06-08-2009, 05:24 PM

I was defiantly complementing your son, When my son reaches where Aaron is now he will be put into stock, not only will he be with better drivers when in a pack but also he will go faster.

Aaron Howe

06-08-2009, 05:30 PM

First, I gotta say thanks for the complments, being told to move up classes is actualy an honor, But.. I think you guys may be jumping to conclusions about my abilities.

As Mike has said, At the time of the Litchfield race, I had only been racing R/C for around a month. I have never even watched a R/C series race, let alone ever raced in one. I got into this hobby very blessed, in the fact that my Cousin (Mike Howe) set me up with a very well tuned T4, and I was basicly barrowing his setup. I was told exactly what tires to run, and exactly what equipment to use. He along with many other guys from BFG have helped me out countless times improving my driving and getting my truck setup.

When I look at your comparison between my times and other classes, I cant help but point out that they are almost all stock motor classes. I had a 13.5 in my truck that day, and so its not exactly apples to apples. But also look at my first qualifiers that day, they were a lap or two slower then my main if i recall. So maybe the Main was a fluke.. I really dont know. But I know I was nervous as heck.

Yes, I had a great day, but I personally dont think it reflects my driving abilities just yet. I think it was a case of beginners luck. When I read the rules for this class when considering running, I knew that I fit the class perfectly. I am exactly what the class reads, a novice who had not competed in any other series races. I cant help it that I had a great race, and who knows maybe I am that good.

When I race at Jones, I will have only been in the sport for a little over 2 months. At this point I'm still going to run in that class. I could be completly wrong, but its what i'm going to do. If I'm wrong, then next year, with a years experience, I'll be kicking everyone elses asses in the normal classes. But by that point.. I wont be a novice anymore.

dang, did i just type all that? I never intended to draw all of this attention, so lets get back to talking about the series and its other races.

420 Tech R/C

06-08-2009, 07:11 PM

I also was complementing your skill.. Listen to the guys telling you to bump up. They are right.running with faster guys WILL make you a better driver. If you choose to stay in novice be preparred for someones dad to call you on the 3 races rule if you continue to beat the whole feild by a lap.When it happens, Take it graciously and look forward to the next level of r/c racing.

Aaron Howe

06-08-2009, 07:25 PM

From Midwestoffroad.org "Novice – may not have competed in more than 3 series races in any prior season. Run what you brung. Any driver competing in novice, may only run the novice class."

Maybe I misunderstand this rule, but does it mean that I couldn't have competed in more then 3 races last (or any previous) season? I don't think they meant after I race 3 times, I can no longer compete in that points series. I could be completely wrong, But that would eliminate all racers after 3 races, making the points series unobtainable.

But thanks again for the complements.

Fred B

06-08-2009, 07:32 PM

Who cares if the guy's running novice. It's a non issue after this year. It's not like anyone's going to be bragging about winning the novice points. Except maybe a 8 year old kid. It's kinda like drag racing against a Volkswagen (either way you lose).

The only time it's a problem to run with the noviice guys is if you're takeing them out. But wait, it's novice so that's what you'd expect.

Also, the Novice racers are the ones that should be complaining if there is a problem.

There are plenty of racers that should be able to stay in the Novice class next season by the way.

Mike Howe

06-08-2009, 07:51 PM

I find it hard to beleive that all of you R/C racers are giving a guy crap for being brand new to the hobby and being somewhat good at it. I can not stress enough just how new Aaron is to this hobby. Litteraly 2 months by the time Jones roll's around.

Sure I agree that racing with faster drivers makes you a better driver. But Aaron wont be racing with better drivers if he moves into stock. He will be driving with C or D main heats. He'll be throwen right into the pack with guys who are "Pushing" their car, when they prolly shouldn't be. There will be way more collisions. More chances to Break.

Perhaps sometimes it's the experinced racers who can learn something from a new guy. I told Aaron to go out there. Stay calm, and focus on runing his own race. I told him not to worry about the other guys in his race. He ran Slower more consistant laps and got 9 laps. I think if you put him in with guys who are gona run faster he wont have the skills to get out of people's way.

This brings me to another point. He's is Brand new to this hobby. If he goes out this season and has a great time, he's gona be here for many more to come. If he goes out there and break's every heat cause he's "pushing" to keep up with people. He might not.

Now he might have just been in the "Novice" class. And some people seem to really look down on that. But, all he talked about for days after Lichfield was how much fun he had. Now he's worried that he's done something wrong.

I've seen many cases like this in the past. But my lap top battery is almost dead. So I'll explain another time. Peace!

Mike,

Tdevil

06-08-2009, 08:29 PM

Aaron has every right under the rules to run the entire season in the novice class. The 3 race rule only applies to having raced in a previous season. He didn't even race last season let alone race in a series. So no, no one's dad can call him on that rule. If he meets the qualifications for the novice class, which he clearly did, at the beginning of the series, he is eligible to race the entire series in that class.

Oh, and did anyone really look at the results for the main. He only was ahead of Josh by about 10 seconds. He made it past the line to get his 9th lap with less than a second left on the clock. One bobble anywhere and he would have only run 8 laps just like second and third. In reality he only won by about a 1/4 of a lap. Josh's fastest lap was only one tenth of a second slower than Aaron. Josh had two laps where he was faster than Aaron and 3 laps where he was only 2 seconds or less slower, Aaron was just more consistent. Sounds like one mistake and he wouldn't have won the main to me. Wendi, who finished 4th, was only 3 seconds away from making 8 laps. Sounds like there was some pretty good racing out there which is what it is all about. So how 'bout we start talking about anybody that ran 8 laps moving up because there were "experienced" racers that ran that or less.

Another issue is that people seem to be equating the novice class with age. It doesn't and shouldn't have anything to do with age. It has to do with the amount of experience, especially under the pressure of competition in a series where there is something on the line.

Aaron is one of the nicest guys at our track and it has been a breath of fresh air to have him out racing with us. How 'bout everyone lay off and let him have the fun he came out to have. He isn't breaking any rules, he didn't dominate quite like some or you are making it out, and I think some of the others are going to give him a run for his money before it is all over.:thumbsup:

carbon madness

06-08-2009, 08:56 PM

Trust me no one is giving him crap, just saying that he looked really good out there.

I was also watching him in the heats (first round) and I also used his car to gauge what the "fast" lap time will be around (at that time I found that if your laps were around or faster then 40 sec's then you shuold be in good shape), eventhough I knew that my laps might also be a little faster. ;)

Reason for that, he looked the smoothest and I think he was running in first on the clock.