[McLin]

I am surprised that a thread like this is not running already. An open topic discussion about Nitro Oval Racing.

I have decided to take the plunge next summer and have started building a Nitro .09 car. I really want to get a strong contingent of Nitro racers going at Cooper’s next year and since I know absolutely NOTHING about it, figured the best way to learn is to DO IT!

So far (two weeks LOL) I am sort of impressed. With exactly $308 invested, I have a new chassis (conversion) on the way, a new .09 engine, gas tank, receiver pack, clutch, flywheel, glow plug warmer upper gadget and (hopefully) all of the other things that it takes to put the car together. I will take the front end and other parts to make the conversion from the pan car that I would have raced electric oval with. Point is I would put this price right with what it would have cost to build a new electric car.

The price of the motor is about the same (actually a little cheaper) than a modified motor AND I ONLY NEED ONE LOL. ….OK I will probably blow the first one before I learn how to run it right, so I will actually need two.

I will also need a starter box, but that is a one-time investment. I will consider the tires a wash because they would have to be bought for either car.

Now consider this NO batteries, NO brushes, No speed controls and No motors to buy or deal with. I am sure there will be expenses that I am not thinking about right now but I can tell you this much the Fun Factor just went up LOL.

 

[left turner]

dont forget fuel,30 to 40 bucks a gallon. glow plugs and engine rebuild after every 4 to 6 gallons.

 

[oval racer 2]

nitro .09

congrats!!!!!
i have had the most fun racing this past summer in .09 than i have ever had, and it was also my first year. it is an awesome class. the motors will last forever, and they do not use that much fuel. i look forward to getting upto coopers next year to give it a run w/ ya.
although i like to run .12 also, i can see the .09 class becoming bigger and bigger. it is an easy motor to tune, seeing as there is only one adjustment screw and the gearing is limited, so no chasing the right gear. you can work on car set-up more.

later
james stroud

 

[McLin]

When I first started looking into this deal, I was not interested in any "Spec" type of gas racing. As I have said a hundred times, I hate rules, especially the ones that stifle competition and “tinkering”. If I can’t tear it apart and try to make it better or faster and (heaven forbid) maybe learn something, I don’t want any part of it. After all what we do is a HOBBY as much as it is a SPORT and for me, a big part of the way I enjoy my hobby is “tinkering”. If all I can do is clean it and change a spring or two, then all that would be is just driving a toy car around in circles.

With that in mind plus the fact that I have raced Modified for a lot of years, the .09 class was not what I was going to go for. BUT after watching a lot of it and talking to a lot of the racers, I could see where the .12 class was going to be REAL expensive to operate with tires being on the top of the list along with the motor rebuilds.

After watching them run this year and talking at length with Charlie Yates and some with Kevin Andrews and Kenny Derr, I have come to the conclusion (or at least MY conclusion) that IF the .09 class is left alone and not bogged down with rules to a point where all the “hobby” is taken out of it, then it could be a really fun deal.

It’s not out of control fast but still fast enough to make for some real good racing without breaking the bank. I’m looking forward to it.

 

[kevina250]

Welcome to the club. If it wasn't for Kenny I would not have been in the .09 class. Now I enjoy it. I still love my .12 class though. If you need any help let me know.

 

[Tim Mc]

I quit racing electric's about four years ago. I will never spend the same amount of money on fuel and tires as I did in batteries, motors, brushes tires...and so on. I was at the end of the rope with electric racing. The guys come over from GA. with the nitros and I was hooked. Nitro was the answer for me.

I was approached by Tim Smith over three years ago to form an Org for nitro oval racing. It is known as GASCAR. This has been a slow to rise org, but each year we get racers such as Mclin to join that have exhausted there funds, time and ability to compete in electric. Though nitro is not for everyone, it is fast growing due to low costs of nitro RTR and the high costs of the battery wars. I have never regretted leaving electric. I have been proud to race GASCAR even though my work has taken me away from it this year.

The .09 class is the wave of the future for nitro oval racing. A new head design is on the market that makes the conversion easier. The motors hold up well on small and large tracks. Setup is key in electric and nitro, but you never have to guess if the battery is going to dump in nitro.

My comments in no way are a shot towards electric racing. It is where I started and would still be if the money was no object for me. Good luck racing what ever you race.

 

[Ben Giles]

I ran gas oval truck at two tracks all summer not every week and a lot of special event Total cost one gallon of fuel at 19.00 and two glow plugs at 4.00 each and the same set of tires all summer this was with a .12 motor the bigger motors suck more fuel ran up front and made the a main a few times only broke the truck two times at the cost of about 12.00

Ben Giles

 

[McLin]

As I said, I know NOTHING so excuse my dumb questions. BUT what is the best way to break in my new .09?

 

[Billy W]

From what i have seen from Kevin and Charlie ... break it in on the track.......

 

[Rickity Racer]

MCLIN:IF the .09 class is left alone and not bogged down with rules to a point where all the “hobby” is taken out of it, then it could be a really fun deal.

What are the rules?

 

[McLin]

Try this http://www.gascarracing.com/ or http://www.arcor-rc.com/arcor2003/arcor_headlines.asp

 

[KenBajdek]

I wish gas would take over but in our neck of the woods it gets cold outside between Oct-May. We don't get the crowds for gas but the cost is whole lot cheaper!! WE run Cobra's Nemisis Nitro sprint cars and touring cars with oval bodies.

 

[JB]

IF the .09 class is left alone and not bogged down with rules to a point where all the “hobby” is taken out of it, then it could be a really fun deal.

McLin: Not sure what you meant by this, but the rules that have been added were done so, to stop any "adjustments" to the engine, that may cause an unfair advantage. They are also added to compensate for the lack of strict technical specifications that are not used with the .09 engine. Afterall, this is originally an airplane engine, and these people are not concerned with adjusting the specificaitons, from the factory specs.

Effective January 1st: All .09 carbs adapters will also be used as a restrictor. The opening of these adapters is now .220, the new adapter will be .170, it will also be anodized blue.

Also, .09 runs Spec capped tires. BSR will be making a Net Spec tire. The net spec will also be used in the electric classes, so this stopped the need to figure out a way to mark or label these tires, just for Nitro racing.

 

[McLin]

Here we go !! LOL

I'll admit I am green to this stuff but why on EARTH would you want to restrict the .09 engine?

Using Cooper's as an example: the good 19t's are starting with 5.4's and ending in 5.6's and 7's. Andy Mac's .09 car he was running pretty consistant 5.7' and 8's.

The point is they are already SLOWER than 19t's why put a RESTRICTOR on them?

 

[oval racer 2]

09 Restrictors

Jb, I Will Try To Explain This For You.

At The Open There Was A Descrepency About Carb Opening Sizes. Most Everyones Came Out Of The Box .168-.169. Well Some Of The Newer Motors That Came In At Bms Had Openings As Big As .175. This Is Probably Due To Ap Changing Who They Outsource The Carb Part To. Originally Arcor Was Going To Allow Up To .1875 For The Openings So That Everyone Would Be Able To Open Their's Up, But After Trying To Drill A Few It Was Realized That It Was Next To Impossible To Do Unless You Had A Machine Shop. Some Of The Barrels Are Actually Hardened As Well. I Mad The Off The Wall Suggestion To Make The Max. Opening The Size Of The Original Adaptor Which I Thought Was .200, But That Would Be To Big, And May Cause Running Or Breakage Problems. I Think Jb Has Taken This A Step Farther And Made The Adaptor Opening .170 For Next Season. Tjis Will Not Relly Be Restricting The .168-.169 Motors, Only Slowing The .175-.176 Motors To Make Everything Equal.

Mclin- I Hope This Better Explains The Reasoning Behind The New Ruling.

Jb- Maybe This Will Save You Some Typing.lol

 

[JB]

McLin: The barrels in the carbs are not consistant from the factory, measuring .167 to .174, the "restriction" with the adapter, makes everyone's engine equal, eliminates teching the barrel for modifications or enlargeing.

The restricted adapter, is right in the middle of the .167-.174. This WON'T slow the cars down like the restrictors on the.12's. It just makes the racing more fair, at the least expense. Now racers won't have to take thier calipers to the hobby shop to buy a new barrel with the largest opening.

If you don't think that the barrel opening makes a difference, your wrong. At the Chatham open it was allowed to open the barrel to .1875. Along with some hot fuel, and Andy's expertise driving and set-up capabilities, he ran the average of 4.8's compared to the 19T's 5.3's, this also broke the track record held by the .12's.

The .09 class got started because the .12's were just too d#*m fast, tires were a factor because of the speed and you see where that class is now. It didn't grow, it shrunk. The .09 class wasn't meant to be a speed demon class, if you want speed, go race the .12's.

As a matter of fact, if I had my way, the .12 class would be opened up to allow engine modifications, like porting, polishing etc., no restrictor, no gear limit and any fuel. But that's not what the racers want. Somewhat like the electric mod class.

I get so tired of people thinking that I just set around thinking of ways to rule a class, add rules or change rules. As a matter of fact, my life would be a lot easier if I didn't have to change rules. When a rule is changed it's because of what I see and hear at the tracks. Talking with the racers and seeing what they think is good or bad about a class. It's what I find being done when something is teched. If everyone could leave well enough alone, then we wouldn't have rule changes, nor a need for tech. So, don't blame an organization for rule changes, additions or adjustments, look in your own houses, pits and trailers first. This applies to all classes of racing. Racers have to decide, they either want racing to be as fair and as equal as possible, with rules or they want it wide open.

All I know is this fact, if the .09 class isn't watched, ways made to keep it a slower class than the .12's, a cost controlled class, a class that is reliant on set-up and driving verses the sweet set of tires and who can find the the loophole to go faster, it too will go the way of the 12's, no growth, stagnant and expensive!!

Regardless of how you feel about "Spec" racing, it is growing at a rate not seen in R/C racing in years. Why? Because racers like the fact that they are running the same equipment as the next guy, that the other guy isn't getting the "cream of the crop" or a "deal" on equipment. They like the idea of running the same tires as the next guy, they like the idea of not worrying about the next "generation" of batteries every year. This is what "SPEC" racing is about.
The .09 has shown growth in this last paved season, for the reason stated above. But, the growth will not continue if it is let to run rampant, with no thought to the future.

 

[oval racer 2]

Reply

Cool Jb!!
Can We Run 12's W/o Restrictors Or Limited Gearing Next Year?lol That Would Be Awesome!!!!!!!! Run What You Brung, Only Rule,cv Motor Though. No Rb's,novas,mugen Etc.
That Would Be One Nitro Spec Class And Nitro Open Class, So Racers Could Choose Their Own Class And Budget. Only Run .09 At Spec Events, No .12's At Those Events. Run The .12's At The Open And State Races. This Would Allow Some Of The Gascar Guys To Run In The .12 Class W/o Major Changes. It Would Also Help My Need For Speed!!!!!!!!!!

Heck, I Would Run Both.

Turnem' Loose!!!!!!!!!!

 

[McLin]

I can see loopholes in what you are saying but probably only because I am so new at this deal. Give me a year to smell the nitro fumes and I will go back to fighting you tooth and nail. LOL

 

[Echeconnee]

From what I hear that little .09 motor is built better than most .12's out there and has really held up well. I was skeptical at first on these motors but I am anxious to try one for myself and see if the car will hold up a little longer. Sounds like the restrictor is a good idea just from a "keeping them all the same" perspective, you have to run an adaptor anyway why not just make it the same for everyone and all will be happy.

 

[kevina250]

Don't forget that Andy had a larger drilled barrell and then Charlie had a .169 stock barrell that broke the track record again. And for goodness sakes there is no sweet set of tires. The .12 class was too d*#% fast for the inexperianced drivers. They could not handle the speeds and as for burning up tires they couldn't get the car to handle to make up for it.It has died down because not many tracks can support a .12 class. I can count on my hand the tracks that can.

It has been proven that a stock .09 is faster than a drilled .09. Charlie tried the drilled barrell and was slower. Heck I went back out the next week and broke the track record at Chatham twice with a .169 barrell.(unofficial) With this class growing how about seperating the experianced drivers to the nonexperiance drivers.Trust me, more and more are wanting to run. Leave the rules as they are for them but with any tire combo. With the price of spec and nonspec tires there is no or little differance. They way the tires are made by John now they last a whole season. That is what we have done down here. One set lasted a whole season. I have two .09 motors. One two years old and another bought 3 months ago. That is all I have and both are still strong with stock carb and adapter. I guess I am just asking to keep it simple. The KISS method you can call it.