Dronfield & Don Valley racing - help please

[Guest joelvardy]

I have been going to start racing since September but have been busy well I keep looking at my TA-05 and now it has the tamiya 11t motor in it I have decided I need to ace it (it's no good on a car park - I will muck it up.)

So,

I have know about the 'Don valley' races - Friday and the 'Dronfield' races - Saturdays and was wondering if and people from this great place (TamiyaClub) go, (also if you know anyone) to the races and if they do then I would like some advice:

1. what is the track like?

2. Tires? (Slicks, Radial)

3. Mods allowed I have a few on my car and would like to know what is allowed.

4. Motors? Ride heights? batts

5. Time?

Any help would be appreciated and I am a newbie to proper racing so any help for racing would be great,

Oh also what policy is there on the crystal front (a few pairs, 27mhx?)

Thanks for reading and I am sure you will be able to help,

Joel

I do know about the Website  (www.srccc.co.uk) but it doesn't seem to be finished yet.

One last note - I can go to either club as they are run by the same people and I would like to know the ups and downs (Don Valley is preferred but not been to Dronfield one)

Cheers

[terry.sc]

I don't race there but can give you some general advice. The track

at Don valley is used by national meetings and is a great track.

Tyres,

Nosram Vtec 24s are popular indoors. At Dronfield Schumacher yellow

rally blocks are recommended. Best is to ask around the fast drivers

what they are using. Don't bother thinking about using anything from

Tamiya.

Mods, just about any hop ups are allowed as long as the

car meets BRCA rules. To race there you will have to join the BRCA as

part of the club membership fees. You will also need either a

transponder mount on your car or a 6.5mm hole in the body so a

transponder can be fitted to count your laps. Most racers will have a

personal transponder in their car which you could buy later.

Motors.

Don't know what classes they race but they should have a stock/27turn

class and maybe a 19 turn class with the top class being modified,

which is usually using 9-10 turn motors these days. I would recommend

taking out the 11 turn and fitting a 27 turn stock motor, to be

competitive in  modified class racing will require plenty of skill

and usually 5 packs of IB4200 cells.

Time. Not sure what you mean but the races will last 5 minutes.

You will usually need at least 3 sets of crystals.

Best

advice is to go to the club first and ask questions. They should give

you the best advice on what tyres work best and what classes they run.

They should allow you a few weeks racing to see if you like it before

you have to join the club and the BRCA, which is needed as the BRCA

membership includes insurance. Best to visit both venues, then you can

see which you would prefer to race at.

[Guest joelvardy]

thanks terry that is all great,

I wasn't planning on leaving the 11t in there

I will put in a 27 or 19 (I have only had the car run on 11t's so I don't know the speed using slower motors)

Oh.. when I said time I was meaning for the racers that go to tell be the best time to be there.

also I know if I do start to race I will need a pit box and I was wanting to know what i would have to put into the box??

Thanks again Terry

[terry.sc]

Time wise usually as soon as you can, so you have plenty of time to get ready and charge your batteries before racing.

Whatever

you use as a pit box all you will need are plenty of batteries, charger

and whatever spares you need to repair any accident damage. If there

isn't a mains supply at the venue (quite common) you will need a 12

volt battery to run your charger.

You will end up with plenty of pinions and spurs to adjust the gearing, sets of springs for tuning and a selection of tyres.

[rc-martin]

Hi Joel

There are usually two classes of racing at Don Valley and Dronfield 27t stock and Modified and are run over 5 minutes.

If you run with anything other than a 27t stock motor you will be put in the modified class, i wouldn't recommend you run with the 11t though.

As terry suggests, Nosram Vtec 24 R tyres are the best for Don Valley and its not worth even trying anything else but rally blocks at dronfield because nothing else works (trust me) they run on the polished gym floor! Don Valley has a rubberised surface and grip is ok.

They both have mains power sockets, its usually a good idea to bring an extension lead and a double adapter in case they are all taken.

You need to be there for 6pm for booking in (no need to be a member, i'm not) racing normally starts around 7pm.

I should be there on friday night if you want to come down.

Martin

[Guest joelvardy]

right thanks mate, I might be there Friday (

but it is the mum and dads week off so I don' know if I can but..... just spoke to mum and she says she will try! get in)

Right the tires for don valley, can I get them from 'Newbold Models' ?

I will probably turn up with a 27t but if I can't get one for Friday then I will have to purchase one there.

I believe that this is the transponder stay (I think)

But it says it is not used in the instruction book and so I am bewildered.

I know my car is not up to speck but I don't know the full spec and need a new TA-05 chassis because the take-off titanium screws are absolute CR*P 'they worked out at about £1 per screw and before I had tightened them up for the first time when building the car the heads on some of them sheared off!!!'

Also are there any restrictions on shells? (I have a Enzo 'not in the TA-05 line up but I always wanted one')

[rc-martin]

Your ta05 will be fine, i race at doncaster mainly and there are a couple of ta05's there that do the business.

You should be able to get the tyres from newbold models. Your enzo shell will be ok too.

Not sure if thats the transponder mount although it does look like it, usually people just drill a hole in their body shell to mount them.

I'll be racing 27t stock on friday

[Guest joelvardy]

right I just thought as I thought I had the mount I would save my (UN-SCRATCHED) shell from a drill...... wait actually is it allowed to be put in the back because the is a pre drilled hole there (the shell is a TT-01 really)

BTW  - What car will you be racing?

Oh one last thing I don't know if it is legal but I have a power cap are they fine?

Have a look at the car - http://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.a...11&id=13258  and tell me what you think? (any probs let me know)

[terry.sc]

Yes Joel that plastic piece is the transponder mount, it is designed

to be stuck on top of the servo so the hole hangs over the side of the

car to keep the weight of it low down. To do that you would have to fit

your receiver somewhere else, where else I haven't a clue. You can

mount a transponder anywhere you want as long as you keep it level, so

anywhere under the body will do. Don't worry about all your hop ups,

most of the other cars will be more hopped up in standard form.

Regarding

bodies I would assume no restrictions for club racing but if you were

to run at one of the big events you will need a body from the BRCA

approved list. Most racers will be using bodies by Protoform (although

my current favourite for indoors is the Moorespeed Mazda 6) not because

they like the looks but because they handle best and do make a big

difference to the performance.

 BTW the screw set you have fitted are aluminium, not titanium. Aluminium screws are fitted to save weight, they have very

little strength and are not recommended in the more structural areas of

the car. Proper titanium screws the much stronger than steel. I had

some titanium turnbuckles that were a little too long and tried

grinding off the extra length, after trying for ages I had a worn

grinding wheel and the turnbuckles were hardly touched. You can tell

the difference as titanium can't be coloured.

[Guest joelvardy]

The bloke hat sold them me said the they would be slightly weaker than normal titanium but would still be a lot stronger than than standard ones

I only bought them because there were no tamiya ones in stock, so know I need a new chassis and a new screw set, bummer!

[rc-martin]

I'll be there racing my Xray T1R with protoform Mazda 6 shell. Orange with white spoiler.

If you don't want to scratch your Enzo shell you should maybe consider using another if you have one, as your shell will get bashed about. The hole in the rear will need opening out a little for the transponder to fit. It needs to be the same size as the hole in your transponder mount. About 8mm.

  Martin.

[Guest joelvardy]

not bothered that much about the shell as it was only £20 from modelsport (pre-painted)

BTW  - Have any of you got a TA-05 chassis and Titanium screw set (tamiya) for sale?

[rc-martin]

Just to prove i take my racing deadly serious, this is a picture of me on our club website with my last bodyshell i did for our end of season trophy night. http://www.touringcars.org.uk/Photos/Pits/45.jpg

[Guest joelvardy]

I am really nervous now because I am the least outgoing person ever and can't stand meeting new people (fine when I know people) and you all look settled I just don't have a clue I am only 13 the worst bui is having too meet people and I am actualy really scared.. I am lame yes. Another thing is my mum will be there and she laughs like horse.

any way I am just setting up my transmitter now, are there any thing I will certainly need:

so far:

Charger / cabel

Batts Crystals

'R' clips

box of TA-05 parts

Cash (like I said mum is there)

transmiter

I know there must be more but my mind has gone blank.

[rc-martin]

No need to worry, you'll be just fine, everybody is friendly and helpful.

sounds like you've got everything you need

they even have tables and chairs there so no need to worry about that either.

[Guest joelvardy]

thanks mate yove been a great help, Is there any way to notice you?

 

[Guest joelvardy]

OK then dude I will see you tonight.

Joel

[Guest joelvardy]

Thanks for all of your hep and expertise, I will certainly be going again and you never know with time I might be higher than last. lol (doubt that)

 Cheers for lending me the battery, I should have some new ones soon. I also should have taken my Peak Constellation but it is working from a PC Tranny.

Thanks again and hope to see you soon. Joel

P.S  - I will hopfully re-build the car and have a better servo in for my next try.  ( but it was a new controller. lol )

[rc-martin]

No worries joel, nice to meet you.

If you can twist your mums arm to bring you to doncaster i'm sure you'd enjoy it there also.

Martin.

[Guest joelvardy]

easy... Donny ain't far and now I have become vaguely similar to the way of racing I think that is a strong possibility!

I have been to telford for a model show today the the car is as it was last night. I will tune it now with this new motor for the best spur & pinion se-up. (probably will be 0.4}

Thanks again,

  Joel