|
MSRA Frequently Asked Questions
Check web site for additional info, or to ask a question. www.msra-racing.com
Here are some common questions people ask about our club and the racing:
How fast do they go?
How much does it cost?
Where can I get one?
Can I drive yours?
When do you race?
Where do you race?
What kind of cars do you use?
Tell me about the club?
What's the difference between Novice, Sportsman, and Expert?
Where can I get help getting started?
Can you explain the different types of racing?
What's a transponder and do I need one?
What is an ESC?
What is a hop-up?
What rules do I need to know about?
Just what decides who has the top qualifying position?
What is a track marshal?
Who build’s the track, takes it down, and cleans up the area?
Do you have restrooms?
Club Officers and contacts
More questions?
1. How fast do they go?
Electric 20 to 30 MPH
Nitro 30 to 80 MPH
2. How much does it cost?
A ready to run car (RTR) usually comes with the car, transmitter, and receiver, but it still usually needs the following:
Electric - Battery (car and transmitter), and charger
Nitro - Fuel, Starter, batteries (car transmitter, and starter)
Generally 1/10 Scale novice cars will run;
RTR Electric - $250 - $350
RTR Nitro - $300 - $400
RTR 1/8th scale nitro- $400 - $600
3. Where can I get one?
There are several local hobby shops (LHS), which support the club and local racing. The club would appreciate your supporting the LHS whenever possible.
Local Hobby Shops:
Memphis:
Hobby Town @ Wolfchase Commons is the major supporter of the electric on-road racing and the annual Tamyia Regional Race (April). They carry on-road, and off-road cars.
Mid-South Hobbies @ White Station, just off Summer Ave, is major supporter of the nitro on-road racing. They carry on-road, and off-road. Our annual “Beat the Heat” race was held there last year.
RC Chop Shop @ Appletree Center. They carry on-road, and off-road cars.
Jonesboro:
RC Hobbies
1125 S. Caraway Rd.
Jonesboro, AR 72401
(870)933-0479
This is our home away from home, nice track and they come to Memphis to race with us.
4. Can I drive yours?
After reading the prices do you really have to ask? But seriously many of our members may have older cars that might be good starter cars for novices. Ask around and check our web site.
5. When do you race?
Depending on the type of car and track, we race almost every other weekend. We run electric on-road and nitro on-road races on Sundays at one of the two locations.
We have three annual races, which draw drivers from outside the Memphis area.
In early summer, we will have a Tamiya regional qualifier, you must run a Tamiya car, but there are many classes of on-road electric from Novice up to Expert. This race is paid for by Tamyia and entry is free.
We also have a large club race called "Beat the Heat" in mid-summer. This race includes both electric and nitro on-road cars.
We have another large race called “Brawl in the Fall” late in the year.
Please see the schedules for this year’s race dates.
6. Where do you race?
Check the web site for maps! These are the normal locations but we do change on occasions.
HobbyTown - On-Road runs in the Wolfchase Commons parking lot near Hobby Town, in empty area between Target, Sport's Authority, and Haverty's.
Mid-South Hobbies - On-Road runs near Mid-South Hobbies, located on White Station Rd just south of Summer Avenue. We run in the area next to the Sherman Williams paint store.
We also travel to Jonesboro on some weekends to race.
7. What kind of cars do you use?
Electric On-Road - We generally run 1/10 scale (190mm) 4 wheel drive touring cars, but if we can get 3 people who want to run something different, we usually try to allow it. We have in the past run mini's and 1/12 scale cars.
Nitro On-Road - We generally run 1/10 scale (200mm), 4 wheel-drive touring cars. In 2009, we ran 1/8 scale nitro cars.
8. Tell me about the club?
History - Formed in 1986, first track was @ Kennedy Park.
Originally club had just 10-12 members; currently we have about 60 members.
Dues - $30/year individual, $40/year family
ROAR - $30/year membership required (national organization provides insurance)
Race Day Fees - Members $10 first class, $5 per additional class, $5 Transponder rental.
Members age 14 and under can race for $5 per class (members only).
Non-members (All ages) $15 First class, $10 per additional class, $5 Transponder rental.
Rules - Check the web site. The MSRA rules are based on ROAR sanctioning rules except we aren’t quite as strict on a number of things that aren’t that important for club racing.
Philosophy - Family environment, Keep it clean and keep it fun.
Sponsors - Hobby Town, Mid-South Hobbies,
Special Events - Tamyia Championship Series (TCS), "Beat the Heat" and “Brawl in the Fall”. We also sometimes move our races to other special events around town, We have been to the “Big M Motorfest” in 2004 & 2005, and the Exotic Italian Car show at the Pink Palace Museum in 2004. For 2010, we are planning a “St. Jude Benefit race”.
9. What is the difference between Novice, Sportsman, and Expert?
These are some of the general classes we separate drivers into. We do this, so drivers with like skill levels and like equipment can all have fun racing together.
Novice - These are the newest and least experienced drivers. It is best that anyone, who has not raced before on an actual track should begin here. Driving is an acquired skill and takes lots of practice to become good. We have no age rules so you will find that both young and old are welcome in this group. Until you can regularly finish at the top of this group, this is the place to be. It's more fun when you have a chance to win, and you will break a lot less parts, if you start off a little slower and work up to top speed. For electric, this class is defined by its use of "silver-can" motors. These are the standard Johnson & Mabuchi motors that come in the Tamyia cars. They can be purchased at the hobby store for about $20, if you are not running a Tamyia car. No disassembly or internal motor work is allowed on these motors. Check with club members, some cars like TC3’s and tC4’s require some minor milling to the motor mount for this motor to fit. If we believe you are too good for this class you will be asked to move up.
Sportsman - This is the next step up from Novice. Drivers in this class should generally have reasonably good control of their cars. For electric, motors in this class are brushless 17.5 turn motors. These motors may be disassembled and some tuning is allowed. Check the rules!
Expert - These are our best drivers and fastest cars. Drivers in this class are expected to have their cars fully under control and to race as cleanly as possible. Racing in this class will be serious and exciting. This year, the electric racers will also be running the brushless 17.5 turn motors.
10. Where can I get help getting started?
Don't be afraid to ask! Everyone wants you to have a good time. Come early and get help during practice time. Things will get busier as the races get going. If someone does not seem receptive to your questions, just ask someone else, that person may just be busy at that time. Novice questions can always be directed to Ralph Chaney (“OldandSlow” on rctech.net), as he has spent longer in that class than almost anyone else, LOL.
11. Can you explain the different types of racing?
On-Road - This is a race around a multi-turn course on a flat track. This could be indoors or outdoors. This could be on various surfaces, asphalt, carpet, or concrete.
Off-Road - This is a race around a multi-turn course on a track that contains hill, jumps, and bumps. This could be indoors or outdoors. Generally this would be a surface of dirt.
Oval - This is a race around a course of all left turns. This could be indoors or outdoors. This could be on various surfaces, carpet, concrete, asphalt, or dirt.
12. What's a transponder and do I need one?
A transponder is a small electronic device, which is placed in each car, to allow the computer to clock the car every time it passes under or over a timing loop. With this, cars can have their laps counted and lap times determined down to hundredths of a sec. You may purchase one, or rent one from the club.
13. What is an ESC?
ESC stands for electronic speed control. It is used to control the speed of the electric motors. It is not used in the nitro cars. They come in Forward/reverse and Forward only modules. NOTE. Reverse is not allowed during races and needs to be disabled during races.
14. What is a hop-up?
Hop-ups are optional parts sold to improve the cars in some way. Some of the more expensive cars are sold with many of these hop-up parts included. These are often referred to as "Team Kits", or by some other name.
15. What rules do I need to know about?
All of them. Please see the web site for specifics. We have rules to try to keep cars comparable in capabilities. We require that everyone abide by them, but we try not to be to extremely tight about the rules. We will check cars, when it appears (or there are complaints), that someone is gaining an unfair advantage by not be abiding by them.
16. Are the cars hard to drive?
No and Yes.
No, anyone can learn to drive the cars fairly well. "Practice, practice, practice" makes a big difference.
Yes, racing around the confines of the track is much more difficult than driving in the street around home. Adding other cars racing at the same time also increases the difficulty. If you have never raced, then starting in a Novice class is the best idea. If you start with an extremely fast a car, you will spend more time learning to be a mechanic than learning to be a driver.
17. What is an IFMAR start?
An IFMAR start is used in our time trial heats. It is where cars are started in intervals. Each car is running against the clock for it's own personal time. Fastest car is determined by car which can get the most laps in a predetermined number of minutes.
18. What formats do you use on race days?
In the electric races, we run 2 qualifiers in each class time permitting, which then decides the starting positions for the main event races.
19. Just what decides who has the top qualifying position?
Top Qualifier is the racer with the highest number of laps in the fastest time for each individual heat.
20. What is a track marshal?
The track marshals monitor the track areas during the qualifying and races. They retrieve cars which have left the track or become stuck against the pipes. Remember, no reverse is allowed during races. They also remove cars from the track that have become broken. We require that the racers, from the race before, be track marshals for the next race (or provide someone else to stand in for them). We also generally require that all the track marshals be actual racers.
21. Who build’s the track, takes it down, and cleans up the area?
Everyone! Please come early and help us out. Many days we will setup the track on the day before, please come help if you can. The more people that help the less time it takes and then we can begin the fun. PLEASE it is extremely important that everyone stay after you race ends to help tear down and pack up the track and other equipment. Setting up and tearing down the track is one of the most important things you can do for the club. Also, please help keep the area clean, we need to do our very best to keep the area merchants and home owners happy.
22. Do you have restrooms?
Both the hobby stores have been very good about letting us use theirs. Please don’t go in Haverty’s and ask about using theirs.
23. Club Officers and contacts
24. More questions?
Go to the Web site, and into the forum section. You will have to register, but it doesn't cost anything. Choose a unique name and then you will be able to ask questions within the forums. Also the hobby stores are also willing to help you.
|
