Posted by: bgivens
on Feb 02, 2010
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Hey R/C fans.....and non R/C fans too (Dan) ha! This past weekend was the Airtronics Winter Nationals at Revelation Raceway in Ontario, CA. Weather was perfect and no more rain finally.
I haven't raced since Toys for Tots race in Dec. due to the crazy holidays but I was glad to be back out at the track again racing my Tamiya 801x buggy. Practice didn't go so well for me at all. I had some motor issues before I even got on the track...like it wouldn't start. So that took me a while to figure out so I missed half of practice. I eventually got out there and learned the new layout pretty quick which was a giant relief.
First heat I was pretty sure I was going to be mid pack because of my time off. After the first minute or so I was right I was in fourth or fifth but I hadn't crashed yet. So I kept just cruising around and making sure I hit all the back sides, scrubbed the correct jumps and hit my braking points. At minute four I took over the lead and took the victory to my surprise. Not crashing and keeping a smooth pace did it and got me the early TQ spot by 10 seconds!
Second heat I tried some different tires and the car didn't have the steering I had in the first heat. I had a good run in the books so I tried to push a little harder and made a couple of dumb mistakes in the process. I did learn a few things in one of the tricky sections that I could use for the main (more on that later).
So I ended up staying in the TQ spot and starting on pole. At the tone I got a good start and got away from all the madness and got a few second lead built up. I led for a few laps and by this time the ruts were developing everywhere. I eventually made my first mistake and second place had caught me. I came in for my first pit now in third or four and had some work to do. I tried to make as little mistakes as possible in hopes that the front three guys would be fighting each other causing some mishaps. Three quarter way though the 30 minute main I found myself in second now and lapping faster than the first place car. I eventually caught him and made I think the best pass of my R/C life....and it was something that I learned in heat two and it worked like a charm. The only problem with my miracle pass is now I had way more speed coming into the next turn and I clipped a pipe and rolled over. So I got back at it and with one lap to go I caught first place again and followed until the last two turns and tried the hail marry and couldn't pull it off.
I ended up only one second behind at the finish getting second overall. I was pretty happy with how the hole weekend panned out considering I hadn't touched my 801x for a month. Now I'm off to a great start for the year and the buggy gets better and better every time we go out together and I won't be taking that much time off again....until next Christmas.
Thanks for reading this I hope you enjoy it.....because my wife doesn't get as excited as I do...haha!
Brian Givens
Posted by: bgivens
on Dec 09, 2009
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First off.....it was stinking freezing!!! It was in the 40's when we got to the track at 7:00am (late again).
The track was the same from the Sidewinder event a few weeks ago so I kind of had an idea of what was going on.....until I hit the track for practice. I few new holes and some of the lips on the jumps were a little different. So needless to say I was a little worried.
First qualifier I was off to a good start and was on a very good run. I didn't make any mistakes the first four minutes and then I made one little mistake jumping up the hill with a slower car but it didn't ball me up too bad. I ended up 5th over all. My 801x was handling so well compared to the last time I was at Thunder Alley and owe it all to my AKA rubber I used for the first time with this buggy.
Second qualifier I was feeling good so I took a few more chances and pushed the car a little harder in and around turns really putting the tires to the test....the only problem was I didn't know what to do with the extra speed I had coming into the turns and traction rolled twice. So I need to work on some different lines with all this newly acquired grip. Anyway I was a little slower second time around but my first qualifier held up to start 5th in the A-main.
By the time the A-main rolled around it about 40 something degrees again and windy now. So I hid in my truck for about an hour before the main to get nice and toasty so my hands would not freeze during the main.
At the tone I got off to a good start but got caught on the inside of a pile up and went straight to last. As soon as I got back on track I just put my head down I tried to get back to the front. The track was beat up now and people were crashing left and right. So my plan now was to take the pace down a little and not crash. Well it worked well. I came in for my one and only pit in sixth and then came out in fourth thanks to a speedy pit by my Tamiya teammate Bill M.. Now I was fighting for a podium spot and didn't even know it until I was announced as being in third with only 2 seconds between me and second. I tried to attack but my fingers were now frozen and second place didn't make any mistakes to pass so I would have to settle for third.
I learned this weekend that tires are HUGE in set up. I knew they mattered but wow.....good tires make my car really quick.
Thanks to Bill M. for pitting for me all weekend and waking me before every heat trying to stay warm. Also thanks to Jimmy Wright for the tips on corner speed. That helped out a lot.I found my 801x has a lot more to offer.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!!!
Brian Givens
Posted by: bgivens
on Nov 25, 2009
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This past weekend was the Kyosho Fall Classic at Revelation Raceway.
Saturday was three rounds of qualifying and all the mains were on Sunday. The first round went pretty well and I started off the day being 5th overall only a few seconds off of TQ.
Second round I pushed a little harder and made two mistakes and I ended up a few seconds slower....but was still in the top ten overall....still in the A-main hunt.
Unfortunately I had to leave before the third round. So I went home with my fingers crossed that I wouldn't get bumped to the B-main for Sunday. I got the call from my expert of a pitman and Tamiya teammate Bill M. that I had stayed in the 8th position for Sunday's A-main.
Sunday morning I got to the track nice and early (not really) and got the 801x ready for battle. I was thinking I should change my clutch shoes but I thought they would make a couple more runs for sure. Glued up some new Panther tires and I'm ready to rock.
I was starting off the A in 8th position and wanted to get a good start so I wouldn't get caught up in the madness in the first couple of turns. The buzzer sounded and I was pushing to the front and by the second turn I was in second place. I stayed behind the leader for about two or three laps and he finally made a mistake....from there I took the lead and never looked back............until about the 26th minute of my 30 minute main. All of a sudden my clutch began to go away and I couldn't clear the jumps like I could in the beginning of the main. So I went to nurse her home mode. My 17 second lead shrunk to a couple of seconds and then I made one more mistake and then second and third place came by. I ended up on the podium still in 3rd so all in all not a bad weekend after all.
Note to self....don't be such a cheap-o and put the new parts on that look suspect.haha!
Brian Givens
Posted by: bgivens
on Oct 27, 2009
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The day started out pretty good. I tried Ryan's (Lutz) diff set up (15-5-7) and it felt great. So after the first heat I was sitting 8th overall and looking good to make the A-main. I was going quick but made some silly mistakes and had two bad laps.
Come the second heat I tried to turn the pace down a little and get a solid run and made more mistakes...ha! Let that be a lesson to everyone....don't let up. So now I got bumped to BQ (number 1 in the B-main). It started out well and then someone spun me in the third turn and I went straight to last. So I put my head down and tried to make a charge and my rear shock let go. So I drove around on a blown shock for about 9 min. and still got fourth which was pretty good.
Anyway come to find out I over tightened the screw on top of the piston and the piston broke in half. I need to have a serious sit down with my mechanic(me)...haha!
All in all it was a pretty good first outing. Car was really good and held up very well.
Thanks again Ryan for your help on the pit wall,
Brian Givens
Posted by: bgivens
on Oct 24, 2009
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Well I'm happy say I finished building my 801x in two nights in the garage. They were long nights but I wanted to get it done before last nights practice before the J.B.R.L race this weekend. It was one of the best builds I've ever done. Really easy and everything fit really nice.
I only got to run maybe 6-7 tanks on it to make sure nothing was going to fall off (late night mistakes could be possible). My first few tanks with the car felt very good. The buggy was very quick and very stable. My next run will be Sunday morning in practice before the race. : o
I'm really pleased with the first run with the buggy and very excited to get more time to test.
Wish me luck....
Brian Givens
