LMP-E/GT-E endurance event proposal

[steveaca]

Luke,
please don't take my comments as being negative. I love the idea but am just being practical. I don't have spare parts 'like that' lying around. As a matter of fact, I don't even own an LMP car. As Arden suggested, maybe we could run this event with cars from existing classes. Suitable classes coming to mind are Slot.it Challenge, Restricted GT and Group 5 Sports Car.
Steve

[Luke]

Okay Steve sorry, maybe I used the wrong word ~ how about indecisive

Its only 2 things GG really changed up with the racing specs - Downforce & RPM.

That in itself shouldnt be too hard to see bout, spares or no spares and Arden's suggestion was suggested ... 1982 Group C ear SC class and its obvious RGT class would be the car of choice.

Now we on the same page, lets get the ideas going nah

Luke

[gordon]

So, how hard is this?

For LMP/E:

• Start with the Slot.It Challenge car you already own.
• Install a motor up to 25000 RPM or leave the 21500 RPM Slot.It motor installed.
• Put it on the Magnet Marshal and adjust the magnet downforce by changing the magnet or change the ride height of the car with different wheels/tyres.

For GT/E:

• Start with the Restricted GT car you already own.
• Install a motor up to 20000 RPM.
• Put it on the Magnet Marshal and adjust the magnet downforce by changing the magnet or change the ride height of the car with different wheels/tyres.

I repeat...
So how hard is this?

Gordon

[Luke]

In my collections of cars (Scalextric, SlotIt & Ninco) plus not sure how many there are in (not being a show-off okay) all because sold & traded some of them over time. Mind you some still muddy from the Diego "Aug.'12" Floods ... I have them all stored in different boxes/containers and if I had to make a wild guess - I would say its < 100 > 50 cars

I should be taking a 2-3 weeks vacation from work soon and may very well use the first few days to do a stock check on them. When done, I will try (try) and post a new pic of them - there is a photo posted in Paddock (pg. 5 - Aug.'11) when I had 102 cars ...

I now have the pleasure of planning to build/set-up 6 cars for racing with this suggested LMP/GT Event (maybe Aug.'14) @ FRC.

2 Scalextric - Peugeot 908 HDi FAP/have a wide range of GT cars
2 SlotIt - Lancia LC2/Nissan R390 GT1
2 Ninco - Acura LMP/BMW M3 GTR

All in all - having a good time doing this

Luke

[gordon]

Luke, that's a great proposal and very generous of you. If you need any help or even parts, please let me know.

Guys, I think we're losing sight of why we race slot cars for a hobby. What we FRC slot racers have to remember is that we are not professionals. We do this for fun (imagine that - what a concept!!!). Yes we want to win, but is this the be-all and end-all of why we race at FRC? Years ago, as a young man, the whole group of guys I raced slot cars with would have been excited by the idea of driving a race like this, as it would have been something new and different (as it is now for FRC). In fact, at the time, we would often think up impromptu ideas when we were together racing and immediately implement them, usually in the form of a race that was different in some way. I remember once wetting the track to simulate rain then (stupidly) sprinkling baking flower on the wet track because that's what marshals at real races did when there was oil on the track. It took forever to clean the track pieces after that and some remained with dried flour stains forever thereafter. If it meant doing something to a car to run in the race, this too would be embraced with enthusiasm.

Yes, we have our weekly events and prepare our cars to try to improve on our previous results in whatever classes will be raced. This is all fine. But at the same time we should encourage anything that adds variety and increases the enjoyment of our hobby. So what if you don't win? Does that make racing no longer fun for you? Maybe - just maybe - we've seen people slowly stop coming back to race at FRC because they perceive what we now do as being too serious and not as light-hearted and as enjoyable as it used to be at FRC.

Come on fellas, let's focus a bit more on the good time we have and a bit less on the serious side when we get together to participate in our hobby. Let's have FUN.

[Luke]

Ah not hearing from Arden & Steve again - what happen boys ... both of you'll done already? hehe

Anyway - Here's something else we all could talk bout to help improve things, on the grounds of what GG wrote - how we losing sight of why we race slot cars for a hobby ...

I suggest these 2 drastic solution: Pick one & see where it goes from there ...

This (call it what you want) idea I thought about and because I remembered how my group of "Scalextric Analogue - RMS 4 lanes - TRL 42' Racing" guys (Christoper, Nicholas, Ian, Sheldon, Boo, Bruce, Andrew, Ethan plus others like Dougie, Scott later on to name a few) was always excited to come and have a go @ slotcar racing - almost every last Saturday of the month (1-10 PM) @ my home.

READY or NOT - Here it is:

Stop the Race Reporting method (at least the scoring on the forum) or Ramesh tells it all (show us) what he's doing, rather than the odds and ends info ~ if you listening

Luke

[arden100]

Guys,

REALLY!

Are you all looking at this objectively?
Look at what have been done to bring back the racers, if nothing was done I can understand.
Talk is cheap. The proof is in the pudding.

I did respond, and posted a response but I think my session timed out and it did not post.
Why don't you all have a lime/meeting with the guys who have lost interest and chat with them.

Arden

[gordon]

Let me step back a moment and just go over the concept of this special type of race for everyone's clarity.

1. First and foremost, it is designed to more closely reflect the challenges experienced by drivers in real endurance sports car racing where there are multiple, different-performing classes running concurrently. These differences include horsepower and handling. For example, the 24 Hours of Le Mans currently includes four classes, two for LMP and two for GT. Because we are limited to fields of six cars I have restricted it to two classes of three cars each, one for LMP and one for GT.
2. To ensure that the two classes are different in performance, lower-RPM motors and lower downforce in the GT class reflect the real-car lower horsepower and reduced handling.
3. In theory, everyone gets to drive in both classes since there can optionally be two races rather than just one.

These are the three main points that make this type of endurance race different from others we have done in the past. If we cannot conform to these, there is no point in the idea.

Here are my updated suggestions regarding the requirements for this event:

• We will introduce two new special classes for this event and both will run concurrently - LMP-E and GT-E based on real cars that raced from 1982 onwards (Group C onwards). These are just for this event and cars already owned can easily be temporarily altered to comply with the requirements.
• LMP-E - Up to 25000 RPM motor; 275 gm downforce
• GT-E - Up to 22500 RPM motor; 200 gm downforce
• 1-hr race length, 2 drivers per car.
• Both drivers must drive; no driver change minimum.
• Fastest 3 cars in each category will race (3 LMP, 3 GT); B-subgroup for slower qualifiers.
• Overall and separate results for each class
• Same drivers can drive in the B-Subgroup but not in the same class.

At the moment there has been no date set for an event of this type, however it can be run on a Thursday night in place of our regular races or it can be done on a weekend or holiday.

[RameshB]

Hi Gordon, i love the idea since i was one of the persons that suggested more endurance type of racing as it gives a wallerfield real race day feel, your suggestions on how its done sounds good on paper, can you send out a list of eligible cars for these classes. On another note I must say that frc has a very balanced race calendar,it was well thought out and planned in such a way to give consideration to new drivers and not so regular ones , even a tuning and practice night was carded so all can enjoy without any competition , just bring your cars and get them tuned etc and this has all been part of the slot car hobby for me , but still the tuning event nor iroc classes did not attract more faces at race night , what seems to be the problem? its peoples time and priorities , not the events or serious competition , we will continue to encourage racers of the past and encourage new ones. I would be willing to help anyone get their cars set up or tuned its as simple as asking ,but that takes humility.I have learnt so much from racing at Frc over the past year and i am sure others would have made improvements also just by competing together, always remember, winners are the ones that fail the most because they are the ones that try the most , the biggest failure is when you stop trying ,i am willing to help anyone who wants to get better and will be willing to fill their bucket one drop at a time . Thanks Ramesh

[Luke]

Try pressing the Preview button Arden it has puddding ... I mean proof in it