Electric On-Road Class Suggestion?

[qjmcrae]

OK, I have an old GTB speedo with a 10.5 motor, a stock brushed motor, and a 19T brushed motor for my 1/10 TC. I ran the 19turn at the 1st Miller race in 13.5 class, and it became very apparent very quickly that without a new speedo, I don't think any of my stuff will be anywhere near competitive in any of the classes. I don't even think my 10.5 would keep up with the 13.5's. So, the question for all y'all is: What class would it make sense to run in? I would like to run electric tc this Saturday out at IR/CR. There was talk a while ago about limiting the advanced timing speedos in the 17.5 class. Has this gotten any more traction? Is it necessary at the IR/CR track? The Miller track was big enough that the extra speed made quite a bit of a difference, but maybe it isn't as big a deal at IR/CR. I am open to picking up a new motor, but I don't really wan't to drop ~$250 - $300 for a new speedo/motor combo for 2 or 3 races a year.

Suggestions? Anyone have a tekin speedo/motor they want to sell for dirt cheap?

[RacersEdge]

I think 17.5 is a great class to get started with. The speed is plenty and you can use the motor in buggy or truck all winter!

[qjmcrae]

This is not so much to ask what is a good beginning class, but is there an "affordable" class anymore? It seems that even in the 17.5 class, you have to go with the $200 speedo to be in the ballpark. Seems like in a way it would be cheaper to just have an open class, so if you want the speed of the 10.5 motor with the advanced timing, you can just buy a 7.5, or whatever it would take. I haven't followed this as well lately, so maybe there are more options than I am aware of, or I could be flat-out wrong. Is there such thing as being competitive with a GTB? If no, what is the minimum setup you would need to be competitive?

[tcracer]

Unfortunately around here nobody wants to create a class that we could consider stock. Everyone wants to go fast. I have a Tekin RS in my 17.5 car and it is way to fast for anybody who is wanting to get into racing(and even too fast for me). I think with the new esc's 17.5 is as fast or faster than 19t brushed ever was. The other alternative is running in the Vintage class where no timing advance or turbo mode is allowed. I run a GTB with a 21.5 in that class and it is alot of fun, but it requires a vintage body, wheels and tires. It is a class that tries to create a level playing field by limiting motors, batteries, even final drive ratios. It would be nice to have enough racers come out so we could have a stock 17.5 (limited esc and profile) class, 17.5 (unlimited esc and profile), and an open class. When a trophy race comes up we are limited by what the Race Director wants to run and this year the only classes we've run at the club races are the ones he's offering for State Champs. Unless we get more people to come out and play things probably won't change much. As for your question, I hear the Mamba Max Pro 10th scale is less expensive and offers timing adjustments similar to the Tekin or Novak Kinetic. I never tried one but people on rctech have good things to say about it. Good Luck and I hope you make it out to the State Champs.

[RacersEdge]

I think you can be competitive without a timing boost speedo in 17.5. The straight is only so long at intermountain and the correct setup on a car without boost will be faster than a car that is off on setup but has it. It still always comes down to driver and setup, not horsepower. Even in 13.5 Robbie Jr. was destroying most people in the infeild without a timing advanced speed control early on in the season. Either way if you have a sedan and a brushless setup of any kind bring it out and do some laps with us. Just be glad your not running brushed...anyone wanna buy a lathe??

[qjmcrae]

I think you can be competitive without a timing boost speedo in 17.5. The straight is only so long at intermountain and the correct setup on a car without boost will be faster than a car that is off on setup but has it. It still always comes down to driver and setup, not horsepower. Even in 13.5 Robbie Jr. was destroying most people in the infeild without a timing advanced speed control early on in the season. Either way if you have a sedan and a brushless setup of any kind bring it out and do some laps with us. Just be glad your not running brushed...anyone wanna buy a lathe??

So, do you guys think a good old fashion "stock" blue-green (maybe turquoise?) can epic motor can be enough to stay in the mix, assuming decent setup/driving/batteries? I will be running GT, but it would be fun to run the TC as well. Out at Miller, the track was somewhere between a gas track and an electric track, so the straight was, in my humble opinion, long enough that the extra speed made quite a bit of difference. I haven't run out at IR/CR yet, but size-wise it seems more like what I was used to running on in AZ, which makes the infield a bigger player. Anyway, let me know what you guys think.

Lastly, not to stir the pot, but why do we have a 13.5 class? Why not just open? Seems like the 17.5 non-advanced kind of matches up roughly with old-school stock, 17.5 advanced seems to match ~19turn, then why 13.5 or 10.5 and not just "modfied"? Anyway, just curious what the logic is.

Thanks for the input.

[RacersEdge]

Yeah I would say bring it out and see. I was still running brushed in 10.5, formerly 19T, and could keep up ok. It all depends on gearing and how long ago you cut and cleaned it. As always the more the merrier.

As far as mod goes...there are probably 3 people in UT that can handle the power without detonating every 7th lap and the chance of them all showing up at the same race = zero. If more people start coming out of course we would run it. There is also the balance between horsepower and available traction. Kind of like running a 3.5 in a Slash at Blacksheep, your only going to go as fast as the traction and tire spin lets you. After that your just shredding tires and wasting cash. 13.5 now runs within miliseconds of mod at most events these days anyway. Its plenty fast and most people have the motor already.

[qjmcrae]

... 13.5 now runs within miliseconds of mod at most events these days anyway...

So, I agree completely. That's why to me it would make sense to just run open. In AZ(back in the day), many, if not most of the guys who were running modified were really just running 19 Turn, as that was the fast way around the track. I am not suggesting everyone runs a 3.5 motor, it just seems there are different ways to go a certain speed. I am guessing that my GTB could run maybe a cheap 8.5 at about the same speed as a Tekin or Kinetic runs a race 13.5 (I am totally taking a stab in the dark here). I am guessing, as you said, a fast 13.5 is about as fast as most cars/drivers can go, so you aren't really giving up any advantage to the guy who is silly enough to run a 3.5. I guess I am just sore cause I'm too cheap to buy new gear, especially when I had what I thought was relatively "new" gear when I went brushless! Oh well, Just my thoughts.

Anyway, I will bring out the old-school stock, see how it goes. They are just too much fun to run to not run it.

[RacersEdge]

Don't toss your GTB yet! I think putting that and a Ballistic 17.5 would be a great setup to run. I plan on going to the no timing speed control rules in 17.5 after this season and hope we can establish that as a true stock class where the field is more level, plus you won't have to pucker when Kent comes barrelling down on you with his Twekin' !!

Glad to hear you will join us this weekend! I hope to see a lot of people racing with us!

[tcracer]

Don't toss your GTB yet! I think putting that and a Ballistic 17.5 would be a great setup to run. I plan on going to the no timing speed control rules in 17.5 after this season and hope we can establish that as a true stock class where the field is more level, plus you won't have to pucker when Kent comes barrelling down on you with his Twekin' !!

Glad to hear you will join us this weekend! I hope to see a lot of people racing with us!

[spooky]

I ran a 19t brushed against the 13.5 class and kept up very well, but the new controllers add another dimension to that class.