Okay guys me and Marc have been talking a wee bit about this to try figure out the best solution for the club. Having talked to a few other people who haven't been racing at stoney I've decided to throw some ideas up here and see what the feedback is.
For the ones not in the know, this year has seen the introduction of very smart speed controllers that advance the motor timing on the fly to increase top speed. At stoney we had a speed gun and if I remember rightly I hit 55mph with my 10.5 and theres people going quicker than that.
I had originally suggested a move to 13.5 but wander if this might put people off. Obviously the club has always been run to accommodate rather than turn away because someone isn't completely adhering to the rules.
However after talking about it with a few people I wander if we maybe leave as is with the option to discuss it after the first round or two if we feel there is a safety issue. I personally will most likely be running 13.5 with timing advance even if the rules still allow 10.5.
Discuss...
A couple of ideas (not sure they are techincally correct??
1) 13.5T with what ever software you want or 10.5T with only standard firmware?
2) keep it 10.5 and allow any firmware but not have a long straight in any circuit layouts so that the speeds are kept sensible and there is a less of an impact between 10.5 and 13.5??
3) WHat about awarding points with a motor "multiplier" i.e. develop a number scorring system then multiply the score by (motor / 10.5) so if you use a 10.5 you get no extra points, if you use 13.5 you will get more points per place, if you use a 27 turn you get lots more etc etc etc thus meaning a slower motor may improve your championship standing thus encouraging new comers to start with slower cars!
Having thought about this quite a bit, I think the best way forward is;
Keep motor rules as they are. I.e. any Brushless 10.5T or 19T brushed.
Any brushless must use a standard speedo or if the speedo allows timing advance then this must be turned off (i.e. race director must be happy that the speedo is in EFRA mode with the correct flashing lights etc).
I then suggest Keiran and I carry out some comparison tests to see if there is any major advantage in running a 13.5T with timing advance, if there isn't then we can allow this. The reason for allowing this, is some of us (Myself, Gareth) race at the Indoor GP/ Scottish Carpet champs which is run to 13.5T rules.
The major point is, as Keiran alluded to above- there is very little point in the majority of members spending up to £70 on a new motor and up to £200 on a new speedo to basically go the same speed as last year.
Well as much as it might make you laugh, my original login is working again! So back to topher for a while (rather than topher 2 or topher 3!)
Marcs plan sounds a good one, When I first started I was using a 10.5 with no timing advances and knackered a motor (my fault), gareth lent me a 13.5 and I found that I was driving much better, to the point where I was almost going to buy a 13.5 rather than replace the sensor board in the 10.5. So if anyone has 13.5t for this year, my advice would be still run it as i found I did better as I didnt crash and took much better lines!
I have stayed rather quite on this for a bit just reading and listening to the other ideas and it seams everyone is missing the 3rd factor we must look at...weight
The motor and esc won’t make any difference if we don’t look at weights as well.
13.5 with timing software at 1350g Vs 10.5 and no timing software at 1500g, i think the 13.5 is faster in a whole lap (but not by much) reduce the weight of the 10.5 car down two 1350g and i think it would be a very close race.(would all depend on the track size)
So for the newer members of the club who were not pushing the motors two the limit anyway there is not much point in buying a 13.5 and a new esc but for those people who have been racing at SDRCC over the summer and have this type of esc already then we would like two use them (well I know I would) because there are also the benefits of using timing advance software, less strain on the motor as it is revving up two speed and I haven’t over heated any motors since i started two use this software.
We are also a small club with not much time in the hall so who is really going to step forward to "police" this flashing light? it will be allot easier two allow 13.5 with timing advance software and 10.5 with no timing advance software that way we wont have two look for a flashing light but instead all we have two do is watch out for a car going twice the speed that it should
Quote:I personally will most likely be running 13.5 with timing advance even if the rules still allow 10.5.
i also agree with this because it will be good practice for other race meetings I might go to also i wont have to think about heat so much
Gareth, I hadn't even mentioned weight as I assumed cars would be 1350g with either motor or speedo configuration.
I seem to remember you were running 13.5T at 1350g with rubbers against us running 10.5T with foams, and in terms of speed there was not that much of a difference. With the 13.5T and advanced timing speedo, the car accelerates differently, and I think will be a better delivery of power.
Obviously this will require discussion and approval at the AGM, but in terms of outright laptime, i don't think there is a clear advantage (i.e. above 0.5 secs per lap) in any of the two configurations against the other.
In terms of policing, I guess that would be the same as was done before- if it was obvious that a car was "a bit quick" a careful look by someone in the know will determine if its legal or not. This is meant to be club racing, if anyone "bends" the rules, then they can be politley asked to remedy it for the next run.
I agree that its best to allow both 10.5 and 13.5 to run together. That should keep most folk happy.
I will also be running 13.5T, 1350g, rubber tyres, but without a "cheating" speedo. (well, until my trusty LRP pops) Anyway, I think I'd become a weapon of mass destruction if I got any more speed indoors.
I wont make it to the AGM as I am due offshore on Saturday. Bah humbug!