Classes for 2018

3487 Views 28 Replies 7 Participants Last post by Rick Sirrom, Dec 13, 2017

Mr Modifier

Discussion Starter · Sep 13, 2017

Calling all PSCC club members - it's time to talk about classes for 2018.

We have already agreed Carrera DTM as a class for 2018 and need to stick with this as most if not all of us have bought one.

General consensus seems to be that Trucks are fun and should get a full season in 2018.

Some interest was expressed in opening up the LMP class to become Le Mans open - but with no Slot.It or NSR cars. Possibly have 2 separate sub-categories of LMP and GT (like the real thing). Sub-classes to race alongside each other but points allocated within sub-class on the night.

It was felt that V8 and GT could do with a rest so that leaves us with at least one more option to come up with.

Ideas floated so far are:

- Ninco1 (in-line NC11 motor only not the faster angewinders) box standard but run at higher voltages to compensate for the weedy motor which means you need a GregK chip.

- BTCC with 6 months box standard and an option to run the second half of the year under DISCA rules (which means up to £30 in upgrades). My only concern is about the pathetic motor mounts which will need engineering to sort out.

- Escorts and Cortinas - this could include recent and classic versions in terms of manufacturing date. My only concern is that some of these run FF motors which puts them at a distinct disadvantage - the standard Mabuchi versions will be much faster and will brake better.

- Rallycross - run on our normal track but using any car that has run in rallycross. NOTE that if you run a 911 it will HAVE to have high ground clearance - or we make a list of cars we will accept (i.e. 6R4, RS200, Audi Quattro, Stratos, Lancia 034 etc.) I fancy making this a tuning class so we can have any manufacturer - it will be possible to overtune a car - especially if we stick to short wheelbases. OR why not narrow it down to a single model class - a grid of 6R4's anybody?

- Porsche cup - Only Scalextric 997's (with or without rear wing). These are cheap and plentiful on eBay. Narrow rear tyres so a bit more challenging than the current GT class. A grid of these would be great. Box standard except free choice of tyres, braids and guide.

Only DTM is set in stone. The rest is up for debate and we should aim to settle on classes and rules by the first race night in October to give us a chance to buy and prepare our cars for 2018.

Discuss.....

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1 - 20 of 29 Posts

Mcewan

· #2 · Sep 13, 2017

Hey you missed off the Scalextric GT40's, mk I and mk II only.

I really like the idea of:

1. Carrera DTM

2. Scalextric GT40

3. Trucks

for the fourth class my favourite would be BTCC following the Official DiSCA rules available here: www.officialdisca.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/DiSCA-Touring-Car-tech-v1.pdf

I don't mind if we run box standard for the first half and then the upgrades for the second, would prefer from the start but it's not a bad idea to give people plenty of time.

Some of the other classes I don't mind either, but these would be my top four choices.

I don't like the idea of Open Le Mans because its too fast for our track and our club. The gaps between first and last are bigger, look at how close Truck racing between first and last place!

Escorts and Cortinas is a nice idea but I don't think it will translate to good racing, the cars are not good enough and usually command top price to buy.

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Mr Modifier

Discussion Starter · #3 · Sep 13, 2017

Oops - GT40's and I also LOVE the idea! How did I miss that?

We also discussed a club car option where the club buys 4 or 5 cars that stay in a fixed grid position. Would save some cash for individuals. Maybe that's what we could do with the GT40's or BTCC or Porsches.

Mcewan

· #4 · Sep 13, 2017

Also Scalextric Classics was mentioned, Rover, Datsun, Porsche & BMW etc.

Again not one I fancy, unless everyone is running a BMW the differences in the cars are too great, plus I don't like spending money on cars as old and as bad as these. They can be fun tho, but I think other class options will offer us closer racing.

longdog

· #5 · Sep 13, 2017

How stock will the Carrera DTMs be?

I like the idea of keeping the LMP class too.

Mr Modifier

Discussion Starter · #6 · Sep 13, 2017

Mike we haven't settled on details but the DTMs are likely to be pretty much stock with magnets removed. I'm not sure if the standard Scaley chip will drive the Carrera motor - I will have to seek advice.

KMor

· #7 · Sep 14, 2017

I would think we've all got the SR Ferrari F430 or Nissan GTR or similar period collecting dust, anything we can do with them?

RACING LINE

· #8 · Sep 15, 2017

Regarding DTMs have a chat with Wraith he has run a Scalextric Digital class for these for at least a couple of seasons.

Rick Sirrom

· #9 · Sep 15, 2017 (Edited by Moderator)

4

longdog said:
How stock will the Carrera DTMs be?

I like the idea of keeping the LMP class too.

Hi Mike = Pretty Damn Stock / No 3D printed chassis / Standard running gear. I imagine it's gonna be just the usuals =

Braids / Wires / Tyres / Ballast / Strip the 'Direction Change' switch out.

Makes for Close Racing Yeah

The club normally has just one ^Bonkers^ Class, which has been LMP this year.

I'm liking the sounds of - Carrerra DTM / Trucks Full Season / LMP / Classic GT40's too

Cheers 'Slot-Dudes'

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Mr Modifier

Discussion Starter · #10 · Sep 15, 2017

RACING LINE said:
Regarding DTMs have a chat with Wraith he has run a Scalextric Digital class for these for at least a couple of seasons.

Colin already has a PM in his inbox from me 😇

Mcewan

· #11 · Sep 15, 2017

Just like to add to LMP...

One of my favourite classes, only reason I was not voting it higher was that I didn't think it suited the rest of our club members.

But if most people are interested in having it again then I'm happy with that, as everyone already has cars and chips etc. it's a bit of money saved!

We can always turn the voltage down to reduce some of the craziness we see.

Mr Modifier

Discussion Starter · #12 · Sep 16, 2017

We have had Le Mans in various forms every year since we started. It has got too fast in my opinion - perhaps we should consider lower voltage (but I'm not convinced it will slow things down because I NEVER use full throttle with my Pescarolo - it's motor is just bonkers).

I fancy a change but if we do stick with Le Mans maybe we should insist on a control motor. Somebody mentioned a manufacturer who makes small can and long cans that are matched in performance....

Mr Modifier

Discussion Starter · #13 · Sep 21, 2017

We had a preliminary chat on Tuesday last. Keith, Leon, Clive, Mike and myself.

DTM we know is fixed because everybody has bought one for 2018.

Trucks were a firm favourite amongst those present (except Mike who hasn't experienced Trucks).

Scalextric GT40 was also popular as Clive, Keith and myself all have one. Leon is happy to acquire one. eBay prices are high for Scalextric GT40 but if any club member wants a cheaper option I know where they can be sourced (not from me). But we need to settle on this class before anybody spends money.

So if DTM and Trucks are firm favourites and GT40 becoming firm we should maybe take a vote soon. We need at least 4 classes for 2018 - maybe 5 classes if we want to run 3 classes all year and share 2 classes by splitting them into 2 half years (like we did with Minis and Trucks this year).

Next week is V8 Muscle on 26th September - should we do the voting then?

Mr Modifier

Discussion Starter · #14 · Sep 21, 2017

Class proposals already agreed are:

DTM

Class proposals to be voted on are:

Trucks

Scalextric GT40

Ninco1 at higher volts

BTCC

Scalextric Escorts and Cortinas

Rallycross (limited car list)

Porsche Cup (Scalextric Porsche 997s)

Open Le Mans (with control motors)

Scalextric Classics (limited car list)

GTs

V8 Muscle

I suggest everybody votes for 5 classes in a round. Any classes without votes are dropped.

The reset and vote again - dropping nil vote classes as we go.

Once we get no more nil vote classes we start dropping the class with the least votes until we are down to 5 and then decide if we want to run 3 full year classes and 2 classes share the year OR run 4 classes all year.

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Mr Modifier

Discussion Starter · #15 · Sep 28, 2017 (Edited by Moderator)

Voting went well at Club Night on Tuesday. Those members not present (who had let me know their preferences) had their votes cast for them.

In Round 1 we eliminated all classes that had no votes. DTM was already decided and two other classes won 7 out of 8 votes so were selected. That left Round 2 to decide a 4th and possibly 5th class. As it turned out there was one clear winner of the final spot.

So for 2018 we will be running:

Carrera DTM in a class running very close to stock.

Scalextric GT40 again close to stock but with some mods allowed to bring older non-DPR cars up to spec (this is mainly guide mods and tyres).

Trucks with the same rules as 2017 - we are only running a half season this year and everybody seems to enjoy the Trucks and wanted to give them a shot at a full season.

Le Mans Open - this will need some further debate on what we will actually run. We all agreed that LMPs is getting too fast and the simplest thing seems to be to introduce a motor limitation so all that would be needed for 2018 would be an engine swap. We think an engine spec limit rather than specific models of motor seems easiest. We also thought that we could explore what else might run alongside LMPs in case anybody fancies running something a bit different.

Rules will be sorted out over the next few weeks so we have plenty of time to prep cars. Leon has the draft rules that I prepared and we will open up the discussion shortly.

So 4 classes for 2018 which will probably mean 10 rounds of each class - drop your worst 2 scores. This leaves some leeway in the schedule that can accommodate our 2:40 of Le Pants, maybe another endurance race, some tuning/fettling nights and possibly a Summer Break. All up for discussion over the next few club nights.

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GRUNZ

· #16 · Sep 28, 2017

No BTCC??? Wow, you guys a missing a great series. These cars even in stock form (just put a pair of P6 on the back) go really well.

Mr Modifier

Discussion Starter · #17 · Sep 28, 2017

In a democratic process the BTCC option fell away at the polls. I think we were maybe put off by the high cost of acquisition and the flimsy motor mounts. Scaleys thinning of the motor mounts is losing friends fast - one of our guys had a new Mini and the thin mount broke catastrophically.

Each year we try to keep 2 or 3 classes and bring in 1 or 2 new ones. The GT40s and DTMs are both new. Trucks only have a half season this year and everybody is loving them so that was an obvious keeper. And we have all invested money, time and effort in getting our LMPs sorted but they are too fast so taking the motors seemed like an interesting thing to do to see if we can tease a bit better handling out of our cars to compensate for lower top end.

So there wasnt any room for BTCC. But its always an option for 2019 or even one of our spare endurance event dates.

GRUNZ

· #18 · Sep 28, 2017

Democracy is wrong! You need a leader with vision. ;-)

Just kidding. I can understand that has a group you need to get a consensus.

We have been playing with the new btcc cars (10 in total) and so far no one had any problem with the motor mount.

We just finished a series on it (10 event of 3 races: 24 min, 20 min, and 16 min) with stock cars and no one has had any failure.

I have heard of instances where bushing holders got broken (Gary's honda is one example) but don't be put off by it.

Have you tested one? Usually, before I propose a new class I test one sample myself and then I let the others try as well.

Mr Modifier

Discussion Starter · #19 · Sep 29, 2017

I think a couple of the guys have BTCC cars so maybe they could bring them to the club and try them on the track.

By the way have you tried the trucks? Great fun with phenomenal grip if you oil the 4 massive rear tyres😇

GRUNZ

· #20 · Oct 7, 2017

Not yet. We have a full grid of Fly trucks with oxigen chips.

The other thing that has stopped me to propose the scaley trucks is the lack of different liveries.

True that we can re-livery them (as you have done) but it is a tedious process especially the stripping.

We have just finished our championship based on BTCC and we are now moving to sideways group 5 with slot.it sidewinder pod and MRRC 16k motor.

Tyres will be P6.

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