Chihuahua Express RC Rallye

[ahr43]

Chihuahua Express 2023 Rally down Mexico way is complete. A three day event, four counting Day 0 qualifying, run over three stages beginning and ending in Chihuahua, Mexico.

Winning team featuring driver/co-driver from France and Brazil respectively piloting a 1954 Studebaker Commander for a total 3-stage combined time of 2h:16m:45.0s.

First USA team to finish coming third place piloting a 1964 Chevy Chevelle for a combined 3-stage time of 2h:38m:34.1s


Here, north of the border in Houston, our USA/AHR43 MT10X finished its own 3-stage RC replica event with a combined time of 44m:51.6s.

Tech Specs: RC Chassis Team Associated MT10. Tires Pro-Line Trencher 2.8in belted w/aluminum 12mm hexes. Power Unit 2s x 5000 50C Lipo battery, 120A ESC, 3800kv 3660 sensorless motor. Radio system Spektrum DX4C. Timing system manual stop watch + Galaxy J3 V stopwatch backup.

Power setting 50%TH for concrete stages 1&3; 60%TH for concrete/grass stage 2. 80%brake w/10% drag brake.

Great fun. Gotta do this again. Cheers. 'AC'

 

[WickedFog]

Chihuahua Express 2023 Rally down Mexico way is complete. A three day event, four counting Day 0 qualifying, run over three stages beginning and ending in Chihuahua, Mexico.

Winning team featuring driver/co-driver from France and Brazil respectively piloting a 1954 Studebaker Commander for a total 3-stage combined time of 2h:16m:45.0s.

First USA team to finish coming third place piloting a 1964 Chevy Chevelle for a combined 3-stage time of 2h:38m:34.1s


Here, north of the border in Houston, our USA/AHR43 MT10X finished its own 3-stage RC replica event with a combined time of 44m:51.6s.

Tech Specs: RC Chassis Team Associated MT10. Tires Pro-Line Trencher 2.8in belted w/aluminum 12mm hexes. Power Unit 2s x 5000 50C Lipo battery, 120A ESC, 3800kv 3660 sensorless motor. Radio system Spektrum DX4C. Timing system manual stop watch + Galaxy J3 V stopwatch backup.

Power setting 50%TH for concrete stages 1&3; 60%TH for concrete/grass stage 2. 80%brake w/10% drag brake.

Great fun. Gotta do this again. Cheers. 'AC'

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When you put that body on that truck, I had just seen it a day or two earlier on Tower. Love it. Would like to slap that same body on something myself.

 

[ahr43]

Thanks, Kevin. It's classic single cab style and step side bed is timeless. I had a 1955 F-100 back in the day. This is as close as I can get in RC.

By next year this time I'll have the Senton slider built up as a competitor for the RC Chihuahua Express. Cheers. 'AC'

 

[ahr43]

Indeed, Senton 2WD gets the call this year for the 24-27 April, 2024 Rally starting and ending in Chihuahua, Mexico. My RC replication takes place in the same time frame here in Houston, Texas over a 4-day stretch (weather permitting).

Lots of work ahead to change her over from DragSpec to RallySpec. Not to worry, she'll come round.

Meantime, since this is turning into a more-or-less annual RC event at this house, thought I'd post up two of the former runners from whence the events got started. MT10X F100 from 2023 is above.

Below from 2021 event is pictured the "2 truck" RC10GTe nitro to electric conversion. Blue/Silver body was a bit long in the tooth and showing distress but liked it anyway.

For 2022 "No. 72" RC10T4 in full Mexico color livery got the call. That event didn't run off - can't remember the reason. But she was an entrant carried as DNS (Did Not Start).

 

[ahr43]

Award and recognition ceremony yesterday for my annual RC version of the Chihuahua Express Rally running down Mexico way. Senton SCB garnered the win by besting host MT10 by 31sec overall for the win. Senton's overall time for the three legs of the event 9min:28sec.

Signature event for the season, it is separated into three legs. First leg runs on the street out front of the house and on the driveway for the on-road segment. Second leg uses the front yard, sidewalk and driveway for a combined on-road / off-road segment. Third leg runs the grasstrack tri-oval in the backyard. All three legs have a coned off slalom section to represent slowing the entrants for trafficking the various villages along the way. Each entrant specs one tire for all three events. MT10 choosing P-L Trencher belts. Senton SCB P-L Icon's.

2025 is a shortened season late getting started with only four events. For this ceremony, brought out the banners, bunting and course markers. Serves as a homecoming event of sorts for the season. -AC

 

[majin]

you're lucky I'm not nearby... otherwise youd have anopther vctim to beat lolol
awesome bro just awesome

 

[9x19]

Love it!

Thanks for all the pics!

 

[ahr43]

you're lucky I'm not nearby... otherwise youd have anopther vctim to beat lolol
awesome bro just awesome

Thanks, majin. Kentucky, eh? Horse racing capitol of the world. You guys know your way around an oval. I might not fare so well when you show up to run. Welcome anytime. -AC

 

[ahr43]

Annual RC running of the 'Express' Series down Mexico way came off last two days. Chihuahua Express is no more. In its place is the re-located and re-named Durango Express. 363km (225mi) distance over three legs in three days.

My RC equivalent is a 1/10 scale 36 lap 3-leg event at home location. Leg1 is on-road. Leg2 is a combination on-road and off-road. Leg three is off-road. It is an invitational event sanctioned by UTRL (Urban Turf Racing League).

Host is the UTRL flag bearer MT10. This year's invitee is the TRX Rustler 'Super 2.' Spec battery is 2S x 5000 LiPo. Spec throttle settings for both is 50% THR.

MT10 prevailed this year with a 3-leg combined time of 15m:27s. Close on its heels comes Rusty with a 15m:56s combined time. Pretty good for a 36lap event. Leg1 at 8laps; leg2 12laps and leg3 16laps.

Always a fun do. Look forward to it every year. Cheers. -AC

 

[majin]

bro this is so cool,

 

[ahr43]

Thanks, guys. Now have to find a source to make 'Durango Express' stickers. This one came up on me quick this year. No time to plan in advance. Laid out three hasty courses and let 'em rip. -AC

 

[ahr43]

After running a back yard Durango Express, have decide to try a back yard rally series based on ARA (American Rally Assn) Regional Series. Four regionals left for the 2026 season and will tailor my RC events to their calendar schedule. Don't have the hard pack gravel they run stages on. Making do with grass. Maybe find an away site. Keep looking.

Rustler gets the call for O2WD (Open 2WD). MT10 will compete as O4WD. Both are still a work in progress as far as set up goes. Mid-May for first event so have time to finish prep and test. Should be fun. Here's Rusty as she appears today. -AC

 

[ahr43]

ARA Headwaters Rally, Walker, MN runs off May16th. It is a regional event consisting of three stages. Full size event is 39.5 competition miles, stage lengths of 6.25, 5.04 and 7.48 miles in length. To replicate that in RC am running 3 stages of 6, 5 and 7 laps on the backyard track. There is a designated transit time between stages on the full-size event, so will use that as pit time for the RC.

Here in Houston, prep-out is continuing apace with truck prep and test runs on a back yard patch sans course dots. Need to get a feel for running a replica rally event with three timed stages. Also packing a GNSS speed meter to establish S.I. (Speed Index) for event following this. Lots to remember to do, still working to get it right. Be ready come May 16th, though. Cheers. -AC

 

[CertifiedMike]

ARA Headwaters Rally, Walker, MN runs off May16th. It is a regional event consisting of three stages. Full size event is 39.5 competition miles, stage lengths of 6.25, 5.04 and 7.48 miles in length. To replicate that in RC am running 3 stages of 6, 5 and 7 laps on the backyard track. There is a designated transit time between stages on the full-size event, so will use that as pit time for the RC.

Here in Houston, prep-out is continuing apace with truck prep and test runs on a back yard patch sans course dots. Need to get a feel for running a replica rally event with three timed stages. Also packing a GNSS speed meter to establish S.I. (Speed Index) for event following this. Lots to remember to do, still working to get it right. Be ready come May 16th, though. Cheers. -AC

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They both look great! Nice job getting the track ready too!
I'm excited for another race season!

 

[ahr43]

Ha. Thanks, Mike. MT10 runs Limited 4WD (L4WD) on 2S power. Rusty runs Limited 2WD (L2WD), again, on 2S. Already written into the UTRL RC rules package a waiver for requiring a rally-style body. That gives me wiggle room this season to get my feet wet in RC rally and decide to try to fit a rally body or just buy a couple RC rally slider/rollers for next season build. Rally-style bodies are required for my RC Super Regionals and RC Nationals. But that's one and two seasons away. Regionals only this season. -AC

 

[CertifiedMike]

Ha. Thanks, Mike. MT10 runs Limited 4WD (L4WD) on 2S power. Rusty runs Limited 2WD (L2WD), again, on 2S. Already written into the UTRL RC rules package a waiver for requiring a rally-style body. That gives me wiggle room this season to get my feet wet in RC rally and decide to try to fit a rally body or just buy a couple RC rally slider/rollers for next season build. Rally-style bodies are required for my RC Super Regionals and RC Nationals. But that's one and two seasons away. Regionals only this season. -AC

I hear Kyosho makes a nice rally car.

 

[Doom!]

Any plans for any small jumps on the track this season?

 

[ahr43]

Any plans for any small jumps on the track this season?

No jumps this season, Doom! Thanks for asking. Regional events seldom feature jumps as there are frequently new or beginning drivers at regional level. Speeds in regional stages are lower too, which keeps the cars hugging the ground. Some national events include a stage with a jump. More of a rise in the road surface than a purpose-build construct.

What I am seeing is an increase in the use of 'traffic circles' in rally events I preview online. Spectators seem to enjoy watching the rally cars put on a drift display as part of the stage run. Anxious to include a traffic circle in one of my RC rally events. None showing in regional events as they are mostly run on hard pack gravel or back and side dirt roads. Super regionals I'm looking at for season after this feature crossover to tarmac in some of their stages. Be able to feature a traffic circle in one of those for an RC event.

Keeping it real in rally RC. Cheers. -AC

 

[ahr43]

I hear Kyosho makes a nice rally car.

Hey, Mike. Yeah, got my eye on the Kyosho 240Z rally ready set. Having a LED light set as an option part is a good feature. -AC

 

[ahr43]

Set-up complete of the UTRL RC version of ARA's Headwaters Rally this weekend. 6 laps East, 5 laps West and 7 laps East with ARA specified transit times between laps. Transit times for RC will be static pit time. 18 laps total. It's a short Regional Rally. Good opportunity to verify RC procedures.

Track layout orients East (far end) to West (near end). For this event cut a full patch with dot throw-down on the cut patch. Next event have decided to cut only a track layout instead of a patch. Doing that should give better track definition with fewer dots needed. ARA website publishes an event Supps giving stage lengths and times as well as maps of the stage routes.

AE MT10RS (Rally Sport) and Rustler Super 2 are the entrants. MT10 running L4WD and Rusty L2WD. Selected limited class designation as 2S class. Unlimited will be (future) 3S class. Should be a fun do. -AC