Where do the best drivers come from?

[Race Director]

This is an argument we've discussed for 20 years.

I say electric is where the top drivers come from, racing 8 1/12th cars on a track 10' wide at 40mph teaches racecraft if nothing else.

A driver of Masami's talent can put his hand (or feet ) to any rc car event and be in the 'A' main, because he can drive first and foremost.

If you want to learn how to race properly, get a 1/12th and do a season's racing, preferably under the wing of a top driver.

ALL the top drivers I've met started in 1/12th, and just look in any pro class you'll see current or ex top 1/12th drivers.

...and they're so damn cheap now too

 

[FastEddy]

I can't comment on 12th scale being the best class to come up from because I haven't done any research on it.

One thing that hit me as true is that an accomplished racer can be competitive in any class. Bad drivers like me :hi: Try to compensate and get the edge with the best equipment while accomplished drivers kick our ass with pure driving skills. Like they say If you finnish the race it was 20% car, 70% driving , and 10% luck.

Race Director,
Its good to have you here at RCNT. I have read several of your posts and its great to have you as a member. Getting the scoop from across the pond is a welcome addition to this forum. Keep up the good work and Post-Post-Post.

-Ed

 

[Race Director]

Thanks Eddy, I just gotta make sure I don't bash my head on the door on the way out

 

[militarymaxx]

My observation would be that the variables in electric, as compared to nitro, are fewer and more linear. Although both share many of the same problem areas regarding equipment reliability and performance, I defend that nitro engines offer a greater degree of difficulty when it comes to tuning and performance. I think that these variables and specific differences in the engines/motors alone are an important part of a drivers make up. Who do you think would do better if we switched the best electric drivers with the best nitro drivers ? My money is on the nitro guys. The simplicity, as compared to nitro engines, of the electrics allow them to focus on more driving and less tuning.
I agree, their skills as drivers might be better, but that doesn't necessarily make them better drivers. Race Director - you make a great point and the topic for some enjoyable and intelligent conversation and will surely take us another 20 years to settle.

 

[Race Director]

I'll say one name - Mark Pavidis

Dave Spashett plays around in 1/8th onroad and wins races for fun - because his driving skillls are supreme, he doesn't even think about his driving, whereas guys starting in IC tend to concentrate slightly on the engine rather than racing lines and planning ahead (on the track that is)

Top 1/8th buggy guys in Britain are ex 1/0th electric buggy drivers, whereas the other way round just doesn't seem to be the same

Put a top IC guy against a top electric guy in electric, it's a foregone conclusion the electric guy will win, the other way round though and the electric guy will go woooaahh HUUUGE wide track - no probs

I'm not saying ALL the best drivers are from the electric classes, but what I do sincerely believe is that these same drivers would find the transition to IC easy, whilst staying in the 'A' mains.

 

[zoeybadm]

I would tend to think that ex 125cc Shifter Kart drivers would have the edge over both the aforementioned groups because they would have a better fundamental understanding of the importance of line and when to hit the brakes (read: before the turn and let the car carry the turn and not muscle it through the corner). Actually having your own butt on the line half an inch of the ground with no suspension teaches you to pick the smoothest line (i.e. the one which allows you to carry the most speed). Also Kart racing develops those cat like reflexes which would be a huge asset when driving R/C cars of any scale.

To respond to the above posts I would tend to think that electric have the edge of the Nitro guys. All the top guys I can think of started in electric and picked up Nitro as a fun class to race. Also all the guys who drive well in electric always seem to be decent drivers in nitro. Nitro guys going to electric always seem to be heavy on the throttle and do not let the car roll the turns. The nitro guys try to muscle the track when the electric guys finesse the track with smooth corners and carrying tons of speed.

 

[militarymaxx]

Maybe it's not a fair comparison to make. Electric and Nitro are unique to themselves as are the driving skills required to handle them. But, like you say, drivers that have experience in both classes have historically shown that the electric guys have risen to the top.

 

[Race Director]

Years ago (80's) my mate was a top 125 kart driver (for the IoM anyway) & raced RC like myself.

I had a 250 kart but he would kick my arse on a sunday (maybe me being 6'5" didn't help) but put a tranny (transmitter) in my hand and I'd kick his arse, so the analogy of kart drivers etc. isn't what I would call a comparator.

Sitting behind the wheel and driving remotely are two completely different matters. When you're in a car, your perspective never changes, whereas driving remotely gives you more of a 3D view because you are aware of what's going on all round the circuit and every corner is from a different perspective, the car is either going away from you, towards you, going left to right, right to left and variations inbetween.

So I personally disagree that a kart driver knows his onions in the RC world.

In the real world though, I've just got to mention one drivers name and he vindicates the kart drivers are best thing - Micheal Schumacher!

 

[highflyin]

I agree that electric 1/12th scale will make you a better driver.At my local track the 1/12th scale drivers beat the other drivers in all the classes they race in.I bought a 1/12th scale for next season to hopfuly make me a better driver.

 

[Race Director]

I raced 1/12th for donkeys years but without an ulterior motive - i.e. I didn't set out improve my driving skills, they came with time.

With hindsight though, I would have done things COMPLETELY different, I would do just what you intend to do, improve your skills (and enjoy the journey too)

I'll warn you though, it's addictive

You'll learn about car set up, radio set up, tyre training, track skills you didn't know existed and new racing buds more than anything.

You'll love it dude, have a wail of a time, racing in a fiercely competitive area of RC (and so cheap now too) and come out the other side in 12 months being 5 years improved on the track.

...as an important side note and something I wanted to say yesterday, a 1/12th guy knows how to go fast in the slowest parts of the track, this is where races are won, top speed doesn't win races, being fastest in the slowest parts of the track eats away lap times BIG style, then the overtaking skills really come in to their own.

Put a 1/12th guy on a track with an 1/8th buggy and you'll always see him forcing it through the corners because that's what he's good at, he'll try every trick to go faster in the twisty bits because slow corners frustrate him and it's a challenge to find the quickest way ALL the way through a bend.

Whereas a guy brought up with nitro will be fast down the straights and roll off too early, tend to let the car freewheel through the corner then nail it again.

Overtaking is also a bit Rambo style with a nitro guy, the electric guy sees ahead and plans the manoevre.