ASK Cub Reporter, Version 08.26.2010- A Weekly Q & A Session

Yup, it’s Thursday, hell ya, so here’s some of your questions….
==========

I was a little surprised when I compare the average voltage under load from the second shootout and compared them to the first shootout. In both cases you reported using the same discharger set to the same current. According to your results all but one of the batteries in the second test were significantly higher in average voltage than even the best batteries from the first test. Considering the first test included Thunder Power Pro Race 5000 batteries, which have still never been outperformed on a race track, do you believe there may be some inaccuracies in these tests?

Please don’t take this as criticism in any way. I admire your efforts to try to inform the public of the truth but i can’t help but wonder if the results are not comparable between the two different shootouts.

Best regards,
Paul H.

Cubby– Hey Paul, what’s up? We had differences in output voltage between the first and second shootouts for a couple of different reasons, but mainly from the way we connected the battery packs to the Turbo 35. We used a far superior method in the second shootout, giving all packs a higher reading. Also, the ambient temperature during the second shootout was conducive to higher output. Thanks for reading the previous shootouts, and I hope you catch our third installment which should be up first week of October featuring 4S batteries.

==========

Hello

These are some of the things I see at our local hobby shop in
the suburbs of Dallas,TX(by the way, one of if not the largest hobby shops
in the USA)

1. No standard’s for the largest stock class in USA—SCT 2wd. I’ve
tried as well as others to get the owner to set the rules for a stock short
class whether it’s ROAR rules or local established rules(excluding stock
slash class). The best he would do was a open short course class 2wd. Well
the class has died because if I’m going to run mod, I will do it with a
4x4SCT which now is largest class at our local hobby shop. Obviously, I’m
not the only one who feels this way.

2. He only rebuilds the track about every 5 to 6 months-way too long.
The largest crowds are for the first 3 months or so and then people stop
coming to race. Owners need to rebuild or at least slightly rebuild more
often, yes it costs money but that’s part of the business

I thought I would pass along my thoughts

Doug B.

Cubby– Well join the club with the 2wd stock short course mess. Originally, when the Slash came out, our hobby had a golden opportunity to right some of the wrongs that were going down. The first few months after the Slash was released, spec classes were swelling across the nation with noobs. But then the “hardcore” racers finally figured out that the short course class was going to take off, so they stuck their noses in, pretty much ruining a good thing and doing a great job of running all those noobs off. Those “hardcore” guys brought their 200 degree/cheat timing stock motors with them, oh the fun.

Now of course “stock” class originally was supposed to be targeted at new, less experienced racers. Now days, ROAR (in their infinite wisdom) has specified it as a class for non-sponsored racers (well, of sorts anyways). Funny reading a press release this week about a “TQ Factory Driver” winning the 2wd STOCK buggy class at the ROAR nats last weekend. I guess the class that wasn’t supposed to have any factory drivers is now letting them race?

If I had to explain to someone outside the hobby what the “stock” class really means I would sum it up as “the class where you blow more money to go the same speed as modified”. Todays sensored BL stock motors have essentially the same wattage output as a modified, except they are lower kv requiring ridiculous gearing/timing to get the power out. To boil it down, stock is a freak’n train wreck, both at the national and local level (and lap times are nearly identical).

About your second beef, it’s impossible to make people change their ways. But, you could offer up a way super dope track design, and agree to show up to help with the track change. That might not get a track change any sooner, but on a privately owned track, that’s about all you can do.

==========

That’s it for this week, email your questions, concerns, rants and beefs to Cubby at BigSquidRC dot com!

YOUR Cub Reporter