Stock Driving.

In Stock, you need to drive so that you are getting around the corners with as much speed as possible. You want to drive so that you are making the corners as straight as possible and so that are taken without slowing down your car to much. See the video below for an example. Video from Rcracer.co.nz <a href="http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-US&playlist=videoByUuids:uuids:0ca4e8bd-4a0d-426d-923c-c6ce3119fa9c&showPlaylist=true&from=msnvideo" target="_new" title="HD international Stock Misc 3">Video: HD international Stock Misc 3</a>

HPI Spring Rate Chart

This is a chart of the different weight shock springs that you can get for the cyclone s. The springs that come with the car are 8.6 weight.

RC Beginner Tips and Tricks.

To a beginner RC car racer, the first race meet can be daunting. But it doesn’t have to be. I recommend that if you are feeling unsure about your car or something to do with the racing, you ask someone, usually one of the guys who bring everything but the kitchen sink to race days as they will usually be able to help you.

If you are racing stock or another class with adjustable chassis, I recommend asking one of the top guys, mentioned above, to help you with setup changes and to get your car handling right. They should be happy to help you, but sometimes this is not always the case. If they aren’t happy to help, try some one else who races that class.

The most important thing to remember is to keep your cool and you’ll be winning races in no time!

RC Handling

If your car isn't handling properly at the track that you race and you want to know why, then you might want to have a look at the link below.
RC Car Handling

Stock Ratios

Here is a table of ratios for racing in the stock class. The one in red is the one that I was running, whereas the one in blue is the one that I am running.

Stock racing

Stock racing is all about driving. There is me, and then there is Luke. Our cars are identical speed on the straight. So therefore it proves the fact that in controlled racing, like stock, you have to have a good car setup to win. Now, my setup, as you have previously seen, allows me to competitively compete. So what’s the problem? Its not speed, its not setup, well it might be setup, but more on that later. It’s driving skill. I have only been racing in the stock class for 6 or so months. Luke has been for 2 years. It’s all about driving, if you went to the nationals, and the top guy, who had qualified 1st for the finals had to give you his setup, and you had the best motor in your car out there, you most likely would still finish below him. Why? Because these are the people who have been driving for 5 or 10 years and have the accumulated skill.

You may ask, Why bother going to a national or regional event, if you’re only going to be fighting for 14th or 15th place. Well, accept it. Go, have the experience and gain the track time. Who knows, you might even have some one there that is about the same skill level as you and you can have a great battle with them for 5th or 6th place. At the 2008 HD/RL International, held at NHRCCC, I was racing TT01, and I was evenly matched with Barry. It was the last final, and we were on the second to last lap. As I had been unable to complete the prior race, I had a little bit more grip left on my tires. I passed him on the chicane, and the pressure was on to keep infront of him for the last lap. Knowing that I would need it, I had skimmed my motor earlier on in the day and it gave me slightly more acceleration which, by the end of the straight, equaled about 2 metres. Having slightly more grip allowed me to get round the tight bits a little faster. But then, disaster struck, at the top of the chicane, I hit the curb. Fortunately for me, Barry, was still a couple of corners away. And with his worn tires, he wasn’t able to catch enough time to pass me. I maneuvered through the chicane and around the last corner and nailed it. Full Noise under the transponder loop and with Barry about 20cm behind. This is one of the reasons that I keep going back to these meetings.

Also, it could be that your setup is causing your car to be slightly slower through the corners. If this is the case, talk to the guys that keep winning, find out what caster and toe in settings they are using and change the car to these. If it improves the cornering, keep it. If it decreases the handling, go back to your old setting. Remember, change one thing at a time, and always write down what the car was set up to before.

Cyclone S Stock Setup

For my setup, I am running a gear ratio of 4.206 or 4.254, equaling a 88t Spur to 51t pinion or a 89t spur to a 51t pinion. I am going to try the latter gear ratio at club next weekend to see if it is competitive, and hoping so, it will give slightly more run time, as even with the use of the SSS Racing Motor Cooler, (site to be online soon), It is still a little to hot at the end of the race.

The Camber is set to 1 degree all round, and the toe in is set to 0 on the front and 1 at the back. Front shocks: Top, third hole in, Bottom, 2nd hole in. Back Shocks: Top: 3rd hole in, Bottom: Middle Hole.

Shock Oil. All Shocks are filled with the standard shock oil supplied with the car. If I can find out the weight of this, I may go down slightly to get better cornering.

Tires: These are currently HB Standard slicks, but probably going to get some 26 degree slicks.

Weight. My weight, all 58 grams of it, is all positioned at the front of the car.

Motor: Johnson RS540, with a 3 racing fan Heatsink

Speed controller: Mtroniks Tempo11. Soon to be upgraded to a IP6 Sport as the Tempo11 is going into my F1.

Radio gear: 27 MHZ with Futaba 2PL hand piece and HPI micro receiver.

Servo: Futaba S3003, Possibly being upgraded to Tower pro MG995 metal geared.

Well thats about it for the stock setup, Batteries are the same as they always have been, Sanyo 1300 SCR's and if I need another pack I have a Panasonic 1400 SCR side by side.