Matt’s Associated RC10B4 – June/July 2010 Update

Rounds three and four of the BRCA Nationals took place at Eden Park Raceway in the southeast of England and Oswestry on the Shropshire/Welsh borders. Eden Park is my home club where I am the Chairman and so I was expecting to do well there. On the other hand, Oswestry is all grass and the sole true neutral venue on the calendar as the track is constructed in the week leading up to the event.

The third round, like the two previously, would take place on a mainly Astroturf track so lots of grip in the dry. Eden Park is one of the older clubs on the calendar and this is reflected by its design that arguably means the cars are a little too fast for the track in certain places.

As you can imagine, being involved in running a club is a big enough task and the duties ramp up as the National date approaches. Long days during the week were put in by key helpers as well as many hours at the weekend as the track was treated to a couple coats of paint and the final track changes were completed.

I hadn’t driven well at the previous National round at RHR, but I was confident with my car set-up for Eden Park so left it with the same proven set-up that I start with at most race venues. My car felt really good in the two practices and I elected to run new tyres in each to bed them in for the qualifiers. The two to three minute sessions are ideal for the tyres to scrub in and it also is an opportunity to make sure that they are glued up correctly.

To be honest, apart from swapping tyres and battery packs, I was happy to leave the car and this would leave me with some time to help the club by handing out bin bags, checking the car parking situation, making sure the toilets were stocked up and more. I knew that if I drove to my best ability, I could make the A final but as usual, I made hard work of it, only scraped in to the top ten in the last round. Ninth in round one, 11th in round two, ninth again in round three then my best run so far in round four as I was sixth and this saw me line up in ninth spot for the A final. I was the only Associated B4 in the A final and along with Lee Martin’s Tamiya, the only rear-motored cars. The A finals went well although I think I could have finished a couple of places higher if not for some bad luck. A sixth in leg one then two sevenths saw me take eighth overall and my best result of the year.

After the high of EPR, it was off to Oswestry and an all-grass track. Despite me racing very little on this surface, I have had good results there in 2WD qualifying with a top ten and pole in the B final. As you may have guessed, the set-up remained the same and we made the 200-mile plus trip up the M25, M1, M6 and M54 and into the rural location of the Oswestry club.

Practice one saw the field clear the racing line and into practice two, the car felt a lot more responsive as the top surface wore away. And this was the case throughout qualifying where the grass virtually wore out leaving a hard-packed base layer underneath. I felt it best that with the track continuously changing to leave the car alone and tune the grip by trimming or not trimming the spikes. My best run in qualifying was round three with the 11th fastest time and this was backed up with a 16th, 17th and 18th meaning I would qualify eighth in the B final. I simply did not have the pace to be any faster and this was confirmed in the final where although I finished fifth, I had one of the slowest fastest laps of the ten drivers. It seems that either I click with the track at Oswestry or not and despite good results in the past, I am afraid this wasn’t the case n 2010. Never mind though as its Southport next on the calendar and one of my favourite venues to go to, despite the 500-mile plus round trip…

Once again, thanks to Jimmy at oople.com for the photos.

Matt’s Associated RC10B4 Specification

• Car:     Associated RC10B4
• Radio: KO Propo Vantage III Universe
• Receiver:         KO Propo KR-302F
• Servo:  Spektrum H6040
• Speed Controller:        Speed Passion Pro GT2.0
• Motor: Speed Passion Competition 3.0 6.5R
• Batteries:         Speed Power 5300 45C
• Charger:          Much More ACDC Silent Charger Platinum LCD
• Gearing:          24/75

Set-Up

Front Suspension

• Oil:      35wt
• Piston: Associated #2
• Spring: Associated Silver
• Anti-Roll Bar: None
• Shock Position Mount:           Middle
• Shock Position Wishbone:      Inside
• Caster Block:  30-degrees

Rear Suspension

• Oil:      30wt
• Piston: Ghea #2
• Spring: Associated Silver
• Anti-Roll Bar: None
• Wheelbase:      Medium
• Anti-Squat:     2-degrees
• Shock Position Mount:           Inside
• Shock Position Wishbone:      Inside

Notes

• Schumacher Yellow Mini Spikes
• Front soft insert
• Rear soft insert
• RudeBits brass weight (36g) under servo
• RudeBits brass weight (12g per side) in rear of chassis
• 125g lead plate under LiPo

Thanks to everyone who assists me with my racing including:

• CML Distribution
• Horizon Hobby UK
• JConcepts
• LRP
• Much More UK
• P-Dub Racing
• RudeBits
• Schumacher
• Speed Passion
• Trishbits
• Upgrade