[Xracer]

Firstly it is great to see such passion from you guys for what has become a very successful conversion from what was effectively a humble (and I do say that very cautiously) low cost stock car design into a full blooded and refined 1/12 racing car.

We have to congratulate Mardave for sticking with this simple low cost philosophy for what is generations now and for them to now see it blossom into what it has become and created this very competitive passion.

We now see a number of manufacturers committing to the formula with a range of interpretations of that original design, each with its own idiosyncratic ideas to create something different to their competition.

How healthy is that, we have choice, we have preferences, each has to decide which camp to pitch into, we see our national championship contenders driving each of their chosen or sponsored designs, all with degrees of success and we all would love to be able to emulate their success, some of us are capable and some are not!

What I don't see though is people 'dissing' the efforts of their creators!

What I do see is the honest feedback of individual experience of whatever design they have spent their hard earned cash on and tried, yes some of those experiences may have lacked the knowledge to convert it into a fully satisfactory and rewarding experience, we have had fun doing it obviously, because we are still here championing the formula!

My own model car experiences are very varied, I am an aging middle order driver, I have been racing all forms of model cars since I bought my first, it was a Heathkit Spectre 1/8th I/C with a K&B Veco 19 way back in 1970 and 1/8th I/C was my original passion!!!

I for one will be returning to the carpet in September, I have a Schumacher and a Zen, neither in my eyes are perfect designs, I will race both and see which delivers the maximum satisfaction for me, if my final judgement is regarded as 'dissing' any design then I am sorry if it is seen that way but it will be my judgement based on my ability to build, tune and race, no one else's!

Of course I may even decide to race my CRC GT10 instead, now that is another story, as I hope to see a resurgence in that formula with at least a full heat at my local clubs, bring it on!

Just one pet hate I have and wish to share, that is foam tyres, always have and always will, I would love to see the advent of proper rubber tyres for these formula but I don't suppose I ever will!