1/10 BRCA Regional Series

[h0m3sy]

Originally Posted by barnettgs

Cheers. I think I will start off with just one battery and see how it goes.

Let me know if there is any meeting at NIMCC or Drop Inn coming up soon.

By the way, is NIMCC's website down?

Looks like the NIMCC site is down at the minute, it does that from time to time. I know they plan to run a 6 date series for electric buggys this year. More info as I get it.

[Modeltune]

VERY disappointed to read Drop Inn is not a round of the championship - cannot think of one good reason why it wouldn't be - in fairness I can think of many reasons why it is the most appropriate location for a round.

Strongly believe that the Drop Inn club should host a round of the BRCA 1/10th regional championship as one of the only two 1/10th Off Road BRCA affiliated club in Ireland (the other being Fivemiletown).

The track is perfect and the venue is perfect - only stumbling block would be if the club cannot facilitate a particular date.

Afraid I feel very strongly about this.

[ian h]

Originally Posted by Modeltune

VERY disappointed to read Drop Inn is not a round of the championship - cannot think of one good reason why it wouldn't be - in fairness I can think of many reasons why it is the most appropriate location for a round.

Strongly believe that the Drop Inn club should host a round of the BRCA 1/10th regional championship as one of the only two 1/10th Off Road BRCA affiliated club in Ireland (the other being Fivemiletown).

The track is perfect and the venue is perfect - only stumbling block would be if the club cannot facilitate a particular date.

Afraid I feel very strongly about this.

Have a read of the BRCA rulebook regarding venues for Regionals. Unfortunately Drop Inn doesn't meet all criteria. 2 issues being rostrum construction and track dimensions.
14. THE TRACK
14.1 Safety procedures as detailed in General Rules 6, 8 & 9 must be adopted.
The rostrum and steps must be of sound construction. The design of steps should conform to recognised dimensions. Guard rails of suitable strength and position must be in place.
14.2 Tracks will be laid out so that there are no hidden areas when viewed from the driver‟s rostrum area. 14.3 Track markings must be placed to define the track lay-out and to minimise any corner cutting.
14.4 Tyres will not be used to define the track at BRCA National and Regional Sanctioned events.
14.5 At all National format events outdoors, tracks will be a minimum of 3 metres wide and minimum 130 metres in length.
14.6 At Sanctioned events, other than Nationals, tracks must be a minimum of 2.4 metres wide.
14.7 The straight for starting finals, will be a minimum of 20 metres long, with no obstructions, including any form of jump, sudden rise or fall.
14.8 Start and finish lines must be marked. A „penalty line‟ must be marked 2 metres in front of and parallel with the qualifying start line.
14.9 All tracks will have a designated „pull-off‟ area for cars that have completed a race.
14.10 At all National events, there will be a designated „stop go‟ penalty area.
14.11 All finals will have staggered grid starts at 2 metre intervals and two rows of cars. The top qualifier will choose which side of the grid they wish to start from.

[Modeltune]

Can see what your saying - but if the series is to be a success - Drop Inn needs to be a round. I know that all the events being in conjuction with 1/8th Nitro is putting a significant number of our racers off, but understand why we are running that way.

Those rules are for BRCA national events and can be modified per club rules for lesser events.

Is track width the only bone of contention? This is a fledgling championship and cannot be constrainted by largely irrelevant rules. I agree the sport need rules to govern it, but not to constrain it.

I will speak with Andy on Wednesday.

[mycodenameisgraeme]

Originally Posted by Modeltune

This is a fledgling championship and cannot be constrainted by largely irrelevant rules.

But it is a BRCA sanctioned championship, and Ian quoted the BRCA rules. So would you not say they are completely relevant....

[Legacy555]

I think Andy Smith has put together a very fairly thought out championship and I plan on fully supporting it.

I really enjoy racing at Drop-In and Ed and the team have a good thing going and alot of effort goes in, but running a 10 car 4wd modified A-Final to a BRCA meeting standard may be difficult on such a small track in my opinion.

[Modeltune]

Firstly, hats off to Andy for doing a great job in putting this together.

Rostrum is not an issue in my opinion at Drop Inn as the height would allow me to conclude that no guard rails constitute appropriate per BRCA rules. Safety is of paramount importance always, and the only rostrum accidents i have seen in 25 years have been falling on steps or falling over seemingly very appropriate rails (in ballymoney).

Track width - I think can be waivered. Personally I find a tight track challenging, and as I understand it no one from the Northern Ireland BRCA region has raised an issue. Rules are important but are there to support great and fair racing - not to prevent it.

Drop Inn in my opinion must form part of the championship.

[h0m3sy]

The rostrum at Drop-in is an issue, as per BRCA rules, there should be no blind spots. The rostrum(bench) at Craigavon may be ok for kids, but when you have 6 or 8 fully grown adults on it, you can't see some parts of the track.

[Modeltune]

Have to agree to disagree on that David.

I just wish more focus was on encouraging participation rather than coming up with reasons for exclusion.

People will not attend Aghalee cause its on a Sunday, the jumps dont work for 1/10th, its on dirt, its run with nitros......

People wont race at Ballymena cause its on a saturday, its on Astro, the back straight is too far away, the joins in the astro are too rough......

My opinion - we have no perfect tracks, but I love racing on them ALL.

Some people will only participate at Drop Inn and others wont cause its too small. No different in my eyes.

Will, make it a 6 or 8 car final. David, I am sure if you point out the blind spots it can be addressed - I am unaware of them.

Regional races are about making the best of what is available to us to find the best drivers in the region and have lots of fun when doing it.

I am certain the Drop Inn round will have the largest entry.

Lets not break this championship before its even started.

[mycodenameisgraeme]

Originally Posted by Modeltune

Lets not break this championship before its even started.

The only person i can currently see doing that Andrew is you.

It is a fact that Drop inn does not conform to BRCA rules, and this is a BRCA championship in order to get your driver gradings the championship has to conform to these rules; you HAVE to run 10 car finals, the track and rostrum HAVE to conform to BRCA rules etc etc.

Don't get me wrong I like drop-inn, the tracks are great once you get your momentum going in a run, but the fact is that it does not conform to what is needed to run a BRCA regional event. I seem to remember complaints about the track size at Lucan during RCCAOI national events years ago and it is much bigger than Drop Inn.

And as you can see from the likes of Will, Ian and David's replies nobody else seems to have an issue about this Andrew and i feel the manner that you have went about raising this issue in public instead of raising the issue privately with our BRCA rep is thoroughly unprofessional and is an attempt to make a mockery of this series before it gets a chance to get off the ground.

[h0m3sy]

I'm not knocking the series Andrew, it's about time we had regionals in the North again, and indeed, hats off to Andy Smith for getting this off the ground. I myself was one of the first to register for ALL the rounds. The fact remains though, Drop-In is not suitable for a BRCA sanctioned event for numerous reasons which have been previously stated. I agree with you that it probably would have been one of the best suppported rounds if it were possible, but you can't just chop and change the rules to suit yourself. They are what they are.

[Modeltune]

Mycodenameisgraeme (sorry but not sure who you really are)- the last thing I intend is to break this championship - not sure if you are aware but I had pledged sponsorship for the four round championship, and have been supporting the 1/10th revival for quite a few years now. I want nothing more than a strong championship.

I have spoken in private with Andy whom knows he has my full support - and I believe he shares my frustration at not having a round at the Drop Inn based on a very small number of people complaining about it. Not sure how cutting the round which has the largest potential number of competitors (there has been more than the 30 driver cap at other rounds on a wednesday night club event!) can be seen as helping the championship.

I apologise you think this is unprofessional - and it is not and was not a dig at anyone - sometimes common sense has to prevail, and sometimes it just doesnt! Your call as to which is winning this time!

[growler1]

Have to agree with Andrew on this one lads. Drop in isn't perfect but any problems could have been worked around.Yes the rostrum doesn't lend itself to perfect visibility but with a bit of planning with regard to the track it could have been improved. The point of racing is to have fun and it certainly would have achieved that lofty standard!

[mycodenameisgraeme]

The clues in the name.....

Make this clear, nobody here is knocking drop-inn as a venue, i love racing there the atmosphere is great to relax and race in, and the clubs own website even calls itself 'We aim to be a friendly mid week club run mostly for the craic, but still good practice for those who take their weekend racing much more seriously!!'

However the unfortunate fact is the track/rostrum does not meet BRCA standards so it cannot host a regional round and as far as i know the guys at drop inn are aware of this and happy enough to hold the trophy day - at least they havent been completely excluded.

There has been alot gone on behind the scenes to get this series off the ground over the last few months and i can assure the decession not to hold a round at drop was not taken lightly (the BRCA 1/10th off road section chairman was consulted) but unfortunately thats the rules.

The way this discussion has arose has done no good for the sport or the this fledgling series. Now lets draw a line under this whats done is done, c'mon enough talking lets just get on with the racing

[h0m3sy]

Originally Posted by mycodenameisgraeme

Now lets draw a line under this whats done is done, c'mon enough talking lets just get on with the racing

[Legacy555]

Got my entries in for every round, and paid for round 1....
Really looking forward to this championship

[av4625]

has anyone a link to were to enter andy did show me but i cant find the link

[Legacy555]

Originally Posted by av4625

has anyone a link to were to enter andy did show me but i cant find the link

www.rcracecontrol.com

[av4625]

I think i have entered all 4 rounds things now how do u pay for an individual race and when does all the races have to be paid by? it is showing me a table with all round with a £ beside them, do u hav to pay for drop inn?

[h0m3sy]

Logged in to the bbk website to pay for my entries and all the rounds are closed???? Whats happening regarding the series