Bloomfield and Martin win IFMAR Worlds Warmup

[jimmy]

The UK's Darren Bloomfield and Lee Martin wrapped up 2WD and 4WD classes respectively at the 2011 IFMAR Worlds warmup event in Vaasa Finnland.

The host club reports on Darrens victory in 2WD - a remarkable win considering his lack of electric racing in recent months since he hasn't been able to secure a place at the UK's 10th off road national series.

Almost 70 competitors were racing for the victory in the 2WD class of electric buggies. The circumstances were challenging – heavy wind affected to each competitor’s driving and results. The others drove with more secure style while the top drivers took risks too.
- In general, jumping and controlling of the car was very difficult in the wind. However, everybody had the same situation so the conditions didn’t allow anybody to have advantage over the others, the top three concluded after the competition.
Darren Bloomfield drove for the first place. The following positions went to United States – Ryan Cavalieri came for second place and Jared Tebo for the third. The best Finnish driver was Joseph Quagraine in the 13th position.
– Winning is never easy. The racing was hard, but fair, described Bloomfield. Surprisingly, winner hasn’t yet guaranteed his enrolment for the Worlds 2011 because he hasn’t driven for four years and thus doesn’t yet have a place in the team UK.
The pit area was well appreciated – especially the track surface. Warm up race has important role to competitors, because the racing allows getting a feeling about the track, local conditions and surroundings.
– It’s easier to come for the second time as we are already familiar with the track and making the necessary adjustments for the car. Also we know the local places and procedures, said Tebo who came as third.
Before the start of the first A-final, the participants and organizators had a silent moment in order to honor the memory of RC pioneer Mike Reedy.



Double reigning EFRA European Champion and reigning 4WD BRCA national chanpion Lee Martin took the 4WD class.

78 drivers were racing about the victory in 4WD class of electric buggies in the 22nd of May, 2011. The wind affected still for the racing even though the weather was slightly better than in the previous day’s racin
– Everything went fine with the car, but the wind was hard, estimated the winner Lee Martin.
The best two drivers came from Great Britain: in addition to Martin, Neil Cragg reached the podium with his 2nd position. Third position went to USA for Ryan Cavalieri.
– Was great to be at top three again! I wasn’t expecting of this, said Cavalieri after racing.
Drivers thought that there are always there things to be improved – there are left some tricks for the Worlds 2011. The spirit amongst drivers is very good.
– We play fair game and there are no enemies, just tuff competitors, they concluded.
See all the results in the Worlds 2011 home page http://www.ifmar2011.com/21

[GRIFF55]

AWESOME GUYS!!! nice driving:thumbsup:

[jimmy]

Super impressive against some stiff competition! Some more UK worlds winners on the horizon maybe?:thumbsup:

[Welshy40]

Ace!!! But how many people have won the warm ups and then gone onto win the worlds? Even though they are unfoubtably really great drivers And most probably will make the A final i doubt somehow they will win the worlds.

[melanie]

We want pics please:p

[Nick Goodall]

Ace!!! But how many people have won the warm ups and then gone onto win the worlds? Even though they are unfoubtably really great drivers And most probably will make the A final i doubt somehow they will win the worlds.

Why would you say that??? I bet you thought Neil wouldn't win in Italy too??

Massive congrats to Darren and Lee though, great stuff and huge confidence boost going into the event now - Just shows the American's can be beaten away from their own tracks :-)

[jimmy]

Smart money is on those two to do well at the proper event if they're going that is (Bloomfield??)

[Col]

How do you qualify for the worlds? I always assumed (wrongly it would seem) that it was based on national results.

[RudeTony]

Smart money is on those two to do well at the proper event

Ditto to the above and good luck lads

[AiR]

We want pics please:p

Here is few:
http://bit.ly/Worlds2011_WarmUp

[Welshy40]

Why would you say that??? I bet you thought Neil wouldn't win in Italy too??

Massive congrats to Darren and Lee though, great stuff and huge confidence boost going into the event now - Just shows the American's can be beaten away from their own tracks :-)

Tbh id never heard of him until i came back into racing. Great race and deserved to win but my monies on others. Dont forget the ifmar worlds are unfair as the tracks are the same as whats used in the USA. Worlds should be based on the tracks that the country whos holding it uses all the time.

[jimmy]

? It is. I raced on that same track in 2007 and the locals race on it all the time.

[AiR]

Welshy40: Are you saying IFMAR tells to organizers what kind of layout to use?

I know the track in Vaasa will be closed in few weeks and re-opened just before the worlds. So the track will be new for everyone.

[JohnM]

Tbh id never heard of him until i came back into racing.

And Neil still hasn't heard of you;)

[mof]

Tbh id never heard of him until i came back into racing. Great race and deserved to win but my monies on others. Dont forget the ifmar worlds are unfair as the tracks are the same as whats used in the USA. Worlds should be based on the tracks that the country whos holding it uses all the time.

The track is not "US style", it is the track that has been there for a while now.

The worlds are not that unfair, the track must be changed by 60% before the event.

[GRIFF55]

It must be so unfair a track disadvantage that 2 british(foreigners) go over to finland and win....

I think we should all just sit back and say top job to bloomers and lee:thumbsup:

[MikePimlott]

Good Job :thumbsup:

[Richard Lowe]

Well done chaps :thumbsup:

Yellow wheels though! :woot:

[RogerM]

Great to see British drivers at the top of the heap, hope they both go well (assuming Darren can get a place in the UK team ... hope so as he will no doubt do well)

[peetbee]

Good results for the Brits :D

What does Bloomfield need to do to qualify for the UK team then?

[Welshy40]

The track is not "US style", it is the track that has been there for a while now.

The worlds are not that unfair, the track must be changed by 60% before the event.

So how may worlds have been on astro turf? How many on clay? My point exactly. They call these worlds yet they must be on clay and not what the surface that the country holding the event normally uses. Ifmar is from the usa so is a bit biased towards clay / dirt tracks.

[Richard Lowe]

Just because it's a dirt track doesn't mean it's anything like US tracks...

[jimmy]

"ifmar is from the usa"

I'm not entirely sure this is fact.

[spenner]

Ifmar WORLDS meetings must be on a neutral surface..... So no Astro

[RudeTony]

Who cares what surface anyways - The UK lads still kicked arse - sorry everyone else in other countries - LOL

[Richard Lowe]

I'm not entirely sure this is fact.
:lol:

[jondell]

So how may worlds have been on astro turf? How many on clay? My point exactly. They call these worlds yet they must be on clay and not what the surface that the country holding the event normally uses. Ifmar is from the usa so is a bit biased towards clay / dirt tracks.

You need to brush up on your EFRA and IFMAR facts.... here is a link to help you http://www.ifmar.org/

Rules and regs are, and have been, put together by a committee..... the committee generally consists of senior members from EFRA, ROAR, FAMAR and FEMCA.

[YoungChazz]

I can tell you how it works in the U.S. If you are in the top 40 at the previous year's nationals, you get an invite for the worlds. So, the 2010 nationals set the team for 2011. This applies even if the 2011 nationals happen before the 2011 worlds.

After a deadline date, if less than 40 have signed up, others can apply and send a resume. I'm not sure who decides which of the resume guys get in.

[MattADH]

"ifmar is from the usa"

I'm not entirely sure this is fact.

IFMAR is the world body of which FAMAR, EFRA, ROAR and FEMCA are members.

Drivers in the UK qualifying through the Nationals and the BRCA then gets a percentage of the total entry allocated to the European block, EFRA.

In the past and depending on the event, this is usually anything from eight places up...

HTH

[Nick Goodall]

I think the main reason for the tracks having to be dirt is really as that's what the cars were designed for, and how R/C racing started off so don't think it's a big issue really....

I don't know why we struggle so much to have dirt tracks, there's loads for 1/8th and most european countries all race on dirt so it's not all about the weather..... We had some great dirt tracks in the past :D

Anyway, no point worrying about it is there as Lee and Darren have proved, they can still mix it up and beat the best in the business and it's not the first time either, remember how well Lee's done over in the States at various Cactus classics and JConcepts meetings?

[Fabs]

TBH I don't think Darren will get a spot as he did not qualify according to the rules. And we all know that Paul doesn't bend the rules (and I'm not criticising, just a fact, I think he does a bloody good job by being fair to everyone). Pretty much the only way for Darren to get in would be to be there on race day and take a free spot if someone doesn't turn up.

[/tobys]

they should have a wildcard entry, like the ryder cup - so someone who doesn't qualify through the official channels can still be entered...

[/tobys]

...p.s. great skillz guys :woot::woot:

[mof]

So how may worlds have been on astro turf? How many on clay? My point exactly. They call these worlds yet they must be on clay and not what the surface that the country holding the event normally uses. Ifmar is from the usa so is a bit biased towards clay / dirt tracks.

Finnish national series is run on dirt tracks. Not astro. So it would be weird if the worlds were run on astro, that the country doesn't normally use. ;)

Also, according to the rule book:

5.1 SURFACE
Pack able rock free dirt - preferably sifted top soil/clay compound with minimum amounts of sand. Surface should be able to be easily broken and repaired to ensure a consistent and wide racing line. Such conditions have shown to yield excellent racing due to width and consistency of the racing line. Additionally qualifying is fairer as the ability to maintain a consistent surface gives all competitors

[Nick Goodall]

TBH I don't think Darren will get a spot as he did not qualify according to the rules. And we all know that Paul doesn't bend the rules (and I'm not criticising, just a fact, I think he does a bloody good job by being fair to everyone). Pretty much the only way for Darren to get in would be to be there on race day and take a free spot if someone doesn't turn up.

What about getting a spot for one of the smaller European countries ;-) Sure the Faroe Islands or elsewhere must want a racer to represent them??

[DAVO]

well they shouldn't put 1/8th scale and 1/10th scale nats on the same days then bloomers would of prob done both same goes for martin for 1/8th

[RudeTony]

well they shouldn't put 1/8th scale and 1/10th scale nats on the same days then bloomers would of prob done both same goes for martin for 1/8th

One of the best comments of the year

[PTRU]

just to clear things up

12. INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
12.1 Only current members of the BRCA can be selected as team members.
12.2 UK team members selected to represent the BRCA will be invited to attend by the Committee and will
not need to apply.
12.3 The World Championship team will be selected in the order of the previous year‟s National
Championship results for each class individually.
12.4 European Championship team places will be selected firstly in the order of the previous year‟s
National Championship results for each class individually. The final date for National competitor
acceptance will be the 23rd. October annually. Any places available after all National Championship
contenders have been notified, will be offered at the discretion of the 1/10th Off-Road EFRA Representative
to the top placed drivers at the British Regional Championships and then to the top placed drivers at the
Junior National Finals. The final date for non-National contender‟s acceptance is the date of the BRCA
AGM annually.
12.5 Competitors accepting an offer of a team place are irrevocably committed to paying the appropriate
entry fees even if they find, at a later date, that they are unable to attend. Every attempt will be made to
reallocate the place but the principle of liability will remain.

so room to manover

[James]

Awesome results guys, infact the whole British team did really well!


My thoughts on the surface -

"5.1 SURFACE
Pack able rock free dirt - preferably sifted top soil/clay compound with minimum amounts of sand. Surface should be able to be easily broken and repaired to ensure a consistent and wide racing line. Such conditions have shown to yield excellent racing due to width and consistency of the racing line. Additionally qualifying is fairer as the ability to maintain a consistent surface gives all competitors an equal track that can be enjoyed by those in heats before as well as after his own."

Dry,blue grooved clay is an awesome surface to race on, but not sure the rationale given in ifmar for a dirt surface really makes sense?-

There is a narrow racing line on dirt; either due to the blue groove being by far the fastest line, or if no groove has appeared the dust just off the racing line is really slippery and hence a lot slower - so 'width and consistency' of the racing line just isnt true?

Regarding a consistent surface and 'equal track that can be enjoyed by those in heats before as well as after his own' - the more rubber that gets laid down the quicker the track becomes, and indeed if the surface is damp due to dew or rain the track will become markedly quicker as it dries (true for any surface though.. However clay takes much longer to dry than eg - astroturf, which drains far more easily, and the greater the difference in consistency in the grooved area of the track vs off-line, same if it doesn't groove; the racing line becomes cleaner as its 'swept' by the cars displacing dust/small debris outside the racing line which in turn becomes even slower.

I'm not suggesting the worlds should be on astro or a dirt alternative of some sort but do the reasons given suggest dirt is the best surface? Don't really think so. Theres the other problem of most of the rest of the world running predominantly on dirt, if there were to be a worlds held on astro in the UK for example its quite possible many top world drivers would not attend as they think there will be too much of a home advantage!

Not really a conclusion here, i guess the only solution is to keep trying to gain a few indoor dirt venues in the uk or ifmar bring in flexibility on the surface and the clubs applying to host a worlds judged on a case by case basis not ruled out just because its not on dirt.

[trekkerkk]

i agree with you james completely,
an astro track is more consistent than dirt,
also dosent need repairing as often,

trekkker

[elvo]

Well done chaps :thumbsup:

Yellow wheels though! :woot:


Indeed. Very peculiar choice.

[Col]

How do you qualify for the worlds? I always assumed (wrongly it would seem) that it was based on national results.

just to clear things up

12. INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
12.1 Only current members of the BRCA can be selected as team members.
12.2 UK team members selected to represent the BRCA will be invited to attend by the Committee and will
not need to apply.
12.3 The World Championship team will be selected in the order of the previous year‟s National
Championship results for each class individually.
12.4 European Championship team places will be selected firstly in the order of the previous year‟s
National Championship results for each class individually. The final date for National competitor
acceptance will be the 23rd. October annually. Any places available after all National Championship
contenders have been notified, will be offered at the discretion of the 1/10th Off-Road EFRA Representative
to the top placed drivers at the British Regional Championships and then to the top placed drivers at the
Junior National Finals. The final date for non-National contender‟s acceptance is the date of the BRCA
AGM annually.
12.5 Competitors accepting an offer of a team place are irrevocably committed to paying the appropriate
entry fees even if they find, at a later date, that they are unable to attend. Every attempt will be made to
reallocate the place but the principle of liability will remain.

so room to manover


So, just to clarify...

Darren could (already have?) be chosen to race this year simply because he has a BRCA license?

[MattW]

I suspect 12.3 would be the issue, as it specifically refers to the previous year's national results, and I don't believe Darren did any nationals last year. So in theory, by this rule, someone who finished last at a single national, would be eligible before Darren would be - I think!

I remember a few years back, Craig D used to make sure he did at least 1 national per year even after he'd given up full time electric off rd - I believe this was to assist his path to either Euros or Worlds for the following year.

I have no idea where DB is regarding getting a place.

[racingdwarf]

Hmm, yer does read that way, I understand that we would want to send our strongest team, but it's hard for the person who will lose there place in the uk team after spending hours and £££ doing the nationals to earn a place, if we were to start picking teams by choice rather than results from the qualifying season,:eh?:, kinda make you think whats the point of holding nationals anyway, uk gets so few places at wordls anyway


Just how I see it anyway:)

[AiR]

Riku Tolonen took some photos in the event.

Links:
Practice on friday: https://picasaweb.google.com/RikuTolonen/MMWarmupPerjantaiTestit?feat=directlink
Press Conference: https://picasaweb.google.com/RikuTolonen/MMWarmupAloitustilaisuusLehdistolle?feat=directlin k
2WD on saturday: https://picasaweb.google.com/RikuTolonen/MMWarmup2WD?feat=directlink
4WD on sunday: https://picasaweb.google.com/RikuTolonen/MMWarmup4WD?feat=directlink

[NickC]

Why are some running Darren and Lee down, they turned up won, simple, they are obviously is great drivers and im sure they have as much chance of winning the worlds as they had of turning up and winning here. Good job guys, fingers crossed for the worlds.

[DavidAMS]

yea good job guys!!!

[Jimbo]

Jimmy, are you guys going to do a report from the worlds this time around?

[jimmy]

Yes!
We'll be there reporting and uploading live - then tidying up the report on the evening. :thumbsup:
I'm not racing so will be concentrating on making a kick ass & funny report that covers all the new stuff and what goes on.

[Jimbo]

Yay! So stoked, you do the best reporting anywhere!