Bloomfield and Martin win IFMAR Worlds Warmup

[Welshy40]

Originally Posted by mof

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]

Originally Posted by jimmy

I'm not entirely sure this is fact.

[jondell]

Originally Posted by Welshy40

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]

Originally Posted by jimmy

"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

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

[mof]

Originally Posted by Welshy40

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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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]

Originally Posted by 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

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 23

rd. 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