245 replies to this topic

[tonyp]

Mike, is there any class someone with an over the counter flexi can participate in, doing just a basic soldering in the motor? These are the people any series needs to attract. All the fast guys are already participating, there are no more. Young blood is what is needed in any form of racing.

[DOCinCanton]

As I wrote in previous posts, My Seriers is trying out an RTR car class now. Its the JK Indy car. The complete RTR is about $90 and comes with a Hawk 7 motor. It is the intent of this car class to attract new racers to My Series.

 

Also, as stated earlier, we have some people who wont even compete in 4" NASCAR (solder in $13 motor) because they do not want to be crushed by the fast guys. This is where I strongly feel that we need the Expert and Novice driver designation in maybe just the 4" NASCAR and GT1/LMP car classes.

[tonyp]

I like the indycar idea.

[CoastalAngler1]

Now I see why retro has become so popular across the United States.  Fast flexi guys intimidating?

 

Outlaw racing took away my fears...Don't be afraid.  Try it, you'll like it!

 

FWIW - 4 Florida tracks.  9 car classes running weekly.  ONE matches up with MYS...BTW - 9 different cars.

[Danny Zona]

You see what it takes to build a good motor.
I put a picture of it on here.

[Danny Zona]

I
Sorry about last pic being sideways. Lol

[tonyp]

That sums up the problem.

[Danny Zona]

I hear motors will be thrown in the trash. FL series has been doing that for years. We used to run contenders in GT1. Gone. We used to run S16c in GTP. Gone. We used to run different style 16d set-ups in nascar. Gone. I have a lot of motors put away and useless thst where run in FL series. It happens.

But I'll still race no matter what happens. I can afford it and will always support FL.

[Jay Guard]

If you want to attract new racers having to come up with a competitive motor program is a HUGE impediment to participation.  In fact I believe a few dedicated racers have "dropped out" due to the pressure of maintaining a large motor program.  I think this is where the IRRA and OSS have really helped the racers, basically just one motor.

 

I realize that a lot of the My Series guys have a lot of the various motors required but I would recommend that the My Series Directors consider scaling back the different motors until just one or two is required.  Maybe eliminate one this year and another the next year.  Just my $.02 FWIW.

[Grant G.]

Time is the big factor. When ASR was 10 minutes away I would race pretty much every week. I think BRM's were a hot class because they required little to no maintenance. Now the closest 1/24 tracks to me are Holly Hill and Winter Garden, both about 40-50 minutes each way drive time. One race weekend a month is pretty much my limit. Prep most of the day Saturday, race on Sunday, repeat in 3-4 weeks. Id love to run in more local weekly races and My Series, but id probably end up divorced. 

 

There were guys that bought 80 plus puppy dog motors when they were the hot motor. I think I bought a total of 6, but that was what my budget dictated. For what its worth I think the retro hawk is the best bang for the buck motor I have ever used in slotcar racing. Yes the fast guys will always rise to the top, but for the last year or so I have felt that gap has been reduced, the racing has been getting closer and they last for more than a few races.  

[Biscuit]

Tony i agree 100% and i think the outlaw rules is the closest you can get to "out of the box" racing. For the new racer, you can buy a rtr car for around $60. Less speed secrets with no front wheels and interiors. Trust me i see people with cars right away i know between the way they do their front wheels and interior they are giving up a tenth. Eliminate all that just solder in the oilights and motor and go racing. Plus that front wheel and interior money can go towards a tire or body budget. A racer will still spend the same amount just on things that actually matter. 

 

Ready for the best part?? I know a couple of you aren't, so you better hold on for this one! For just $5 you can switch the body and run a 2nd class... Its done in retro its not even rocket science. To make this jump in myseries it would take the same $5, plus an extra $60 per motor. At least 3 to get a good one. That's enough retro hawks to run a full season of 3 classes with outlaw rules. I understand back in the day we ran all sorts of expensive motors and had the attendance to pull it off. It took 2 days to fit it all in. Unfortunately we don't have that now. Making it cheaper to participate is the first step to making it attractive to local racers and new racers. 

 

I may have lied this may actually be the best part. Outlaw combines retro and flexi style racing with a little bit of everything that everyone can relate to. When you do this and get everyone in the same room at the same time, entries will grow exponentially. Cars possibly loaned back and forth between retro and flexi guys there are so many things that could happen, only positive. 

 

Nascar, GTP, Can-am, F1     end of year enduros gt-1 and can-am. so obvious it needs to happen what are we waiting for????

 

5 race series, no over saturation lets support the local tracks and get them to grow. Its the only way to make a series grow.

 

Side note the rc track that opened up just down the street from my house has been there about 6 months. Still im the only new racer to invest into one of the expensive onroad racing classes. On the other hand they pull 20 entries mostly new racers on monday nights racing rtr rally cars that people can afford. Go figure. 

[tonyp]

In todays economy it all about $$. I just retired and now I have to do something I never did and that is race on a budget. 5 races over the course of the year and a single motor could get me interested.

[John Streisguth]

I don't have a dog in this fight, but from my perspective it sounds like incorporating some of the ideas and classes of the OSS could help the series, without eliminating everything that the series was built on. My question on a new RTR class would be, why?  That basically seperates the newbies entirely from the rest of the field.  IMO, inclusion is what should be strived for.  Yes, by all means have a seperate novice driver's classification, but having the newbies run the same classes would hopefully encourage them to learn from the more experienced racers.

 

Just my 2 cents...carry on

[Wizard Of Iz]

Mike .... I hope nobody is crazy enough to question the insight that you and DZ bring to this discussion.  Along with a handful of other guys - Terry , Burnsides, etc. - y'all represent Florida well.

 

Rules in Flexi-Racing have been all over the board since USRA allowed the old Parma Challenge Cup Rules to evolve just to let guys go faster.  Point is .... everyone's rules look wacky compared to everyone else's rules.

 

I completely agree that having affordable motors helps grow racing.  I'm not saying that the current My Series rules are perfect .... but the NASCAR class (Hawk Retro,) GT1/LMP class and Group F class (Hawk 7) all allow a $13 motor that is a proven winner.   

 

I think Nathan might be just about the only racer in NASCAR that still uses a FLA16D.  And that's only because he likes the way it sounds.         JT and Tom wore him out using a $13 motor on Saturday nights.  Rick Gibeault won more than one GT1/LMP race at our track using a $13 Hawk 7.  And .... Rick won the Group F championship in 2014 using a single $13 Hawk 7.  There's plenty of racing to be done using an inexpensive motor in My Series.

 

The class that we totally screwed up motor-wise --- TWICE --- is GTP.  First by going to the more expensive American-wound armature.  Messed it up a second time with the hybrid of the JK Hawk 6 setup with a Pro Slot Big Dog armature.  But the former track owner in me would still want to see a different affordable motor for each class instead of running a JK Hawk Retro in every class. I totally agree that 16D's are yesterday's technology. 

 

Just talking here ...... Maybe the answer is to combine the current GT1/LMP rules and GTP rules to make one affordable class.  And in My Series, GT1/LMP has one of the highest car counts.  I'd even recommend that the Series GIVE everyone that raced at least one GTP race in 2015 a new Hawk 6 or Hawk 7 to race in 2016.  Pretty sure we have the money.  So .... would OSS change their GTP class to the My Series GT1/LMP class to get more racers in the region on the same page?  Simple body change for the OSS guys and trading one $13 motor for another.  It would make for a class that's slightly faster than NASCAR without spending stupid money.  

 

 

However .... at SCR, we needed more than one Big Event each year.  The three My Series races plus two GRRR races gave our local guys a reason to buy new cars or freshen their existing cars for a big event.  That dang rent check came due by the 5th of EVERY month and the events usually helped us cover the month prior and the month of the event. 

 

 

Mike, is there any class someone with an over the counter flexi can participate in, doing just a basic soldering in the motor? These are the people any series needs to attract. All the fast guys are already participating, there are no more. Young blood is what is needed in any form of racing.

 

The closest class I know of is the GT1/LMP class at P1.  It's pretty close to a JK Ready-to-Run car.  If raceways would carry the JK X25 chassis that is available with a Hawk 6 or Hawk 7 motor, then someone could buy a My Series GT1/LMP right out of the case.

 

 

As I wrote in previous posts, My Seriers is trying out an RTR car class now. Its the JK Indy car. The complete RTR is about $90 and comes with a Hawk 7 motor. It is the intent of this car class to attract new racers to My Series.

 

Also, as stated earlier, we have some people who wont even compete in 4" NASCAR (solder in $13 motor) because they do not want to be crushed by the fast guys. This is where I strongly feel that we need the Expert and Novice driver designation in maybe just the 4" NASCAR and GT1/LMP car classes.

 

Back in the day ..... My Series started with Amateur and Experienced/Expert classes and had them for a number of years in NASCAR.  Racers asked to combine the classes to make the race day shorter.  And, it was a struggle to get track owners classify their racers.  Always a challenge as to how to classify a local hot shoe that's probably an amateur everywhere else.  

 

We had a JK RTR-based Novice Class in 2014 (might have been 2013) and I'm not sure we had any entries.  We were about to start that class for kids at SCR.  Had some families committed to participating ..... and then our plans for the raceway fell apart.

 

 

Now I see why retro has become so popular across the United States.  Fast flexi guys intimidating?

 

Outlaw racing took away my fears...Don't be afraid.  Try it, you'll like it!

 

FWIW - 4 Florida tracks.  9 car classes running weekly.  ONE matches up with MYS...BTW - 9 different cars.

 

You've done a heckuva job of getting up to speed ..... but not everyone catches on as quickly as you have.  You didn't hesitate to jump in and run Series races and you didn't hesitate to buy what you needed to be competitive.   I wish you were the "norm," but you're not.

 

In the words of Josey Wales, "a man's gotta know his limitations."  We saw some guys at SCR&H move up from the "B Main" to the "A Main" in a matter of weeks.  Others took months.  Depends on how much practice they put into it.  There were a LOT of guys that we had to convince even twist their arm to get them to participate in a local state race.  Took more convincing to get them to travel.  And usually took Buddy or I driving them to the race the first couple of times.  Fact is that lots of guys don't have the confidence to travel to race regardless of what the rules are.  They don't want the fast guys yelling at them and they don't want to feel like they're in the way.  Don't kid yourself into thinking that the OSS rules are the answer to entry problems.  

 

 

Regarding what Raceways run .... 

 

When SCR&H was open, all four of our primary classes followed the My Series rules.  NASCAR, GT1/LMP, GTP, and Group F.   I don't know if Ed has chosen to continue those classes or run classes that previous tracks in Pinellas Park/St.Pete/Tampa have run in the past.  We had GREAT racing with the Series classes in part because they're affordable --- other than the GTP motor issue that I mentioned above.  I still think more raceways could/should adopt these classes.  Sometimes there are valid business reasons why they don't.

 

In Melbourne, Bill runs Group F by the Series rules.  When he was in Cocoa, his GT1 and GTP classes followed the Series rules.  The NASCAR class never took off at his raceway.  Not all of his guys cold follow him when he moved to Melbourne so he started over with additional/different classes.  I'm not sure if he still runs more of the Series classes the week before hosting a Series race as a tune-up. He used to.

 

At P1 in Winter Garden, Marcus' NASCAR rules are the same - or real close - to the Series rules. I haven't raced there in their local program, but believe that his GT1/LMP class is based pretty closely on the JK Ready-to-Run.  

 

At The Race Place, Back in 2005-ish to 2007-ish, they ran a GTP class that was the basis for the Series GTP class.  Buddy and I used to go down and race there before Buddy opened Slot Car Speedway and had a great time.  The class seemed to die off at TRP even before the Sealed S16D's became wind-throwing hand grenades.  Most of Greg's racing more recently has been FCR based. I always thought that the My Series GT1/LMP class would be a great weekly class on his road course --- still think so.

[Biscuit]

The outlaw series entry wise has made our state series look like nothing more than a test and tune night. I don't see a scenario where they change any rules to go with our crazy rules. They are crazy by the way, how many places can you go race and have a gtp bumber rule??? Was this discussed or just implemented because a certain person wanted to???

 

The series was created apparently for the racers. Seems kind of a joke at this point. Certain people have taken over and geared the rules for their liking with no regard how the racers feel as a whole, driving many racers away. JK gt1 i still never seen a race prize from them, probably just certain people pushing their agenda. I saw more race prizes and better race plaques in 1 outlaw event then i've seen in years of MYSERIES racing. 

 

When you have as many racers leaving the state to go race as staying here it should tell you something. Its not MYSERIES its ____'s SERIES and its time for a change. 

[Biscuit]

Time to scrap MYSERIES. Why do people hold this name so dear to their heart?? I just don't understand. Fresh slate, fresh start. It's been needed for years now. 

[Wizard Of Iz]

Well....so much for trying to bring groups together.

That's a shame. Could have been good for everyone

[Biscuit]

Correct me if i'm wrong, but it looks as if the role call of myseries "supporters" stops at 3. There is twice that many skipping MYSERIES leaving the state to drive hours to race. Its nice racing in an environment with an unbiased set of rules that you know wasn't put in place to favor any one racer or group. Just show up and race at an affordable level. Unfortunately in Florida there has always been agendas at or near the top. Sorry i'm the bad guy to point it out.  But it's got to stop before there is no racing left... 

[DOCinCanton]

Mike wrote: Its nice racing in an environment with an unbiased set of rules that you know wasn't put in place to favor any one racer or group.

Mike: What specifically about the current My Series rules is biased toward a group? What group and what are the rules?

 

Mike wrote: Unfortunately in Florida there has always been agendas at or near the top.

Mike: What agenda specifically and who at the top are you talking about?

 

I think that it is ludicrous to think that by removing the interior, front axle and the front wheels that the car count is suddenly going in increase 2 or 3 times.

 

I also think that it is a knee jerk reaction to say that the entire My Series rules need to be replaced.

 

And again: As Rollin knows, 1 or 2 state races is not going to keep the doors open. If the raceways close, where are you going to race at next year. I feel strongly that we need to support the local raceways in Florida and let the track owners decide what will be raced collectively with input from the racers. This last statement is the basis for My Series.

 

I have been running My Series and GRRR for 5 years now. I have attended every GRRR race since June 2010. There have been 2 or 3 GRRR races in Jax each year. The IRRA rules are the same in Georgia, Alabama, and S Carolina as in Florida. NO ONE from those states ever raced at Jax to the best of my knowledge. So claiming that guys from those states will suddenly travel hundreds of miles if we adopted the OSS rules is just completely unrealistic.

 

I think that the My Series rules need to be tweaked. I still like the novice/expert driver classes.

 

Mike: if you, Danny, Charlie, and Ralph want to start a new race series in Florida, that is great. I will try to attend as many as I can.

[Biscuit]

To answer you Doc- What specifically about the current My Series rules is biased toward a group? What group and what are the rules? As i stated above, most of the avid MYSERIES supporters are hellbent on keeping redfox and outisight bodies out of gt1. Tires too, JK only. Why? I know a track owner involved with making the rules once had personal business with Jerry. Apparently they sponsored the class at one point in time, but i never seen a race prize and they are sure getting a nice return aren't they? This monopoly is pushed upon the racers and the racers benefit from it how???  You cant tell me that it is to save money because it is a motor builders class. Glad there isn't a JK body rule in gtp and nascar, Its nice to let redfox or outisight make a dollar off a gt1 body here and there isn't it??

 

What agenda specifically and who at the top are you talking about? Kind of relates to the first question. I like your use of the term knee jerk, because the Florida series has had more knee jerk rule changes than you can count. I could have swore there used to be a competition committee put in place to avoid that stuff?? No issue making the s16d obsolete in gtp and getting more expensive, was there? 

 

The point of the rules isn't to get them to come i could have swore i already said that. It is a guideline to a normal set of slot rules that aren't going to change every month. They are also unbiased towards creating a monopoly for any one manufacturer. You like the looks of the front wheels? What point do they serve? Because they serve no mechanical function... Stickers look muuucchhhhh better. Well guess what we are in the great minority of series who run them. Don't you hate getting bounced from tech because the little o-ring fell off? I mean since that would have won me the race and all lol. Also my personal opinion is that we should run interiors. 

 

When you become part of something bigger it makes it harder for people to change rules to benefit themselves. Again i'm not pushing personal agendas here i'm only trying to bring slot racing in Florida back to what it is capable of being.  

 

How can you have Am. and Ex. when you have 9 people at a race?? Been there done that with am. ex. in FL state racing. You know when it comes time to make the jump that many racers will be scared and quit? You have already put them in the every kid gets a trophy mentality and now they believe that is what slot racing is all about. 

[Wizard Of Iz]

Just a quick clarification for those playing along at home .....

 

The GT1/LMP class has been around for about six years (I think).  JK sponsored the class the first two or three years and provided nice plaques and a pretty decent amount of door prizes  --- motors, chassis, braid, etc.  I actually have one of the plaques around here somewhere since DZ and Biscuit didn't run the class.  LOL!  

 

The class allows a Hawk 7 ($13) or a Hawk 6 ($17).  No need to build a motor if you don't want to.  I saw both win races.  

 

By the way ....  My personal favorite GT1 body is an Outisight and I think the Red Fox bodies look really good. I have no vote in any of this any more, but I'd certainly be in favor of a revised body list. Having a list really does help a raceway not get stuck with instantly obsolete inventory.  Doesn't mean the list can't be revised to adjust for availability. 

 

The owners and competition committee (still exists) talked about this class every year and decided to keep what wasn't broken.  (And that saves money,)  It certainly wasn't to support JK because he stopped supporting us years ago.

[Mr. M]

Wow! I had no idea that the toy car racing politics in Fl rivaled Bernie in F1.

[Danny Zona]

I'm on the My Series competition committee. I'm telling Greg W to please take me off. My opinion has never mattered, anyway. Even though I've raced at USRA nats, ISRA nats, AMSRA nats, FCR nats, FSRA FL state races , FL div 2, Outlaw Series, GRRR series and even raced in USRA div 1 wing car racing with glue zones as as a teen. I'm sure I'm forgetting some.

I know great, fair and cost effective rules when I see them.

I'm not mad at racers who want and still race by My Series rules. I'll race myself. I'm a slot car addict.

I do want all my out of town racer buddies that have messaged me, text me and etc. that just because I'm on the competition committee, I have nothing to do with the My Series rules.

[Arne Saknussem]

Greetings.

 

I live in New York (the State) and will probably never race anywhere in or near Florida.  I'm reading this thread for entertainment (and perhaps educational) purposes only.  I'm probably not the only Slotblog member doing so.  I'd like to commend the participants for their relatively genteel behavior.

 

Thank you.

Carry on.

[Danny Zona]

Appreciate it, Arne.

I obviously don't agree with some of these racers.

But, they are slot car addicts like me. Who are passionate about our hobby.

That means they love it like I do. Which might be a little insane. Lol.

Damn Slot addicts!!!