385 replies to this topic

[TallyBernie]

Well put Clyde, well put.

[Clyde Romero]

By now most of you know that there are 2 new members on the IRRA Board.
Jay Guard and Dominic Luongo
These 2 outstanding individuals and racers are a breath of fresh air to our hobby.
Please join me in welcoming them and wishing them all the success they need in providing leadership and guidance to the retro community as a whole.
Congratulations gentlemen.

Clyde Romero

[Clyde Romero]

Well Racers if its not one thing its another
With the price of fuel skyrocketing to $4 plus a gallon in most parts of the country, this will no doubt put a financial strain on traveling to races for the majority of us.
Try to be resourceful and buddy up with others to attend races.
Tracks run on razor thin margins and they are just starting to recover from the Covid mess which locked down businesses.
Slot car racers as a whole have been a stalwart bunch so we as a whole should pull this off.
Remember buy from your local tracks, and support them anyway you can.
If there are no tracks then there are no races.
Ask some of the old heads what happened back in the late 60s thru early 70s what happened to slot car racing.
It was like a plague hit the hobby.
Lets make sure that doesnt happen again.
Spring is slowly arriving with good weather, but dont forget the tracks.
Down south here where I live we are into our SERRA series and its going well.
I hope all of your series are doing well as ours is.
Thats it for now guys, stay safe and see you at the track.

Clyde

[Clyde Romero]

Well racers those of you who have been following the controversy of the "So called Retro Nats" have seen what happens when a race promotor tries to change the rules at the last minute, yet they said they would use the IRRA rule set!

Hats off to the racers and IRRA board members who stepped up to the plate and set Tony Powell and Terry Kelly straight that the "So called Retro Nats" would not be a Terry Kelly Body only race!

Having been to many Retro races outside of my local area for these individuals to call this the "Retro Nats" is absurd.

 

If there was any race that I have attended that could have been call the Retro Nats the photo above was it.

This race was at Caps track 2 years ago, and was attended by the majority of retro racers from around the country, to include Canada!

 

Another true Retro Nats race will always be in my book the Fall Brawl, held in November, where racers have come from around the world to compete. 

And let's not leave out the Retropalloza and the R4.

Heck if that's the case we had the FCR Nat's at my track, look at this bunch of racers!

 

Anyway, what's done is done and we policed our own and outed those two for what they are.

Manipulators of the rules to suit their own purposes.

 

Take care gentlemen and be safe out there, we are few but mighty and strong in a hobby that has a long history, let's keep it alive!

Until then

From Clyde Corner 

 

 

 

 

 

[Danny Zona]

Pretty funny you posted it would be a Kelly body only race.

That is not true.

Last year I used a RedFox, Parma and an OS.

I saved them from last year and I'll more than likely will use them again if they are still fast.

So it's not a Kelly only body race as you posted.


As for your opinion about this race being called a national. You are obviously entitled to your opinion but what a way to insult a bunch of racers who are attending this race.

There are racers here who have have won on all levels of racing from flexi, fcr, wings and womp racing. There are Fall Brawl overall champions attending this race. Fall Brawl racers who won races at the Fall Brawl. There is also a R4 winner here. So the level of racing is pretty damn good in my belief.

I'm actually glad you posted so everybody can see your antagonistic nature.

I've learned that I must state that this is my opinion and nobody else's.

[Eddie Fleming]

This feud between Clyde and Kelly needs to end. It is doing no good for anybody or for the hobby.

 

Any time anyone posts about it on ether side it just perpetuates the mess.  

[Danny Zona]

This feud between Clyde and Kelly needs to end. It is doing no good for anybody or for the hobby.
 
Any time anyone posts about it on ether side it just perpetuates the mess.

I agree but however if you notice Clyde is the one who always initiates the feud post on a regular.

[Eddie Fleming]

My baby brother was always the one that started the fight. 

[Danny Zona]

My baby brother was always the one that started the fight.

My younger cousin was the one in my family.

He was a pistol.

[Tim Neja]

Who cares what they call it?  Meaningless as everyone knows our little world of slot racing has lot's of egos to message!  I've seen and participated in lot's of  "World Championships" that did NOT have participants from all over the world!! And I've actually won 1/5 scale "Nationals"--with the only thing national about it being that's what it was called.  Seems trivial to even care--I'd like to think we all can support everyone in our little hobby world.  Enjoy racing as long as possible--if this past couple of years has taught us--time is SHORT for many--enjoy getting back racing after this pandemic and have FUN!!

[Charley]

Well racers those of you who have been following the controversy of the "So called Retro Nats" have seen what happens when a race promotor tries to change the rules at the last minute, yet they said they would use the IRRA rule set!

Hats off to the racers and IRRA board members who stepped up to the plate and set Tony Powell and Terry Kelly straight that the "So called Retro Nats" would not be a Terry Kelly Body only race!

Having been to many Retro races outside of my local area for these individuals to call this the "Retro Nats" is absurd.

retro photo.jpg

 

If there was any race that I have attended that could have been call the Retro Nats the photo above was it.

This race was at Caps track 2 years ago, and was attended by the majority of retro racers from around the country, to include Canada!

 

Another true Retro Nats race will always be in my book the Fall Brawl, held in November, where racers have come from around the world to compete. 

And let's not leave out the Retropalloza and the R4.

FCR brawl.jpg

Heck if that's the case we had the FCR Nat's at my track, look at this bunch of racers!

 

Anyway, what's done is done and we policed our own and outed those two for what they are.

Manipulators of the rules to suit their own purposes.

 

Take care gentlemen and be safe out there, we are few but mighty and strong in a hobby that has a long history, let's keep it alive!

Until then

From Clyde Corner 

 

That was NOT a "Nats" race. That was a "Reunion" race. To be more specific, " The FCR Reunion Race".  The race was organized 1: to honor those that have passed, and 2: get old racing buddies out of the house. Nothing more, nothing less. No plaques, no trophies. Just racers getting together to blow the dust out of the cars and see who can tell the biggest lies. LOL!

 

 

 

[Pablo]

My amateur opinion is, misnaming/misrepresenting an event by naming it something it isn't, is unprofessional. I'm with Clyde on this point. And I'm as guilty as anybody - I won ONE RACE in 2010 and got a plaque that says "AMSRA National Champion" on my slot car "I love me" wall. It might fool the neighbors into thinking I'm a hero LOL

 

I also have this nice poster mounted in my slot car room, note it says "World Nationals". Anybody who understands The King's English knows that is a farce. But it's a cool poster. I'm probably the only one who notices

 

 

I understand and appreciate Tim's point of view. If the rules for the event are clear and concise, heck I'll come race a rubber ducky as long as my friends are there   

 

But, again, I'm with Clyde on this issue. If we want to promote the return of miniature electric cars, with new racers young and old, wives, girlfriends, boyfriends, spectators, we need to put on a professional show. Mislabeling an event shows lack of professionalism and/or an attempt to mislead people.

 

But it wouldn't stop me from coming, if I lived closer I'd love to race again with all friends again. Even TallyBernie  

Back to my vintage cave before I get clobbered LOL

[Clyde Romero]

Well, I am back from vacation in SBH. it was a good trip, lots of paperwork to get back into the US now a days.

But it was worth it.

Getting back into the grove so to speak again and getting ready for some hard racing going into the spring summer season.

Have some new topics to bring up while I was relaxing on vacation.

Controllers for one.

I hear that ALPHA tires are now longer available, sorry to hear that. Those were an amazing tire.

Tax Day is just around the corner for all of us.

Also, for my racing friends in the Northeast it seems this Covid thing is spreading once again.

It's like wet toilet paper, you can't get rid of it!

We as a group can ill afford another major outbreak like we have all experienced 2 years ago. 

Let's work with the tracks, wear a mask and do your part to keep this Covid thing in check!

That's it for now.

See you at the track.

 

Clyde 

[Clyde Romero]

Happy Easter to all!

51 years ago, today I left Vietnam after flying in one of the most horrendous battles called Lam Son 719 

https://militaryhist...--kThY9fTwL7OyU

 

I was fortunate to make it back.

On a more humors note

 

to all my race track owners and race directors

we have all been there !

 

[Clyde Romero]

Hope everyone had a good easter

Well, I've been out of it for about 2 weeks

 I came down with Covid, for me it was flu like symptoms cough body aches all that stuff

on the mend now

but let me tell you it's out there and I have been vaccinated and was taking all the precautions

So be ware racers the new strain is like wet toilet paper! 

You can't get rid of it!

Anyway, what's done is done and I am moving on.

Spring/summer weather is upon us so we can see more racers doing other stuff other than racing

but guys you have to support the tracks!

Enough said!

 

On another note, with regards to controllers, and this one has me scratching my head

It sems that all the rage now is the ANTI BRAKE feature on the controllers

Way back when in the 60's we use to put a AA battery pack in the brake line to assist in brakes ( remember that?)

anyway I am at a loss to figure out what's  with the ANTI BRAKE feature on the new controllers 

All of the modern electronic controllers have a rheostat where you can dial in or out braking

 

So I put this out there to those of you with a  PHD in controllers, explain this to me and I am guessing others as well, what's the advantage of the ANTI BRAKE feature on the new controllers?

 

Take care 

looking forward to some of the responses on this subject

 

Clyde 

 

 

 

 

 

[Eddie Fleming]

Glad to see you are still with us and back among the active.

[MSwiss]

Clyde,
Anti-brake is typically used for classes on a flat track where the C can motors, running a high numeric ratio (7-42), have instant brakes to go with their instant acceleration.

It's smooths out the car / makes it less choppy.

I don't see a use for it, for the type of racing you do.

Glad to hear you are OK.

[Clyde Romero]

Clyde,
Anti-brake is typically used for classes on a flat track where the C can motors, running a high numeric ratio (7-42), have instant brakes to go with their instant acceleration.

It's smooths out the car / makes it less choppy.

I don't see a use for it, for the type of racing you do.

Glad to hear you are OK.

Thanks Mike for your explanation of this feature on the controllers,  I knew someone of your caliber and expertise would explain it.

Hope you run the SANOs this year.

 

Clyde   

[John Luongo]

good info. i had always thought "anti-brake" referred to a small amount of voltage applied to the car to enable it to drift through turns faster. esp usefull when racing ho cars with high track adhesion magnets. best regards

[Tim Neja]

good info. i had always thought "anti-brake" referred to a small amount of voltage applied to the car to enable it to drift through turns faster. esp usefull when racing ho cars with high track adhesion magnets. best regards

Yes that's how anti-brake works--it allows you to vary the voltage input on the brake side of the trigger to help the car "coast" into the corners.  You can add enough to actually keep the car moving if you wanted to off throttle. 

[MSwiss]

In about 1974 I seriously raced HO cars for about a year.

We went from brass pans, relying on gravity, to lowering the motor magnets, in T-Jet cars, and taking advantage of magnetic attraction.

Added "refrigerator" magnets were banned in our region.

We progressed to A/FX Magna-traction cars, lowering those magnets even further.

I drifted out of racing, but when I touched bases with my good friend, Mark Rosenwinkel(who now posts here on Slotblog), he informed me of the advent of cobalt magnets.

He volunteered that the cars had developed so much magnetic downforce, that the controllers now had "coast", describing it as opposite braking, or anti-braking.

Around here, 1/24 racers started adding their own mechanical coast rigs to their controllers, approximately 2-3 years ago.

[Eddie Fleming]

After the recent Cleave Tech video I have a fair understanding of anti-brake and can appreciate it's applications.

 

So Mike what is a mechanical coast rig as you called it?

[MSwiss]

IIRC, they were/are a spring-loaded, screw adjustable, stop, that you could push in with your opposite  driving hand thumb, that would keep you off the brake band, and in various spots of the lower power bands.

 

IOW, in a full lap, you could run normal braking in spots, and activate anti-braking in turns you wanted to keep the car moving.

 

I think most guys drove with it "in", the whole time, and just released it when they had deslotted and were being marshaled back in.

[Clyde Romero]

Yea I know its been a while since Ive posted
But Ive been busy, everyone thinks owning a track is a piece of cake and I am also running SERRA
Lets not even talk about ordering parts
Anyway this topic should generate some responses
Body mounting
With retro the rules are very clear
But whats the school solution with regards to where you should have the guide flag on the stock car to the nose?
Lets face it the stock car in retro is the most challenging class to get right
Its the narrowest and the tallest of all the classes.
So I put this out to all you pros
How far back from the nose of the body do you put the guide flag?

And for those of you whom are afraid of going to the big retro races
Remember this
Failure is just and early attempt at success


Oh yea NOOSE I know you read my spot
Sooooo
What about a Legends coupe class for us old guys at the Fall Brawl
You have to be born on or before 1950 and tell us where you were when Kennedy was killed ( just kidding on the last one)
I think it would be great
Hold it on Thursday
Just saying

[Pablo]

IRRA stock car guide lead is mandated by the rules at or less than .750" from center of front axle, and wheelbase is mandated at 4.5". Rule "E", "2d" mandates "The wheels shall be located in relation to the wheel arches in the body".

 

Since the body has to be on the approved body list, there really isn't much room for creativity here. Center the wheels in the wheel wells, make sure the flag, clips, braid etc. don't touch the body when rotated during cornering, and that's basically it.