I officially attended my first RC pulling event today! But it was short lived as the group was a bit behind on actually getting started, and I had chores to do so couldn't hang out for very long. The group was experimenting with a new laser measuring system, and no one knew how to actually use it, and after a lot of experimenting, it was tossed out and the old school way of using a measuring wheel was brought back into play. I feel like a simple Bosch-like laser measure velcro'd to the back of the sled and pointing back to a piece of plywood at the starting line is a cheap and simple solution, but I was the new guy just showing up with a camera so I didn't get too into the whole thing.
There were only 10-12 divers total, and each participating in multiple classes.
A few things I learned while there and wish I knew earlier.
- You need three competitors in a class for it to be an official race. So, if you show up with a Class X truck, and only one or less competitors show up with a Class X truck, you can't run it. That class just doesn't run that day. This can get interesting though! If you have a Class X rig in your car, but you weren't planning on running it for whatever reason, but two other people show up with a Class X puller, they will kinda force you to run that rig so they can make an official race of it. So, what classes will run that day is flexible.
- The Garden Tractor and Slash classes were the most popular. The Garden Tractors are smaller rigs, and easier and cheaper to build ............. and the Slash class is based on Slashes, so again simple and easy to build. I would have gotten into one of these classes as a start if I had known. I am also kicking myself for selling off all my Slash stuff super cheap awhile back. I do plan on getting into the Garden class, and if I find a Slash cheap enough locally, do that also. My first rig is a Sportsman based rig as that is the class that appealed to me the most, but there were only three Sportsman rigs at the event today, which means it was close to being a non-race for that class.
- Kinda going off the above, you want to be involved in multiple classes if you want to enjoy the event. Once going, the racing goes quick, and one class runs and then another, etc. If you are only there with one rig, and enough others are there for you to participate, you will have a lot of alone time. But I guess you have to start somewhere I guess.
- Weight weight and weight. You want to max out the weight of your rig per the class, and if the tech table scale says you can squeeze another 4oz on, you go back and put 4oz on. Where you put that is the big question.
- Most everyone involved was very relaxed, maybe too relaxed ..................... except for one person! There was one female involved in the event today, and she ran the tech table. TBH, she was the only really focused person in the lot, and without her, nothing technical or official would have actually taken place! A vehicle measuring station, a hitch height go/no-go jig, and a very large sensitive scale were her domain. She was fantastic, as she would constantly yell at racers for needing to get their rigs through tech, and the usual response was "I am working on it, be there soon," and she would just yell at them again. She kept the world rotating.
- Not intimidating at all. There was just the perfect amount of trash talking, and nothing negative was spoken when someone had a bad run. Completely chill.
- Just about the time I had to leave, they were setting up the sled for the Sportsman class. This is the class I wanted to watch the most, but I really did need to get home. What surprised me the most though was that they were loading the sled with 52lbs!!
The trucks are maxed out at 10lbs, and the sled is 52lbs! I was not expecting this! All of the plastic in the Plastic Fantastic is getting me concerned.
There are other things I learned, but with only being there about an hour, it wasn't much. Being my first time around the group, I didn't want to pry too much, and get too deep into someone's business, so I kept my conversations and questions light.
I build RCs like people would have done back in the '90s ..................................... if they had 3D printers.
Heck, I don't even know if I want to go direct drive, or some sort of diff. I have a contact with loads of Traxxas stuff, and he is going to send me a Sledge complete rear assembly, and I am going to see if I think that will work.
Oh well.
Garden tractor and mini rod are both fairly new classes so they're pretty popular at the moment. Garden tractor though badly needs an official rule change to allow pumpkin tires since the TLT ones are so scarce.