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Back in the day, on practice night a group of us always liked to fool around. Sometimes we would turn the track's lights off and run a night race using pen lights strapped on the roofs with duck tape. A few times, those with an which could do reverse would run a backwards race around the track.

Has anyone else had a fun time with doing goofy races or night time races? Any tracks still run night time races? I would think now with the amount of cheap energy efficeint LEDs out there, one could really make a cool night time racer with all the bells and whistles for lights. I bet with ELwire and Paper you could get a decent tron or automan car like look.

I loved robot-wars on tv

I remember the old club did special day once where instead of your standard 5 minutes you had to do all kinds of trials: pick ballons, ride a narrow beam and so on.
they were allways talking about the time they ran a race at the ice-ring also: with thumbnails in the tires (where's the scared smiley?)

Another day we were so few that we had only 1 series, so we had to run down the stage to do our own corner marshalling.
In shanghai I learned that was the only kind of marshalling you'd ever see Chinese are hard to get to do something they don't like

Ouch corner marshalling your own race, that's harsh. I've done it for practice races but not anything for the record.

The trials race would be cool but the ice rink race with thumb tack tires sounds even better. I would guess you'd push the
tacks through the tire from inside and use some epoxy or glue to hold them.

Mr.Sci-Fi wrote:Ouch corner marshalling your own race, that's harsh. I've done it for practice races but not anything for the record.

The trials race would be cool but the ice rink race with thumb tack tires sounds even better. I would guess you'd push the
tacks through the tire from inside and use some epoxy or glue to hold them.

Yes it iwas harsh: the drivers stand had a good few treds and you had to jump over a little ditch with water or run further to the passage

Hard foam inserts like old foam tires to back it up, or duct tape on the inside could do too, but it's pretty dangerous and melting ice is not something you want around your electronics anyway.

I'd use a rubber endcap on the motor and ballons work great for the reciever, the esb would be the hardest to seal against possible moistre.

When I used to race at Jack Murphy stadium in San Diego, right before the night's racing during practice, the few guys who had Clodbusters were allowed to get them out on the track. Running them backwards on the course, while other guys were out practicing going the regular direction. Of course we didn't have to run out there with them, but it made for an interesting game of cat and mouse... Always drew a crowd.

There is a race up N in WA that does a "glow-in-the-dark" race and I've heard its a lot of fun. There are also "theme" races as well.

In terms of just fun racing, back when Yokomo and HPI released the rally car kits, we had a HUGE turnout. It ended up being the largest class, with as many as 23 cars coming out for One race. It was NUTS. but talk about a blast. We set up rules much like the WRC and people who were broke would still continue to drive the cars even w/ parts hanging off. It was awesome. it was competitive but bumping and rubbing was all part of racing.



MOmo

My buddies and I use to go "basement racing" at my church almost every Friday and Saturday evening. The basement / social hall had tables arranged in rows. The chairs would be stacked on top of the tables and we would sit on the floor and race under the tables and through the isles.

Now remember, these are the 8 foot tables with the metal foldable legs and we were all running Jr's with buggy bodies. I kept at least 5 sets of rear arms and couple of rear bulkheads in my toolbox. There were nights where we would go through 3 pairs of rear h arms. I lowered my car slightly and the tire of choice was the original hard compound losi 4 spike rears and front ribbed tires. Nerf bars were soon attached to the chassis (where the side bulkheads mounted to) which saved a few arms.

I've hit tables, pianos, walls and occasionally, had a chair drop from a tabel and land on my car. It was a lot of fun and this is actually how we became very good drivers. Driving on a smooth, glass-like finish on a concrete floor is somewhat difficult.

I wish we could do it again, but those days are gone...

Regards,
highwayracer

I just remembered RC soccer. This was done in the western Chicago suburbs years ago. Some of the local guys rented time at a community college and played rc soccer.

When people would come to our hobby shop and asked about the event, I would tell then that a bunch of guys came in and used your rc car as a soccer ball and kicked it around From what people have said, it was actually pretty fun. I'll stick to basement racing....

regards,
highwayracer

Mr. ED wrote:....melting ice is not something you want around your electronics anyway.

Yes, ice racing is fun until someone gets hurt...(and a tear falls from his cheek as he recalls that cold winters day years ago when his Super Lobo suffered the end all fate of fates performing this very event. They say time heals all wounds. Where's your salve now, time? Where's your salve now??? )

first place i ever raced anyting was a rollerskating rink.. they ran 1/12 onroad cars on the wood floor. The next day some 5th grader would be getting the thrill of his life during couples skate on that very track.

I didn't know about it ahead so I came unprepared, but I was once in a race where they made you run one heat with a caravan trailing behind your buggy. You could only win if you had at least some part of the caravan left at the finish line.
The idea was based on the UK competition of 'bangers'. They also hold the standard type of derby races. You can see the ABS bodies they use for sale by Kamtec.

rope-pulling with 2 crwalers would be a new variation on the old truck-pulling, don't come to me when you burn out your ESC

at the Hobbytown indoor track in San Diego back in about 92 or 93 we used to do 2 person races, one controls the gas and the other does the steering, it got interesting to say the least . we also used to do a 12 minute race at the parking lot track that required a battery change

the most out of the ordinary race i've done was a 1,000 lap dirt oval race. it was 4 man teams, with everyone using their own car. you'd pull in pit road, take your car off, swap the transponder into the next guys car, and sent him on his way. it was fun. my team second, one lap down.

trx1racer wrote: we also used to do a 12 minute race at the parking lot track that required a battery change

hehe , another memory:
once I ran in an opene event where electric and gas ran separte series.
To please the electric guys we got a final lof 15 minutes just like the gas racers.

I was running my protoype FWD touringcar I made as my final schoolproject. With the batteries of those days (1400 or 1700's) and a worn reedy 27T bushed stocker I managed to come in 2nd; only about a meter behind the winner.
The day was over, so we kept driving. A minute later the winner was done driving. My car went for 15 minutes more .