Info for new racers to West coast

[Dazz 68]

Just thought it would be an idea to start this thread to help answer some of the questions that new racers to West Coast are having.If you have any questions post them here and hopefully you will get an informed answer.
Wilkinson asked when is it time for Novices to step up to open and do you have to be able to race safely before moving up?
Reply- Novice division is all about learning to drive and improving your skills,you may go up to open any time you like but it is generally accepted club policy that once you can consistantly run 8 or more laps you should move up.To be able to achieve 8+ laps shows that the driver has learnt a satisfactory amount of car control.Unfortuneatly a lot of the bad driving witnessed is due to a lack of self control.It is easy to buy a fast car and make it go fast on the track,it takes a lot more skill to race that car side by side with another driver with out mishap.West coast has had a massive influx of new drivers this season and over the coming weeks marshalling and ettiquete will be tightened up a bit for the benefit of all

[Wilkinson]

Thanks Dazz, last night me and a few mates who bought like 6 Evaders and a T4 are looking to join. Just went last night for a casual look and a laugh.

Now I know the kid was young ( unsure what class ) but really should of been out with the novices. The marshalls chased his car basically all race every race. Just couldn't understand why he was out with the faster cars, I think he might of been racing against dad.

Cheers

[Dazz 68]

Great to see your interseted,the 7 of you would just about have a novice class to yourself.Normally the problem we have is novices not wanting to go up.Friday night racing is social club racing and as such we try not to get too heavy handed with the rules so that people can enjoy themselves

[Mazimbwe]

I think, also, that there can be a lack of appreciation of how much time/love/money/effort/screaming/crying people put into their hobby.
I think a fine example has been set by many others in the past who ran their new machines/setups/brushless in the novice class for the first night...even though they were clearly experienced enough to go right in to the A-main.
I think etiquette has to involve some courtesy and a bit of control.
Besides...anyone can go fast down the straight on any race track but the real skill is to go fast in the bit with the bends/turn/jumps/rutts and to a large extent that comes from racing clean and not needing marshalling.

Now I would just like to add an appology to all the people I have hacked...Sorry !evil !lmao

[obzELiTe]

yeah, the open class seemed to have some hacks last night :P
Seems its only the novice class that gets bagged out for close racing though.
No stop go's for the open class despite a few ppl crossing the line, yet i was called to do a stop go because i landed wrong on the tabletop and cartwheeled.
If your going to instigate rules then they need to be applied across the board and not just rammed down the throats of the novice drivers because of the perception they are not experienced.

[sprocket]

info above noted and thanks Darren for the rules. Thanks to the organisers for Friday night as I know the work and effort that goes into it. I have been president of other racing committees (not RC) b4 and know that many do not appreciate the work behind the scenes. What follows is not meant to be a criticism but an observation as a new member. Not sure if a rule book exists or a link can be posted to it, but I suspect like me many others who have joined WCMRC do not know what the rules are for the club (I know a lot is common sense) but info re classes, club rules marshalling, etc. Maybe a handout on joining up re etiquette etc would help new members, even a set to read whilst at the track would be good. Another idea is re novice driver capability and the class of car in use. Whilst no motor restrictions apply in open class (again stand to be corrected) you will have the issue of novices with fast cars and the associated problem of control. In other racing I have been involved in not only is the driver classed but so is the vehicle. So you would have novice stock and a novice open as separate classes. I know there may be issues with extra classes and also no idea what numbers you would have in each class. It would go a long way to reduce the disparate speeds of the cars sharing the same class at present. Just some ideas.

[KingBob]

A handout for novices is actually already in the making. Has stuff on marshalling, ettiquete, setup, general stuff, and tech stuff.

Should be ready soon.

[Dazz 68]

There are in fact pages and pages of rules that govern our sport.Waorma is the governing body for WA and a full list of rules and specs can be found at their website(www.waorma.asn.au).These rules are strictly enforced at all interclub ,state and national events.A flyer is coming out shortly with a simplfied version of these rules which will contain the minimun acceptable standard for club meets at West Coast.A couple of the very basics are-
-No reverse at all on the track
-If you make contact with someone else in any way and impede their progress ,you should wait for the other driver to catch up and let them over take if they were in front at time of incident before continuing yourself.
-You must allow lapping drivers to over take.If some one on the same lap is trying to over take you are allowed to hold your line but not to beliberately block.
Wait for other drivers to catch up if you have passed anybody as a result of accidently short cutting the track
-Marshalls should be attentive and on the ball,drivers are not allowed to abuse marshalls.
-Stop go penalties can be enforced for not voulntarily adhereing to rules.
Novice class is for new drivers to gain experience and as such probably does get more scrutiny.I must admit that in the open classes we do not always set a shinning example ourselves and over the next few weeks we will look at tidying things up a bit.
-In novice we allow people to race what they already own as to enforce strict rules and make people buy extra gear to conform to a class would incurr expense that would turn many new drivers away.We do appreciate that new drivers may come to club with top end race gear and we do allow them to race in novice,it is how ever expected that as soon as they acheive a certain level of competency that they should move up.

[Flooz]

Having just moved up out of novice class myself, some more detailed info on rules and ettiquete would be helpful to many, if you can do 8+ laps in novice then move up i think some want to stay just so they are at the top of time sheets. Maybe there is a need for a driving/set-up clinic run on a weekend with the experienced guys can do a bit of coaching, the more people become better drivers the closer the racing.

[Alex]

Maybe there is a need for a driving/set-up clinic run on a weekend with the experienced guys can do a bit of coaching, the more people become better drivers the closer the racing.

Sure! Ill gladly give up my weekend and free time to do some coaching.

$1000 an hour. Can you afford it? !lol

seriously now... the guys that maintain the track, put on the shows on friday nights, interclubs, general race meets give up enough of their spare time out of love and devotion to the hobby so that other people can have fun on a track and race.

We all started from no where.. One way to improve on your driving skills and general etiquette is to use your eyes and ears trackside.

Another way is to utilise information and resources readily available in forums such as here, and others and as always..

"google is your friend"

Most of the guys that have been doing the hobby for a while are generally approachable and will be quite happy to "share" a few tips to help you on your way. But dont ask someone as they are just about to get ready for their next race...or you may get offended :P

At the same time, one cant give too much race secret away!

Next time you come down to WC, look me up if you need any hand with anything. More than happy to spare a few minutes :D

[Mazimbwe]

I gotta say that there is more help at WestCoast than I could believe.
I have had help with set-up, technique, skill, tyre advice and help with parts that i have broken or lost on the night...add to that all the Volunteer-time mentioned by Shadow and there is enough help for anyone who looks/asks for it. ;)

[RacingMaceys]

Hi Guys,
In reply to Wilkinson's comments, re the young Bloke racing with his Dad, the young bloke has just turned 9, and last season was his first and we ran a handful of meetings, after which with reasonable results in Novice class we were advised we should move up and give others a chance, which we did.

Please also be aware that when you race in an open event, there is no Novice class, so you have to race with the big boys after all?
You have no choice except not race at all, and that in itself is not good for the sport of RC racing.

There are a handful of extremely good drivers who can compete at State and National level, the majority of us are there to have some family fun around some great people, and whilst this sport is indeed expensive, most people will not ever re-coup the expense as there just isn't the numbers involved for that sort of professionalism.

That said we are well aware of trying to portray the correct immage, and good sportsmanship, and also follow the correct rules and etiquette.

I have just spent money on a new specktrum controller to help my little bloke get a few more laps practice without getting muscelled out by the older drivers, who we found could really care less what frequency he was on, not to mention squeeze him off the rostrum simply because he is much smaller than the bigger drivers, and a fair few of those bigger drivers have clearly only got their own interests in mind.

I must also say many of the drivers have been very good to both of us and very supportive of my young bloke.

We have identified that one problem he has encountered is a lack of vision whilst up on the rostrum, as everyone leans forward he can't see, which makes it very hard to then control his car.

We were offered a milk crate at one stage and next time he will probably use one, hopefully this may help?

We have only just returned to the track after missing the end of last season, and both have to learn again, and get back into the flow of things.

I should mention he did run second in last years Autumn River CLassic Truck B class, finishing ahead of quite a few other good drivers.


My little bloke is quite happy to return to the Novice class, he is standing next to me and just mentioned it.

So I guess he will be able to race against you guys and your Duratrax's perhaps?

We are happy to receive any sort of guidance and quite frankly welcome it, this reply is not meant with any malice, just pointing out you have a young bloke in your midst, who is very impressionable, most of the time he acts much older than his 9 years.
He is possibly like the many other young drivers we saw on Friday, the future of this sport, so don't be afraid to encourage these young guys, you may even find it rewarding, as they look up to you for your advice.

Well thats my bit said,
See you all on Friday, have a great week until then.

Cheers
Nigel

[KingBob]

Depending on numbers, at a regular club meet, might be worth considering a junior and a senior class. If there are enough of course.

For interclubs and the like which run under AARCMCC rules, this wouldn't be possible though.

One thing i've often heard said about moving out of novice, is that once you reach a certain level of driving, you can actually get held back by racing against other novices. When you start to feel that, then it's time to move up. Yes you may go from being the best of the novices, to the worst of the pro's, but driving against better drivers makes you a better driver too.

I myself beat a couple of people i consider to be good drivers, and made Truck A at the nats last year. Yes I came last, but i drove well because i had a better class of driving around me. (i won't say better class of driver coz i found a few of the eastern states guys to be right pr#$%s)

[Flooz]

Cheers Shadow, just a idea i got from WARCMCC they have one before each season. I've had tonnes of help from the good folks at W.C. and thanks to all for said help. Coaching was probably the wrong word, practice day more along the lines of what i was thinking, Thanks for offer of hand/help Shadow it's appreciated.
Cheers
p.s. Am also avail if volunteers needed for track work etc.

[Alex]

ur welcome. c u fri night

[Wilkinson]

Hey RacingMaceys,

I wasn't have a dig at you or your boy, me and my mates were just wondering because we are brand new to this thing and he looked alittle out of place.
I pretty much thouhgt he might of been racing with you cause it`s alot easier fixing the 2 cars at the same time instead of splittling you up and doing it twice along with marshalling and everything else on top.
I watched him while he was racing and he was smiling which is the main thing, cause like you said, He's gonna be the future of the sport

Cheers