December 15, 2013

Chassis Focus – Taylor Larsen

Sun-Larsen22-1

Car: TLR 22 2.0
Motor: Orion
Battery: Orion
ESC: Orion
Radio/Servos: Spektrum
Tires: JConcepts

Top qualifier in the ultra competitive 2wd buggy class, Taylor Larsen is one of the few front runners in the class to run the car in rear motor configuration. Saying this suits his driving style more than mid motor, following Friday’s free practice he decided to add brass weights to the car which helped to settle it down over the bumps. Running a standard setup for these conditions he too has focused on tire prep and is currently running worn tires, instead of sanding down new tires, and says the traction is coming up every run because of this.

Image Gallery

December 15, 2013

Chassis Focus – Steven Hartson

Sun-HartsonB44.2-1

Car: Team Associated B44.2
Motor: LRP
Battery: Reedy
ESC: LRP
Radio/Servos: Futaba
Tires: JConcepts

Current 4wd World Champion Steven Hartson is running his B44.2 in the same configuration as his car that won him the World title, with the exception of using ball diffs in place of gear diffs. Running his standard indoor setup he has just made the front oil a little softer to make the car roll into the corners a bit more but apart from that has decided to focus his attentions on tires and tire prep. Sanding down the tires to scuff and lower the pins, along with applying his self mixed traction additive, he says this is helping improve the car’s traction on this particular surface.

Image Gallery

October 10, 2013

New in the Pits – Maxima, O.S. & Serpent

Maxima OS R2

Making its debut at this event is the Maxima O.S. R2, the latest engine from the Thai fuel brand, the R1 having won this year’s European Championships in the hands of their star driver Jilles Groskamp. The engine is as the name suggests made by O.S. but inside each unit has been hand modified and even includes its own Maxima made components. Developed by mostly electric specialist drivers the result is a very linear power band as well as all important run-time improvements over the original engine. When buying the motors, which are made to order in limited quantity, each engine is run-in and comes with the pipe set and air filter.

OS R2101

Released only 2 weeks ago O.S. Engines also have a new .21 engine here called the R2101. An all new engine, it sports all new internals as well as a new crankcase which has a longer stroke compared to its predecessor. The result is an motor with more torque and bottom end revs which is performing well here at the Kei Tune Racing Speedway with 7 drivers in the top 14 running the new power plant including Shimo, Vejrak and Yokoyama.

Serpent Tools

Serpent have a new range of tools here in use by Serpent designer Michael Salven. The handles sport a new lightweight design, as is the trend with tools currently, and are knurled for a secure grip when using and shaped to not roll on your work bench. The tips are made from a durable spring steel material and as you would expect they are available in a wide range of different tip sizes and styles.

View more images of the new products in the event image gallery here.

October 9, 2013

Chassis Focus – Atsushi Hara

Wed-HaraMRX5-1

Car: Mugen MRX-5
Engine: O.S. Speed
Fuel: Cosmo
Tires: Zac Project
Bodyshell: Protoform R18
Radio/Servos: Futaba

Two-time World Champion Atsushi Hara is running the Mugen MRX-5 here in Japan and apart from extra chassis weights and lightweight front wheel axles it is a standard car. Starting off using the same setup as Japanese National Champion Takaaki Shimo, Hara has changed little to the car, only deciding to run a blue front spring in place of the grey all round, something he says gives more steering when the traction is high but which doesn’t work in the low grip conditions found today. 2001 World Champion Kenji Osaka is Hara’s pitman for this race but not having driven 1/8th onroad for over 10 years Kenji had one run with the car prior to this event to get back the feeling for the class, something he says has changed a lot since he last raced.

Image Gallery

October 9, 2013

Chassis Focus – Jilles Groskamp

Wed-GroskampVelox-2

Car: Shepherd Velox V8
Engine: Maxima
Fuel: Maxima
Tires: Hot Race Tyres
Bodyshell: Protoform R18
Radio/Servos: Sanwa

Current European Champion Jilles Groskamp is running a pretty standard Velox V8 from Shepherd, the same car he used to win his title in Halifax with. In terms of changes from the kit car he has added 145 grams of brass to the chassis plate around the fuel tank to get it as low down as possible, while on the rear he has chosen for Mugen rear bodymount height adjusters as they allow him to set the body higher than the standard part. His car is set very soft in terms of the anti-roll bars, and shock springs, the TC World Champion using the company’s touring car green spring all round, while using harder shock oil to help deal with the bumps.

Image Gallery

October 8, 2013

Chassis Focus – Tadahiko Sahashi

Tues-Sahashi977-9

Car: Serpent 977 Viper
Engine: Picco Boost
Fuel: Cosmo
Tires: Zac Project
Bodyshell: Protoform R18
Radio/Servos: Sanwa

Tadahiko Sahashi is running the Picco powered Serpent 977 Viper with a number of the available aluminium options installed for strength and looks. Ending up on top of both of today’s qualifiers Tadahiko says a change to harder suspension parts earlier in the event helped prevent it from sliding around on the non sugar watered track and apart from that has done little to change away from his standard setup for this track. Having tried the Blitz shell he found it lacking steering on this track and so he has changed back to the very popular Protoform R18 for his qualifying runs.

Image Gallery