November 11, 2014

Chassis Focus – Alexander Hagberg

Tues-HagbergNT1-1

Chassis – Xray NT1 2014
Engine – Orcan RS
Fuel – Maxima
Tires (handout) – Matrix
Radio/Servo – Sanwa
Body – Protoform P37
Remarks – Factory Xray driver Alexander Hagberg is racing the standard NT1 2014 with a few option parts and the package is working very well with the Swede only one of 2 drivers to so far break into 13-second laps. Like all the racers here, trying to stop the car from traction rolling is the goal and to do so Alex has mounted the thicker 4mm chassis plate, has mounted 50 grams of weight in the front of the car and has put putty in the front diff. He is also running with very little caster and is using very soft electric touring car springs front and rear. In terms of body he has chosen the Protoform P37 and has opted to use the harder rear wing which makes the car stable thanks to the increased downforce it produces. An interesting part of the package concerns the engine, his Orcan RS mounted with a very low cooling head which lowers the car’s centre of gravity yet doesn’t effect cooling, back to back testing with this setup and a regular cooling head shows a big benefit in handling. Also on the car is a large capacity type of inline fuel filter which helps the tune of the engine and improves fuel consumption by making the engine-tune leaner quicker than without it.

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November 11, 2014

Chassis Focus – Patrick Schaefer

Tues-SchaeferV10-1

Chassis – Shepherd Velox V10 Pro
Engine – Sonic X12
Fuel – Maxima
Tires (handout) – Matrix
Radio/Servo – KO Propo/Futaba
Body – SRC Spark
Remarks – Shepherd designer and owner Patrick Schaefer is running some track specific parts on his Velox V10 Pro here in Bangkok. First up is a new thicker 4mm top deck which offers less flex and along with a new front brace, new single piece engine mount and extra hard wishbones helps to stop the car from flipping. The car also has a new Ackermann part for the servo saver which sees the mounting points only 8mm apart. For setup he is running 125 grams of extra weight on the car comprising of a brass battery plate and various weights spread around the front half of the car with 40 grams of weight on the bumper alone. Having tried to reduce the steering to stop it from flipping Patrick is now trying to dial back in more steering and will try a lighter front diff oil. In terms of bodies he is running an SRC Spark which he says is compromise between the Protoform P37 and VRS-N giving more infield steering however it is very tricky in the high speed corners

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November 10, 2014

Chassis Focus – Dominic Greiner

Mon-Greiner748-8

Chassis – Serpent 748 Natrix
Engine – Max Power RP3.5 Racing Edition
Fuel – Maxima
Tires (handout) – Matrix
Radio/Servo – Futaba/AME
Body – SRC Spark
Remarks – Dominic Greiner is racing on the Huge RC track for the first time and is using some new parts on his Serpent 748 Natrix, some specifically designed for the high traction conditions here in Thailand. Tested for the first time in Fiorano at the final round of the ENS, Dominic is running new smaller, lighter differentials front and rear, with also a new optional front solid axle available to him should he need it, and a smaller lighter 2-speed gearbox. The front of the car uses a new brass weight which replaces the front lower suspension blocks while adding weight to the front of the car, something that most racers are doing in order to get the car to push in the corners. In terms of setup, with the track conditions changing a lot they haven’t finalised anything but have noticed that on this surface the handout Matrix tires are wearing very little but also take a long time to come in, drivers setting their fastest time in the latter part of the run.

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November 10, 2014

Chassis Focus – Meen Vejrak

Meen Vejrak

Chassis – KM Racing H-K1 Meen Version
Engine – OS Speed 1201T
Fuel – Cosmo
Tires (handout) – Matrix
Radio/Servo – Sanwa
Body – Protoform P37
Remarks – Defending World Champion Meen Vejrak is running his own Meen Version of the H-K1 from KM Racing. Featuring lower shock towers front and rear for this event, the rest of the car is pretty much standard. In terms of setup to deal with the high traction and combat the traction roll he has had to work on reducing the car’s steering. To achieve this he has made the car really low, increased the front toe out, lengthened the wheelbase and put putty in the front diff which basically makes it a solid front axle.

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October 13, 2014

Naoto Matsukura’s WC winning Yokomo BD7 2015

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October 12, 2014

New in the Pits – Orca & Handy Concept

Sat-OrcaVX3-2

Orca have their new VX3 ESC and RX3 motor making their debut here in Kissimmee. The speedo features new internals and an all metal casing allowing it to run cooler allowing you to run more timing on your motor. The new motor has better throttle feeling and also has improved braking, which stays consistent throughout your run. Both new items we are told will be available soon.

Sun-HandyNeoBlaster-1

New from Thai company Handy Concept, and seen on the tables of Jilles Groskamp and Atsushi Hara, is the Neo Blaster. Essentially a table fan, it includes 2 built in fans to cool your equipment or yourself or both with one of the fans featuring a handle for adjusting the direction of the airflow. Powered by an 8 to 12V power supply it has an output point to further allow you to power a pit light or tire sander. Available in blue or black.

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