October 9, 2014

First images – HB Pro 5 Touring car

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Team HB are making their race debut here in Kissimmee with their all new Pro 5 platform. As to be expected it is somewhat of a conventional layout and configuration but as with almost all touring cars on the market it is the details that matter. With only the rear uprights and the front driveshafts carried over from its predecessor the car has been completely revamped. Up front the steering knuckles have keyed carbon levers for adjusting the Ackermann, the floating steering servo mount features an integrated antenna holder and battery stop.

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The motor mount has been lowered and integrated with the centre pulley mount and through its three top deck mounts can be used to adjust the flex of the car. Probably the most unique feature on the car is its infinitely adjustable inner camber link mount. Completing the changes are big bore shocks, guided lower suspension blocks and bigger pulleys. Factory team drivers Andy Moore and JJ Wang, who are using the new car here, have been extremely positive about the Pro 5’s performance in pre event testing and even with limited practice here in Florida are already very pleased with their new ride.

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October 9, 2014

Track Focus – Full Throttle RC Raceway

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Track Name – Full Throttle RC Raceway
Owner – George Martinez
Country – Florida
Location – Kissimmee
Direction – Clockwise
Surface – Asphalt

Built in 2003 Full Throttle RC Raceway hosts it second Touring Car World Championships having previously been the venue for the 2004 Worlds where Tamiya’s Marc Rheinard won the first of his three Touring Car World titles. Hosting just the Touring Car class this time round, the 1:12 event having been hosted at the Minnreg indoors 2-track hours away in Largo the past 3-days, the track is located within a golf course and right next to Kissimmee Airport. A city famed for its aviation, the track owes its existence to the airports manager, who being into r/c, instigated a collaboration between the city and the track’s original owner. Getting involved in the track in 2008 before taking over full ownership in 2010, the track is now run by George Martinez, who as a day job works for America’s world famous Hersheys Chocolate.

Closed for the months of June and July, the Florida weather just too hot for racing, the track hosts events the first weekend of the month with Saturday a day of open practice followed by club racing on the Sunday. Annually the track’s biggest race is the US Nitro World Cup which attracts 130 entries and runs in December to coincide with George’s birthday. This year the track also played host to the US Electric Onroad Nationals, with racers having to battle the extreme weather as ROAR, the American sanctioning body, has a ruling that the Nationals must take place at the end of July.

In terms of the layout, the asphalt covers an area 255ft wide and 100ft deep with the layout created using boards. Since the Worlds Warm-up Race held back in April, the track has gone through 7-layout changes with George picking the best elements of the various layouts to create the track on which drivers will compete for the 8th IFMAR Touring Car World title.

Commenting on the new layout defending World Champion Jilles Groskamp was very positive. Using the full length of the straight at the Warm-up Race, now cars enter the straight 1/4 ways down something the Tamiya driver says is a good change, the cars previously hitting speeds of 115kph. With most of the teams returning on a couple of occasions for further testing in preparation for the Worlds, Groskamp said the layout is now not so technical as it is now more open and he likes it.

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October 8, 2014

Matsukura finishes Runner-up with A3 win

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Having lost his 6-year reign as 1:12 World Champion to Marc Rheinard in A2, Naoto Matsukura took some consolation by winning A3 to secure second overall at the Florida event. Having struggled with the Finals Day conditions of the Minnreg Hall track, the Top Qualifier would lead away the field and stay out front for the full 8-minutes to head a Yokomo 1-2 from his very hard pushing team-mate Masatsugu Ido. Considering how the opening two Mains worked out, 5 in A1 and 4th in A2, the 21-year-old said he was ‘Happy to finish 2nd’. After a dominant performance in qualifying wrapping up the honour by TQ’ing the opening four rounds, which he said was the perfect gift to his mother on her birthday, he said the change in track conditions today left him with a difficult car and while ‘winning is always the goal’ today ‘things didn’t work out’. Joking with new Champion Rheinard, he said ‘I had 1:12 title long time so Marc can have it now, I go this year instead for Touring Car win’.

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Equalling his best World Championship finish, Futaba radio designer Hideo Kitazawa completed the podium despite a though A3. Third overall at the Yatabe Arena in 2000, the Morotech driver was slightly disappointed he couldn’t have gone one better today adding he had the car to achieve 2nd but through no fault but his own threw away the opportunity with ‘many many (driver) mistakes’. Needing only to finish behind Matsukura to finish 2nd overall his mistakes would see him finish 8th and he would lose out on the tie-break with his fellow countryman.

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October 8, 2014

Chassis Focus – Naoto Matsukura

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Chassis – Yokomo R12 C3.1
Motor – Yokomo RP 3.5T
ESC – Yokomo BL Pro 3
Battery – Yokomo 6900mAh
Tires – Yokomo
Radio/Servos – Sanwa
Body – Protoform AMR 12
Remarks – 3-time back to back World Champion Naoto Matsukura is running this R12 C3.1 with a prototype rear pod. The new rear end is stronger, lighter and has a lower centre of gravity than the part that comes with the standard C3.1 and moves the centre shock more forward, these parts developed specifically for this event. Availability has not been decided on but it may be released as an option for the car in the future. In terms of setup they were running their basic setup from Japan with just a softer front spring which they believe now may have been quick for qualifying but perhaps not the best option for the final. The Yokomo team were also cutting the ribs from their rear rims in order to make them softer which helps with traction.

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