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Home  Supported Events Calshot Velodrome - March 2007 |
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Calshot Velodrome - March 2007 |
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Thanks to www.rckrazy.co.uk for the information:
+ Thunderdrome speed runs How fast can you go? Solo laps, current record 6.01 sec av 53mph! At Calshot Activities Centre, Calshot Spit, Fawley, Southampton, Hampshire, UK, SO45 1BR. On Sunday 11th March 2007 9 am – 5 pm Hosted By South Hants Model Car Club Sponsored By |
Event Rules 4min heats and finals, 3 rounds +2 or 3 finals (dependant on entries), AMB race timing with handouts available, Trophies for top three in each final, 27Turn stock motors in BRCA price limit, 19T/Mod/brushless in BRCA price limit, No additive (because of wooden track), Any available tyres maybe used, Any bodyshell maybe used (NASCAR looks good tho), Li-po in mod class+ Thunderdrome but must be fitted with smart-stop voltage sensor or similar to prevent pack dropping below ‘critical safety voltage’. BRCA rules used as guidelines in all other respects. Why Not Join Us At This Awesome Event |
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Worried About Set Up Just to give people some ideas on setup, here is some notes from James Bairstow's setup from last year:-
Gearing - This is actually fairly easy to work out. Just gear for the maximum speed to occur at peak power point of the motor and live with a few laps of slow acceleration. In stock my fastest lap was a tad under 40mph (63km/h) and the lap is 143m. The motor was a revvy monster quad and nothing particularly special at that, with peak power at 19,377 rpm. If you haven't got a true dyno, peak power is usually just a bit higher than half max rpm. I was running an overall ratio of 3.84, which is about half what I normally run. The biggest problem most cars have is room to move the motor to fit the 40T pinion required! For modified, you need to be aiming for 50+ mph.
Tyres - Basically grip comes from the aerodynamics after the first few laps, so mechanical grip isn't crucial which is a good job as it's quite a dusty smooth wood surface. Choose tyres that won't "squash" under load. Sidewall deflection loses speed. I went with HPI15/40 tyres just because they had a very full yellow/red insert. The tyres themselves were a few years old too and possibly the rubber has started to harden! Grip was low, but the benefit is speed. Make sure they are very well glued!!
Steering - This needs to be sorted before you arrive at the track. Make sure the car runs straight and true when on level ground. Then turn all your steering rates right down. I was running at about 20% on my KO compared to 75-90% on normal tracks. You really don't want to be steering much at all. Both because it scrubs speed, but also the car reacts very quickly indeed on the banking and you can go from bottom to top of the banking in the blink of an eye!
Suspension - Go as hard as you can. Many cars bottom out on the track and this will lose speed but gain pretty sparks. By luck, I ended up using schumacher springs on my Pro4 shocks. These springs are longer than HPI so even at full extension the springs are already under load (pre-load). Then adjust the droop screws to give you 6-8mm ride height. Car was very solid then.
Motor - I'm no expert here and didn't think much of the motor I used in terms of power, but it was revvy. As the main problem in stock is achieving the gear ratio required, I went for a very revvy motor. Try drilling holes in centre of brushes, and softer springs. However, the hard suspension may vibrate the motor more and cause arcing so keep an eye on the comm.
Bodyshell - Don't use your favourite concours shell!! The crashes are brutal. Look for something with low frontal area and low downforce. Wings are still useful to aid stability though. I used a Ferrari 360 shell as I didn't mind if it expired and looks quite slippery. Also make sure the shell won't rub on the wheels when being pressed down by air pressure.
Driving - This is surprisingly difficult to do. Best to try and keep to the inner edge of the banking on the corners as it's shortest. Key though is minimal driver input. As the straight is banked and the corner speeds are faster than the neutral speed for the banking/velocity (R/C car is faster than a cyclist), you steer right down the straight and about the same amount left on the corners (anticlockwise circuits). Get this transition nice and smooth and it makes all the difference. The difference between my best lap (8.10secs) and my average lap was (8.53secs) is the equivalent of 7.6 metres at these speeds.
Fear - The first time you enter the velodrome and see the cars running at speed, your jaw will drop. It really is an awesome spectacle. When running at speed, you really have to remain calm and not panic and swerve or brake as this will increase your chances of crashing. And, some of the big crashes are spectacular especially those that go over the top of the banking. Remember too that if you spin you can end up with the car facing up the slope, with the dusty surface and the gearing, you may not be able to pull away. Start believing in a deity of your own choosing at this point!
Fun - This event is like nothing else and deserves it's spot on the calendar. Definitely something to put on the CV before you hang up your driving gloves and retire. The two years I've done the event has been conducted in great spirits by the South Hants boys and everyone that I've been with have been made to feel very welcome (I'm from the Yeovil Club). A lot of the setup info was given to me before my first run, and I was very grateful for the advice, hence my desire to pass it on further. |
| How To Get To Calshot Velodrome The Calshot Track is in the Sunderland Hanger at the Calshot Activities centre. This centre (near Southampton, Hampshire) is one of the largest Outdoor Adventure Centres in Britain and is run by Hampshire County Council.  From The M3/M27 Take junction 2 off the M27, travel towards Calshot on the A326 (Fawley) and after a few miles you will come to the brown tourist signs for Calshot Activities Centre and Castle. From Southampton Follow A326 Fawley and the brown tourist signs for Calshot Activities Centre and Castle. Car parking fees are not applicable to those attending races. If you are stopped at the gate, explain you are going to the velodrome and get a free parking ticket from main reception. Calshot Activities Centre,
Calshot Spit, Fawley, Southampton, Hampshire
SO45 1BR Tel: 023 8089 2077 |
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