Well, it is just about over. 1 more day in Sunny California and it is back to Love Bugs and humidity in Florida. Did I mention it is really nice in Florida around the 2nd weekend in December? Coincidentally that is the same weekend as the JConcepts Clash for this year December 11-13, 2009.
I had a great dinner with the guys at the Olive Garden. Good choice by Frank and the guys and I have to say thanks for waiting around for me.
Between me, Barry and Steve I’m not sure who told the oldest R/C stories but I’m beginning to think Barry and Steve had me covered. Steve is one of the few in R/C that has seen it all. From the early days when he won the 1989 stock nationals to the days when he worked as a team manager and motor builder for Peak Performance to the days of the Associated 1991 Stealth car all the way up until now. He and Barry have seen just about everything and the memory they have for the details is unbelievable. I’m pretty sure I’m the same way but I can not explain it.
I have a lot of questions???
Now that I think of it how come when you are so into something those memories just will not go away but sometimes it is easy to forget where the car keys are at? I don’t understand exactly why but while we were having a round table discussion on R/C everyone’s passion really came shining through. It just seems like anything you were into as a kid, late teenager or throughout your 20’s becomes completely bonded into the memory but things that happen in your 30’s do not stick near as well. Although maybe it is reverse for some people and the younger memories are not important but the later years is what sticks? Apparently it just comes down to what you really want to remember and what you don’t? Seems simple and logical but why? Do we all just lack the space to remember everything on the same level? Doesn’t the average person only use like 10% of our brain while Albert Einstein and Tim Davis use 100%? Actually I looked this up and everyone uses 100% of their brain it is just Tim Davis who uses 110%. Can you use a 100% of your brain while giving 110% effort? The sports stars will be in trouble if they can’t give 110% effort in a big game.
Let’s start a list of great sports cliché’s
110% effort
One game at a time
No I in team
Everyone is on the same page
You take what the defense gives you
Shock the world
He’s got to step up now
He’s got a great work ethic
They know how to win
They have to come together as a team
They have got great team chemistry
You can’t say enough about him
They’re finally getting the respect they deserve
Tremendous upside
They just wanted it more
Backs against the wall
Sending a message
A must-win ballgame
No one gave us a chance / no respect
The first person to send us an email about Ryan Maifield using all these Cliché’s will get a free pair of tires. J Everyone is going to have to step-up.
Why are R/C cars so important that we remember things that happened 20 years ago? Why do I still want a 1991 Stealth car when everyone at AE couldn’t care less? Why do we put so much effort into a hobby and it doesn’t seem like work yet work still seems like work even know you are getting paid to do it? I think Peter in the movie Office Space was on to something when he asked the Dr. to put him into a trance so that while he was working he thought he had been fishing all day. Maybe the internet is so popular because it is like a mental vacation while you are doing work? You can “do work” while pretending to be racing all day via the internet. Is this where Live R/C really comes into play?
Another day another different bed. A rollout bed at the Santa Clarita hotel was not cutting it. Although I was excited about the JBRL at Hot Rod the next day it was getting about time to go home.
Hot Rod along with SRS is one of the tracks on the circuit that requires that perfect tire. The normally black groove abrasive surface has been a target for us to make that perfect tire specifically for that surface. We were able to get over the hump earlier in the year at SRS when Maifield got 2 wins at the Cactus Classic with the Orange compound. It was an Orange Crush for those of you unable to attend. We have the banner and wallpaper to prove it. J
http://ifmarworldchampion.com/media/images/wallpapers/18/1024×768/wallpaper18.jpg
Orange compound is the JC answer to the Losi red that has dominated these races in the past. Based on our running the Orange is ready; expect to see them available really soon.
Showing up at the track in the morning I found the JC tent already popped up and ready and Frank and the guys already setup and wrenching. I believe Frank woke up at 5:30 and was at the track at 6:00 and had his B4 completely stripped down. Frank is 100% committed.
With a little help from Dave, Franks B4 hit the track as a freshie in round 1. Steven Hartson had the upper hand in both the first rounds of qualifying but Steven encountered some bad luck in round 2 and Frank stole away the TQ in 2wd buggy. Steven was able to hold the TQ in 4wd.
Sitting in the scorers both with Jimmy Babcock I began to wonder just how many races Jimmy must run in a year. He has at the very least 2 races per month just on his JBRL series. This doesn’t even take into consideration the events he announces for in-between and during this JBRL downtime. Jimmy is an extremely busy guy that gave up his personal racing to enjoy an even better career as a hobby shop owner, race director, series promoter and announcer. A lot of guys will not give up their racing for this type of thing and a lot of credit must be given to him for providing a service that goes unnoticed in R/C racing. .
Moving on I noticed a lot of short course racing action at the JBRL as well as 1/8th electric buggy. The Goose Bumps were a very popular tire on the Slash and they looked to be handling quite well. Barry Baker set TQ and almost ran an 18 lap run with yellow Sevens on his Hot Bodies D8e. There is something about this electric 1/8th buggy class that is interesting. This might explode in Southern California by next year. It just seems to fit in with the track surfaces and difficult track layouts. The class just needs more entries.
I left Hot Rod a little early to head back to my motel and start packing up for the long trip back to Florida. Frank called me a few hours later to let me know he had won both classes but Steven had a problem in 4wd with his electrical and apparently broke a front axle early in the 2wd main so it was a relatively easy win in both classes for Frank. I’m sure the Hartsons are looking forward to round 4 at Pegasus. J
As I was packing up my stuff Maifield called and they were having a cookout at Pudge’s house so I didn’t want to miss out on that. I had another great dinner courtesy of the Cavalieri’s and Maifield. Also in attendance were California newbie’s TP – Taylor Peterson and Austin. T-Pain seems to be fitting in quite nicely in California. Stay in touch guys.
One more thing before I jet off to Florida. I have noticed while doing all this typing is that it is a tell tale sign when your phone already knows how to spell a word. My phone already knows IPhone, EBay PayPal……etc. Phones and computers knowing the word is the first step to getting into the “figured out” category.
Let’s recap the “figured out” list briefly –
CNN
UPS
EBay
PayPal
Clear channel
Traxxas
Energy drinks
College sports
Ryan Cavalieri
60 year old surfers
Phil Jackson
Billy Mays
Thank you,
Jason Ruona
