UltraFast Raceways - Cherry Bomb Trophy Race: My first time off road racing.

http://ultrafastraceways.com

And with that, racing in Chicagoland has is clawing it's way back to life.  Joe Sagan has orchestrated a place in Lombard to do r/c racing.  And it's a really neat venue!

TL;DR: The races were well run, the announcer (CB, our fav from Windy City) did a great job.  People were happy and said they'd be back again.  I couldn't tell this was Joe's first time running this race.  "I" will be back again. 

Everyone, say hi to Tony.  

Check that place out.  That's a bar on the right, and a lovely turf track set up where we'd normally see rockers drinking and yelling at the band.  .... Yes.. that bar is open. 

The track is small, with lap times in the six to eight second range.  But it was a fun, and drivable layout.  Nothing tricky, and it rewarded using different lines. 

Since this is more or less a concert bar, the facilities are an interesting mix.  Important to us, pits were to the left.



I mentioned the bar, but the kitchen was open too.  Burgers and other food was ordered and eaten.  It's hard to have better food than being "in a restaurant".    That was a serious high point, and there was lots of talk about it.  The attached restaurant is quite a good one, and isn't typical bar food. 

Pitting area was a bit small, and you do need to bring your own pit table and seating.  This leads to people bringing big tables and sucking up lots of space.  If you plan on coming, bring a power strip, an extension cord, and the smallest folding table you can get away with.  Everyone will thank you for it.

My pit was two square feet on the edge of the stage.  I... can't say it was the most polite thing I could do.  But nobody really complained.  I showed up with my TRF201, with the short wheelbase tub, and green dot tires. 



The hot ticket on this track, was a mid or forward motor car, with some hard carpet pins, and those floppy staggered cut front ribs.  Can you tell I wasn't properly prepared? 



That TRF needs taller gearing, more weight up front, more motor timing, and... maybe new tires.  As it stands, the car worked well enough for me to not be a rolling road block. 

I did fine the first qualifier, but I ended my day in the second. 



That pole, to the right of the jump under the spotlight, was the end of my car.  The fast line through the jump there, is to take it at an angle, and skip the kink.  Well I took the shortcut, and the pole jumped out in front of my car.

The "DING" was loud, and angry.  The poor 201 fell to the ground.  I saw a bit of plastic fall away from the car...  But the marshals were fast.  I managed to get the car going again, but by the time I had completed another half lap, both front suspension arms had sheered off.



That black plastic... was bits of my from arms.  Whoops!  I ordered parts.  I'll be back better for next time.

This was a great event.  The closest I could come to criticisms is a lack of advertising.  (Note that this IS advertising :-)  I am gonna help with that.) 

Classes:  17.5 buggy, 13.5 4wd buggy, 13.5 Short Course Truck. 

We ran two qualifiers and a main. 

Should you come out?  Yes!  Do you want to try r/c racing?  Yes!  Come on out, say hi to Joe, shake hands with racers, see what it's like.