Midwest Offroad Racing League 2009 - Jones Race Action
I just LOVE me some glacial till.
My hat goes off to "The Crew" from the M40 RC Track. They worked their tails off all day in the bright hot sun to (try) and keep the moving moguls and pot holes under control.
(I have the sun burn on my bald head to prove it)
And - those moving moguls and pot holes WOULD NOT be controlled, no matter how hard they worked to keep the track wet, the sand soaked up the water like a sponge.
The track is a sandy track, cut into a hill side, with the driver's stand positioned perfectly to have an amphitheater type racing experience for the driver. Like an actor on the stage - everything right there in front.
Why race on groomed smooth clay where you can go fast and drive like an F1 finesse?
This is OFF ROAD racing, and in the tradition of Iron Man Ivan Stewert - it ROCKS. HARD.
I know one Gonzo racer (that I nicknamed Ballistic last year), who actually ran better when he put in a less powerful motor. Smoth IS fast. No matter what the track conditon.
Why not every once in a while race on a track that actually REQUIRES one to adapt?
A track that requires a driver to slow down just a bit and figure out / navigate a constantly moving line, a track that actually requires a sharp eye and an ability to just not repeat each lap the same way it was run previous? A track that just repeats the previous lap can allow a driver to get complacent, lazy? The day long conditions can get routine on a "optimal groomed track" and require a different racing style - than GONZO racing.
Gonzo racing means balls out, but slow down - and THAT happy medium is very hard to find. And yesterday was GONZO RACING at its best.
The tracks like the one at Jones are the great equalizer. Moving targets of obstacles all day long, and no one is immune. Only best make it tru clean. Best drivers, best setups, best cars - and lots of good ole fashion going with the flow without the obstacles psyching out the driver.
Drive fast. Drive well. WATCH OUT for lap traffic in trouble down the track...
And in the 1/8 electric Main the two front runners DID get into trouble, they bumped each other fighting their way thru the challenging course and had to watch as the 3, 4, and 5 cars passed before they could get righted by the same day marshal service.
FIRST RATE racing at its best, I say.
And The Crew worked their tails off to keep it all under reasonable control, in the hot summer of June in Michigan.
Watch out, it might still frost next week for all you gardeners out there, not likely, but possible...
I did have my winter parka on last month for the late evening Mains at Litchfield.
Race event two of the MORL Summer 2009 series brought out 190+ entries, keeping the pace from last month's season opener at Litchfield with 205.
Off road racing in Michigan is as good as it gets. Nationally considered. The off road RC Crowd in Michigan is second to none - and folks across the country ARE watching. We should be proud, we all make it something special. Special for the young racers, special for the vetrans, and special for folks like me getting into racing after many years of helping my son race - the folks have made room for me to learn and grow into some (basic with a long way to go) driving skills.
Thanks to all the racers for keeping it a family friendly race venue, with the challenging track all day long, challenging heat with the mostly cloudless day, all after thunderstorms Friday and Friday night - along with the commensurate Michigan June late evening tornado watch...
And the Novice racers came out in full force:
The camping / pit grounds were well kept, the porta potties were managed and even had a hand washing station...
Even the home front folks didn't mind when the announcement for free end of the day sloppy joes brought a few teens to the wrong trailer and as they helped themseves to chow before they realized they had the "wrong buffett" - there was no upset. Yes, a class act The Crew are, and they ran a great show.
A STRONG testament to the family friendly off-road racing scene that Michigan is.
It was a great day. All the way around.
And for the race action report, I'll just leave it at TWO full heats of electric 1/8 scale buggy and even had a truggy on the track (the more the merrier)...
And the end of the day Mains brought:
2 rounds of two qualifying heats, with Mains bringing Short Course Truck A & B,Mod Buggy A & B, Mod Truck A & B & C, 4WD Open A & B, a full grid of Novice, Slash A & B, Master's Truck A & B &C, an eleven 11 buggy field for Stock Buggy A, and Stock Truck A & B &C.
Absolutely a KICK ASS race crowd we have in Michigan.
(and thank you to my fellow Slash drivers as I learn to go fast and keep left and right sorted out, I'm learning)
Thank you all for making it a very special thing we do.
AND - As usual the 1/8 electric buggies plowed the track. Big time.
Thanks again to The M40 RC Track Crew for working so hard to keep the track in some semblance of off road order, and running a first rate racing venue.
Following ar the A-Main action videos...
Novice A-Main
Stock 2WD Buggy A-Main
Mod 2WD Buggy A-Main
4WD Buggy A-Main
Stock Truck A-Main
Mod Truck A-Main
Stock SCT A-Main
Electric 8th Buggy A-Main
(please support www.HandyRacing.com and click our adds)
Glenn "Handy" Remington
Posted by HandyRacing at 6/21/2009 10:55 AM 
Categories: Midwest Offroad Racing League
Tags: midwest offroad racing league rc video slash handyracing mod truck buggy 8th scale
Categories: Midwest Offroad Racing League
Tags: midwest offroad racing league rc video slash handyracing mod truck buggy 8th scale
Nice article, great pics. You should write for SI
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Thanks for stopping by...
I do have a fantasy that the SpeedChannel might take an interest one of these days.
Stay tuned, more to come.
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Off road racing in Michigan is as good as it gets. Nationally considered.
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The race was a blast, although yet again it just had to rain on friday, and though the night. If the rain keeps up every race weekend then we might be better off to pratice with boats. lmao
Anyways I am also just wondering when some of the vids will be up, as I really want to see the 4wd mod vid to see if you had me diving for cars ont the track (I think I did that durring the A-main). lol
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The vids are in editing, hope to have posted soon...
Thanks for stopping by, stay tuned.
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handy racing is a great thing 4 RC!!!!!!
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I was just re-reading the blogs of the past morl races for the heck of it, and I noticed that the vids are up of the main for Jones (although I am a little disappointed that you didn't get the marshal that when down in the 4WD Buggy A-Main lol). ^_^
That means right now I am a kid in a candy store. lol
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