SCX 4WD
Series Race 7
2008 Race 40
Dec. 6, 2008
Farrout Raceway
The penultimate (there's that word again-thanks, Hobbs) meet of the OTHG World Championship was the final team race of the year, as well as the last round for the 4WD cars. Due to time and meeting constraints, qualifying was dispensed with and the race started forthwith. While all of this was going on, SFJ and Nigel were working on a "big surprise"-and the source of the subtitle of this round's report-that was supposed to debut around 3:30. (As of the time of this writing, it was still nonfunctional.) Meanwhile, a race happened.
With 20 drivers entered into four teams of five, diversity was the order of the day. The first of the four heats went to Team Smalley (Mike, Thomas Lauffenberger, Bill Schniedewind, Bill Polakow and Ed Beer), but only by 0.3 laps, with Team Williamson (Craig, Gary Woods, Mike Pawl, Chris Chan, Tim Weston) having completed a run on the outers (but having to face the dreaded red lane in the finale). Team De Los Santos (Terry, Bob Beck, Nigel Rick, Stan Smith, Russell Bracher) were 13 laps back in third, with Team Farr-Jones (Stephen, Jim Wiseman, Eddie Shorer, J.R. Ewing, Opel Barnes) 22 circuits in arrears.
A closer second heat (5 laps difference top to bottom) didn't change things much; Team Williamson now held the lead but had exhausted two quick lanes, with Team Smalley in close proximity. Further back and enjoying their own little battle were Teams DLS and F-J in third and fourth, respectively.
The technical glitch for the "big surprise" was fixed during the third heat. Team Smalley also fixed their ways to retake the lead, while also savoring the upcoming heat on the orange lane. Team DLS moved to second on the strength of their orange lane performance, with a realistic chance to win with a benign green lane upcoming, while Team Williamson was relegated to third, now struggling to finish up on red with a decidedly twitchy Citroen, not to mention that lane's own quirks. Team F-J had their own worries in fourth, having to deal with a decidedly shaky Subaru.
Nothing out of the ordinary happened in the last leg; Team Smalley motored to the heat victory as well as overall, finishing 12.5 laps ahead of Team DLS.
|
|
Team Race--Meet 23, Race 40
|
|
|
|
|
Farrout Raceway
|
45 Minute Heats
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lane1
|
Lane2
|
Lane3
|
Lane4
|
|
|
|
|
|
Driver
|
|
Red
|
White
|
Green
|
Orange
|
Total
|
Rank
|
Rank
|
Points
|
|
SMALLEY,
Michael
|
|
259.2
|
254.8
|
261.8
|
269.6
|
1045.4
|
1
|
1
|
20
|
|
LAUFFENBERGER,
Thomas
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
20
|
|
SCHNIEDEWIND,
Bill
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
20
|
|
BEER, Ed
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
20
|
|
POLAKOW,
Bill
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
20
|
|
DE LOS
SANTOS, Terry
|
|
254.2
|
248.4
|
261.9
|
268.4
|
1032.9
|
2
|
2
|
18
|
|
BECK, Bob
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
18
|
|
RICK,
Nigel
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
18
|
|
SMITH,
Stan
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
18
|
|
BRACHER,
Russell
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
18
|
|
WILLIAMSON,
Craig
|
|
253.5
|
245.8
|
257.8
|
261.5
|
1018.6
|
3
|
3
|
16
|
|
WOODS,
Gary
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3
|
16
|
|
PAWL,
Mike
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3
|
16
|
|
CHAN,
Chris
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3
|
16
|
|
WESTON,
Tim
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3
|
16
|
|
FARR-JONES,
Stephen
|
|
239.6
|
252.8
|
252.4
|
259.9
|
1004.7
|
4
|
4
|
15
|
|
WISEMAN,
Jim
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4
|
15
|
|
SHORER,
Eddie
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4
|
15
|
|
EWING,
J.R.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4
|
15
|
|
BARNES,
Opel
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4
|
15
|
|
SCX 4WD
Series Race 6
2008 Race 34
Oct. 18, 2008
Autodromo Baia della Sud
Yours truly suffered another brain fade in calling the rounds (I should probably have the fluid and the pads checked-ha ha ha), but SFJ helped to settle things without too much controversy. The power issues that had plagued the Autodromo previously seemed to be just an unhappy memory; the biggest issue now was how to drive 4WD cars, particularly the one assigned to the green lane, around the track with so much juice coursing around the rails. Usual Suspect Michael Smalley (that's not a grammatical error; it's now an official club title for him), the only one of the two in attendance, did his usual humbling of the field for the win, even with a less than spectacular run with the horrid green car, so the rest of us sods were driving for silver, which SFJ managed to take, with Chris Chan taking the last podium step. Yours truly managed a decent fifth after suffering the ravages of the green lane on the third go-around.
|
|
SCX 4WD--Meet 20, Race 34: 18 October 2008
|
|
|
|
Autodromo Baia Della Sud
|
3Min Heats: Clockwise 12v
|
|
|
|
|
Lane1
|
Lane2
|
Lane3
|
Lane4
|
|
|
|
|
Driver
|
Car
|
Red
|
Green
|
Blue
|
Yellow
|
Total
|
Rank
|
Points
|
|
SMALLEY,
Michael
|
Loaner/Ford
Escort
|
20.0
|
15.8
|
19.5
|
19.6
|
74.9
|
1
|
20
|
|
FARR-JONES,
Stephen
|
Citroen
Xsara
|
17.1
|
18.7
|
18.3
|
17.4
|
71.5
|
2
|
18
|
|
CHAN,
Chris
|
Seat
Cordoba WRC
|
16.0
|
17.4
|
18.0
|
18.1
|
69.5
|
3
|
16
|
|
SHORER,
Eddie
|
Loaner
Cars
|
18.5
|
15.5
|
16.7
|
17.5
|
68.2
|
4
|
15
|
|
LAUFFENBERGER,
Thomas
|
Loaner
Cars
|
18.0
|
14.4
|
18.7
|
16.7
|
67.8
|
5
|
14
|
|
WILLIAMSON,
Craig
|
Loaner
Cars
|
15.1
|
17.8
|
17.7
|
17.0
|
67.6
|
6
|
13
|
|
WOODS,
Gary
|
Citroen
Xsara
|
15.1
|
17.4
|
16.5
|
16.8
|
65.8
|
7
|
12
|
|
SMITH,
Stan
|
Loaner
Cars
|
17.7
|
14.4
|
17.0
|
15.7
|
64.8
|
8
|
11
|
|
WOLFE,
Jim
|
Loaner
Cars
|
16.4
|
14.7
|
16.9
|
16.7
|
64.7
|
9
|
10
|
|
PAWL,
Mike
|
Loaner
Cars
|
15.6
|
14.6
|
17.6
|
14.1
|
61.9
|
10
|
9
|
|
BEER, Ed
|
Loaner
Cars
|
14.5
|
12.2
|
14.7
|
13.3
|
54.7
|
11
|
8
|
|
|
|
Lancia
|
Toyota
|
Seat
|
Mitsu
|
|
|
|
|
SCX 4WD
Series Race 5
2008 Race 27
Aug. 16, 2008
Farrout Raceway
Schedule snafus meant that the first race of this year's three at Farrout Raceway didn't occur until just before the school year, but happen it did, and with some inspired driving. The usual suspects did their usual thrashing to the field, so when the tire smoke cleared, the winner was er, um, the (pant, pant, pant) winner was:
PEOPLE'S LEPUBRIC OF CHINA!!!
(SORRY Combination Beijing Olympics and Monty Python "Bishop of East Anglia" moment there,)
|
|
SCX 4WD--Meet 16, Race 27: 16 August 2008
|
|
|
|
Farrout Raceway
|
3Min Heats: Clockwise 13v
|
|
|
|
|
Lane1
|
Lane2
|
Lane3
|
Lane4
|
|
|
|
|
Driver
|
Car
|
Red
|
White
|
Green
|
Orange
|
Total
|
Rank
|
Points
|
|
SMALLEY,
Michael
|
|
20.7
|
22.5
|
21.6
|
22.5
|
87.3
|
1
|
20
|
|
SNIPES,
Daniel
|
|
20.8
|
21.4
|
22.1
|
22.1
|
86.4
|
2
|
18
|
|
LAUFFENBERGER,
Thomas
|
|
19.7
|
20.5
|
20.3
|
21.2
|
81.7
|
3
|
16
|
|
FARR-JONES,
Stephen
|
|
20.0
|
20.2
|
19.6
|
20.6
|
80.4
|
4
|
15
|
|
DE LOS
SANTOS, Terry
|
|
18.6
|
19.5
|
20.7
|
20.2
|
79.0
|
5
|
14
|
|
WILLIAMSON,
Craig
|
|
19.3
|
18.9
|
19.2
|
20.6
|
78.0
|
6
|
13
|
|
WOODS,
Gary
|
|
20.1
|
16.7
|
19.6
|
20.0
|
76.4
|
7
|
12
|
|
PAWL,
Mike
|
|
19.6
|
19.5
|
17.9
|
19.3
|
76.3
|
8
|
11
|
|
SMITH,
Stan
|
|
18.6
|
17.5
|
19.5
|
20.4
|
76.0
|
9
|
10
|
|
EWING,
J.R.
|
|
18.5
|
18.1
|
18.9
|
20.0
|
75.5
|
10
|
9
|
|
RODRIGUEZ,
Bernie
|
|
16.0
|
15.6
|
17.5
|
18.4
|
67.5
|
11
|
8
|
|
CHAN,
Chris
|
|
16.2
|
17.2
|
17.4
|
16.4
|
67.2
|
12
|
7
|
|
SCX 4WD
Series Race 4
2008 Race 22
Jul. 5, 2008
Mr. Model Car Raceway
The cars overall drove better than before but were still not without their own tippy charm. The usual suspects rose to their level of prominence, with Stephen "Can't-Spell-PEUGEOT-To-Save-His-Life" Farr-Jones taking the bronze position. Yours truly did his usual blasé drive to finish in a tie for ninth.
|
|
SCX 4WD--Meet 13, Race 22: 5 July 2008
|
|
|
|
|
MrModelCar Riverside Raceway
|
3Min Heats: Clockwise 13v
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lane1
|
Lane2
|
Lane3
|
Lane4
|
|
|
|
|
|
Driver
|
Car
|
Red
|
White
|
Blue
|
Yellow
|
Total
|
Rank
|
Points
|
Avg
|
|
SMALLEY,
Michael
|
Ford
Escort Cosworth
|
25.5
|
25.8
|
27.2
|
26.4
|
104.9
|
1
|
20
|
104.9
|
|
SNIPES,
Daniel
|
Citroen
Xsara GO!
|
25.2
|
24.7
|
24.9
|
26.9
|
101.7
|
2
|
18
|
101.7
|
|
FARR-JONES,
Stephen
|
Citroen
Xsara GO!
|
24.4
|
24.4
|
24.8
|
25.4
|
99.0
|
3
|
16
|
99.0
|
|
BECK, Bob
|
Peugoet
206
|
24.3
|
23.6
|
25.2
|
25.3
|
98.4
|
4
|
15
|
98.4
|
|
RADISICH,
Chris
|
Loaner
Cars
|
24.5
|
25.2
|
23.2
|
25.1
|
98.0
|
5
|
14
|
98.0
|
|
DE LOS SANTOS, Terry
|
Subaru
|
24.3
|
25.6
|
22.8
|
24.5
|
97.2
|
6
|
13
|
97.2
|
|
WILLIAMSON,
Craig
|
Citroen
Xsara
|
23.4
|
22.9
|
23.4
|
23.8
|
93.5
|
7
|
12
|
93.5
|
|
CHAN,
Chris
|
|
23.3
|
24.0
|
21.9
|
22.6
|
91.8
|
8
|
11
|
91.8
|
|
WOODS,
Gary
|
Citroen
Xsara
|
20.5
|
23.2
|
23.5
|
24.0
|
91.2
|
9
|
10
|
91.2
|
|
LAUFFENBERGER,
Thomas
|
Loaner
Cars
|
22.8
|
23.5
|
22.5
|
22.4
|
91.2
|
9
|
10
|
91.2
|
|
SMITH,
Stan
|
|
21.4
|
22.3
|
23.2
|
22.2
|
89.1
|
11
|
8
|
89.1
|
|
WESTON,
Tim
|
Ford
Focus
|
21.1
|
21.5
|
23.1
|
23.0
|
88.7
|
12
|
7
|
88.7
|
|
BRACHER, Russell
|
|
23.2
|
21.2
|
22.2
|
21.4
|
88.0
|
13
|
6
|
88.0
|
|
BEER, Ed
|
|
21.3
|
21.5
|
22.7
|
20.5
|
86.0
|
14
|
5
|
86.0
|
|
NICHOLS,
Roger
|
Loaner
Cars
|
18.9
|
18.4
|
20.9
|
18.9
|
77.1
|
15
|
4
|
77.1
|
|
SCX 4WD
Series Race 3
2008 Race 15
May. 3, 2008
Riverside Raceway
It wasn't a race-it was a slaughter, as usual. Invoking the word "usual" means Smalley and Snipes, and they again didn't disappoint (unless you were racing against them, natch); with Chris Radisich making a welcome cameo appearance, the podium was all but a foregone conclusion, with order being the sole variable. In the end, Mike Smalley prevailed, with Daniel Snipes second and Chris Radisich third. Yours truly managed a decent but disappointing seventh after a less-than-stellar finale on yellow trying to unseat SFJ from fourth, yielding the spots to Nigel Rick and Terry DLS in fifth and sixth respectively.
|
|
SCX 4WD--Meet 9, Race 15: 3 May 2008
|
|
|
|
Smalley's Riverside Raceway
|
3Min Heats: Clockwise 13v
|
|
|
|
|
Lane1
|
Lane2
|
Lane3
|
Lane4
|
|
|
|
|
Driver
|
Car
|
Red
|
White
|
Blue
|
Yellow
|
Total
|
Rank
|
Points
|
|
SMALLEY,
Michael
|
Ford
Escort RS
|
25.4
|
26.6
|
25.7
|
26.2
|
103.9
|
1
|
20
|
|
RADISICH,
Chris
|
Loaner
Cars
|
26.8
|
25.8
|
25.6
|
25.6
|
103.8
|
2
|
18
|
|
SNIPES,
Daniel
|
Citroen
Kenwood
|
26.1
|
25.7
|
26.2
|
24.9
|
102.9
|
3
|
16
|
|
FARR-JONES,
Stephen
|
Citroen
Xsara Go!
|
24.6
|
23.4
|
24.8
|
24.6
|
97.4
|
4
|
15
|
|
RICK,
Nigel
|
Loaner
Cars
|
24.8
|
23.7
|
24.0
|
23.6
|
96.1
|
5
|
14
|
|
DE LOS
SANTOS, Terry
|
Subaru
WRX
|
24.3
|
24.7
|
24.3
|
22.4
|
95.7
|
6
|
13
|
|
LAUFFENBERGER,
Thomas
|
Loaner
Cars
|
24.7
|
24.1
|
23.4
|
23.3
|
95.5
|
7
|
12
|
|
CHAN,
Chris
|
Seat
Cordoba
|
24.3
|
24.1
|
23.8
|
22.6
|
94.8
|
8
|
11
|
|
WILLIAMSON,
Craig
|
Loaner
Cars
|
23.4
|
23.2
|
23.6
|
23.6
|
93.8
|
9
|
10
|
|
EWING,
J.R.
|
Loaner
Cars
|
24.4
|
23.7
|
22.5
|
22.3
|
92.9
|
10
|
9
|
|
BRACHER,
Russell
|
Citroen
Xsara
|
24.4
|
23.0
|
23.9
|
21.2
|
92.5
|
11
|
8
|
|
WOODS,
Gary
|
Citroen
Xsara
|
22.6
|
22.6
|
22.7
|
22.3
|
90.2
|
12
|
7
|
|
PAWL,
Mike
|
Subaru
Impreza WRX
|
22.6
|
23.1
|
22.8
|
20.2
|
88.7
|
13
|
6
|
|
WESTON,
Tim
|
Ford
Focus
|
21.8
|
22.7
|
22.6
|
21.4
|
88.5
|
14
|
5
|
|
LEWIS,
Derek
|
Loaner
Cars
|
21.6
|
21.7
|
22.2
|
20.7
|
86.2
|
15
|
4
|
|
SCX 4WD
Series Race 2
2008 Race 8
Mar. 1, 2008
Woodside Raceway
We returned to Gary's mountain lair for another round at Woodside Raceway.
The top-heavy 4WD cars were not easy to handle on the tight track and the top four drivers used their skills to set top fives all the way across the lanes. JR grabbed two notable top fives on the inner lanes, leaving Chris and myself with one apiece.
The top four drivers were Daniel, Michael, Gary and Terry. They finished each lane in that order, except Red, where Michael beat Daniel by one tenth. JR finished fifth with Chris Chan sixth. Way to go, JR.
Gary kept us more than satisfied with tri-tip sandwiches, snacks and beverages. A small field of regulars was thankful to welcome two new drivers, Sarah Houchlei (say who-lee) and Brad Pike, to the fray. The racing was filmed by Michael. Thanks to all of you for adding your part to the fun. -- CW
|
|
SCX 4WD--Meet 5, Race 9
|
|
|
|
Woodside Raceway
|
3Min Heats: Clockwise 13v
|
|
|
|
|
Lane1
|
Lane2
|
Lane3
|
Lane4
|
|
|
|
|
Driver
|
Car
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
Rank
|
Points
|
|
SNIPES,
Daniel
|
Citroen
Xsara
|
30.2
|
30.5
|
30.5
|
29.9
|
121.1
|
1
|
20
|
|
SMALLEY,
Michael
|
Ford
Escort RS
|
29.5
|
30.1
|
30
|
30
|
119.6
|
2
|
18
|
|
WOODS,
Gary
|
Citroen
Xsara
|
26.4
|
27.2
|
28.5
|
28.4
|
110.5
|
3
|
16
|
|
DE LOS
SANTOS, Terry
|
Subaru
WRX
|
25.9
|
26.5
|
27.8
|
26.6
|
106.8
|
4
|
15
|
|
J.R.
Ewing
|
Loaner
Cars
|
23.2
|
27.3
|
26.1
|
25.9
|
102.5
|
5
|
14
|
|
CHAN,
Chris
|
Loaner
Cars
|
26.5
|
24.5
|
25.3
|
25.6
|
101.9
|
6
|
13
|
|
WILLIAMSON,
Craig
|
Loaner
Cars
|
22.3
|
25.8
|
25.5
|
27.2
|
100.8
|
7
|
12
|
|
PAWL,
Mike
|
Subaru
WRX
|
24.3
|
26.3
|
23.8
|
21.6
|
96.0
|
8
|
11
|
|
HOUCHLEI,
Sarah
|
Ford
Focus
|
22.5
|
25.6
|
24.4
|
22.9
|
95.4
|
9
|
10
|
|
BEER, Ed
|
Subaru
WRX
|
21.1
|
21.6
|
22.3
|
22.4
|
87.4
|
10
|
9
|
|
PIKE,
Brad
|
Loaner
Cars
|
20.9
|
19.8
|
19.6
|
23.2
|
83.5
|
11
|
8
|
|
SCX 4WD
Series Race 1
2008 Race 4
Feb. 2, 2008
Circuit Villeneuve
It wasn't so much a race as a 4-way wrestling match on wheels. The usual suspects medalled again, with Nigel pulling a well-deserved fifth place. This was the first race in our new "Driver's Championship"-six races where only loaner cars may be used by everyone, so that driver skill is tested (think of it as an IROC class), and, based on the results, this looks like a keeper.
|
|
SCX 4WD--Meet 3, Race 4: 2 February 2007
|
|
|
|
|
Circuit Villenueve
|
3Min Heats: Clockwise 13v
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lane1
|
Lane2
|
Lane3
|
Lane4
|
|
|
|
|
|
Driver
|
Car
|
Red
|
White
|
Green
|
Orange
|
Total
|
Avg
|
Rank
|
Points
|
|
SMALLEY,
Michael
|
|
26.4
|
24.8
|
24.3
|
22.6
|
98.1
|
98.1
|
1
|
20
|
|
SNIPES,
Daniel
|
|
25.8
|
23.7
|
23.3
|
22.7
|
95.5
|
95.5
|
2
|
18
|
|
RADISICH,
Chris
|
|
24.1
|
22.7
|
24.3
|
22.3
|
93.4
|
93.4
|
3
|
16
|
|
SCOTT,
Bob
|
|
24.7
|
23.2
|
23.3
|
22.0
|
93.2
|
93.2
|
4
|
15
|
|
RICK,
Nigel
|
|
23.2
|
21.8
|
23.7
|
22.5
|
91.2
|
91.2
|
5
|
14
|
|
DE LOS
SANTOS, Terry
|
|
25.2
|
21.1
|
23.3
|
21.5
|
91.1
|
91.1
|
6
|
13
|
|
LAUFFENBERGER,
Thomas
|
|
24.4
|
21.3
|
23.9
|
21.4
|
91.0
|
91.0
|
7
|
12
|
|
FARR-JONES,
Stephen
|
|
23.3
|
22.6
|
22.7
|
21.9
|
90.5
|
90.5
|
8
|
11
|
|
WILLIAMSON,
Craig
|
|
23.7
|
22.9
|
22.9
|
20.2
|
89.7
|
89.7
|
9
|
10
|
|
EWING,
J.R.
|
|
23.5
|
21.2
|
21.8
|
21.0
|
87.5
|
87.5
|
10
|
9
|
|
TALAMON,
Bruce
|
|
23.4
|
21.8
|
21.4
|
20.6
|
87.2
|
87.2
|
11
|
8
|
|
PAWL,
Mike
|
|
23.3
|
20.2
|
21.5
|
20.4
|
85.4
|
85.4
|
12
|
7
|
|
BEER, Ed
|
|
21.4
|
18.9
|
20.2
|
17.4
|
77.9
|
77.9
|
13
|
6
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Red
Loaner
|
Peugeot
307
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
White
Loaner
|
Mitsubishi
Lancer
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Green
Loaner
|
Ford
Focus
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Orange
Loaner
|
Subaru
WRX
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
