[Top Down]

March 9th race day - record attendance 

It was a busy night at the hall with regulars helping recent joiners and total newbies with questions about their cars and the race formats. Some hands-on fettling was also required, particularly on one car that 'wasn't working'. (Both rear wheels were loose and spinning on the axle,  therefore no drive.)
 

Yet another layout was quickly constructed from the modular units, with some donated track sections being pressed into use to extend the main straight even further. This caused a few connectivity problems, which were soon sorted out but it did lead to much higher speeds and a few more 'racing incidents' at the mid-point and exit on those l-o-n-g straights!

         

 

Support race: Club SCX Lorries:

 

The evenings racing began with thirteen drivers, the club's lorries providing a level playing field and a good intro' to racing against a full grid on a large track. Plenty of  combative driving throughout the heats saw one lorry lose its cab in a multiple pile-up.   

          

Mark R weathered the carnage best, coming home first a good two laps clear of second place man Vic. Bracketing Vic's second place was another Mark, Mark J, who was barely half a lap back in third. (Remarkably FOUR Mark's raced on the night, the Race Coordinator audio having since been augmented to identify WHICH of the four was doing what in a particular heat!)

          

 

At the brief interval a couple of people stood down before the owner/driver class but numbers were supplemented by three late arrivers, first timers who took competitors up to fourteen for this class, with overall attendance reaching a new high of sixteen.

 

Main race: Owner/driver Nascar and Muscle cars.

          

 

With a couple of drop-outs - and three new competitors added - very close and fast racing ensued in most heats with, as usual, many different 1/32 and 1/1 makes of cars being represented. As per the support race, staying clear of the many incidents was the way to go for a quick lap with Vic coming home in 1st place, less than a lap ahead of rising star, Ben. This time Mark J took precedence over Mark R, stepping up to third place one and a half laps ahead of his namesake.

          

          

          

          

(All photos courtesy of Vic.)

 

Next meeting: Sat 13th April with owner/driver Saloon cars ( 20k max motors and inline chassis ) plus support classes tbc.

[Top Down]

Next race meeting: Saturday, April 13th.
Just a reminder that this coming Saturday, April 13th we have another race night.

   
(Another great photo, courtesy of Vic'.)

Main race class: Owner/driver`Saloon cars’. Max. 20K motors and inline chassis.
Support race: Club provided Scalextric Porsche 911's. 
Normal track circuit layout.
Where? The usual place:
Gt. Whelnetham Community Centre, 
Stanningfield Road,
Bury St. Edmunds. 
IP30 0TX 
(Doors open at 5pm.) 

[Top Down]

Couldn't resist adding this photo of some of Vic's George Turner saloons too, some of which might make an appearance on the 13th.

   

[Top Down]

April 13th race day - back to regular numbers
          
The April meeting saw the much delayed return of club stalwart Shaun. Finally recovered from his hip replacement he was raring to go racing. He joined eleven other racers to make up the now regular dozen to hit the track on a club night.

Support race: Club Sideways Grp 5's:

 

The long track was set up for racing in the reverse direction (right to left off the start line), the Support Race for the club's Sideways Grp 5 cars being the first class to be run. After some close racing Mark R took the top step of the podium, with Ben in second place and Shaun, quickly back on the pace, coming straight in at third. His faster lap time broke the tie with David, the pair finishing with identical lap scores of 76.700.

          

Main race: Owner/driver Saloon cars.

          

 

The Main Race was for owner/driver Saloon cars, with eleven taking to the track as Alan sat this one out. Many new cars made an appearance with the Slot.Its performing particularly well, coming home in first and second place. 

          

         

          

Fresh from his second place in the Club Class `new boy Ben’ finally delivered his first win, 0.6 laps ahead of `old hand’ Bill. (For those of a certain age, nice to see the flowerpot men racing head to head.)  

   

   

Next meeting is on May Sat 25th with Rally cars as the main class, support tbc

(All photos courtesy of Vic King)

[Top Down]

Next race night: Sat 25th May (5pm-10pm).

   

Main class: Owner/driver Rally cars with max motor of 21K rpm and inline chassis.
Support class: 'Club cars' - (Shauns rally minis or? tbc.

Where? The usual place:

Gt. Whelnetham Community Centre, 
Stanningfield Road,
Bury St. Edmunds. 
IP30 0TX

[Top Down]

Saturday, May 25th race meeting

Maintaining double figure attendance whilst increasing club membership 10 racers turned up, with new visitor James borrowing a car for the Feature race. Hopefully he enjoyed it enough to  return on a regular basis,

The Support Race, The Club owned and Vic' prepared Ninco Peugeots, produced some very close - and physical - racing, the top five drivers being covered by just two laps.

The winner, Mark Jay, was joined on the podium by Ben and Shaun, Vic and James narrowly missing out in fourth and fifth spot respectively. Bill and Mark W tied for sixth spot, with Bill showing ahead on the leader board by dint of a faster lap time.

 

There was an eight lap gap to Aaron and James, who were  two fifths of a lap apart in ninth and tenth but splitting the field with four laps fore and aft, Brian drove a lonely race to take eighth ahead of this pair.

          

 

The Feature Race for owner/driver Rally cars really highlighted the difference in car prep' and race experience. 

   

Choice of 1/32 manufacturer and 1:1 car style also played a part, with a great mix taking to the track.

          

 

Mark Jay was still top dog, along with Vic,' Shaun and Ben in that order, all breaking the ton on lap scores. 

          

James B and Bill were not that far behind but then there was quite a gap to the four newer club members, a couple of them having to leave early.

          

Next race meeting: Saturday, June 8th.

[Top Down]

Next meeting: Saturday, June 8th

   

Mains: Owner/driver Nascars or American Muscle cars with a MAX motor of 20K rpm.

Support: T.B.C

5-10pm
Gt. Whelnetham Community Centre, 
Stanningfield Road,
Bury St. Edmunds. 
IP30 0TX

[Top Down]

Rnd 6 - Saturday, June 8th

Eleven drivers contested Round Six. After assembling the long track, set at eleven volts for the clubs 'mag-less' racing, the night commenced with the 'Support class'.
 

Support class - 'Club' lorries 

          

 

Shaun provided the old Scalextric lorries, which handled really well on the straights but were on the ragged edge on the corners, sometimes taking them on two wheels.

 

Being a stock but 'blueprinted' class racing was very close, the whole field being covered by just nine laps with Mark R coming home in first place just a fifth of a lap ahead of Mark J.

 

Ben took third spot a couple of laps down but leading a tight group comprising himself, David, Vic and Shaun.

 

There was then a three lap gap to the rest of the field led by Brian, who was closely followed by Mark W, Bill, Graham and Alan.

   

 

Main race. Owner/driver Nascar and Muscle cars

   

 

There was a good mix of Pony cars and Nascars, with the long wheelbases of the latter better suiting the circuit. Car choice, set-up and driver experience made a big difference here, with the field being well spread out.

          

 

However, four closely matched groups emerged, Ben and Vic' taking the top two places exactly two laps apart, Ben winning with his mean lean green machine.

          

 

Next up were the three Marks. All ended on seventy six laps, Mark W leading home Mark J and Mark R, with only two fifth of a lap separating third to fifth places.

          

 

Almost five laps down but enjoying a closely fought race were Shaun and Bill. Both on seventy-one laps , Shaun finished just a third of a lap ahead of Bill.

          

 

Bringing up the rear were David, Graham, Alan and Brian.

          
                               Ben wins!
Next meeting: Saturday, July 6th

[Top Down]

Next meeting: Rnd 7. Saturday 6th July 
Please note, this is an EXTENDED meeting.

Doors open at 3pm, racing through to 9.30pm approx.

   

Mains: Owner/driver Sports and GT cars with unlimited motors and any chassis layout. 
Support 1: Doug's Pioneer Legend cars.
Support 2: Doug's Fly trucks.
(All the right classes  - but not necessarily in the right order!)

Please bring food and drink.

Usual place, NOT the usual time. (Doors open 3pm.)

Gt. Whelnetham Community Centre, 
Stanningfield Road,
Bury St. Edmunds. 
IP30 0TX

[Top Down]

Rnd 7 Sat 6th July

Legends Support Class

Good job it was an extended meeting as being a non-permanent track the first hour after set-up was lost to lap counting and controller wiring issues. Even so, we got under way earlier than normal, the first class being 'standard' but mag-less Pioneer Legends white kits.

All stock wheels are CA glued to the axles, all tyres trued, bearings glued and the stock guide posts shimmed to take up 'slop', the guides being held in place by a washer and nut threaded onto the standard guide pillar.

          

White kits allowed for a very colourful grid, with the cars matching the lane colours.

           

The club has been reinvigorated, with new members joining since Covid often outnumbering the core membership.

Scale Legends mimic the full sized counterparts with 'bump drafting', or is the green car doing a tactical block?

          

Thirteen drivers on the day made for a tight schedule - hampered by several lost pickup braids, a problem I thought I'd resolved. (I have now!) One car also broke a soldered lead wire at the pickup connection. Fortunately the back-up car was quickly deployed. 

          

The green body on the back-up car's chassis. All cars were well matched though, so no advantage was gained by those using it. Still awaiting inspiration for the red car's sponsorship. 

            

Nearing the end of the class and approaching the first break of the afternoon. 

   

The final countdown! Close racing, with Mark J setting the fastest lap overall and backing it up with the fastest lap in the last heat, only to be pipped to the post by Shaun, who was half a lap ahead overall. Third was David followed by a closely packed field. 

Despite the braid losses a popular class with most drivers, several of whom were keen to add a Legend to their pit box.