[Kevan]

Race report and results - 3rd Sep 2026 - 

• Targa Florio Rally stages
  
• Targa Florio circuit races
  
• SRF F1 Sidecars
  

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Targa Florio Rally stages - 3 minutes on each Rally stage (only complete laps count)

   
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It was great to see Gav back again, he said he felt guilty not being able to help marshaling but we don’t mind at all, it’s more important that he gets to the club to enjoy driving his cars.
Jamie was also back this week with a Porsche 908 that he’d never raced before and finally got the chance to use his new Truspeed Apex controller.  I’ve watched a brilliant video on adjusting and using the Apex so hopefully I can help him with it.
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With all four tracks open for use, we saw loads of different cars during practice with the difficult decision to choose only one car each…
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The cars used (in score sheet order):

• Brian H - Ferrari 250 GTO (Open Small Sport)
  
• Jamie - Porsche 908/3 (Prostock Sport)
  
• Gav - Ferrari 412P (Prostock Sport)
  
• Chris - Corvette C1 (Open Small Sport)
  
• Kev - Porsche 914/6 GT (Prostock Small Sport)
  
• Andy - Porsche 908/3 (Prostock Sport)
  
• Brian L - Ford GT40 (Prostock Sport)
  
• Geoff - Ford GT40 (Prostock Sport)
  

As only completed laps count, sometimes you can get within inches of the lap timer just as the 3 minutes lapses…which did happen at least once tonight.
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Targa Florio circuit races
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Three classes of cars were represented tonight.

• Kev in ‘Prostock Small Sport’
  
• Brian H & Chris ‘Open Small Sport’
  
• Andy, Brian L, Jamie, Geoff & Gav in ‘Prostock Sport’
  

   

Car comparisons:

   
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Enjoy watching the mix of cars in the video, it was certainly enjoyable racing each other as it was also enjoyable sat watching the cars as marshal on the Rally stages.
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SRF F1 SIDECARS

   
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• Four SRF F1 Sidecars
  

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It was a really busy night, after the Targa Florio was over, four club members left as it was getting late, but we still had four willing to race Sidecars.
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Now it was an accident (honest) that the races were set at 5 minutes, this wasn’t noticed until about 30 laps into the first heat, ah well, too late to change it now so this meant tyre management (quickly forgotten once racing starts! )
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The usual incidents and jeopardy applied… we thought we were going to get away with it this week, with over 3 minutes left in the last heat, Kev said “there’s plenty of time left for it to go t*ts up! “... sure enough as Brian H’s outfit ground to a halt and a yellow flag called, it was found both spur gears had slid up the axle and out of gearmesh… that’s Sidecar racing!
…then upon commencing the last heat, lo and behold Brian was a tenth quicker… but it was to no avail as Geoff had a couple of laps in hand.
Talking of Geoff’s Sidecar, during practice Kev said “that looks like you’ve geared it up”... with Geoff replying “I might have!”... he said he thought he’d fitted a 12T pinion but turns out it was an 11T, it’s now up to speed proper.
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A mention for the other outfits:

• After last week’s guide mount failure, Brian L has managed to chase the gremlins out and said he can finally trust it to be consistent.
  

   
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Here’s a reminder of the setups that seem to work well:

• Gearing - 3:1 or thereabouts, i.e. 11/34, 12/34 or 12/36.  This gives plenty of acceleration and brakes and more than enough top speed.
  
• 10mm wide tyres gives a great selection of tyre choices, tried and tested compounds in this size on BallaYorkley are NSR Alan Mann Untragrips, Thunderslot 002 or 004’s
  
• A good chunk of ballast down the centre of the chassis seems to work well.
  
• A small diameter front tyre so it doesn’t foul the chassis or touch the bodywork.
  
• How tight the bodyshell fixing screws are seems to have a big effect on handling, trial & error here.
  
• N.B. control in corners, trying to keep both rear tyres either side of the slot/braid to prevent tyre degradation on the drivers side wheel.
  

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A ‘gentleman's agreement’ formulated after a discussion with the SRF design team to keep the racing close for everyone:

• Slotcarmann Harrier 26k handout motors
  
• 10mm wide tyres
  
• No tyre treatment once Sidecar racing starts
  
• Ballast inside the outfit only please
  
• TAPE OVER THE SCREWS UNDER THE CHASSIS PLEASE
  

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Two videos this week…enjoy!

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Next week at the Manx Scalextric & Slot Car Club…

• British & German cars (double bill) - ‘The Battle of Britain’
  
• SRF F1 Sidecars
  

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