CRC Raceway: Rome, NY

Driver: Matt Peterson

First time running CRC’s outdoor track.

Track is tough. Here’s a quick rundown of the layout. The direction is clockwise, or as close to it as you can get anyway. Small double double in front of driver stand. Going to your left, large horseshoe to the right, around to the back straight. LARGE double double. 2wd with a very good run up can clear two, otherwise you’re rolling them. Long back straight to a small horseshoe right turn. This turn is all sand, and is very loose. Small jump there, 180 degree left turn, to a large double. Then to a berm that is elevated maybe 6 feet. I went off the outside of this berm at least twice. Down the berm to a 90 degree right, to a LARGE double. 45 degrees left and about 25 feet of run up to a big triple. The 2wd can clear two and roll the third. I was easily clearing all three with the 4wd. Then there is a tight S shaped snake through the infield. Couple of small jumps in there, very loose, hard to get traction. Then a small table top at the start finish line, then right turn in front of the driver stand.

Absolutely had a blast. I couldn’t get any traction in the dirt with the 2wd SC 10. Still have the carpet setup, so some tweaking will be necessary.

There were maybe 45 cars here. Pit space is wide open, and I was able to use one of their tables.

I had the sc10 stock tires on when I got there, so I went to change them for the goosebumps. I dropped a wheel nut in the grass. Gone. Luckily I had a spare. I need a Cow RC pit mat.

I drove the sc10 first. Had to learn major throttle control. Except for the straights and some of the much bigger jumps I never went past half throttle. Truck was very squirrely. Got my butt kicked. 13th out of 14 cars in the main.

When I tried the Losi TEN SCTE, I used the stock tires. They did ok. The problem that I had was nose diving over jumps. It is really bad with that. Small bumps made it cartwheel tail over nose. As I went on, I got better at throttle control, and keeping the nose up in the air using throttle. Then it started parachuting. I hit the ground hard with the nose several times. At some point I bent my rear shock tower. One of the other guys was also running the Losi TEN SCTE, and had the same exact issues as I had, so I don’t feel that bad.

Marshaling was an experience. The class running order was 13.5 2wd Short Course, 1/8 nitro truggy, stadium trucks, 4wd short course, then 1/8th buggy. So naturally I got to marshal both nitro classes. In my first truggy marshaling, I was on the back straight after the double double, and one got wayward off the jump. Hit me square in the shin, and I went down on my face. Those things hurt. Gloves are a definite, but they don’t help when they hit your legs. My biggest pet peeve marshaling for these guys is they gun the throttle to get your attention. Then as you are trying to find a place to grab them the keep the throttle on, and all the dirt in their tires is getting whipped at you. There were several times where they would gun it and I just put my hands up till they stopped.

Running at night- ugh. I couldn’t see my truck. I didn’t know which way it was pointing after I crashed. MY New York Rangers paint scheme is nice to look at in the sunlight, but even with CRC’s spotlights I couldn’t see it. I didn’t have that issue with the Losi, as its mostly white. I need a bright body for the Associated SC10, and white wheels.

Overall, I absolutely loved it. Very big track, and an opportunity to stretch the trucks’ legs. They were tired of being cooped up indoors for the winter. I look forward to my next opportunity to run at CRC Raceway.

**Update regarding my Losi TEN SCTE throttle/air control issues. I had a friend with a Castle Link Field Card check my settings on the Mamba Max Pro I was running, and it turns out it had 20% Drag Brake applied. I have a feeling this is what was causing a lot of my mid-air control issues making it nose dive. I cannot wait to test it again with that setting removed.