Here is my long delayed rc hobby updates. The final A-Main result of the HMS Racing 2008 Cup race is at my hobby blog. I was not in the A-Main, ok. Hahaha.

View from the top left far corner just before the main 100 meters full throttle straight.

View from the main pit area - from my table out to the track. Ignore the couple in front. They are one serious racer and the girl was his pitboy - pit girl in this case.

You can see drivers on the stand and pit crews down below.

click to see bigger pictures. Check the last picture where the 1/8th scale nitro racers are. Check their car spoilers. They are design as such for the ultimate mega downforce to counter the blistering speed of the bigger rc engine capable up to 42,000 rpm! Oh yes, they are the F1 in the radio control world.

They are hanging around at the final sweeper (corner) where the transponder line were erected. That was the problem for this final class race. This shot was taken at around 6PM and the main final of 45 minutes has not started yet. If you in KK, Sabah, you know its going to be dark in less than 30 minutes afterward. Our computer cum race director tried everything and finally at around 6:20PM or so, the 1/8th scale final at last ran but only for mere 10 minutes. It was too dark to see anything and it could be dangerous for everyone near the track. Imagine, you can only ‘Hear’ the mega rev engines on the track but cannot see the cars. However, all the racers agreed and satisfied that the race must be stopped and the fastest racer identified by the computer and supported by all.

It was indeed an experience I cannot forget. This is my first race in more than four years dumping my on-road car in the store room. Even my old RM1,500 engine “berkarat”, got rusty due to long hibernation. It was totally different driving my favorite class, the off-road truck. I have achieved my target not to be the last one. In fact, I targeted myself in the F-Main and the most if i try harder will be in the E-Main. In the 50th to 60th position. Somehow, with everything new and especially gifts from my lovely wife, the Serpent 720 rc car (world champion car version) worth RM1,350 and the new rc engine Novarossi Plus-3T (Made in Italy) worth RM1,000, I managed to slip in the C-Main, in the 24th position - more than half above expectation. I actually beat most of my old rival in this race. With everything gone my way during the five (5) rounds of qualifying despite the faulty receiver, I expected good showing in the final of 25 minutes final race.

Sadly, the old jinx back again. The first 3 minutes of free warm up lap before the final horn started, my car hook on every corner. The engine was just awesome with instant accelaration. I feel so confident to be on the top three. The girl voice from the lap timer computer signal the final would start in less than 30 seconds. I signal my ‘pitboy’ and also my best friend, our rc club president and also happened to be the chief Accountant of big government department at Sembulan which I forgot what dept already - to fully fill up the tank with nitro fuel on my Serpent car. In return he asked me to rev the engine so not to choke and stall the engine. I was ready and focused. The moment the computer sounded 3 more seconds to start, my rc engine dead. Damn it. My pitboy hurriedly back to the pit to start my engine. It started at the first bump on the flywheel. “Rev, rev, rev!” he said. I thought deep inside, “please just let me run. Don’t die on me”. I whisper silently telepathically to my engine. They started earlier than me in 1 seconds advantage which I had to wait for the last car to pass the pit area before I can go. I think I was sweating already. I keep revving the engine, pulling the throttle on and off at my radio. The moment the last car passed, my pitboy let go my car on the ground and shouted at me, “GO!”.

Guess what? The engine dead. Stop. No sound. My pitboy look up at me and I think I shouted “SHHIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTT!!!”. Come on, start it back. He bumped on the car on the starterbox, it started and I rev again. The moment it touched the ground, dead again. “What the F@rk!!” I think I shouted like that. I could not believe it. I ran down the 20 feet high driverstand and check on my car. My pitboy told me, “The clutch busted. The Thrust Bearing gone!”. This caused the engine to die whenever i stop revving or slow down. If I not mistaken I was almost want to throw the car at the back of the track but the pitboy, my friend, stopped me and calmed me down. I have not even got the chance to register the first lap for the final and this happened to me. Punyalah Sueiiiiiiiii!!

Here back at home. Laying on the floor at the living room, ready for some post mortem!

I enjoy every bit of cleaning up this many parts of radio control stuff. Check the engine piston and sleeve, the exhaust pipe, the receiver battery, the problem clutch , the 2 speed gears and the best part of all the red transponder - same like the F1 racing using. My transponder number is registered for world wide usage. Cool eh.

So there. My final result, C-Main no. 10th with DNS tag. Did Not Start. I was happy with my qualifying but not very happy with my final. The bad luck still with me. Oh well, at least I was on C-Main while my friends all in D and F-Main. Next time then.

*better stop - typing and editing the pictures using office time and yes, working on Sunday. Sorry Boss. Angpow leh?