Friday, June 2, 2017

Ultra 4 at BFRC in Calgary AB

This year at Blackfoot RC Park in Calgary AB we have been working hard to really bring it to the next level. Gone are the old tracks and in their place are new and continually improving tracks. We have 1/5, 1/8 and 1/10 race tracks in place. Coming soon are electronic scoring and more. Of note... the scale crawler course has really taken shape and has already begun having events there. Last month the first ever GCM Call To Crawl scale event was held at the park with over 100 people in attendance and 62 drivers taking part. Chris Robinson from GCM flew out to kick it off and local RC celeb's were in attendance as well. Folks such as DJ Medic from RCSparks fame, Chris Rappel of RCCWR and Scale Town fame, and Luke Magdy of OneTooManyRC's plus a whole slew of up and coming RC celebs who's channels are also growing on YouTube.

The one track that isn't garnering much attention at the moment and one I hope to change is the Ultra 4 track. Luke Magdy, president of BFRC authorized the construction and implementation of this class at the park and currently there is the base bone structure of the track in place. Needed is someone to run it. There is no shortage of Wraith and Yeti type trucks in Calgary... they number in the hundreds. It's a very popular RC truck for sure. We just need to get this one rolling. For those interested... I have pulled from both U4RC.com and Axial.com websites the following. Have a read and then go the the Blackfoot RC page on Facebook to follow along or contribute.

Cheers

Scotty

 From the Axial site:

What is Rock Racing?
By Axial on May 27, 2015

Axial offers vehicles identified as rock crawlers and as rock racers such as the SCX10 and the Yeti, respectively. To make the perfect selection when purchasing your R/C vehicle, you need to know the difference between rock crawling and rock racing.
Rock crawling has been around as long as there have been off-road vehicles like the classic Jeep and rocks to drive them on. The Rubicon Trail in northern California might have originally been used by settlers in covered wagons, but the rocks on that trail have probably seen more rubber tires than wagon wheels. When people think of rock crawling, they often think of this iconic trail or a similar scene and driving over rock formations with beautiful vistas. They see rock crawling as slow, enjoyable and relaxing. They also recognize that it’s challenging. This is recreational rock crawling. It can be a pretty tame trip down an easy trail with a few rocks to negotiate or a hardcore excursion with ample body damage and winching. Recreational rock crawling led to the creation of competitive rock crawling. You probably already know that if it is automotive in nature, it can and will be made into a competition.

Rock crawling, as the name implies, generally takes place on rocky terrain and is not about going fast, but sometimes the skinny pedal is the only way to get up and over something. Not all rock crawling is competitive, of course, but when it is a competition, time is a factor and, thus, speed is a factor. Hence, you’ll see plenty of throttle used at rock crawling competitions. The course is most often marked with such items such as cones, tape or rope. Hitting markers results in penalties. So, competitive crawling requires a mix of speed and finesse. You won’t win if you finish with the fastest time, but hit every marker on the course and racked up the time penalties. Conversely, you won’t win a rock crawling competition if you miss every marker with a perfectly executed and clean run, but take all day to finish the course. As described previously, rock crawling is also a popular recreational motorsport. In this case, rock crawling is often called trail riding. Again, as long as the first Jeeps were available to the public, this type of rock crawling has existed.

In the same way that just about anything automotive can be made into a competition, any automotive competition can increase in intensity if given a little time. Thus rock crawling has given us rock racing. Rock racing comes in many forms. The first type of rock racing evolved from rock crawling competitions that focused more on speed and less on the finesse needed to avoid markers and the accompanying penalties. Some rock racing competitions feature side-by-side racing by running two vehicles on the course at once. One of the more popular forms of rock racing came from a challenge made between desert racers and rock crawlers. The challenge became an annual event called the King of the Hammers. This race combined high speed desert racing and grueling rock crawling. Both forms of racing have high attrition rates and require specialized equipment.
Besides the increased speeds, one of the biggest differences between rock crawling and rock racing is that most rock racing has the whole field on course at once. Again, some small course rock racing might feature two vehicles that are running partially separated courses, but Ultra4 style racing such as the King of the Hammers has the whole field racing at once. This creates an interesting element as isn’t always easy to pass a competitor who’s stuck on the rocks you also need to get up and over.

R/C rock racing is mostly patterned after the growing full-size Ultra4 style of racing. While people are R/C rock racing all around the country and world, one organization has stood out as a leading in developing a race format, rules and in promoting events. That racing body is U4RC. Following is an interview that helps explain what rock racing and U4RC are all about.

The R/C community is starting to hear more and more about U4RC, but who is behind this still relatively new organization? U4RC is; Jerry Tobin (owner/founder), Brian Jones (owner/co-founder) and Jerry Ellifritz (owner/promoter). Between the three owners of U4RC there is a very solid background in R/C. Jerry Tobin has been in the SoCal R/C crawling scene since 2005. Jerry competed in competitive R/C crawling at a national level for several seasons and was ranked in the top 15 for USRCCA Super class. In 2009, Tobin created the infamous “King of the Compound” R/C endurance rock/desert race which U4RC, as we know it today, was born from. Brian Jones was around when R/C rock crawling was in its infancy and still on the pages of the monster truck forums, which RCCrawler.com stemmed from originally. Brian has been highly involved over the years in many aspects of growth in the crawling segment of R/C, including exhibitions, trade shows and was one of the original owners of RCP Crawlers. Brian too, was a national level ranked competitive crawler. He even attended the first USRCCA Nationals event in Moab, Utah. Jerry Ellifritz has been involved in R/C crawling for about five years, and comes from the scale side of the hobby originally. In those five years, Jerry has immersed himself deeply in R/C crawling including coordinating “G6” scale events, several one-off scale events and, of course, U4RC. Jerry’s involvement with U4 has proven to be invaluable to the advancement of this exciting, new segment of R/C.

Tell us about U4RC? What is its mission? Who is it geared towards? U4RC is an R/C rock racing organization that was launched in 2012. Our mission is to deliver R/C racing with a real, grass roots operating style and feel to it, unlike what is mostly available to the “go fast” R/C community. Currently the majority of the racers are from the R/C crawling world, although we are surprised constantly by the influx of inquiries and new racers from the “go fast” community. We feel U4RC is a great “crossover” of several genres, mainly because “racers” as well as “scalers” can find common ground within the classes available through U4RC. The class structure is set up so that everyone from a “newbie” with a box stock RTR rig, (SCX10, Spawn, Yeti, Wraith) all the way to advanced custom tuber chassis “builders/racers” have a competitive, fun class to run in.

How many tracks are affiliated with U4RC and what are they typically like? The list of tracks is growing quickly throughout the nation and globally, with tracks in SoCal, NorCal, Washington, Arizona, Florida, Minnesota and so forth. There are currently at least a dozen dedicated U4RC tracks at R/C facilities nationally. There are also U4RC tracks and clubs globally, including Canada, Australia, Austria, South America, Italy, Poland and so on (too many places to list).

Given that U4RC is modeled after full-size rock racing, tracks are typically a design that is different from what is considered the “norm” in R/C off-road racing. U4 tracks are not generally groomed (with the exception of watering), there is no sticky stuff, and you will never see a broom used on a U4 track. In contrast, our tracks usually include one or two rock gardens, a hill climb obstacle, elevation changes, jumps, whoops, wide open straights, stutter jumps, semi-tight technical sections, moguls, sand/gravel pits, etc.

What is the U4RC race format? U4RC runs a heads up heat, LCQ (Last Chance Qualifier), Main style racing format, where top finishing positions are key in every “Heat” round for advancement to the “Main” races. We feel this format is the purest way to find the best of the best for the day. Many forms of R/C racing run a “quickest time” advancement structure during lower rounds. Not at U4RC, we want to avoid drivers having an opportunity to sandbag early in the day by just getting a good “hot lap” time in and not conserving the rig because the track itself is a challenge along with the fellow racers you’re up against.

U4RC, like the full-size competition it models, combines go-fast racing and extreme rock crawling. Who usually does better, the racer types or the rock crawlers? That is a difficult question to accurately answer due to the varying terrains on the different U4RC tracks. The racer types definitely excel on the faster, less technical tracks where high speed vehicle control is key. The crawlers that learn to “go fast” well tend to be very successful due to the fact that you have to conserve your rig to a certain extent during the course of a U4 race. Overall the fastest racers to date in U4RC are the rock crawling crowd, which is very similar scenario when compared to our full size counterparts. Once the racer types learn to conserve their rigs, look out!

What classes are there in U4RC? Describe how the Axial Yeti, Wraith and SCX10 typically fit in the various classes? There are six classes in U4RC racing currently. There is a class available for every Axial rig made at this point. The classes are 1.9 Trail, 1.9 Comp, 1.9 Trophy, 2.2 Comp (Limited), 2.2 Comp (Open) and 2.2 Trophy. The SCX10 platform falls into the 1.9 Trail class, which is intended for trail rigs such as (but not limited to) a “G6” or “1.9 Deadbolt” or “Falken” SCX10. For Wraith owners, there is 2.2 Comp (limited), which is limited to a Solid/Solid axle configuration. The Wraith “Spawn” rock racer is a great starting point for this class. All Wraith models are legal for this class in their stock configuration. Axial Yeti owners have a place to race in 2.2 Comp (Open), which is open to the IFS/Solid axle configuration of the Yeti. The Yetis have proven to totally dominate 2.2 Comp Open since its release last year. Not to be forgotten is the fact that the majority of the 1.9 and 2.2 Trophy class rigs are either built using the SCX10 (1.9) and Wraiths (2.2) as their base for the builds.

 Is there a class for the Axial Yeti XL? We are currently writing rules for the next series that will include a class for the Axial Yeti XL. The XL hit the market just after the current rules were released last year. Given the success and performance of the RTR version and the recently released kit version, we definitely will provide a place for XL Yeti owners to compete. U4RC track in the future will be designed with consideration of the Yeti XL.

What goes into a good U4RC vehicle? Probably the most important thing would be choosing the right components. U4RC racing is hard on parts so choosing the right upgrades for your application is a must.  In an entry-level class where your car is close to stock, the smart thing would be to upgrade the smaller parts before, say, throwing a 3S pack and a 4000+ Kv motor in it. Those things are more suited for the fully built rigs of the mod and trophy classes.  Another very important aspect of setting up a car is suspension.  Good shocks, springs and the right oil combo makes a huge difference.  Since we race at different tracks, with varying technical levels and obstacles, that means the driver needs to be on top of their set-up at all times. Of course, as in all racing, tires are also a big deal. Some drivers actually sipe their own tires for different tracks, just as in the 1:1 world.  Fortunately, we have recently had companies designing not only tires, but many other parts specifically for U4RC racing and the results have been outstanding. If you take a look at our sponsor list you will see what I mean.

There’s an old saying in racing that to finish first you must first finish. That seems to have been suited for Ultra4 racing. Do you have any driving advice you can share for U4RC racers? You nailed it 100% with that statement. That old adage couldn’t apply any more that to U4RC racing. A conservative driving style will get your rig to the finish line, because you are racing against other drivers as well as the challenging terrain. The racers that have a “wide open” driving style generally run a higher risk of catastrophic equipment failures. This is due to the nature of U4 racing and the built-in obstacles throughout the track. Don’t expect the “turn marshal” to win the race for you. Keeping the rubber side down is the way to go. Walk the track prior to your race and identify any obstacles that you will want to avoid or gather your game plan for tackling those obstacles. Final bit of advice is to drive. Get out, drive your rig and learn how it reacts to your inputs from the transmitter.

What do you see in the future for U4RC? We believe that U4RC will bridge the gap between the R/C rock crawling community and the R/C racer community. With the amount of scale realism required from the rules and the extremely fast paced action on the track, it has aspects that both sides will be drawn to. U4RC is holding our first regional level event here on the West Coast this June that is sure to see attendance of U4 racers from all our neighboring states. There has also been overwhelming support and interest from many of the top manufactures in the R/C world, which leads us to believe our future looks bright.

From the U4RC site:

ABOUT
Welcome to U4RC.com, your source for anything and all things Radio Controlled Rock Racing!

The U4RC concept is edge of control short course R/C on steroids. This is not groomed tracks and traction compound! A U4RC track combines not only the toughest desert sections, but big technical rocks, silt washes, the steepest hill climbs and of course terrifying descents. U4RC is heads up heat racing against your friends and family. Timed/scored heats let you know how you rate against the competition every day, and with competitors around the world. U4RC is taking your track experience to the next level of adrenaline.

U4RC’s main focus is to provide hobbyists an avenue to race RC vehicles in as similar and “scale” fashion as possible to the full size rock racing. There can be both endurance-themed and short course style tracks designed. It is the intention of U4RC to showcase the RC rig’s capabilities, not the physical condition of the driver, as much as possible.  These are RC car races, not human foot races. Courses will be designed with the intent of equal chance for all. It has to look like something you would see on a 1:1 trail, race, or street rig. We are looking to add tracks worldwide to be sanctioned, meaning you are willing to run our rules and classes for series scores. Tracks need to have a fast section, tight turns, changes in elevation, and technical rock sections. We don’t want drivers just to be able to come out and go fast. If you ever been to an Ultra4 race you will see there are fast sections and some very slow sections. For example: Bechard RC Raceway is about 600yds running length and it takes roughly 80 seconds to complete one lap.

RULES

U4RC rock racing is edge of control racing that is sure to get your adrenaline pumping.  It pits everything from stock RTR 4 wheel drive vehicles, to full on custom rock racing and trail rigs, against some of the toughest obstacles R/C cars have ever seen. A U4RC track combines not only the toughest desert sections, but big technical rocks, silt/sand washes, the steepest hill climbs and of course terrifying descents. U4RC is heads up heat racing against your friends and family. Timed/scored heats let you know how you rate against the competition every day, and with competitors around the world. U4RC tracks can and do vary in layout and terrain.  In fact a U4RC track can be created almost anywhere there is open space and dirt, often utilizing existing terrain features as obstacles. On the other end of the spectrum is the permenant track.  Permenant U4RC tracks are being built and raced on literally all over the world. So whether you are a single person looking for a track, or you are part of a group looking to start your own U4RC series, this is the place to get started. Below are the U4RC official rules/vehicle specs.  You can expect to see these rules being run as written at major U4RC events.  Theses rules, or local versions thereof, can be used by all groups that are part of the U4RC family. Get out there, have fun and see what U4RC rack racing is all about.

All Classes:
Power: Electric, battery powered vehicles only.
Electronics: All electronics must be hidden with the exceptions being a transponder, an axle mounted servo, and the battery on the Twin Hammers.
Drivetrain: Vehicle must be 4 wheel drive and shaft driven, utilizing either a center transmission, or transfer case. No motor on axle.
Suspension:  Must be scale appearing. IE; 3 or 4 link, leaf sprung, trailing/leading arm.
Weighted Knuckles: Weighted Knuckles are allowed but must be of an integral weighted design. If the knuckle can still function with the weighted portion removed, it is not legal.
Tires: A tire for U4RC rock racing must be a scale appearing tire, either a licensed replica, or a non-licensed replica. No comp, short course, cut n shut, paddle, or pin tires are allowed. Removing material, or siping of tires is permitted.  Adding material, or combining portions of tires to make one tire is not.
Wheels: Wheels must be designed to fit a legal tire’s un-modified bead.
Bodies: Bodies must appear scale for rock racing. IE: Panels from an onroad car are ok attached to a tube chassis, but an onroad body itself is not. Vehicles with bodies must have at least 50% of the tires outside the body. The 50% tire rule does not apply to 1.9 Trail class.
Tube chassis: Must be scale rock racing type and have interior with drivers. No rock bouncers, no dune buggies
Interior: All vehicles must have a minimum scale interior, with the exception of full bodied rigs.
Drivers: Many classes REQUIRE scale drivers.  Please see individual class specs.
Center Differential: Not legal except in solid axle Trophy class vehicles.
Legal Vehicles: Rock racers or scale trail rigs. No shortcourse, monster trucks, or basher type vehicles allowed.
Race Director: It is always the race directors decision to choose the correct class for a given vehicle that meets the “All Classes” specs.
Tech: All vehicles are subject to technical inspection prior to the race, or at anytime during the event at the Race Directors discression.
Remember U4RC is more about Scale than Performance!

1.9 Trail 
This class is for 1.9” tire and wheel clad trail type vehicles that are stock through highly modified. Vehicles must have (2) solid axles. Truggy type vehicles require a minimum of a molded hood and cab, while full tube chassis require a molded hood minimum. This is an entry level 1.9 class, but will likely have faster, yet similar vehicles competing. Vehicle should resemble something you would see on a 1:1 trail, or at a 1:1 rock race in an entry level class. This is not for full blown race vehicles.

Class Specs:
1.9” Wheel Diameter
Solid Axles Only
Max Wheelbase: 13”
Max Width: 10.5”

1.9 Comp
This class is for 1.9” tire clad rigs, that are highly modified, and resemble full size race vehicles. Vehicle must be scale in appearance for rock-race style racing. The vehicle must have a driver figure or insert installed. 

Class Specs:

1.9” Wheel Diameter
IFS with solid rear axle Only
Max Wheelbase: 13”
Max Width: 11”

1.9 Trophy
This class is for 1.9” tire clad Ultra4 style rigs that are highly modified and highly resemble full size rock race vehicles. The emphasis in this class is appearance first and performance second.  IFS and IFS/IRS cars are required to have a metal cage attached to a custom metal skid/pan. Skid/pan is defined as a partial pan chassis, attached to a solid rear axle.  Rail style chassis are allowed when welded to the tube portion of the chassis. All upper shock mounts must be part of the metal chassis structure for all chassis types. A center differential is allowed in solid axle vehicles ONLY. Center differentials are not legal in IFS or IFS/IRS configurations.

Class Specs:
1.9” Wheel Diameter
IFS, Solid Axle, IFS/IRS
Metal Cage Only
Scale Driver with Helmet
Max wheelbase: 13”
Max Width: 11
Min Weight: 7 lbs
Center Differential Allowed: Solid Axle Vehicles Only

Minimum Weight: 7 lbs
This is the weight of the vehicle ready to race.

Overall Chassis Minimum height: 5.00”
This is the measurement from the bottom of the skid/pan to the top of the roof without light bars etc…

Overall Chassis Minimum Width: 5.00”
This is the minimum with at the door panels extending the entire length of the door panel and window Opening.

Door Panel Minimum Length: 3.75”
This is the minimum length of the door panel.

Side Panel Minimum height: 1.50”
This is the minimum height of the side panels at the driver and passenger door area.

Window Opening Minimum height: 2.00”
This is the window opening Minimum height for both the driver and passenger side of the vehicle. This is measured from the top of the roof to the top of the side panel at the driver’s compartment.

Minimum Roof Panel: 2.75” x 4.00”
This is the front to back x side to side minimum roof measurement.

Minimum Overall Chassis Length: Wheelbase length from center line of axles.
This is the length of the overall chassis structure from front to rear excluding light bar mounts,
bumpers, stingers, spare tires, winches, etc…

Chassis Structure:
This is defined as the tubular portion that includes the driver compartment, upper shock mounting points front and rear, and engine cover area as part of the chassis.

Engine Cover Area: Panels and tube
This is a scale first, performance second class. The engine compartment, either front or mid, must be covered by panels (inner fenders). The vehicle must appear as though a scale 1:1 race engine is present. Scale motors or panel concealed areas where 1:1 engine would be located are required.

Driver figure:
Either molded driver interiors, or figures are required. Driver and passenger must both have helmets and an upper torso minimum.

2.2 Comp
This class is for 2.2” tire clad vehicles that are moderately to heavily modified. Vehicle must be scale in appearance for rock racing. This class includes vehicles running plastic chassis, metal chassis and roll cages or a combination thereof.  Either a molded driver interior, or driver figures are required. Driver and/or passenger must both have helmets and  and be an upper torso minimum.

Class Specs:
2.2” Wheel Diameter
Solid Axle Only
Max wheelbase: 15”
Max width: 13″

2.2 Indy
This class is for 2.2” tire clad vehicles that are moderately to heavily modified. Vehicle must be scale in appearance for rock racing. This class includes vehicles running plastic chassis, metal chassis and roll cages or a combination thereof.  Either a molded driver interior, or driver figures are required. Driver and/or passenger must both have helmets and  and be an upper torso minimum.

Class Specs:
2.2″ Wheel Diameter
IFS with solid rear axle Only

Max Wheelbase: 15”
Max Width: 13”

2.2 Trophy
This class is for 2.2” tire clad Ultra4 style rigs that are highly modified and highly resemble full size rock race vehicles. The emphasis in this class is appearance first and performance second.  IFS and IFS/IRS cars are required to have a metal cage attached to a custom metal skid/pan. Skid/pan is defined as a partial pan chassis, attached to a solid rear axle.  Rail style chassis are allowed when welded to the tube portion of the chassis. All upper shock mounts must be part of the metal chassis structure for all chassis types. A center differential is allowed in solid axle vehicles ONLY. Center differentials are not legal in IFS or IFS/IRS configurations.

Class Specs:
2.2” Wheel Diameter
IFS, Solid Axle, IFS/IRS
Metal Cage Only
Scale Driver with Helmet
Max wheelbase: 14.50”
Max Width: 12.75”
Min Weight: 8 lbs
Center Differential Allowed: Solid Axle Vehicles Only

Minimum Weight: 8 lbs
This is the weight of the vehicle ready to race.

Overall Chassis Minimum height: 5.25”
This is the measurement from the bottom of the skid/pan to the top of the roof without light bars etc…

Overall Chassis Minimum Width: 5.25”
This is the minimum with at the door panels extending the entire length of the door panel and window Opening.

Door Panel Minimum Length: 4.00”
This is the minimum length of the door panel.

Side Panel Minimum height: 1.75”
This is the minimum height of the side panels at the driver and passenger door area.

Window Opening Minimum height: 2.25”
This is the window opening Minimum height for both the driver and passenger side of the vehicle. This is measured from the top of the roof to the top of the side panel at the driver’s compartment.

Minimum Roof Panel: 3.00” x 4.25”
This is the front to back x side to side minimum roof measurement.
Minimum Overall Chassis Length: Wheelbase length from center line of axles.
This is the length of the overall chassis structure from front to rear excluding light bar mounts,
bumpers, stingers, spare tires, winches, etc…

Chassis Structure:
This is defined as the tubular portion that includes the driver compartment, upper shock mounting points front and rear, and engine cover area as part of the chassis.

Engine Cover Area: Panels and Tube.
This is a scale first, performance second class. The engine compartment, either front or mid, must be covered by panels (inner fenders). The vehicle must appear as though a scale 1:1 race engine is present. Scale motors or panel concealed areas where 1:1 engine would be located are required.

Driver figure:
Molded driver interiors, or figures are required. Driver and passenger must both have helmets and an upper torso minimum. No non-human figures.

Copyright 2016 U4RC – Revised 07/21/2016 –JG