(You can also read my blogs on our two previous Ann Arbor GTGs: Feb 10 and Jan 27)
We downloaded and installed the latest Core Software (version 1.1.2.0) for the lap counting system that we use. It seemed to work well and we didn't have any major issue with it.
Will got another body painted with that cool Harlequin paint that changes color. Check out my previous blog for a video of the Enzo that he had with a similar paint job.
Some other cool things were Dustin brought a rc helicopter and Vaughn brought his nitro X-Ray 18.
In addition to my new M8 I decided to setup my Ferrari 575GTC with 1 degree Atomic red plastic steering block/knuckles, hard Atomic springs, and an 8 tooth pinion to go along with my Mini-ZRacer.com Dry Race Bearings, Atomic 94mm MM motor mount, Kyosho Ball Diff, and hard carbon fiber H-Plate (some people call it a T-Plate). Unfortunately I had problems with the rear on my car breaking loose in the corners and making it very hard to drive. I finally fixed it by replacing my totally worn out Atomic AW Pattern 10 degree tires with some new GPM 8 degree radial tires and going back to the soft stock H-Plate. The bad thing is I didn't figure this out until after the official HFAY OLPS races
. More on this later.We had a great turnout and had 9 people racing. Dustin's scores wouldn't officially count for the HFAY OLPS because he was borrowing a Mini-Z without a qualifying motor but he could still race with everyone.
After qualifying we had the lineups set for the 3 races. Drac, Josh and Dustin in the C Main. Will, Brad and I in the B Main. And Chuck, David and Vaughn in the A Mains.
Drac won the C Main and posted a decent 75 laps over 8 minutes. Josh was able to get 66 laps in.
Like I said earlier I was having major issues with my car but still was able to battle through in the B Main. It was a great race and I was unable to catch Brad and lost in the B Mains for the first time by less than half a second. Brad won with 81 laps in 8:01.61, I had 81 laps in 8:02.03 and Will was just behind me with 80 laps in 8:00.89.
A Main was a good race as usual for the first 4 minutes until a collision caused Vaughns Enzo to almost explode. Both his body and his batteries came out
. It took a whole minute for him to collect everythinig and put it back together and get back on the track. In the meantime Chuck had his new McLaren dialed in as usual and ended up winning with 94 laps (in fact this ended up being the #1 score of everyone in the HFAY OLPS). David did great in his new McLaren (having run it for the first time that night) posting 86 laps. You can click here to see how our HFAY OLPS scores stacked up to everyone else in the world participating in the HFAY OLPS.
After the Mains for the HFAY OLPS, we had some more fun. Some guys brought their F1s and where trying it out on the RCP Track. I put my Speed Racer Body on the Super Epoch to see how that would work.
Then we also did some HFAY Time Trials for Track #2. This was when I finally got my car's setup corrected as mentioned earlier. With everything finally the way I liked it, I was able to post a decent time of 4:26.39 for the HFAY Time Trial #2. Vaughn also posted a good time at 4:28.52. Then Chuck was able to post a great time of 4:08.46.
Needless to say, it was another great night of Mini-Z racing.
