Desert/Baja Style Racing

[MAC FAB]

Does this intersest any of you U4 guys? There are a group of people working at putting desert/baja style races now, and are trying to determine specific classes, etc. This will be happening in So Cal to start. Anyone interested or have input?

[MAC FAB]

Ok, a little more info to hopefull clarify this for the peanut gallery. There is a Trophy Truck/Class 1 buggy desert/baja styled race coming up in a couple months that has the interest of some good sponsors. U4 guys have the Hammer class as I recall, 4400 and 4500 rigs. Just another format to race, and it is happening in So Cal by the way.

[Del Monte]

Sounds like fun. Would you be running on a track, or open desert?

[MAC FAB]

Open desert, be it Barstow area or Plaster City and the surrounding spots. Plan A is you are riding in a sxs as passenger driving your rc rig so you can cover some area. Option B is a type of track, but it covers a decent amount of ground, over 1/2 mi. of terrain or more. That can be easily accomplished in 1/2 acre, and driver visibility/vantage point would be sufficient for the most part.

[Del Monte]

Sounds like fun. I've always had a blast running long distance stuff.

[BUZZURK]

Big Thumbs up !
I would like to see this happen .
Even in a open class , run what you brung ???

[MAC FAB]

Originally Posted by BUZZURK

Big Thumbs up !
I would like to see this happen .
Even in a open class , run what you brung ???

Perhaps within reason. As for now only vehicles you'd see racing. Trying to keep it real, so hitting speeds of 40 mph probably won't happen. As this was being planned I asked the same question- I build class 1 buggies. I stated I was going to build one that is basically 1/8 scale (Yeti footprint) that could run on 4 or 6s so I could hit 50+ mph. Others cried foul so it will be reasonable for all to probably stick to a conservative format. This will be a test of how well your vehicle works and driving skills. Endurance. Just like the real deal. Baja 500 is this w/e. Similar stuff, just reduced in size. U4 rigs may actually do well with the rest of the field.

[OurJK]

You So Cal guys have all the fun!!!

[mojave450rider]

Desert race...i'm in

[gottorque]

I'm down.

[rockalot]

Good idea, I like it!
I like the idea of a long course and putting in a lot of scale miles.
Sticking to a desert style course would be key to reality but others would probably like more jumps. I've raced a few Baja 1k and V2R's and most of the terrain is wide open with just a few rough spots here and there.

No so sure about the sxs idea though. Not everyone has one and it could lead to sxs accidents and battles... a side race lol

[axelsnapr]

I ran a couple of endurance events called KOTC dating back to 2009 that got featured in XRC magazine back in the day. They were similar race platforms, except without the neat rigs available now. I think DelMonte may actually be the last King we crowned.

The single or small drivers' vantage point open desert races are mega fun. You really don't need the man made jumps and all to have a blast. Mother nature dishes out enough obstacles as it is.


We brought U4RC to the track from the desert, just to help it reach the masses, but my heart is fond of the endurance events.

[MAC FAB]

That's cool. Trying to work out a decent FPV so everyone has to drive like the real deal. Run what you brung power wise would be fine, no co dawgs and gps to make your life easier! And you could run it in about an acre of land. Pick your favorite Baja , BITD or KOH event. And yes, endurance styled.

[lzysmrf]

Is there an approximate date, so I know how fast I'm going to be dumping money into a new rig.

[CM9000]

the Baja rey would be perfect for this...

[MAC FAB]

Originally Posted by lzysmrf

Is there an approximate date, so I know how fast I'm going to be dumping money into a new rig.

I know of a guy that bought the fpv stuff I want to try out, need to see how that works. There is a large group of scratch trophy truck builders trying to get together for this very concept we're talking about here. Baja Rey has been considered along with Axial's Score truck. Losi was on board a few months back, as was a video production team. We just couldn't mesh it. On track again, from what I've been told by the truck builders, scratchers work better. U4 has got to be the same, trophy 2.2 goes better than plastic, right??? Anyhow, I'll do what I can to keep those interested in the loop. Shooting for Menifee for the get together location, caution tape in the am to keep the dirt bikes out. Terrain for everyone to enjoy.

[ferp420]

I've been wanting to do the same thing a wide open desert race following the rc in a full sized rig ive done some test runs with my yeti xl and my wraith its hard to drive 2 rigs at the same time though the natural terrain keeps the speeds down its doable I'm out in Johnson valley right now i was thinking run from soggy lake to means lake that would give a lot of open lake bed and a lot of trails and a few decent hill to go over some of the hammers rock trails would be fun I'm talking like 20-50 Miles of open desert and trails it should take a good part of the day I'm thinking the chase rigs run on the road and then rc must stick to the open desert unless like on the lake bed were its open and rigs can hit 40 - 50 mph the tecknical rock sections can be by passed by the chase rig I'm thinking 2 classes big tire little tire like a 2.2 and down and a 2.6 and up classes me and my friends i rc with all have yeti xl so that's why we want to run the yetis but the wraith is fun to I think it would be awesome a real scale king of the hammers style rc race through the same terain

[MAC FAB]

The beauty of FPV is you can run what you brung. Like sized vehicles run amongst themselves, regardless of power if that fits 1:1 class descritpions. (Xl vs XL, 2.2 vs 2.2 etc) If you can zip 300 mph across the lakebed and keep it rubber side down, more power to you. Odds are that isn't going to be the case. Rubber up equates to a hefty time penalty to offset the excessive speed. Maybe make a top speed of 25 mph for everyone. Who knows. Simply mark the course with arrows, which I've already made, and you could have epic races in a 2 acre parcel of land. Hills, sand, ruts, baby head rocks, silt......and whoops. And more whoops. No GPS to mark the course like the full sized stuff so all memory is involved, that should keep speeds down somewhat as well. Evens the field for "factory drivers" compared to the privateer/weekend warrior. KOH or Baja style. I'm betting there'd be a ton of TT's and U4 varieties showing up if it happens.

The guy that got the FPV stuff is waiting for a new charging cable, it was bad. Low budget stuff to test the theory. That said, I'm supposed to run with some scratch built trophy trucks at some point next month. That should be interesting to compare apples to oranges. Those who are interested, stay tuned.

[ferp420]

I've run my yeti xl at speeds over 50 mph in the desert and in grass fields I've also had some epic crashes at that speed one time it hit me in the chest knocked me down and bruised me up a bit and snaped the axle housing I've since learned to control the beast but my point is there is no way a acre or 2 is enuff for a desert race I have 2.5 acres in Johnson valley and it takes just seconds to run the yard even with my 1/10 short course truck my gf has 5 acres of grass fields on a slope and the yeti makes it feel small at speed in my .opinion a desert race should be free from speed and space restrictions and should cover some ground it takes serious skills to keep a rc rubber side down at high speeds and skills for the 1:1 driver also to navigate the desert terrain safely it definitly takes practice not something your just gonna go out and do my test runs were at about 10-15 mph but thats driving both the 1:1 and the rc at the same time in open desert the lake beds are alot smoother and full speeds can be reached for long periods of time toss in some rocks and some sand dunes make for one hell of a challang the fpv I think would be realy cool but from my limited testing with it I can't get past a crawl the frame rates were to slow and the picture isent braud enuff to get a idea of what's around you its hard to see the line when crawling and the video is blurry at speed I think it would be great for the spectators though also a good camera would help some to

[MAC FAB]

2 acres minimum for fpv. More is better, just need to keep in range. You won't be going 50 mph for long!!! Fpv thru goggles or on a monitor, letting you have a co dawg to nav. I have an idea for gps and course mapping, its just expensive. You're spot on for the course, that terrain is all over Plaster City/Superstition mtn/Salton Sea area. The guy testing the fpv setup is pleased with the results so far, using a GoJoe for the camera. Says he should be able to drive and record video at the same time. Do a desert race and a KOH style event. Its about 85% figured out. Just a matter of peeps wanting to be on board and do this once its good to go. Its about $200 for the complete fpv setup.