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| Jan 30th & 31st 2010 saw the inaugural running on the BRCA ‘Winter Open’, a meeting that replaces the old Indoor Finals. In spring 2009 that event was cancelled at the eleventh hour due to lack of entries, so for 2010 the BRCA decided to run a meeting in the dark depths of winter and to use a ‘Reedy’ format that has worked so well at the recent ‘Players’ meetings. A healthy turnout both days suggests that this was s good move. |
| Sunday’s 4wd action kicked off with a strong showing from Team Xtreme, with Ellis Stafford and Kevin Lee battling for honours in the F1’s elite class. Representation through all the ability classes was present, from the F1 stars to junior team members Greg Williams and Ashton Armstrong and Lewis Dickinson representing the seniors! |
| Above – Kevin Lee’s car with the latest parts and modifications.Most of the team have been heavily trimming the standard bumper, the new moulded part is based on that. The idea is to stop the front of the car digging in on a nose down landing but still provide some protection for the front end and support the front wing.The modified position for the upper rear wishbone is to provide a longer link. That modification is being used in conjunction with the changes seen below that shorten the lower wishbone. |
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| Shorter arms, wider hinge brace… |
….and the same at the front. |
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| The car is seen ablove running an adjustable link between the steering cranks. As the link is made longer the front crack arm’s move closer together, lenthening the steering control links. This modification gives more steering lock. |
| Current BRCA National and ex-European champion Ellis Stafford continues to be a part of the team for the winter, lending his skill and valuable experience. A driver with Ellis’ proven race speed helps push the limits of what can be done with the X11 platform, and posting the fastest lap of the event clearly demosnsted the speed of the car. |
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| Ellis’ car is on a set-up exactly the same as Kev’s. |
Interesting install, ESC on it’s side. |
| The event was run to the exciting ‘Reedy’ race format. The drivers are organised into ability groups based on their BRCA drivers grading, then compete in a series of head to head races within their group. The format provides race-after-race of track action with the drivers battling for track position for the full duration of the event, rather than spending most of the day racing against the clock for a finals position.As the indoor winter national meeting is quite a social event with many drivers racing each other for the first time since the previous summer the fun ‘Reedy’ format is good. There are, however, no plans to change the way the main BRCA summer nationals are run, so here’s looking forward to the first of those in a little over eight weeks time…….. |
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