Olly?s 1:12 Blog - Part 8
In the last instalment of Olly?s 1:12 blog he looks back on the season and reflects on his performance.
The BRCA national season came to a climax at Chesterfield, for me this was the first time I had competed a full season in 1;12. I had dabbled before but found the class to be very different to the touring cars I am used to. Apart from my fellow TC drivers that race these fast pan cars the old school 1:12 drivers are a breed apart from other RC racers.
The venues and the organisation of the 1:12 nationals is top notch. A big thanks you and well done to the people who put in a lot of hours to make the series happen. This year?s Euro Championship at Hinckley was a superb event that pushed the resources of the organising team to the limit. They rose to the occasion and put on a great event and something that gives us a great deal of credibility in the eyes of the European racing community.
My car was top notch all year long. It might have taken me a while to get the best out of it but once I understood the car I felt the R5 was the best thing out there, and the results showed that, particularly in modified LiPo specification.
I had a lot of help on and off the track from the Doris team. Keith Robertson, Gary Dyson are great for bouncing ideas off and the girls kept me fed and watered. Thanks also to Mark Burgess for the pre race prep and the magic dust.
Results wise I can?t complain. I won nationals and enjoyed some great races, I also led both championships going into Chesterfield and had a good run at the Euros. So what went wrong at Chesterfield? Well, in a nut shell, everything! I had loads of problems on Saturday which left me with a slow car mostly because I just did not get the set up of the speedo and motor combination right. I never practice for any of the nationals as I mainly run a touring car. I find it hard to fit in the time with 12th scale and in reflection I should have found more track time, if nothing else just to check I was running the right settings and gearing.
Modified was a lot better and I still feel gutted I lost the title in the last race. I was plagued by interference on the Sunday at Chesterfield. When driving a fast 1:12 car on the limit the last thing you want is glitching, it undermines your confidence in the car and forces you to drive in a different style. Whatever the reason I lost out to Chris Kerswell, we tied on points and I lost it on count back. Fair play to Chris who surprised a few by driving better than anyone expected this season. I will say that as I am sure most people are thinking it, Crisis Management will be the headline to summarise his season I think.
We are all in this sport to win and I hate loosing as much as anyone. I work very hard on my mental approach to the sport and also work on things people don?t see like my fitness and diet, as I have felt that these areas has cost me some good results in the past or contributed to some mistakes. I research into the motor racing greats; I read and watch everything I can to see if I can gleam something for the Senna?s and Schumacher?s of this world. You can only have one winner and second place is not good enough for me. I can reflect now and say given my experience I did well, but I didn?t win and you won?t find runners up trophy in my cabinet.
I believe that 1:12 has helped me develop as a driver. I am obviously looking forward to getting back to some serious touring car racing, but I feel that my winters racing has taught me a few things, so from that aspect the season is a real success. I always like to think I can learn something from every race I do.
Earlier I mentioned the people who race 1:12 and expect most of them read this blog and are expecting some criticism. Hang on to your law suits, nothing slanderous here! Most race 1:12 and nothing else, and most have been doing it a long time so understandably they are not keen on change. For me the 1:12 national could do with some better promotion, its one of the best kept RC secrets at the moment. It?s a class where people go when they have raced something else! I don?t think any new driver goes into a model shop and starts off with 1:12 car, the class reflects that but it also needs to find a way of attracting new blood and bring new drivers in.
There is a big gap in ability to a certain degree, some of the old school struggle with the modified pace, some struggle with pro stock pace, (only joking, hold on to your Zimmer frames). It?s for the committee to resolve the performance issue and I am sure they will, but in doing that I ask that they please look at the big picture. Entries are always full at 1:12 nationals but will that be the case in a few years if the series does not move with the times, I don?t know the answer to that and at the end of the day it?s down to the powers that be, I am sure they are aware of the situation.
So that?s me and 1:12 done for this season. My R5 will be gathering dust until the worlds. Mental note to self, make sure I find time to do some running before going to Germany. The touring car worlds will still be my priority but I want to work with the Americans that will come over for the event. I got a lot out of working with Juho at the Euros and I sure the yanks can teach me a few things.
Nearly forgot to say a big well done to Mick Farrell for winning the sportsman class in this year?s series.
Hope you enjoyed the blog, sorry if it was not the technical box of secrets you were looking for. I have found 12th scale very fun this winter and now have a better understanding if it. I find the car and driver have to work together more so than in any other class so it pays you back with the effort you put into the car and set up. I have found that writing everything down makes a big difference as when you are racing you are always learning so it's hard to take it all in trackside.
If I am at a race and you need any help with 12th scale I would be happy to help, I do not have every speed trick that some others might have but will be happy to tell you everything that I know ;-)
Olly Jefferies
My car was top notch all year long. It might have taken me a while to get the best out of it but once I understood the car I felt the R5 was the best thing out there, and the results showed that, particularly in modified LiPo specification.
I had a lot of help on and off the track from the Doris team. Keith Robertson, Gary Dyson are great for bouncing ideas off and the girls kept me fed and watered. Thanks also to Mark Burgess for the pre race prep and the magic dust.
Results wise I can?t complain. I won nationals and enjoyed some great races, I also led both championships going into Chesterfield and had a good run at the Euros. So what went wrong at Chesterfield? Well, in a nut shell, everything! I had loads of problems on Saturday which left me with a slow car mostly because I just did not get the set up of the speedo and motor combination right. I never practice for any of the nationals as I mainly run a touring car. I find it hard to fit in the time with 12th scale and in reflection I should have found more track time, if nothing else just to check I was running the right settings and gearing.
Modified was a lot better and I still feel gutted I lost the title in the last race. I was plagued by interference on the Sunday at Chesterfield. When driving a fast 1:12 car on the limit the last thing you want is glitching, it undermines your confidence in the car and forces you to drive in a different style. Whatever the reason I lost out to Chris Kerswell, we tied on points and I lost it on count back. Fair play to Chris who surprised a few by driving better than anyone expected this season. I will say that as I am sure most people are thinking it, Crisis Management will be the headline to summarise his season I think.
We are all in this sport to win and I hate loosing as much as anyone. I work very hard on my mental approach to the sport and also work on things people don?t see like my fitness and diet, as I have felt that these areas has cost me some good results in the past or contributed to some mistakes. I research into the motor racing greats; I read and watch everything I can to see if I can gleam something for the Senna?s and Schumacher?s of this world. You can only have one winner and second place is not good enough for me. I can reflect now and say given my experience I did well, but I didn?t win and you won?t find runners up trophy in my cabinet.
I believe that 1:12 has helped me develop as a driver. I am obviously looking forward to getting back to some serious touring car racing, but I feel that my winters racing has taught me a few things, so from that aspect the season is a real success. I always like to think I can learn something from every race I do.
Earlier I mentioned the people who race 1:12 and expect most of them read this blog and are expecting some criticism. Hang on to your law suits, nothing slanderous here! Most race 1:12 and nothing else, and most have been doing it a long time so understandably they are not keen on change. For me the 1:12 national could do with some better promotion, its one of the best kept RC secrets at the moment. It?s a class where people go when they have raced something else! I don?t think any new driver goes into a model shop and starts off with 1:12 car, the class reflects that but it also needs to find a way of attracting new blood and bring new drivers in.
There is a big gap in ability to a certain degree, some of the old school struggle with the modified pace, some struggle with pro stock pace, (only joking, hold on to your Zimmer frames). It?s for the committee to resolve the performance issue and I am sure they will, but in doing that I ask that they please look at the big picture. Entries are always full at 1:12 nationals but will that be the case in a few years if the series does not move with the times, I don?t know the answer to that and at the end of the day it?s down to the powers that be, I am sure they are aware of the situation.
So that?s me and 1:12 done for this season. My R5 will be gathering dust until the worlds. Mental note to self, make sure I find time to do some running before going to Germany. The touring car worlds will still be my priority but I want to work with the Americans that will come over for the event. I got a lot out of working with Juho at the Euros and I sure the yanks can teach me a few things.
Nearly forgot to say a big well done to Mick Farrell for winning the sportsman class in this year?s series.
Hope you enjoyed the blog, sorry if it was not the technical box of secrets you were looking for. I have found 12th scale very fun this winter and now have a better understanding if it. I find the car and driver have to work together more so than in any other class so it pays you back with the effort you put into the car and set up. I have found that writing everything down makes a big difference as when you are racing you are always learning so it's hard to take it all in trackside.
If I am at a race and you need any help with 12th scale I would be happy to help, I do not have every speed trick that some others might have but will be happy to tell you everything that I know ;-)
Olly Jefferies
