Hello,
I am writing this as JQ the RC Driver, JQ the Pro RC Driver, and JQ the RC company owner. The more I think about this, whatever position I think of myself to be in, the end result is the same. Something is wrong right now, and we have to fix it. We, as in the people actually racing at these events can do so, if we just voice our opinions together!
So what is the problem, it is pretty simple. I wanted to book my flights for the 1:8th Offroad Worlds, but I realised that I do not actually know which days the event is going to be! I have heard that the worlds will be extended, running for 11 days instead of 7, I have also heard it is just a proposal, I have heard that it will be just one week because “everyone complained”. But the point is, I have not heard anything official, and I would really like to book my flights and hotel!
THE Problem
It had been decided that there would not be any Worlds Warm up, or extended practice sessions at the Worlds venue in an effort to save costs. This sounded great, until Ifmar announced that the race would be extended by 4 days, for more practice. How this is supposed to save costs I do not know. 4 days more hotel, rental car, tyres, fuel, and most importantly, 2 weeks off work, instead of one. This is a HUGE mistake in my opinion. The reasons are:
– Additional practice, for what? No one I have spoken with wants more practice. We already have enough (too much).
– Additional practice, for what? No one I have spoken with wants more practice. We already have enough (too much).
– It is hard enough for many people to get 1 week off work, now they have to get 2 weeks off? In addition the added cost, it is not good for the average racer. I have heard drivers say they won’t go because they would have to miss the practice, and feel like they will be at a disadvantage. Is this the idea of a WC?
– Added costs for the manufacturers will be substantial, fuel, tyres, parts, and all on a track that wears out tyres in 1 run? How will a person paying for his own stuff afford to go?
Why would 4 extra days be GOOD?
I tried really hard to think of reasons, these are the only two reasons I could come up with:
– Someone wanted a longer all expenses paid holiday.
– Someone wanted a longer all expenses paid holiday.
– Someone has struck a deal with local hotels. Count for yourself how much money 4 extra days brings the hotels…..(Disclamer: This is based totally on speculation, as I said, I tried really hard to think of reasons :-))
So, people, if you agree with me that you don’t want to spend the extra money, you don’t want to take the extra time off (or on), and you don’t want to spend 11 days at ONE EVENT, please let’s stop this from happening!
I love the Worlds, it is the best race, but after Argentina, now this? We can do better….
And let’s leave these other problems for another time shall we?
– “No worlds drivers will be driving on the track before the worlds” Oh really? So no Italians are going? I seem to recall that the Italian nationals were recently held on the same track.
– The track layout/surface needs to be renewed by at least 60% – The organiser themselves told me nothing would be changed.
– The surface needs to be at least 50% natural soil. – It is apparently 100% concrete and carpet.
#facepalm
THE Future
Let’s try to remember why we race RC Cars, it is supposed to be fun! Let’s make these events affordable and enjoyable for everyone. Let’s visit locations with a large local RC scene, easy access for everyone, and great facilities. Let’s promote the event locally, and involve local media. Let’s shorten up the program, and cut costs. Why don’t we do this so that the RC scene can grow! Racing at remote locations, for almost two weeks, is not a step forward. The manufacturers, or the sport in general gains nothing.
THEQuagraine 
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JQ is 100% right to pen such a letter. I was discussing this same issue with my father last week at Neo and we both decided that only the manufactures can make our national and international bodies see sense with so little time left to make any rearrangements. I ask all manufactures to make their voices heard like JQ.
To those other manufactures, please remember that the Argentina 2012 worlds was a failure. It was a failure for IFMAR, FAMAR and the manufactures within RC. It was however a success for the winner and the main finalists and somehow those success now seem to be the lasting memories over the failures. 18 months later and we are all set for the same mistakes.
During the 2012 worlds there were several things that occurred in the back ground. In the main these were:-
· The event was being run to make money.
· Not enough infrastructure (ie people) was in place to run the event.
· The representatives of IFMAR were more concerned about having IFMAR meetings within an air conditioned room, than ensuring the event was being run correctly and to a satisfactory health and safety standard.
· It unfortunately took for someone to get hurt for things to change.
· A number of manufactures representatives found the whole situation unacceptable which started talks of not attending future sub standard events. (Unfortunately since the event these pressing issues have faded away).
It was a real shame that Dallas Mathiesen (president of IFMAR) was unable to attend the 2012 worlds (due to illness, and we are all very glad to see him well again), as without him there was no firm presence from IFMAR to ensure all was run correctly. Having said that, as in 2008, if the event organiser takes the stance of ‘this is how its going to be’, firm IFMAR presence would have made no difference.
The thing is, and something most forget is that IFMAR don’t run the worlds. IFMAR are an organisation that consists of EFRA, ROAR, FAMAR and FEMCA. Each one of these block governing bodies are invited to run the IFMAR world championships for said classes to a set of IFMAR rules. FEMCA chose the Pattaya club to run the worlds in 2010 using whatever selection methods they decide on, and the Pattaya club put on a fantastic event. They understood the rules, conformed to the rules, provided sufficient information for all and succeeded in hosting a great event. The club held a warm up and other international events, and i’m sure that each time they held an event, they learnt of mistakes and improved. This highlights the main reason for a world warm up race. Its not for the racers to test, its main purpose is for the organisers to show how they run an IFMAR event and for the host body (EFRA, ROAR, FAMAR & FEMCA) to monitor and correct any failings should they occur.
In 2008 ROAR failed to manage the host club. In 2012 FAMAR failed to manage the host club. In 2014 EFRA are failing to manage the host club. Now that last statement maybe unfair on EFRA as the event has not happened yet, but as JQ mentioned they have are failing on;
Currently the club is proposing a race format that does not conform to the IFMAR 1/8th off road rules.
Currently the club’s track does not conform to the IFMAR 1/8th off road rules. (Following 2004, changes were made to the rules).
Approved information on the event is currently not available on the EFRA web site. A web site that is well known for being EFRA’s information portal.
Now it maybe that behind the scenes, EFRA and IFMAR have approved the calendar as proposed by the club. We could assume this as the current IFMAR and EFRA calendars detail the start and finish dates of the event. But with no IFMAR or EFRA statement, we the RC racing public and members, don’t know this for a fact.
And it could also be that the host club has full intentions of a 100% rebuild for the track and that its current situation is not relevant. Unfortunately that does not seem to be the case as at the recent Neo race, not only did better informed Italians state that the club director has no intention to change the track and that the track is hated by most, if not all Italians. They themselves are questioning why it is being held at this club.
It also seems odd that EFRA have a tried and tested qualifying system for hosting a European championship, but for EFRA’s worlds, this system is discarded. I personally can not name or recall an international event hosted by the club at that location. I hear it’s that same team that has run a 8th track worlds elsewhere in Sicily. To me this situation smells of agreements and trust, not of fact.
EFRA should be hosting their first worlds in 10 years on a past European championship track in order to give their own members the best chance of taking the title (just as FAMAR did in 2010, ROAR did in 2008 and as EFRA did in 2004).
I do and did when the track was selected, totally approve of the idea to host the worlds at a neutral track that no one has raced on. With 5 months to go and the track status still a lumpy on road track and I can not believe that the track is to be dug up and re built any time soon….. Hope I’m wrong!!!
Regards
Jon Dell
Totally agree with you JQ…
I realise im just a avarage driver at a local club but seems like its always a select few that seem to stuff it up for the rest…
7 days seems plenty of time for a sport like ours… even the swimming or athletics at the Olympics dont go for that long…
Come down under to southern districts model car club…. we will do it in 7 days…..
I could not agree more with what is being said here!
The solution is simple looking at it as an outsider. Ship in DXR to build the track. Although it would be nice we all know it takes time to perfect the drainage and surface to race on for a ONE day meeting let alone a 7 day plus meeting.
It does sound like that option would be better though , than the track that exists currently. It IS however what happens in MotoX and perhaps RC needs to learn lessons if its to grow when the world recession is over.
The difference between a GOOD RC driver and a GREAT RC driver is they are on the pace very quickly. They dont need all that practice as it just costs money no company has to spare recently.
The way things are going are that NEO will end up becoming the unofficial worlds………oh sorry it already is and the “Cream” still rose to the top.
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