Here's the link to the Official TCS 2004 Rules. Here's the link to Hobby Works Racing Schedule.
The race site for the Tamiya Championship Series in Laurel, Md. has been host to this fine race since 1995. The racing surface is a smooth medium grip parking lot. I have been racing at this track since 1995, and I will try and share a bit of set up advice for your TCS race machines.
I have tried some off the wall setups on my cars, but always come back to some very basic theories on how to get your car hooked up.
Sedan:
I have had and raced every chassis, from the old TA01 to the hot 414 M2 Pro. The cars these days are awesome, they respond well to minor tuning input. A basic rule I follow is to find the right tire first, and my choice for sedans in the GT-1 and GT-2 class are the Med. Narrow A slicks (TAM53433). The springs are sometimes more of a personal choice, affected by your driving style. I start with the hard tuned spring kit (TAM53440 ). I use the yellow springs all the way around, and then tune from there. If the car steers too hard go to harder springs up front, OR soften the rear springs. I don't use the sway bars on these cars, I like to get the car "into" the track. Once you have enough grip, then swaybars become an option. I use bodies with big ole' wings on the back, the Altezza racing body, the Skyline..etc. If anything I would rather a car have too much rear traction, than be spinning in circles with not enough rear traction.
Mini:
Ahh, my favorite class! I would prefer my trusty MO3 to race with a bunch of friends vs. any other type of racing. These cars are definitely a blast to drive. The first thing again is tires. Depending on your driving style you can go to S-grips (TAM53254), to A-slicks (TAM53340). I have used both, and both work with different spring set ups. A must is the Short Tuned Spring Kit (TAM5333). I use the Blue (stiff) in the front, and Red (soft) in the rear. I run the Cooper Body. I have tried the MO4L car, and found it did not steer how I liked - but I have also been beaten by them - so the choice is yours. A popular car now is the MO3L The "New Mini" it has a longer wheelbase which makes it a bit more forgiving to drive.
Formula 1/F201:
These cars are fast! I am an old school F103 guy. The report from the track is the same: Tires and Springs! The tires to get are the Type A front and rear tires (TAM53564 and TAM53565). The springs are also important, softer in the rear, firmer in the front. (TAM53515) is the spring set. Excessive heat has been an issue in these cars. One trick to try is drill vent holes in the motor pod area on the chassis, and use heat reflecting tape from Sears, to help prevent chassis cracks.
Spec Class:
Easy enough - Simply follow all the rules of spec class and drive the car! The out of the box set ups on these cars work just fine.
Hope this helps. You can test your setups out this weekend at the TCS Warmup, this Sunday 18th. As always, any questions you may have please contact Hobby Works www.Hobbyworks.com post your questions in the Forum and I'll answer them.
See you at the track,
Casey
