A Main Hobbies answers all of the questions regarding the upcoming IFMAR World Championships

 

The IFMAR Offroad 1:10 World Championships is making its way back to America for 2013. The host facility is none other than the famous A Main Hobbies Silver Dollar Raceway. The world class facility features arguably one of the most elaborate drivers stands in country, not to mention an enormous racing surface. The "Pre-Worlds" event was recently held at Silver Dollar where racers were first greeted with a very loamy and loose racing surface. After much debate, the Silver Dollar Crew decided to sugar the track surface making for extremely high traction conditions. 

 

Since that time, rumors and questions regarding the event have been swarming the forums, social media sites, and throughout the industry.

 

We were able to sit down and chat with A Main Hobbies PR Coordinator, Jason Sams, regarding the upcoming event to settle the rumors and answer the questions everyone has been anxious to ask.
  

  

LiveRC: Thank you for taking a few minutes with us today Jason! The upcoming IFMAR 1:10 Offroad World Championships are just around the corner, and there seems to be a lot of questions and rumors floating around about the event and the Silver Dollar R/C track. The biggest question for the race is the track surface. Will the A Main Hobbies crew be sugar coating the track before the event?

Jason: Yes, Silver Dollar R/C Raceway will be sugar-coated for the IFMAR World Championships. We want the track to be as consistent as possible, and we also want the drivers to compete on a surface that closely resembles the surface they raced on at the Pre-Worlds. It was important for the top drivers to learn the surface at the Pre-Worlds and we wouldn’t want them to be chasing set-up or learning a new surface all over again.

LiveRC: What are the plans to maintain the track and traction throughout the event?

Jason: A Main Hobbies is willing and able to do whatever it takes to ensure that the surface is consistent throughout the race. I imagine we’ll mix sifted dirt and sugar water to create a “slurry fill” that will be used to repair any sections that break apart. We did this during the Pre-Worlds with great success and learned a lot from patching sections during that race. We also feel that water packing the surface significantly prior to the race will provide a better base that is less likely to break apart and need as much repair. We’ll add sugar as needed to the surface, but don’t plan to over do it. We used about 600-pounds of sugar for the Pre-Worlds and we’ll prep the track similarly.
 
 
LiveRC: At the Pre-Worlds we saw the 1:8 buggy track shortened up considerably, however, it still provided a very fast track for the 1:10 racers. Will the actual Worlds track be similar with such an open and fast layout?

Jason: For the IFMAR World Championships we plan to have a similar sized track, but will likely eliminate the back lane, which is furthest from the drivers’ stand. The depth perception with the smaller 1/10-scale cars can be a little difficult with that furthest lane included in the layout. I imagine the layout will be fast and flowing, similar to the Pre-Worlds track, but also include many new features and technical sections. The racing world will just have to wait and see, lol.

LiveRC: Rumors of who will be building the actual Worlds track have been in question lately. Who will be the designer and/or builder?

Jason: Kevin Jelich will be designing and building the track. Many of the racers in California are very familiar with his challenging layouts. He is also very knowledgeable about track prep, and will ensure that the surface is consistent and fast. We decided to use Jelich because he has built numerous 1/10-scale layouts and lives reasonably close. He also came out and gave us a hand at the Pre-Worlds, so he’ll be an asset when the IFMAR Worlds come to town.
  
  
   
LiveRC: In past years at various Worlds events, we have seen tracks incorporate racing surfaces and characteristics from around the world. For example, astroturf jump sections, concrete corners, etc. Are there any plans to incorporate any of these into the track design?

Jason: I don’t believe we’ll be adding any additional surfaces or man-made obstacles to the track. We’ve discussed the size and flow of the track, but adding other characteristics to the track have not been brought up in our discussions. A Main Hobbies wants the track to somewhat resemble the tracks found here in the United States, but also have a little flare that can only be found at Silver Dollar R/C Raceway.

LiveRC: There has been some talking about pitting at the event. What are the plans to accommodate the teams and the various manufacturers?

Jason: We have 48 permanent, covered pit spaces that the racers can use and a huge paved area where we plan to place team branded EZ-ups. There is also discussion of bringing in air-conditioned rooms for the teams that request them. These rooms will likely be placed along the fence line just behind the current pitting locations. We will work hard to give the teams ample pit space and ensure that they are comfortable.
 
 
LiveRC: Who will be running the overall race program for the week?

Jason: Our Facilities Manager, Ruben Benitez, will be running the race program for the Worlds. Ruben has been running our races for a few years now and will be in charge. Our CEO Kendall Bennett will also be overseeing the race to ensure that everything goes smoothly.

LiveRC: We are very anxious and excited for the upcoming race, and look forward to seeing the Silver Dollar R/C Raceway facility! Is there anything you would like to add?

Jason: I think it’s important that the racers and RC industry know that A Main Hobbies is very dedicated to R/C racing. A Main Hobbies has continued to grow because we put our customers first. Come late September, the entire R/C racing community will be our customers and we’ll do our very best to roll out the red carpet. We have some exciting things planned, and we hope to put on a race that makes everyone involved proud.  

  

Courtesy of AMainHobbies.com

 

(For more race footage from the Silver Dollar Raceway Pre-Worlds visit A Main Hobbies on YouTube HERE.) 

  

 

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