The year ahead….

After a year off as Covid19 restricted racing across the island, the 2022 1/10th Electric Offroad Nationals are back with a bang and aiming to be better than ever. The series has proven to be very competitive over the last few years, under Denzell McBurney’s stewardship, with all the participating clubs represented by their respective drivers at the front of the field and very close racing in all classes.

There are some changes to the format this year which aim to make the series more consistent and level for all.

• All 1/10th Electric Offroad Nationals will be held on Saturdays in 2022.
• Each venue will be visited only once with your best 2 round scores from 3 to count.
• The events are spread approximately one month apart over the summer months.
• There will be prize raffle at each event and, if popular at round 1, we will step up the value of the prizes for round 2 – and again for Round 3 if we see the same thing. Any profit will be recycled back into the championship.
• There will be some new awards at the end of the year – a “Top Junior” (<16yrs) award, a “Most Improved Driver Award” (clubman only) and a “Top Gun” prize (modified only) for the driver with the most fastest laps in each qualifying round and final over the year.

---

What’s happening with the tracks?….

There is news from all of the clubs since the series last visited – here are the highlights.

• The DMCC has replaced its artificial grass surface with EOS spec carpet. Reports are that the new carpet is far more consistent and easy to drive than the astro. There is also new timber jumps installed.
• At Navan Nitro Nuts, the club now has indoor pitting for an additional 20 drivers with 230v power at each table. The track is also being resurfaced through April which will lead to a more consistent & smooth track lanes.
• And at BADMCC the 1/10th track has had additional paving and astro sections added so that the dirt sections are negligibly short. The tricky dirt double in the middle of the track which caused so many problems for so many drivers is now surfaced with artificial grass and presents no further issue. We are also hoping that a plan to offer all drivers 230v power in the pits will come to fruition – news later in the year.

---

So here is the calendar for 2022….

Round 1 – Dublin Model Car Club, Naul, Co. Dublin – Saturday 18th June 2022

Round 2 – Navan Nitro Nuts, Navan, Co. Meath – Saturday 16th July 2022

Round 3 – Banbridge and District Model Car Club, Aghalee, Co. Antrim – Saturday 13th August 2022

You can check out the details of each event in the official calendar on the 2022 Events page.

---

Why do we run nationals?….

The series has a couple of functions. When considering all of the the competitors, it is an all-island series which brings together people with a similar interest from various clubs and locations to race and socially interact. This brings club members and organisers closer together which is a benefit for everyone. The south and the west are not well represented at the moment, but it is hoped that our friends in Cork will join the series for 2023 after a track redevelopement. There is another function which is just focused on only the 2wd Modified and 4wd Modified classes; the series final classification allows for an order of preference to be established when the RCCAOI offers places to represent Ireland at European and World Championships. Apart from all that they are just a great days out, racing in places you wouldn’t normally go.

---

So why should I consider competing?….

The 1/10th Electric Nationals are friendly, fairly regulated and quality events which aim to take competitors to the next level beyond home club racing. The three tracks are very different and each offer a very different challenge where competitors can develop new skills and hopefully take the first steps to being able to compete at a competent level on the international stage, following in the footsteps of many RCCAOI Champions over the last 30+ years. Across Europe there are major events held at tracks very similar to all three in the championship, so when considering International racing there is no track more or less suitable for 1/0th offroad than any other in the series.

If you are thinking about entering for the first time – thoughts of the series can be daunting. Control tyres, changes to your car setup, early starts, new tracks and new people, can all make it look too difficult and too much hassle – but I assure you that its worth it considering the new skills you will crack open, the fun you will have and the access to a wealth of information from more seasoned competitors you will have. As I mentioned, the Nationals are friendly events and everyone is very happy to talk and help.

This year, your end of year score will be made up from your best two scores out of the three events. In my experience, putting all your eggs in one basket and hoping for two great scores from only doing two rounds generally ends in disaster. If you can, aim to do all three events – you never know where your best result will come from.

If you’re not at the sharp end of racing and are still working on your skills please don’t feel that the nationals are a step too far and not for you. The clubman classes are technically restricted to help drivers develop and with the new “Most Improved Driver Award” we will be searching for the clubman driver who manages to reduce the gap between their fastest lap and average lap the most over the season – its literally a prize for not crashing! No speed necessary.

---

What extra equipment do I need?….

Up until recently, competitors needed tents and generators to go racing – this is no longer the case. NNN and DMCC both offer indoor pitting and mains power for battery charging. And for BADMCC we hope to have enough generators on site for the day that charging power will be available to all. BADMCC also have plenty of covered pitting. So no tent or generator needed this year.

Regarding the tyres – for Round 1 at the DMCC, there is only one tyre specified for driven axles – a Schumacher Cactus in the Yellow compound. However, considering that Navan and BADMCC are outdoors, the other two rounds have a hard dry/warm and soft wet/cool weather tyre option. The soft tyres offer extra grip, but wear faster and snag when weather becomes dry/warm. The hard tyres which are the one to have in the dry, offer much less grip in cool/wet conditions but the wear rate is good. If you ever want to take your racing to the next level you will need experience of different tyre compounds and this is a good opportunity. There are several suppliers and retailers across the country who supply both Schumacher and Proline tyres, but they are generally not stocked and order only – do it in plenty of time.

Apart from the tyres, no additional equipment beyond what you normally use club racing is needed for the nationals.

---

A call to action for seasoned and returning competitors….

There are dozens of seasoned competitors from all over the country who have either not competed in the series for a while or have drifted off to other past-times and interests during the Covic19 pandemic. I urge those competitors to realise that the championship is back in business and we hope to rekindle your enthusiasm for the sport this season. Everybody is 100% welcome and will be given the opportunity to feel 100% welcome at the events – no exceptions. Please get involved and get in touch, we’d love to see you back out trackside. And futher to that, if you know of a former racer from Gilnahirk, Marley Park, Eden Park, Griffeen Valley, Greenlanes, or any other former venue who is showing interest in coming back, now is the time – ask them to get in touch also.

---

What happens next….

Step #1 is to join the RCCAOI via the link on the front page as soon as you can. Your name and email address will then be put on the list and further details will be sent directly to you by email.

Step #2 is work out what tyres you need for the season and get them ordered as soon as possible. The world is still experiencing supply chain issues so delivery times have become unpredictable. Remember that not all of the tyres are available with a preglued option – so you may need wheels and glue also.

Step #3 as the events approach, you may be called to get your entry in early if you want to. This saves time on the race day and is recommended but not manditory.

Step #4 See you at the track.

---

***IMPORTANT UPDATE: To comply with a local insurance mandate all entries for Round 1 of the series at the Dublin Model Car Club must be submitted online***
In compliance with section rule 12.4.7, online entries can be submitted till 7am on the morning of the event.
A link to the online entry form will be posted on the event page a week before round 1 giving everyone plenty of time to enter.

---

I’ve a question….

You can get directly in touch with the section rep via email – tenth-off-road@rccaoi.com

Regards,

William White – 1/10th Electric Offroad Section Representative.

---