First local electric open race of the 2011 season at Racecraft Infinity was held on April 3, 2011. This year, 2 main classes are to be competed in Open Modified Class and Stock 17.5T Class, and the first round saw P.Y.Tang from Team Xray Singapore and Team Orca dominated both classes. As a new rule and new challenges to the drivers, the runtime for the Open Modified Class is 6 minutes while the Stock 17.5T Class is 8 minutes. Team Power controlled tires are chosen this season in the Open Modified Class while Ride 36 controlled tires are used in the Stock 17.5T Class.
In the qualifying rounds of Open Modified Class, P.Y.Tang and E.C.Wee set the early pace, the only two drivers clocking under 13.0s. E.C.Wee topped Q1. But with a fresh set of rubber and a change in the motor changing to a 13.0mm rotor, P.Y.Tang ran the only 28 lappers in Q2 and took the TQ spot. E.C.Wee qualified 2nd while Leonard Sim took 3rd.
Top 8 Qualifying Standings (A-Main Open Modified)
Driver - Car - Esc - Motor - Battery - Laptimes - Fastest Laptime
1. P.Y.Tang - Xray T3'11 - Orca Vritra - Orca QX1 - Orca Infinite - 28 laps 6:10.926 - 12.835s
2. E.C.Wee - Xray T3 Exotek - Orca Vritra - Orca RX2 - Orca Infinite - 27 laps 6:02.679 - 12.796s
3. Leonard Sim - Xray T3'11 - Tekin RS - Tekin - 27 laps 6:11.088 - 13.134s
4. Chee Lip Keong - Tamiya TRF417 - LRP - LRP - H-Energy - 27 laps 6:13.313 - 13.308s
5. Hasron - Yokomo BD5 - Orca Vritra - Orca RX2 - LRP - 26 laps 6:00.977 - 13.249s
6. Kevin Wong - Tamiya TRF417 - Tekin - 26 laps 6:06:874 - 13.53s
7. Bomb - Tamiya TRF417 - Orca Vritra - Orca QX1 - Orca Infinite - 26 laps 6:08.850 - 13.393s
8. Ali G - Hotbodies TCX - Hobbywing - Dualsky - 25 laps 6:03.162 - 13.726s
While in the qualifying rounds of the Stock 17.5T, the competition was much closer. Electronics performance would be one of the major source of power to the stock 17.5T motor. As it was an 8-minute run, ESC settings were also a major concern to keep the temperature low in the hot and sunny tropical weather. Kevin Wong running his Tekin powered Tamiya set the early pace with a 34 laps 8 flat timing in Q1. P.Y.Tang then quickly identified the potential of higher top end as his RX2 17.5T was merely running at 65 degC in Q1, as so increasing the turbo timing on his Orca Vritra VTC Pro-Spec MK2 ESC for Q2 while keeping all other settings the same. In Q2, P.Y.Tang managed to top the group with the first 35 lappers 8:08.847. As the RX2 17.5T motor was still running at a mere 70degC in Q2, P.Y.Tang decided to increase the turbo timing to the maximum in Q3, improving by almost 4 seconds and took the TQ honor in the Stock 17.5T Class. Kevin Wong unable to improve qualified 2nd while, Bomb running the Orca for the first time, qualified 3rd.
Top 8 Qualifying Standings (A-Main Stock 17.5T)
Driver - Car - Esc - Motor - Battery - Laptimes - Fastest Laptime
1. P.Y.Tang - Xray T3'11 - Orca Vritra - Orca RX2 - Orca Infinite - 35 laps 8:04.529 - 13.445s
2. Kevin Wong - Tamiya TRF417 - Tekin RS - 34 laps 8:00.498 - 13.593s
3. Bomb - Tamiya TRF417 - Orca Vritra - Orca RX2 - Orca Infinite - 34 laps 8:08.174 - 13.894s
4. Paul C. - Tamiya TRF417 - Orca Vritra - Orca RX2 - 33 laps 8:01.523 - 13.968s
5. Cockyduck - TOP Photon - Orca Infinite - 33 laps 8:01.800 - 13.712s
6. Bernard Cheok - TOP Photon - Hobbywing - 33 laps 8:04.556 - 13.816s
7. Dominic Quek - Xray T3 Exotek - 33 laps 8:08.634 - 13.966s
8. Philip Soh - TOP Photon - Tekin - 32 laps 8:01.784 - 14.270
In the final A1 of Open Modified Class, it was a more excited final than usual when P.Y.Tang made an early mistake after clipping the curb after the long straight into the right sweeper, dropping him down to 4th, allowing E.C.Wee took take the lead followed by Chee Lip Keong and Hasron. Into the halfway point, P.Y.Tang made another mistake at the same area trying to hard to close up with the first 3 leader. Allowing E.C.Wee to increase his lead, P.Y.Tang could only caught up to 2nd at the final minute. E.C.Wee kept his consistency and won Final A1. In the Final A2 and A3, P.Y.Tang had easier runs, pulling away from the group clocking clocking sub 13.0s consistently. E.C.Wee had to settle with 2nd overall, while Chee Lip Keong took 3rd.
Top 3 Final Standings (A-Main Open Modified)
Driver - Car - Esc - Motor - Battery - Laptimes - Fastest Laptime
1. P.Y.Tang - Xray T3'11 - Orca Vritra - Orca QX1 - Orca Infinite
2. E.C.Wee - Xray T3 Exotek - Orca Vritra - Orca RX2 - Orca Infinite
3. Chee Lip Keong - Tamiya TRF417 - LRP - LRP - H-Energy
In the Stock 17.5T, it was pretty much dominated by P.Y.Tang Orca-powered Xray taking the first 2 finals and sat out Final A3. Kevin Wong came in 2nd overall, while having some traffic issues, Bomb Orca-powered Tamiya dropped to 4th overall, allowing Cockyduck to finish in the final spot of the podium.
Top 3 Final Standings (A-Main Stock 17.5T)
Driver - Car - Esc - Motor - Battery - Laptimes - Fastest Laptime
1. P.Y.Tang - Xray T3'11 - Orca Vritra - Orca RX2 - Orca Infinite
2. Kevin Wong - Tamiya TRF417 - Tekin RS
3. Cockyduck - TOP Photon - Orca Infinite
P.Y.Tang's Open Modified Class Xray T3'2011 was equipped with the Orca Vritra VTC Pro-Spec MK2 ESC, Orca QX1 Limited Edition 11.5T Brushless Racing Motor, Orca Infinite 6000 60C 7.4V LiPo, Orca Power Boost, Orca 16V Capacitor Plate, Litemodz CVS, Huge RC Ceramic Bearings and H-Energy 2500 5C 7.4V LiPo for Sanwa M11X Transmitter.
P.Y.Tang's Stock 17.5T Class Xray T3'2011 was equipped with the Orca Vritra VTC Pro-Spec MK2 ESC, Orca RX2 17.5T Professional Brushless Motor, Orca Infinite 6000 60C 7.4V LiPo, Orca Power Boost, Orca 16V Capacitor Plate, Litemodz CVS, Huge RC Ceramic Bearings and H-Energy 2500 5C 7.4V LiPo for Sanwa M11X Transmitter.
P.Y.Tang setups will be posted in the SETUP SHEET column.
Race report prepared by Soo.
