FAQ


I’m new to all this but I fancy giving it a go, what should I do?
The best possible advice is to pop down to one of our meetings and have a chat before you go anywhere near a model shop!! See our EVENTS page for what is on.

We are all kids at heart and if you go into a model shop and get talking to that friendly guy behind the counter there is a good chance you’ll walk out with something very nice but totally unsuitable for racing at TORCH. Come down to see us and let someone in race control (green cabin) know you are there and they will make sure someone can make time to have a chat and answer any questions you may have.

General points to consider on equipment are however:

2WD car are generally cheaper to buy and to run as they have less moving parts and are slightly less hard on tyres. They are also less complicated so probably better suited to beginners.

There are some very inexpensive models out there which sound great on paper to the beginner but turn out to be a false economy when you come to race them as they are either totally uncompetitive (so you either give up or buy another car) or parts are not easily available and no one else has one at the club, so you can’t get any help on set up or repairs. It really is worth buying one of the mainstream models for your first car. Plenty of choices from Schumacher, Yokomo, HB, Kyosho, Associated, Tekno, Losi, Xray to name but a few.

Buying a car which is popular at the club will help a lot when you need some help.
Don’t forget to budget for the extras. It is almost certainly the case that the tyres in the kit (if there are any) will not work at TORCH so you need to budget around £25 for a set of tyres and wheels. You’ll also need 2 batteries (LiPo) so you can be charging one whilst you are using the other. These do not need to be expensive batteries but do need to be hardcase.
Secondhand cars are always available locally and on various forums/ebay but be careful unless you know the seller.

What do I need to race at TORCH?

In terms of cars, you need either a 1/10th scale electric off-road vehicle 2WD or 4WD. Our main classes are 2WD and 4WD buggy but if enough Trucks or Stadium Trucks turn up then we will put them into their own head. You will also need suitable tyres, batteries and tools.

You will need some method of charging your batteries – most people use a 12V car/leisure battery and a suitable LiPo charger capable of fast charging (5A or higher) and Lipo Charging sack.

It is useful to have a table and chair to sit at to work on your car.

Lap counting is performed using MyLaps transponders in the cars. The club can arrange to lend you one for your first couple of meetings but after that you need to buy a compatible one. Please speak to race control at a meeting before buying one as not all transponders are compatible with all lap counting equipment.

See race control for membership information regarding club and BRCA.

What cars are popular at TORCH?

Currently the most popular cars are 2wd and the following cars are very popular:-

  • Schumacher Laydown
  • Team Associated B6.x series
  • Yokomo YZ-2CAL3
  • Xray XB2
  • TLR 22 5.0
  • SWORKZ S12-M

Popular 4wd cars are:-

  • Team Associated B74/74.1
  • Schumacher L1 / L1 EVO
  • Xray XB4
  • Yokomo Yz-4SF2

Popular 2wd Trucks are:-

  • Team Associated T6.x
  • Schumacher Storm ST
What decoder does TORCH use and will my transponder work?

We have a MyLaps RC4 decoder which does not have the latest firmware update. See BRCA Article on MyLaps decoders for more information

What radio controls are recommended?

There are many different brands available but the most popular brands in use at TORCH are:-

  • Sanwa – MT-44 or M17 for Steer Wheel or EXZES ZZ for stick
  • Futaba – T4PM or T7PXR for Steer wheel or 4GRS or 7XC for stick

It is down to personal preference whether you use a stick style radio or a steering wheel style.

What electrics are recommended?

As we race electric based cars there are many different parts of electrics involved which we will break down:-

  • Servo

The steering servo is very important as it will be under a heavy load and will need to be very resilient especially in the inevitable crash. We recommend that servos should be able to provide at least 10kg or torque, have metal gears and be able to move 60 degrees in around 0.8 seconds or better. Popular servos which fulfil these requirements are the Savox SA-1258 and Savox SA-1257

  • Speed controller or ESC

We recommend a speed controller for brushless motors that is rated at being able to cope with 120A or more on 2s Lipo. These controllers are usually rated for the lowest wind motor that they support and usually for offroad allow you to go down to a 5.5T. We would suggest that you make sure that the controller is capable of allowing the driver to adjust the timing via boost and turbo as well as having the ability to set a voltage and temperature cutoff.

Examples of such speed controller are:-

    • Hobbywing XR10 G2
    • Sky TORO 160A
  • Motor

There are many brushless motors available and most speed controller manufacturers suggest that you use their brand of motor with their speed controller for the best compatibility. The lower the wind the faster the motor but that also means that it drains the batteries quicker and can end up generating a lot of heat. Motors need to be geared properly and the controller setup so that the motors do not overheat during a race.

As a general rule we use the following winds depending on class:-

    • 2wd – Any motor from 8.5 to 6.5
    • 4wd – Any motor from 6.5 to 5.5
  • Batteries

Most of the cars that we race these days take shorty style batteries. The are generally 2s Lipo hard cased packs. We would recommend that you buy BRCA Approved batteries. One of the most popular batteries at TORCH is the Intellect 4400mah LCG Short pack.

When can I practice at the track?

The tracks are situated on the grounds of Swanmore College and access is not available during school hours and term time. Out of school hours and during holidays there must always be a DBS checked committee member present.

The outdoor track is available for free practice by members and non-members (who have paid the race fee) before most club meetings and summer/winter series meetings (8.00-9.15am) and again in the afternoon after club meetings have finished.

During the summer evening practice session may be held for a small fee – details of these will be announced on our website.

During the winter we do run an indoor race series inside the sports hall. See the RACE EVENTS page for what is on.

I’ve never raced before – what happens at a race meeting?

When you arrive at a race meeting, you must register with race control – this needs to be done whether you have pre-entered or not as the race director needs to know you are there and you should present your BRCA Licence card.

Drivers are generally put into qualifying heats with other drivers who are running the same class of car (2 wheel drive, 4 wheel drive or truck) and of similar ability. Obviously if there are a small number drivers at a meeting the difference in ability may be higher than a big meeting with more drivers. Details of who is in each race will be printed off and pinned up. You need to check which race you are in and your race number.

The first part of the meeting is qualifying which consists of a number of rounds (typically 5 at a club meeting) in which the aim is to complete the most number of laps of the track in 5 minutes. Everyone leaves the start line at a slight interval of around a second (the automated computer will call your race number) in order to give everyone a chance to run on a clear track – your 5 minutes does not start until you cross the line. At the end of 5 minutes everyone is given the chance to finish the lap they are on so you end up with a qualifying time of, for example, 12 laps in 5 minutes and 10 seconds which would be a better qualifying time than someone who had 12 laps in 5 minutes and 15 seconds as they took another 5 seconds to complete the same number of laps.

All racing results are now available live directly from the TORCH website via the url of  https://live.torchracing.co.uk.

At the end of the qualifying rounds the race software will calculate your overall qualifying position (based on the criteria set at the start of qualifying so it might be your single fastest 5 minute qualifying time or perhaps best 2 for example). This position will define your position in the finals. The person with the top qualifying position will be on pole position for the top final called the “A” final, the second placed driver will be second all the way down the grid until that final is full. So for example, if the finals have 8 cars in them, then the 9th placed qualifier will be on pole for the “B” final, the 10th placed qualifier 2nd in the “B” and all the way down.

Finals start on a grid so qualifying higher is an advantage and everyone starts together so it is a real race. The number of finals can vary so check with race control at the start of the meeting. It is usually one but for example, at our summer series we run three. Also finals are normally 5 minutes but again race directors sometimes like to mix things up a bit and makes them longer so again check if you are not sure.

Don’t forget, after each of your qualifying heats and finals you need to marshal the next heat/final immediately.

What is marshalling?

The expectation at any race meeting is that you will be expected to marshal the heat/final after the one you have raced in. Unless you are specifically told by the race director that you are not required to marshal you should be ready to marshal straight after your heat.

When you have finished your race and turned your transmitter and car off, leave them under the rostrum and go straight out to your marshalling point. Do not go back to your pitting area as this will delay the start of the next race. At most race meetings there will be numbered cones distributed around the track. Go to the one with your race number on. At some club meetings, there may not be cones, in which case marshals should distribute themselves around the track so all areas are covered. Be careful when walking to your marshal point as cars may already be circulating prior to the start of the next race.

The role of marshals is to assist cars which have crashed or rolled over and are unable to continue without assistance.

The following are meant as guidelines to assist you in that role.

1. You are number one priority when marshalling is your own safely. The cars we race weigh between 1.5-2.0kg and can travel upwards of 30mph. They can hurt if you get hit. Always look for approaching cars and under no circumstances jump out in front of cars or jump over them. Consider the speed of cars approaching – if you are marshalling on the straight cars will arrive extremely quickly. Priority should always be given to the cars still circulating so you may have to wait to let other cars go by before marshalling a car.

2. Consider the ground conditions – if it is wet then the astroturf will probably be slippery so take care. Trying to stop on wet astroturf will take longer and you risk falling over if you move too quickly.

3. Watch the area of the track in front of you that you are supposed to be marshalling and not the race – it is very easy to get distracted if there is a good race going on.

4. Take care when picking cars up. If the driver is revving the motor, do not touch it as you risk getting hurt. Wait for them to stop revving. If possible pick the car up in 2 hands at the front and rear to prevent ripping the rear wing off.

5. Always look to ensure you do not put cars down in the path of approaching cars – this is particularly important on fast parts of the track.

6. Marshal as you would wish to be marshalled yourself – be attentive to the track around your area. Marshal as quickly and as safely possible and take some care – don’t flick cars over as they often roll back onto their roof, place the car firmly onto all 4 wheels.

7. If a car breaks in front of you then first priority should be to get it off the track so it does not interfere with other racers. Your second priority is to marshal cars which are still racing. At a club meeting having a quick look to see if it is something as simple as a ball joint coming off is ok but you must ensure it does not interfere with your priority of marshalling the cars still circulating.

What is racing etiquette?

1/10th off road is intended to be a largely non-contact activity. Collisions will however inevitably happen due to its speed and competitive nature but these should be avoided wherever possible. A few guidelines may help racers understand the expectations of the club:

During qualifying you should let faster drivers through. This may be when someone comes up to lap you but also given everyone goes off at intervals someone may be behind you on the track but still be ahead on time. It is usually fairly obvious if someone catches you up rapidly that they are running at a faster pace and you should let them through. The best way to do this is to drift wide in a corner and let the faster driver take the inside line – this won’t lose you much time and you can then follow the other driver and hopefully learn a bit about their lines. Do not stop in the middle of the track or slow suddenly as the following car will not be expecting this and you will probably cause a crash.

If you are the faster car then whilst the slower driver should let you past, you still have a responsibility to overtake safety without hitting the other driver. You are probably the more experienced/skilled driver and need to take into account the driver may not be quite as in control of his car as you are.

In finals as long as you are not being lapped then you can defend your place. This does not mean you can weave across the track but it is the responsibility of the car behind to overtake you cleanly. If you are being lapped in a final then you should pull over to let the faster car through with plenty of space – don’t pull out right behind them and risk hitting them. If there are a number of cars fighting for the lead you should pull over and let them all through together. If you are being lapped in a final you are not in contention for the win and should not do anything that could spoil the race of those that are in contention.

If you do hit another car by accident and lose them time and it was obviously your fault, for example hitting them from behind, then the sporting thing to do is to wait until they are marshalled/back on the track before starting off again. Not everyone does this and in some cases you may consider it the other drivers fault or a “racing incident” in which case carry on. However, if you can only win by knocking other cars off the track then you are not going to gain a lot of respect from your fellow drivers.

What wheels are recommended?

The wheels for the rear of 2wd and 4wd cars are the same. Some manufacturers wheels are softer and have more flex than others. Also be aware that different manufacturers might also have a different offset fitting so you would need to check what difference they make to the width of the car.

The wheels for the front of a 2wd car can be slim or wide but we tend to just use the slim wheels. Some older cars have bearings that run inside the wheels but most modern 2wd cars now use 12mm hex mounting

The wheels for the front of a 4wd car are different than a 2wd car and are wide

There is an age old debate that often gets brought up about wheels as to whether white wheels are faster than yellow, but that is for you to decide. And as for mixing two colours on a car that will get many comments!

Wheel recommendations

Class End Wheel
2wd Front J Concepts Mono 2wd Slim JC3376
2wd Front J Concepts Mono 2wd JC3347
2wd Front Schumacher 2wd Slim U4661
2wd Front Schumacher 2wd U4368
4wd Front J Concepts Mono 4wd JC3353
4wd Front Schumacher 4wd Front U4496
2wd/4wd Rear J Concepts Mono JC3348
2wd/4wd Rear Schumacher Rear U4366

What tyres are recommended for the outdoor track?

Here are the tyres that work on our outdoor track for 2wd and 4wd in order of preference.

2wd Dry

Wheel Tyre Compound Insert
Front Schumacher Cut Stagger Low Profile Yellow no
Front 6mk Axium Silver no
Rear Schumacher Mezzo Yellow medium
Rear Proline Pyramid Z3/Z4 Proline
Rear Schumacher Mini Dart Yellow medium
Rear Schumacher Mini Spike 2 Yellow medium
Rear Schumacher Cactus Yellow medium

2wd Wet

Wheel Tyre Compound Insert
Front Schumacher Cut Stagger Low Profile Silver no
Rear Ballistic Buggy Mini Spike Green medium
Rear Schumacher Mezzo Silver medium
Rear Proline Pyramid Z4 Proline
Rear Schumacher Mini Dart Silver medium

4wd Dry

Wheel Tyre Compound Insert
Front Schumacher Mezzo 4wd front Yellow medium
Front Proline Pyramid Z3/Z4 Proline
Front Schumacher Mini Dart 4wd front Yellow medium
Front Schumacher Wide cut stagger 4wd front Yellow medium
Front Schumacher Mini Dart 2wd front Yellow medium
Rear Schumacher Mezzo Yellow medium
Rear Proline Pyramid Z3/Z4 Proline
Rear Schumacher Mini Dart Yellow medium
Rear Schumacher Mini Spike 2 Yellow medium
Rear Schumacher Cactus Yellow medium

4wd Wet

Wheel Tyre Compound Insert
Front Ballistic Buggy Mini Spike front Green medium
Front Schumacher Mezzo 4wd front Silver medium
Front Proline Pyramid Z4 medium
Front Schumacher Mini dart 4wd front Silver medium
Front Schumacher Wide cut stagger 4wd front Silver medium
Rear Ballistic Buggy Mini Spike rear Green medium
Rear Schumacher Mezzo Silver medium
Rear Proline Pyramid Z4 Proline
Rear Schumacher Mini Dart Silver Silver medium

What tyres are recommended for the indoor track?

Here are the tyres that work on our indoor track for 2wd and 4wd in order of preference.

2wd

Wheel Tyre Compound Insert
Front Schumacher Cut Stagger Low Profile Yellow/Blue  no
Front Schumacher Staggered rib Low Profile Yellow no
Front Proline 2wd Prism Z3/Z4 no
Front Proline 2wd Wedge Squared Z3/Z4 no
Rear Schumacher Cactus Yellow medium
Rear Proline Hexon Z3/Z4 Proline
Rear Proline Prism Z3/Z4 Proline

4wd

Wheel Tyre Compound Insert
Front Schumacher Cactus Fusion 4wd front Yellow medium
Front Schumacher Wide cut stagger 4wd front Yellow medium
Rear Schumacher Cactus Rear Yellow medium
Rear Proline Hexon Z3/Z4 Proline
Rear Proline Prism Z3/Z4 Proline

What is on next at TORCH?

A list of upcoming event are available from our events page.

You can also check the sidebar on the right just below the search box for the count down timer to the next event. 

Where is TORCH?

We are based in Swanmore, Hampshire, UK. Click here for more information on our location

Is it free to watch?

We encourage people to come and watch which is absolutely free. Feel free to ask questions about our sport and we will be happy to explain it to you.

I have entries that I need to cancel. How do I do this?

If you need to cancel your entry then you will need to contact a committee member and inform them of your details and the event entered so that we can cancel your ticket as well as arrange a refund if the cancellation is greater than 24 hours prior to the event.

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