BRM Challenge at Wyoming Valley Slot Car Association

Text posted on SCI by Chuck Perez
The Wyoming Valley Slot Car Club and Warrior Run Loco Works had their BRM Challenge races on Sunday October 5th, 2008 with an outstanding turn out for this double event. It was again another beautiful Northeast Pa. day, especially for slot car racing!!! Our first event of the day was the BRM IROC (cars supplied by Alan Smith of Scaleracing LLC) and the fun supplied by 13 racers for the race. The line up was....
1 Clem Ojevich
2 Tom Gunshannon JR
3 Sam Barbose JR
4 Sam Barbose SR
5 Tom Pintchuck
6 Mike Grabko
7 JJ Kozokas
8 Scott Kozokas
9 Chuck Perez
10 Dave Kennedy
11 Dean Kirkpatrick
12 Clarence Taylor
13 Tony Easly

The race line up was set random into the computer and when the green flag waved we were off to another action packed race event. It was clear when you race these cars passing has to be clean and momentum must be kept up. Everyone racing these cars were in the mid 6 second lap times 6.6 to 6.8 til Sam Jr dropped a 6.5 lap time in yellow. JJ was not to be out done he matched Sam then cracked a high 6.4 second lap. These two guys were the ones to beat and Chuck was doing all he could to keep up. Scott K. was working his way up the field, and Mike and Tom 2 were battling it out all through the race.


New comers to our track Tony E. (seen smiling in the Dallas jersey in photo on right) and second event driver Clarence T
(both from NJ) were racing consistent with little practice on the raceway. Tom P was trying to negotiate thru traffic battling Dave K for position with Clem in the whole mix of things. After the first rotation thru it looked as if Sam Jr was going to take it all away from JJ and Chuck P. When the second half of the rotation started JJ was not about to slow down in any way and you could tell he wanted this win !! Sam JR was running his hardest and Chuck P was holding steady. It was the middle of the pack that was putting all the pressure on the top three from the first rotation and they all were racing to take the trophies . After 2 rotations thru all the laps were added and segments (and I mean segments) separated most of the field.

The results are:
1st JJ Kozokas ..143 6 segments 2nd Sam Barbose 143 5 segments
3rd Chuck Perez 142
4th Tom Pintchuck 140 13 segments
5th Scott Kozokas 140 3 segments
6th Mike Grabko 139 6 segments
7th Tom Gunshanon 139 5 segments
8th Dean Kirkpatrick 138
9th Clarence Taylor 136 8 segments
10th Dave kennedy 136 7 segments
11th Sam Barbose Sr 135
12th Clem Ojevich 134
13th Tony Easly 130

After a short break in the program it was time for the second event of the day which was our BRM open challenge to start up and the addition of Rob Holt showing up to support our racing program we were ready to start. Only 9 racers participated in this event. It was Sam Jr who started out super strong with the intention of winning it all but Tom P was not going to give anything up in this race. Tom2 was running a car (hired gun so to speak) and the NJ guys were fast and running much stronger in this race as well. Chuck P entered the race finally and he was here to win it. Clarence Taylor was showing some speed and wasn't about to give up at all , with Mike Grabko racing up from the mid pack to show he can drive too. Rob Holt was showing he can learn fast (never seeing the track before) running consistent times and lap counts. after running 5 minutes each lane the results are .........
1st Chuck Perez .....189 (6.102 lap record)
2nd Sam Barbose JR ..182
3rd Mike Grabko.......175 5 segments
4th Clarence Taylor 175 4 segments 5th Tom Gunshannon JR..175 3 segments
6th Tom Pintchuck ... 174
7th Rob Holt...............172
8th Dave Kennedy.......165
9th Tony Easly ..........163
From left, Mike, Chuck and Sammy Jr.

We would like to thank all the racers who showed up and we would like to put out a special thanks to Allen Smith who sent us some great BRM cars to race with. We all had a great time and are looking forward to doing it again!!!!

SCX Nat's qualifier race-video

SCX Nat's qualifier race

On Saturday, September 20th, 2008 the Wyoming Valley Slot Car Association and Warrior Run Loco Works, was the site for another SCX National Qualifier Race. This was a beautiful September day in Northeast Pa. and the racers were super excited to start the event, after a morning practice session and some coffee with a mixed variety of bagels everyone was ready to start. Dave Kennedy from SCX performed the prelimanary tech on the Audi LMP no magnet class with a tyre hand out (1603 Super Tires) and the magnetic SCX Nascar class with all cars using stock tyres and 225 grams of down force. All 9 competitors teched just fine and all cars were impounded till the start of the race.
Our racing roster was as follows ; Tom Gunshannan JR, Tom Gunshannan 3rd, Sam Barbose, JJ Kozokas, Dean Kirkpatrick, Mike Grabko, Tom Pintchuck, Clarence Taylor, and Chuck Perez. Dave Kennedy was our racing official.
It was now race time and the racing line up was set , with the button pushed we were off to another regional event with 4 racers going to nationals, Tom2 was off to a blistering pace in red lane followed by Dean , Mike , and Clarence making up the pack in the first heat of the race. As other racers rotated in, this was anybody's race with changes in position almost untrackable. Tom P came into the Pack with a 36 lap run in the red lane but JJ and Sam would not be out done running 37 Laps in the same lane. Chuck was now entering the red lane and finished up with a 39,could this be a sign of what was to come? As every one kept to their pace and time ticking by with the half way point Chuck had a small lead on the feild and no one was going to give this race away. The start of the second half of LMP was clean and fast, Clarence Taylor was now getting the hang of the track and was on the way to prove he was not going down to any one, but Mike was starting to have some gear trouble and starting falling back but not giving up, Tom P, was battling against Tom 3rd and JJ, Sam, and Chuck were runiing for the lead, Tom 2, and Dean were intheir own battle at one point but Tom2 showed eveyone he was here to race today. The LMP race was finnally over and the standings were announced and the racers prepared for the SCX nascar class. This was going to be interesting because most of the club races no magnet. The race was super competitive and pretty rough with plenty of de-slots on the hill section of our track. THis race was mixing up the feild quite abit with racers switching positions till the end. Now it was time to add all the laps up from the LMP race and the Nascar race and here is the final results.............
1 Chuck Perez 461 laps (lmp record 5.984) (nascar record 5.738)
2 JJ Kozokas 439 laps
3 Tom Gunshannan JR 430 laps
4 Dean Kirkpatrick 421 laps
5 Tom Pintchuck 420 laps 11 sections
6 Tom Gunshannan 3rd 420 laps 3 sections
7Clarence Taylor 404 laps
8 Mike Grabko 386 laps
9 Sam Barbose JR 362 laps

The WVSCA and Warrior Run Loco Works would like to thank Dave Kennedy and SCX for allowing us to have this event, and Clarence Taylor for making the drive in from NJ to spend the day racing with us. We now have 4 racers ready to go to nationals, to race with more guys who share our hobby. Can't wait to go!!!!!!!!
CPJR65

SCX Nat's Qualifyer time

The tech inspection for the race at the club will start at Noon on Saturday for the SCX Nat's race. The race will start 12:30pm.

WVSCA SCX/Spirit Enduro races

The Wyoming Valley (Pa.) Slot Car Association hosted its first major event since opening our doors on February 1st 2008. The door opened at 8am Saturday, August 9th , a beautiful Pennsylvania morning , and as racers entered the club facility they were greeted by the aroma of fresh coffee and bagels/donuts to a practice session or warm ups for the upcoming day of racing. At 12:00pm we started with some prize drawings and a quick drivers meeting to discuss the IROC rules , randomized the racers into the computer, we were ready to start the long day of racing.

JJ Kozokas the returning IROC champ started the day out in the red lane the normally slowest lane on the track and set a blistering pace cracking out 25 laps in 3 minutes with the stock SCX Seat Cupras no magnet, s1 tired cars, on the 85ft Carrera track.the rest of the competitors were pulling 24's in the first heat of the race. Tom Pintchuk would not be bested trying to pull out and also ran a 25 lapper with Sam Barbose Jr not to be dismissed from the race ran a 25 lap heat but could not pull the lead in the first half of this race.9 other racers ran in the first half but at the end of the first 4 lap rotation JJ was out in the lead with 100 laps (and new track record with these cars with a 6.871), Tom P with 98 , and Sam Jr 97.

A quick break and braids and tires freshly cleaned the racers set off for the second half of the first race. The beginning of the race saw several lead changes but JJ kept pace but not in the 25 region, it was Sam Barbose Jr who was now starting to drive harder trying to take the race away from JJ, And Tom P was not about to give into anybody yet. The rest of the pack knew it was now or never and racers like Scott Kozokas pulled another 25, Rich Stearns pulled straight 24's, and others trying to beat down JJ's lead. But it was Sam Jr who ran a 26 in the white lane and also set a new record of 6.807 who bested the second half of the race followed by Tom P with JJ finishing third at the end of the second half. Now it was time to add the first half to the second and the results are as follows:

1. JJ Kozokas 197
2. Sam Barbose Jr 196 (track record 6.807)
3. Tom Pintchuk 195
4. Scott Kozokas 192
5. Dean Kirkpatrick 191
6. Mike Grabko 190
7. Rich Stearns 190
8. Tom Gunshannon Jr 189
9. Tom Gunshannon 3rd 188
10. Jonathan Grover 186
11. Dave Kennedy 184
12. Brian Whalen 182

Now it was 3:30 in the afternoon, time to take a break before the Spirit Sport Race to take place, and with drinks and snacks taken care of and a quick track cleaning racers took the starting line for our second race of the day.

The Peugeot field

Again it was JJ and Sam Jr. who took off and starting pacing hard with the Spirit Sport Peugeot 406 racers (ran stock with the exception of tyres, guide flags and pickup braids) these guys were cracking 6.0's to 6.2's on the track. lead changes constant in the 5 minute heats but JJ was cracking 48's per lane to take the lead. Chuck Perez who race directed the Iroc was now to enter the race, setting up for the best run of the day, pulling a 48 lapper starting in red could this be the end of the day for JJ ? Chuck then ran a 49 in blue to set up for a fast run in yellow, while Tom P was starting to blaze his way through the field, and Sam Jr was not going to go down without a fight either but it was Chuck Perez who set a new track record at 5.883 in the yellow lane to pace himself for the finish. This race was 5 minute segments with 1 rotation and the final results are

1. Chuck Perez 194
2. JJ Kozokas 191
3. Tom Pintchuk 190
4. Sam Barbose Jr 188
5. Dean Kirkpatrick 181
6. Tom Gunshannon jr 180
7. Tom Gushannon 3rd 178
8. Scott Kozokas 172
9. Dave Kennedy 168
10. Mike Grabko 164 ( winner of Best Of Show)

So another great day of racing in Northeast Pa. and th WVSCA would like to thank all who sponsored prizes and trophies , Steve from SlotCarCorner , Dave Kennedy from SCX, Clem from Warrior Run Raceway and Locoworks, and the local dealer from Snap-On Tools for all their generosity.

Our next major race will be September 20th , 2008 this will be a SCX National qualifier race. If any one is interested in participating contact us at (570) 262-2128 or our web site at wvsca.blogspot.com for more info all racers must register by September 10th 2008.

Pix from the races.

Chuck, left, watches the drivers as they compete in the IROC.

Dean concentrates on his car during the IROC.

Tom G. watches his car as it goes up through the turns.

The guys talk between races.
Mike's (#10) concours winning car.

Photos of the track

Photos of the club track.

1st IROC race announcement

The Wyoming Valley Slot Car Association is pleased to announce a special event for August 9th, 2008.

We will be hosting an IROC race using SCX SEAT CUPRA'S and a second race non-IROC using the SPIRIT SPORT PEUGEOT 406 cars. The WVSCA will supply the cars for the IROC, and all racers attending will bring their own Spirit cars.

If anyone one is interested in coming to north east Pa. for a day of racing you may contact Chuck Perez at CPJR65@YAHOO.COM or phone (570) 262-2128, for race details. Dave Kennedy will be there for a guest racer and race directer as well as Dave will be supplying prizes for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, place finishers of the IROC, and the WVSCA will be supplying trophies for both races.

We also have door prizes courtesy of Slot Car Corner (thanks Steve) , and a local Snap-On dealer will have Door prizes as well. IROC racing will start at 12:00pm , with th Spirit race starting 30 minutes from the end of the IROC.

The WVSCA is located at 32 West Market St. Nanticoke Pa. , 5 miles south of Wilkes-Barre, 20 miles south of Scranton. We look forward to hearing from any racer who wants to come and have some fun with IROC style racing or standard format racing.

SCX National Series rules

WVSCA will host a qualifying race in the SCX National Series

Date and details:
September 20
Warrior Run Raceway/Wyoming Valley Slot Car Club.
32 S. Market Street
Nanticoke, PA 18634
Phone/Fax: 570-735-5570

http://www.warriorrunlocoworks.com/

Rules:

There are two classes of racing:
1. Magnet-Nascars
2. Magnetless-Pro Audi (and Porsche when released)
These will be run in separate races during the series.

Regional races around the country will produce the best local champions to race at a National level race to be held in the fall of 2008.

Classes:
1. Magnet SCX Nascar.

- Must us any SCX Nascar body and chassis; body can be painted and/or decals applied, no other body alterations allowed.
- Cars must have full windows and interior. The wing must be there at the start of the race, racers will not be penalized if the wing breaks off during competition.
- All cars will use the RX-42B.
- Tires are stock Nascar tires. These tires will be issued the day of the race, paid for as part of the entry fee.
- No gluing of motor and/or is allowed.
- Electronics, noise suppressor on the motor must be intact.
- No liquids can be applied to any part of the car other than oil/grease to motor, gears, bushings, axles.
- No chemical treatment (such as oil soaking) is permitted on tires.
- Stock magnet in stock location must be used. Downforce limits to be determined.
- No chassis modifications allowed such as/but not limited to cutting, sanding, drilling, adding stiffening bars, reinforcing of any kind.
- Wheels/tires cannot protrude outside the body more than 1mm.


2. Magnetless Pro car class.

- The Pro Audi is the car for this class. When the Porsche is released it will be added. The wing must be present at the start of the race.
- All cars will use the Pro Speed motor. Racers will be issued those motors randomly on race day, paid for as part of the entry fee.
- Tires will be handout Pro tires. These tires will be issued the day of the race, paid for as part of the entry fee.
- No gluing of motor and/or is allowed.
- Electronics, noise suppressor on the motor must be intact.
- No liquids can be applied to any part of the car other than oil/grease to motor, gears, bushings, axles.
- No chemical treatment (such as oil soaking) is permitted on tires.
- No magnet.
- Weight may not be added.
- No chassis modifications allowed such as/but not limited to cutting, sanding, drilling, adding stiffening bars, reinforcing of any kind.
- Wheels/tires cannot protrude outside the body more than 1mm.
- SCX Pro Race parts can be used.

Race guidelines (to be finalized):
- All participating race cars will be inspected to insure rule compliance prior to the start of the race. A few test laps (the number to be determined by the race organizer) will be allowed prior to final inspection.
- Cars will be impounded after the inspection process and remain impounded until the beginning of the race. Racers will not have access to their cars after the inspection process.
- Drivers cannot touch their cars after tech, unless done while the race clock is running for their race segment.
- If the driver must pit, a race marshal will hand driver the car. Driver must move away from the track to service the car. Race officials reserve the right to observe driver servicing the car. The driver must service the car himself/herself, and may not use a technician. When the car is ready to return to the race, the driver will hand a marshall the car to return it to the race track.
- Race segments (heats) will be at least 5 minutes, subject to adjustment based on number of racers participating.
- Any controller is allowed, provided that controller does not store and electrical charge.
- At start of the race, marshals will be assigned from those not in first racing group. First driver exiting race segment must marshall for the next 4 segments, or find a substitute.
- Lap counter will be deemed final; missed laps/double laps will not be adjusted.
- Racer with the most laps and segments wins. Ties to be broken by a 2 heat, 3 minute race off; drivers alternating between 2 lanes to be chosen by race organizer. If still tied, highest lap/segment total on any one lane wins. If still tied, dual winners declared.
- Race director may choose to adjust format of race depending on number of participants. Race format, with any changes, will be communicated to participants prior to race in a brief (5-10 minute) drivers meeting. Attendance by all participating drivers in the drivers meeting is required.

- Date and place for the National Championship to be announced.