Club rules designed to encourage close racing

To ensure we can encourage close racing there will be a series of rules relating to both the cars and how we race which the Bedfordshire Radio Controlled Model Car Club wish to uphold. We are very aware that we want everyone to enjoy race meetings and that costs can spiral out of control if not carefully managed. Therefore our rules, especially those relating to the cars, will be aimed to make racing cost effective for everyone from beginners to those with many years of racing experience.

Working together to ensure close exciting racing

The club have come up with a series of rules, both for the cars and also club members to ensure we can all enjoy a race meeting and to make the club attractive to those who may not have raced before. Please note that all cars will be randomly checked during all Championship rounds.

Control Tyres for Carpet Racing
The club is excited to announce that our next Championship will be run on carpet. Therefore the club has changed the list of tyres which can be used. All tyres are still supplied by Schumacher so that we can continue, as a club, to benefit from the raffle prizes for each Championship.

Please note that minipins will NOT be permitted.

IMPORTANT NOTICE
The club will allow drivers to use tyre addative but it must be one of the addatives that have been approved by the BRCA. We will be checking all tyre addative containers before you will be permitted to race on the carpet.

Tyre Additives allowed:

  • Corally TC2 Jack the Gripper - Part No 13779
  • CS Grip Tyre Conditioner - Part No C6400
  • LRP Top Grip Carpet 2 Blue Factor - Part No 65011
  • Nosram Traction Addative 'Carpet' - Part No NR96010
  • Orion Street Juice TC Traction F1 - Part No 44101
  • Orion Foam Juice Formula - Part No 44105
  • Speedtech Foam Traction Liquid - Part No FL001

The full details of the control tyres to be used by both Touring Cars and Micros are as follows:

  • SST Rally 24/25mm wide - Yellow - Part No U6629
  • SST Rally 24/25mm wide - White - Part No U6630
  • Carpet Dragon - Part No U6690
  • Sorex 24 Revlite - Part XG-24BM *
  • Sorex 28 Revlite - Part XG-28JB *

* The Sorex tyres come pre-glued.

Thanks to our local model shop, Future World Models all club members will get their first set of tyres discounted. Simply go and visit Russell at the shop in Oakley or see him on any race night to purchase your new tyres.

General Club Rules

  • There is a strict no smoking policy at Bromham Village Hall, the indoor venue for the club. If you wish to smoke, please do so at the designated area outside the building and dispose of cigarettes in bins provided
  • Members will be required to sign in on time at the beginning of race meetings so as not to hold up the racing
  • No alcohol to be consumed on the premises
  • Members under the age of 16 must be accompanied at all times by a parent or guardian
  • Any complaints during a race meeting must be directed towards the chairman or other club officials
  • 12V car batteries used as a source for charging cells must be contained within a sealed box to prevent accidental spillage
  • You will not be permitted to race your model cars anywhere outside the Village Hall, either on the grass areas, or the car park.

Racing Rules

  • Racing will consist of 3 x 4 minute heats, followed by 1 x 5 minute final. Where time permits the chairman may increase the length of the heats and/or finals
  • All drivers must be on the rostrum before the start of the race
  • All drivers must marshall the race following the one you have raced in, even if your car did not finish
  • If you need to fix your car when it is your turn to marshall then you must select another driver to marshall on your behalf
  • When necessary you should make yourself available to marshall other races
  • All transmitters are to be switched off in the pits.
  • Races will be controlled with I-Laps, an automatic lap counting computer-based system which uses Personal Transponders. These can be hired on race nights for £2 or you can purchase your own from the club for £35.
  • The role of the marshall is to ensure cars remain on the track and to position cars back on the track in the correct direction
  • You can only marshall a race if you are a member of the BRCA
  • The marshall is not a mechanic and is not to spend time trying to fix a broken car on the side of the track - however simple fixes such as reconnecting batteries, loose ball joints etc are permitted
  • If a car is damaged beyond repair during a race the marshal must remove it from the track and if possible switch off the car
  • Any foul language from either marshalls or drivers on the rostrum is not encourage and if excessive use of foul language is used you will be disqualified from racing and maybe asked to leave the race meeting
  • If you are racing and your car breaks down, you must remain on the rostrum until the end of the race
  • Class of cars allowed to race indoors will be 1:10 scale Touring Cars, 1:18 scale Micros and 1:12 scale Mardave Minis
  • Class of cars allowed to race outdoors will be 1:10 scale 2WD and 4WD Buggies, 1:10 scale Short Course & Racing Trucks and 1:18 scale Micros.
  • The club will supply all members with a full set of BRCA approved racing numbers.

Technical Rules for 1:10 scale Touring Cars

  • Minimum weight of 1:10 scale Touring Cars ready to run, including body shell will be 1350g
  • Minimum ground clearance 5mm
  • Control tyres for 1:10 scale Touring Cars will be used to ensure an even playing field (see details above on which tyres we use indoors)
  • No tyre additives will be allowed
  • Stock 27T brushed or 13.5 (or higher) brushless motors allowed
  • No modified motors will be permitted to race
  • Lipo batteries permitted, but must be used with correct charger, failure to use correct charger will result in being excluded from racing on safety grounds
  • Cars will be driven by cells/batteries up to a nominal voltage of 7.4v
  • Forward only speed controllers allowed
  • Some RTR models come with a speed controller has reverse you will be permitted to race but we must ask that you do not use reverse during the race
  • Body shells must be painted with windows left clear - required for the clubs I-Lap lap counting system to function correctly.
  • Touring car body shells can not have holes cut out of the front unless RTR pre-painted shell stops I-Lap lap counting system from working
  • All cars must race with rear wings firmly attached, if dislodged during a race the car must be immediately stopped and be removed from the track
  • All cars to have clearly visible identifying number facing the front. They must be black numerals on a white background and not be cut down where possible.

Technical Rules for 1:18 scale Micro Buggies

  • Maximum width of the car (ready to race) is 184mm
  • Maximum wheelbase of the car (ready to race) is 167mm
  • Minimum ground clearance 5mm
  • No minimum limit for weight at present
  • 1:10 scale tyres and wheels will be permitted (see details above on which control tyres we use indoors)
  • Any brushed or brushless motor may be used as long as the can width is no wider than 29mm
  • Cars will be driven by cells/batteries up to a nominal voltage of 7.4v
  • Forward only speed controllers allowed
  • Some RTR models come with a speed controller has reverse you will be permitted to race but we must ask that you do not use reverse during the race
  • Body shells must be painted with windows left clear - required for the clubs I-Lap lap counting system to function correctly.
  • Any micro scale shell may be used providing it does not cover the wheels in any way
  • All cars to have clearly visible identifying number facing the front. They must be black numerals on a white background and not be cut down where possible.

Technical Rules for 1:12 scale Mardave Minis

  • Cars to race will be the 1/12th scale Mardave Mini's including V12/Caterham's and all the older shorter wheel base Mardave Mini's
  • Car, unless otherwise stated below, must be kit standard chassis and suspension. No composite chassis allowed
  • No vehicle shall be constructed so as to be dangerous to persons or cause damage to competitor's cars or to the track surface. No sharp or protruding objects are allowed on the cars
  • Body and chassis must be securely joined at the start of race and must remain on car during the race
  • Steel whip aerials and rollover masts are not allowed, plastic whip aerials are allowed
  • Minimum ride height will be 5mm (we would recommend that you have the holes in your chassis countersunk and then use countersunk screws - the club will help out if you require your chassis to be countersunk)
  • Car ready to race must be a minimum weight of 1000g
  • Only foam tyres allowed, tyres to be Min 20mm Max 26mm width and have a Max 60mm diameter, no minimum diameter for tyres, but the tyre must cover the wheel, any foam tyre compound allowed
  • Tyre additive allowed - using the same options outlined in Touring Car Class - and tyres must be dry before the car is placed onto the carpet to practice or race
  • Ball races allowed on rear axle only
  • Spur gears must be 46, 48 or 50 tooth
  • No rear differential allowed
  • Car suspension and wheel carriers shall remain as kit
  • Chassis top mounting may be changed, altered or removed
  • No external bumpers are permitted - however, a commercially available internal front foam bumper maybe used
  • Any commercially available Mardave or Kamtec, ABS, Lexan & Carbon effect bodyshells may be used, the shell must remain securely fixed to the car throughout the race, windows can only be cut out on the ABS and carbon effect shells to allow clubs iLapRC Transponders to work
  • No supplementary aerofoil or fins shall be fitted to the body with the exception of a rear wing if desirable, this wing must be non metallic, commercially available and securely fixed
  • Any type, make and capacity of brushed speed controller may be used up to a max RRP of £69
  • Cars to use four cells only (No LiPo's permitted), cells to be sub-C sized cells only, with a nominal voltage of 1.2 volts per cell, cells to be Nicad and Ni mah's, battery mountings may be changed from the original kit
  • Brushed Motors will be a controlled motor - the Mardave G2 brushed motor
  • Under no circumstances are re-buildable motors, fitting of external motor bearings or skimming of motor armatures allowed.

These rules are designed to make a race meeting run smoothly, provide close competitive racing and above all else for us all to enjoy racing the model cars we have purchased.