EVO 2. Excellence refined
Feb 24th, 2005
When the disease strikes there not much
more one can do. When the EVO 2 came out I had enough car to did anything I
wanted. My T1 has enough hopups and my driving skills improved to the
point I finished 10th on the National Championship, but...
I cannot pass on a nice deal and I got one
for a new Xray - the EVO2
There are a few differences on both designs
but the one I liked the most was the new shocks (made by Xray instead of
Serpent) with a much better assembly process, and mainly because they are
all the same size and the car feel is better overall.
I tested the car before the last race of
the season without the front one way and the car was hooked. I was driving
with Daniel Ferreira (National Champion 2002) and we were
both amazed how good the car was doing. A few tests with spring rates and
piston holes turned the car into a fast and mean machine. After that,
another afternoon of testing at the track where we were going to race,
this time with one way, proved that the car was dialed enough to be in the
top spots as long as my driving would allow it.
However, I got the C Hub conversion for the
car and decided to install it on the T1. I must say I can't find huge
differences between the two systems, but the cool factor applies here and
I decided to race with the T1 and the C Hub conversion.
I was doing Ok during qualifying with times
in the top 10, until a "specialist" in Xray came by and started to give me
a seminar on how bad my car was.
-
The belts were too tight
-
The rear C Hubs caused positive camber and Xray was going to change it all
-
The steering was not OK
-
The final ratio was wrong
-
and so on and so on...
Sometimes I can't figure out what goes on
on their minds, but this guy was supposed to be helping a driver that was
fighting to get in the A, and there he was badmouthing everything on my
top 10 setup. Either he's blind or he is another thing that I leave to
your consideration.
Anyway, I was running a Hudy 12x2 and he
was supposedly a Hudy specialist and following his tip I made the mistake of changing the
ratio on the car. The pack dumped before the 5 minutes on the first final.
Then he came again to my pit space, pulled out a brush from the motor and
started to laugh. By this time I was determined to give him a lesson in
his own mother language (he's Spanish). Then he started to whisper
something to one of our shop owners and he came to me asking if I wanted
help in tuning the motor.
I said "no thanks" and I changed to a motor
he said was pure rubbish, a Reedy 12x1. With that motor the car was superb
and I managed to drive enough to get a 5th place in the A, after a fight
with a TC3.
The final result (if I hadn't been stupid
enough to hear what he said about the ratio it would be a different story)
was a 7th final place.
Then, not pleased with all the arrogant stupidity he had displayed, he
came again saying I did much better with his tips.
I was SO SATISFIED to show him that I had
maintained the ratio, changed the motor to the Reedy and not changing
anything on the setup, that my eyes glowed with joy. It was good to finish
7th on the race and 10th on the Championship but this was much better,
much much better (I'm so bad).
The T1 finished the season in great style
and unharmed. Not one broken piece in 7 races and more than 15 practice
sessions. I'll start to race with the EVO 2 the next season but this car
will always have a place in my heart.
A good result after all this time
 What
happens if you practice and practice and practice?
You get results.
This was especially true on my last race. I
invested a lot of time and effort in trying to reach the top spots at the
races.
I was close too many times, but there was
always something that was holding me back. The motor sometimes, the grip
almost all of them and the driving in all the cases.
Last year I adopted a policy - Practice
with method, be consistent and pay attention to all the little details
involved in electric car racing.
This last race was a success in several
aspects. The good driving with very little mistakes, the battles with
other racers never touching or causing accidents while driving at full
blast, had to give very good results.
I was never in the fastest group before this race. Usually a 9th or 10th
place in qualifying and that was it.
Not this time. This time I was one of the 4
that managed to break the 21 lap barrier with the 3rd best time overall.
The car was perfect, and some of the
strategic choices revealed as very wise choices indeed. If it weren't for
two mishaps (lapping a racer that couldn't decide where to go and went to
the wrong place and another one too eager to pass causing a loss of a 4 or
5 seconds) I could be comfortably in 2nd place at the end of the race.
I was never in the front like this, where
problems like lapping other drivers happen or where the battle is fierce.
Next time I'll try to be prepared for those little details that don't
happen a little further back.
What amazes me is the fact that almost
without noticing, my skills in driving and tuning are at a very high
level. The car behaves smoothly and sure it's fast. A lot of the guys that
were used to see me run in the back are now very surprised with the sudden
ability I seem to have.
The fights for a good place in the race are
very serious but I never forced it to much to a point where we end up
loosing more than we gain. Unfortunately a lot of guys do it that way.
It's stupid, it shows no skill and irritates the heck out of the poor
victims.
There isn't worst sensation than to know
you are gaining time on everybody to see that time lost because a guy does
not know how to control itself. We try to get the attention of the other
racers on the stand saying something like "Attention blue car!! you're
going to be lapped!!!" but sometimes it's not enough. They are all over
the place, they don't open the curve to allow you to fight for a better
place and in one case my car stood there resting on it's roof because the
guy just couldn't do it better.
I'm sure that from now on things will be
different. A more defensive style is absolutely necessary when we race in
the front that way. I'll get there.
...and the first victory in a National
race
 After several races in the top 10 with
honorable performances I won my first National Electric race. The good thing
about it was the relaxed way in which everything happened.
I had just returned from my summer vacation
(without cars to practice) and the circuit is not for the faint hearted.
Tricky and with no room for failure, is one of the most complicated tracks
on our calendar.
The setup was almost stock with the exception
of the spring. I opted for the light blue springs (between the yellow and
white) and from the start my car was glued to the track.
In qualifying I was able to enter the select
group of 20 lappers and finished 3rd.
The first final was just a matter of speed
and consistency, leaving behind several serious competitors. Not that the
laps weren't fast (in fact I made the fastest of that final) but because I
made 0 mistakes and the faster drivers on that final made one or two each.
It was enough to win the first final.
The second one was something to forget
because on the start an eager driver hit my car from behind on the first
turn, causing the spring retainer of the right shock to quit it's place. I
didn't even complete one turn.
The third final and the one that gave me the
final victory was excellent in every respect. I started 4th but soon I saw
myself in second position and gaining on the leader. A mistake at one point
made him loose the first place because we were already very close. From that
point on it was just a matter of handling the fight with the second that was
driving very fast.
A bump from a lapped driver made me loose
first place only to regain it a couple of laps latter. The setup, driving
and motor allowed a very comfortable lead and final victory.
This only goes to show that practice and calm
are far more important than anything else on a race. Even if you don't have
the best motor of the lot, you'll be able to hold all the horses behind you.
Sure it's good. Let's hope the car the
driving and the moment allow me to win more often.
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