Phoenix Winterfest
by Aaron “AJ” Seaholm
aseaholm@gmail.com
I attended the 24th Annual Phoenix Winterfest Q500 Race, held January 14-15, 2017, at the Speedworld RC Flyers club in Surprise, Arizona. Seven rounds were flown by 17 competitors in Electric Formula 1 (EF1) and 46 in Q-500.
I made the 1,200-mile journey for the first time—first time by car and first time attending a Winterfest race. Thanks to the Martins for picking me up and encouraging me to embrace my inner Q-500 pilot. I had a great time.
As always, contest director (CD) Jim Allen and the Speedworld RC Flyers delivered a world-class event. The heats clicked off like clockwork.
Another first for me was being part of a five-way tie that included my teammate, Scott Causey. The flyoff was completed in two rounds. I flew against Dan Coe and was able to advance. Scott flew against Tony Lopez and Jim Nikodem. Tony beat Scott and Jim, and then proceeded to kick my tail in the final round. Well done, Tony.
Gino Del Ponte bested Jim Allen in a flyoff for first place in Q-500. Jim’s built-up and film-covered Quik-V6 went against Gino’s composite Ninja. Gino prevailed in the end, but not because of an equipment advantage. The parity we have achieved with Q-500 is great.
Gino has won this event the last two years. He flew lights out all weekend, minus one cut approximately midway through. Scott and I encouraged Dominic, Gino’s three-year-old son, to greet him with “Bad Dad” upon his return to the pits. This apparently worked because he was a “Good Dad” for the rest of the weekend. Amazing flying, Gino!
EF1 also required a flyoff to decide
the final placings, with Dub Jett and Jim Nikodem battling for second place. Jim took it. Mike Helsel was the EF1 champion and also grabbed fast time. Great job, Mike.
I strongly encourage you to take a break from winter next year to attend Winterfest 2018. You will not regret it.
EF1
Name Time Points
1. Mike Helsel 1:27.86* 28
2. Jim Nikodem 1:28.46 26
3. Dub Jett 1:30.31 26
*Fast time
Q-500
Name Time Points
1. Gino Del Ponte 1:04.37 26
2. Jim Allen 1:04.20 25
3. Rich Beers 1:03.50 24
4. Tony Lopez 1:04.50 23
5. AJ Seaholm 1:04.95 23
6. Scott Causey 1:05.04 23
7. Dan Coe 1:06.03 23
8. Jim Nikodem 1:10.38 23
Fast time: Dave Gardner 1:03.03
Helmets
A reader recently asked me about about some of the popular helmets that Pylon pilots wear.
I used a Bell bicycle helmet, purchased from Walmart, for nearly 10 years. According to the AMA Competitions Regulations, helmets worn during Pylon Racing must be certified by a recognized organization that approves safety equipment. The rule reads as follows:
4.2.1.
“Every person going onto the racecourse or between the designated sideline and the racecourse (see racecourse diagram), and all officials, whether on or off the course, shall properly wear a helmet approved by OSHA, DOT, ANSI, SNELL, NOCSAE or other recognized organization that certifies safety equipment.”
I have purchased a Triple 8 brand helmet from Amazon and an Eclipse
from my local Scheels sporting goods store. The Eclipse has a comfortable, adjustable, knob-type headband. I recommend that you find a comfortable helmet that does not cook your head in the summer sun and is not distracting during a heat of racing. Check that it complies with the rules.
A Million Ways to Lose
One of my favorite quotes came from race car driver Doug Kalitta after he lost a round of drag racing: “There [are] a million ways to lose, and only one way to win.” This is applicable to any form of racing, including ours. Following are some frequently observed ways to lose:
• Cut
• Crash
• Dead plug
• High rates at takeoff
• Pressure line blown off
• Dead glow driver
• Crud in needle valve
• Wheels are bound up
• Wrong model in transmitter
Improving Your Finish
In my March 2017 column, I discussed trimming for speed. Another key to improving your finish is reducing the mistake count, so there are fewer ways to lose. Be diligent in reducing the preventable mistakes and I promise that your place on the leaderboard will improve.
Next Generation
I was recently asked by my AMA district associate vice president about ideas for making RC competitions more attractive to the current generation. He mentioned that events such as RC Scale and others have seen steady decreases in participation.
Here are my thoughts. We live in a computer-enhanced, connected world. My 8- and 11-year-old children can navigate smartphones like bosses. We need to think about how to embrace new technology and appeal to this generation. Technology such as FPV, mobile race apps, and virtual reality might help our appeal with the next generation.
First, we have to make Pylon Racing more accessible. That means races have to be easier to put on. It is becoming harder to find people to staff the courses. I am optimistic that we will see a workerless system emerge in the next few years.
Call for Topics
Why do I write this column? I write it because it is the best channel through which to spread my love of RC Pylon Racing and promote the sport. Model Aviation circulates to nearly 200,000 AMA members every month. I figure if I can influence one new pilot to join our ranks, it is worth it.
After many years of writing this column, coming up with topics and ideas is sometimes challenging. I am asking for your help. Please email me ideas for what you would like to see covered in future columns.
Fly hard—have fun!
SOURCES:
National Miniature Pylon Racing Association (NMPRA)
www.nmpra.org
Speedworld RC Flyers
www.speedworldrcflyers.com
