Traction is the name of the game at the Outlaw RC Conquer the Carpet at the Cloverdale Fairgrounds.
Ten classes of RC (radio control) racers were featured during the weekend-long event. Doors opened at 7 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, with final rounds taking place late Sunday afternoon.
However, competitors were at the track Friday testing their rig, and preparing, for the rich-traction environment on the carpet.
“Traction is a huge problem,” Tyrell Wilkinson told Peace Arch News at the track Sunday morning. “You can have either too little, and the car will push, you’ll turn the wheel and it’ll under steer and it’ll continue to go straight. Or on this high level traction carpet that we run on, we actually have problems with the car tipping.”
Wilkinson said competitors spend majority of their time not on the track, but tinkering with suspension, steering input, ride heights, spring rates, and even putting glue on the outside of the tires to help with traction.
“Every track you go to is a little different so you show up with a base setup and go from there, get everything where you want it,” he said.
Wilkinson, who competes in the modified classes, says his car can reach up to 70km/h on a straight run.
Final races are expected to run before 5 p.m., Sunday.
