Big john the ‘Eggmeister†had once again brought some fabulous models from the MMK stable. The first being the Le Mans 1952 Talbot. I’m sure models like these will almost never make the popular manufacturers because of the appeal but it is only a pity because of the possible retail price. As it is, MMK make an almost faultless model and sometimes I feel the cost is worth it for such quality.
Another model in Johns box was the equally attractive Cunningham Le Mans 1952 . They come with plastic chassis and although there are probably very few which prove their driveability, I’m sure they won’t be found wanting if put to the test.
Jordan produced the Fly Collectors Porsche 917 ‘Marqués de Riscal’ (Spanish wine makers) in its beautiful Burgundy and Gold livery. The unusual aspect of this presentation is that the box is covered with genuine cork oak veneer!!
Once we had all stopped dribbling on the models it was eventually time for the whacky racers to indulge in some whacky classes. First up was track owners choice, and this was to be Rally cars, open motor class, excluding WRC cars from the early nineties onwards. I am surprised there weren’t more fly cars present but it appears the racers had got into the spirit of the class and many an unusual model took to the track. With fourteen racers in attendance, it was going to be a good afternoon/evening
First uncharacteristic behavioural pattern was when PJ struggled with his Scaley Mk I Ford escort. In a desperate bid to improve his luck he changed the car for………………………… another Scaley MkI Ford Escort!?
Paul had a challenge on his hands. He had quite rightly chosen to race his SCV Seat 850, what better choice is there!! One obvious problem though was that as we were using Bob’s ‘in house’ Ninco controllers, every time Paul released the trigger the feisty little model would stop dead a couple of feet from the corner. Time would show that Paul would overcome this little foible and when he eventually did, for some of us he was hard to keep up with.
Heat four saw Jordan make a concerted effort to gain race leader status from Paul and after several nail biting laps, Paul’s Seat released its tenuous grip on the track and barrelled off into the landscaping, leaving Jordan space to do as he pleased.
Tactics were already coming into play on this very muggy afternoon. The little SEAT was obviously carrying a lot of downforce and generating a lot of heat. The only way it could combated was to place the model in the drinks fridge between heats, this was fine and had the desired effect, but when the model was replaced on the track, not only were the tyres a lot harder than before they went in, the entire model developed a sweat of condensation across the body and the windows fogged up! Nice one Paul!
As is the way with all competition, there have to be consequences and the consequence of a bad race was in the results, and this is what they were. For some unknown reason, the computer had confused mine and Paul’s name and with little time to worry about it I accepted the computer’s verdict that I was anchor man for the event in my Sunbeam Talbot
Next up was Yank Tanks. This primarily is for large North American cars from the sixties Nascar era. With some beautiful models available from Monogram and Carrera it was assured there would be a good field.
An early heat saw the Eggmeister exert his authority on a race with his Galaxie but after a good race he came unstuck on the last lap on the last bend. Fortunately, there were two marshalls on that corner! But Unfortunately, they were deep in conversation and one even had a car book open in his hand and was extolling the virtues of some of our class cars from the tome. Bad luck Eggy!
Heat six saw four juggernauts lined up on the grid. With the green light we took off into the heat. Glen and I slowly pulled out a modest lead over Moby until about two thirds race distance. At this point after Glen overdrove a corner, I managed to settle into a regular pace heading for the finishing line. Glen slowly reeled me in until a lap or so from the finish when he again deslotted. This time Moby was on his tail and with no time left he had to settle for third place.
A couple of heats later there was a similar scenario. Only this time it was Glens turn to go ahead. Battling back against the odds, I had Glen in my sights and a possible first place , when Moby caused me deep consternation by putting us both off in the closing stage! Bahhhhhhhhh
The final event was round four of the Can Am challenge. In spite of emails and print outs and a whole heap of intercommunicational devices there were still folk who didn’t quite grasp it, but what can you do in this case, murder is still an indictable offence!!
Eggy made a great sound about the eligibility of his Slot.It Chappie 2E for no valid point. I fear it was a diversionary tactic as most present were more concerned about the malodorous nature of the atmosphere in his immediate vicinity, several times through the evening! I suspect he had brought some of the delights of the Buderim countryside with him.
Eggy was to be the man of the Can Am match as he became the brunt of the rest of us’s joviality. Once again the marshalls, by his account, were his nemesis. But then again, maybe they wouldn’t have been if he had spent more time in the slot? The final insult must have been when his Chappie shed its wing and a great noise (read ‘cheer’ here) went up from the gathered throng!
Fortunately for Eggy and the rest of us, the evenings competition was now almost at a close, and all that was left was for some of us to gather together some of those parts which had been deemed, by impact and other foul means, non essential for the running and completion of the races. Thank Jehovah for Superglue! (Cyno-acrylate bonding agent for our N. Am cousins). Norm blitzed the last heat with his Carrera 917 and it was uncatchable. A Brilliant drive saw him achieve a fastest lap of 6.3 second and a 6.8 sec race average!!
During the course of the evening we had a break for comestibles and a bit of bench racing, and Julie had toiled for some time to put on a great supper. So there has to be a huge thank you to Julie and Bob for going to these lengths and it is, as always, greatly appreciated by all.
So that was it. Another excellent afternoons racing and I look forward to the next race day.
If you live in Brisbane and would like to come along to a Legends or Q32 race afternoon, even just to watch for an hour or so, please notify me by email and I will include you in the racing invites if you are not already there.
