Round 12 - Rally Of Umbria 2012

[Graham Lane]

Welcome to Round 12 of the 2012 SCX World Rally Championship.

 

This round is being held in two locations; our local disused temporary church and a huge model shop.

 

Brama Model Shop is in Perugia, Umbria, right in the centre of Italy. This huge shop is divided into two parts, one for static models – war-gaming, trains, and general modelling, and one for dynamic models – RC cars, boats and planes and of course slot cars. Within the dynamic section there are two large slot car tracks - a fixed four-lane racing circuit and a two-lane rally circuit which is constantly altered. Both circuits are Ninco commercial track which is sold in the shop along with a wide range of slot cars, parts, and accessories.

 

The four-lane race track

 

 

One half of the two-lane rally track

 

 

The other half

 

 

Brama has been my local club for the past two years and runs a weekly club night alternating between the two tracks and various classes of car. There are also occasional championships and endurance races to add further interest. Recent improvements to the four-lane track have attracted some of the top drivers in Umbria racing alongside regular club members and the shop staff, making competition very fierce indeed.

 

For this event my own Castellano track is coming out of storage to be set up in our local disused temporary church.

 

Just to remind you, this is a view of Castellano

 

 

But it's better to watch this video to see the whole track

 

 

There will be four stages. Stage One will take place on one lane of the four-lane circuit at Brama emulating a typical rally stage on an airfield. A regular lap takes about 10 seconds so this stage will be timed over 15 laps of the circuit. Being Ninco, this is a very grippy surface, fast and flat, with a combination of long straights and sweeping curves, together with a few obstacles added just for the event. It will favour some cars and not others and we hope it will mix the leaders up a bit.

 

Stage Two will be run on the Brama rally track. I have no idea how they will lay this out as they change it virtually every week, but it will be good.

 

Stage Three will be run on the two-lane section of the Castellano track. This is Scalextric Sport track painted with emulsion paint so quite slippery, and this will also be timed over 15 laps.

 

Finally, for Stage Four, the full Castellano track will be used. This incorporates the two-lane section from the previous stage but diverts off onto a single track of routed MDF which rambles through the Italian countryside, over a viaduct, through villages, up a mountainside, through a couple of tunnels and even over a railway track. It’s very challenging to drive and takes around 45 seconds to complete so this stage will be timed over just three laps. Cars will be flagged off the official starting ramp by a local celebrity and we hope to have the local TV station along to film it and interview the drivers. The event has been well-publicised and we expect quite a crowd of spectators in the shop.

 

We will be selecting our best rally drivers for this round so we expect some serious action. Cars will be run in random order to make it fair for all. We will also have a professional photographer taking a series of action shots as the event takes place.

 

All eyes will be on Team Umbria, which has four cars entered as Brama, Sciri, Conti-Rowland, and of course (your favourite) La Porta Verde!

 

We hope you will enjoy this round here in Umbria as much as we expect to.

Edited September 23, 2012 by Graham Lane

[gazza]

Great news Graham, looks like to local cars are peaking at the right time

[alexis in greece]

The box containing the cars was handed to the post office this morning.Estimated time to reach destination 4 days.

[Graham Lane]

Thanks Alexis. The scheduled date for the Italian round is 7th October and, with the Danish and Norwegian rounds cancelled, they don't have to be back to Australia until the 15th December so...plenty of time!

 

I'll need an address to send them to in Oz.

Edited September 24, 2012 by Graham Lane

[snurfen]

wow, this series is just getting better and better as it progresses - press, celebs etc etc. Good efforts there Graham and team. Looking forward to watching it develop.

[Splitrim]

Bring It On!!

 

Because of a veritable smorgasbrod of problems, I never made it over to Grahams Mini Mille Miglia a couple of years ago, so It least the passion wagon is goint to be trundleing around the streets of Castellano.

 

Avanti, Avanti , Presto, Presto numero 33!

Edited September 25, 2012 by Splitrim

[Graham Lane]

OK, the stages at Brama are confirmed for October 3rd. We plan to run both on the same evening. The stages on my track will follow at the weekend of 6th and 7th.

 

Brama are setting up a completely new layout for the rally track, no surprises there. It will certainly be challenging and will combine the super-smooth Ninco ice sections together with the normal super-grippy Ninco black track with Carrera timing. We will time a lap and then work out how many laps will make up a three-minute run. As far as I know no changes have been made to the four-lane circuit but we will enhance it with a few buildings, etc. for the stage.

 

I'm still waiting for the cars to arrive but it should be imminent.

 

There will be plenty of photos, at least one for each car, and I will video the three podium cars on the climb up the side of the mountain. I will also give you three choices of where you want your car photographed shortly. These photos will be high quality-high resolution and include the SCX WRC billboard so you can print and frame if you wish as a memento of the event.

[Mohawkk]

wow, that sounds like a lot of effort Graham,

Have fun playing with our little toy cars!

[Mohawkk]

oops, I ment Racing our little toy cars.... serious Racing

[Graham Lane]

And for 'toy' read 'model'. This guy never gets it right.

[Ember]

Did you manage to finish the vineyard on the Castello track Graham?

[Graham Lane]

Sadly, no, Embs. This summer has overtaken me. I thought things might be easier with Michael and Kate living with us but they had a baby five months ago and it's amazing how that encroaches (in the nicest possible way) on your life. Lots of family visits, people calling in, and loads of cucchi cucchi coos.

Edited September 28, 2012 by Graham Lane

[Ember]

Bugger. Was going to get you to get some photos of my car at the vineyard. Never mind.

 

Hope you're looking forward to the whole circus.

[snurfen]

You know the score Embs, you start to build a track and it all goes to pieces when you "just try it out to make sure it drives ok". You start a vineyard, and it all goes ok until you "just squash a couple of grapes to see how......"

[Graham Lane]

It was never like that Snurfen. I'd never have built the viaduct or the railway section if it were the case. Sadly my track has been in storage since the last MMM and getting to it to build a vineyard has proved too difficult. I did hope t bring that section to my home and do it but it never happened. One day it will. Hopefully before wine goes out of fashion.

[Ontheflipside]

I One day it will. Hopefully before wine goes out of fashion.

 

You will have plenty of time.

[Graham Lane]

We will photograph each and every car in one of the following shots. Please let me know your name, car number and choice by PM.

 

The Mountain

 

 

The Village

 

 

The Forest

 

 

The Start Ramp

 

[gazza]

Have the cars arrived Graham?

[Graham Lane]

Not yet. As soon as they do I'll post a message here. Let's hope it's before next Wednesday.

[gazza]

It would have been nice to get them before the weekend to give you a bit of prep time

[Graham Lane]

I'm getting a bit worried that they will turn up on time. Wednesday night will be the first Brama club night of the season so we expect a good turn out. However, if push comes to shove, then we could delay it to the following Wednesday.

 

We have decided to have three drivers for each stage (six in all) at the Brama stages. They will all be of the same standard, high, and alternate. I actually think this is fairer as using the same driver for all 42 cars means that he (or she) is very tired at the end and that isn't fair for the last few cars. There's also a bit of competition between the drivers to get a fast time.

[teamredracing]

Ah come on Graham ,I thought they breed them tuff over in Italy . Gaz and I did it over here . Then again we dont have to many friends . Good way to get a good night sleep after doing it .

Cheers Craig

[Graham Lane]

I saw you guys on video getting tired with aching fingers. Three hours continuous driving is too much, even for an Aussie. At my age I'm knackered after a three minute race!

[teamredracing]

:lol: :lol: Good onya mate.

[Graham Lane]

I've had just four requests for the choice of location for photgraphing your cars, and each one is different! If you don't make a choice, I'll do it for you. No problem.