Tackling a New RC Cars Track

A new track is always exciting, but seeing it for the first time can often be overwhelming and intimidating.  It is important to calmly evaluate the track in its every aspect, and try to anticipate potential trouble spots.  Each track has its strengths, weaknesses and quirks--the better grasp you have of them before the race begins the better you'll do.

When you first set eyes on a new track, look for the tricky or tight spots: boards that may snag your car, a fast entry going past a corner dot, off-camber turns, etc. Some turns have a real sweep to them that can be dangerous if you enter or exit too soon. Long, stretched out turns, sometimes called lazy S’s, are often tight against the boards; take these with caution to avoid trouble: these are the types of corners that cause crashes and flameouts.

It is important to know how to spot these corners and carefully navigate your car through them without incident. Use your practice rounds to get a feel for the whole track to map out difficult parts of the track.  One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is over-driving the turns during their practice times. Once you've identified any tricky turns, look for the easier turns and sections that can improve your lap times.

Spotting the pivotal and dangerous points in a new track is not always easy.  Your practice time is limited, and it can be hard to know without running it a few times how to take a certain turn properly. The transition from straights to tight turns is where a lot of drivers lose time—pay close attention to slacker parts of the track that allow you to make up time.  Watch for hairpins and sweeping turns so you can anticipate how quickly they can be taken.  Experienced drivers make the most of their practice runs and heats by mapping out the dangerous parts of the track they must keep slowly and the part in which time can be gained.

Many tracks feature large sets of looping S curves.  These sweeping curves in rapid succession can spell trouble for inexperienced drivers.  Take care to control the inertia of the inner loops, and do not over steer.  Use your practice runs to test how fast you can take S’s, as they are one of the trickiest parts of most RC tracks.  Remember for more dangerous parts of the track, slow and steady is preferable to crashing and burning.

When evaluating the track, be sure and spot the shorter straights that can be rounded off between curves save time. Negotiating your way through these sections properly can significantly lower lap times. The easiest way to negotiate such a turn is to straighten it out before you make the second turn. This usually makes the car look as though it’s slowly doing a slight S-bend in the straight section. The fast way to do these types of turns is to turn the short straight into a nice radius by tightening up the curves as much as possible.  But take care that you do not cut any of the corners too short or you’ll run the risk of a crash. The key lies in acceleration through the small straight between the opposite curves—time it right and you won’t have to straighten out your car entirely. This creates the shortest distance between the two turns and allows you to carry the most speed into the next section.

Make-or-break sections are named with good reason: master them, and you’ll always find yourself in the A final; fail to get a knack for them and they’ll cost you precious time. With practice you’ll be able not only to spot these pivotal sections, but to navigate them successfully. Especially when you consider you’ll be racing against others and there is always a possibility of disaster, you’ll want to master course navigation.