I recently decided to push my self and start running in a class called modified. For those of you who don't know there are two main classes that have always existed in R/C racing, a class where a specification motor is used (typically refered to as "Stock Class") and Modified class. In modified class racing (or mod for short) we are allowed to use any motor we choose. When I ran bigger cars, modified class was tough because you were piloting a ~1500 gram (3.3 lbs) object capable of 40+ mph. In the Mini-Z world, modified is even tougher because now you're piloting a ~170g (3/8ths of a pound) object capable of the same speeds!
Running modified motors with a car this small has proven to be a challenge because not only do you have to be good at driving the car, you have to be able to set up the car to work perfectly to achieve optimal result. There is less margin for error in regards to both driving and setup when running at a faster speed. It almost hurt to start running modified initially because when you first strap in that much power, you go through a phase where you really suck. It's almost like being a novice all over again, re-learning how to drive the car. Understanding my struggles, the fellow racers at my track have been really supportive and encourage me to keep on practicing.
Also, as I found out at the last club race, if anything goes wrong on your car it effects the handling way more than in stock class. The last time I raced stock, I had a wheel come loose in my first qualifier and I was able to nurse it home. I damaged a brush in my motor last night and it drastically effected how my car ran from that point forward. Thankfully when I got home and rebuilt my motor, the comm still looked fine. Mod is definitely a challenge, but it's a challenge that is possible to take on, despite what you think when you take those first laps with a PN 33 turn.
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