Blais Family JBRL Round 2 Race Report

Blais Family JBRL Round 2 RC Racing Report!JBRL Round 2, Palm Desert RC Raceway
April 7th, 2012
By Chris Blais

Round 2 of the JBRL racing series for 2012 was held at Palm Desert RC Raceway in Palm Desert, CA. With a large turnout of 350 or so entries, it was going to be a long day of racing. This would be the Blais Family’s second JBRL Event and first outdoor event.

In the first heat races, I had okay runs in the Pro-4 race with a couple of small mistakes and was back in the pack. The first heat of Expert Stock buggy went well for me as I had a good run with only one small mistake. I was taking it a little too cautious and was off the fast pace of the leaders. The second round of heats went a little better for me in the Pro-4 race, as I was able to go two seconds faster and just barely made the A- Main in 10th qualifying position. In my second buggy heat race warmup, I had a problem with my transmission and didn’t get to start. I was so bummed as I just waited 3 hours to drive and didn’t get to. Luckily my first qualifier was good enough for the #10 spot in the A-Main.

In the main events, I was able to have a pretty clean race and made it all the way up to finish 3rd place in the Expert Stock buggy A main! Everyone was having issues seeing the race track once it got dark. I was able to get through a lot of the carnage on the track and take my first podium in the buggy. In the Pro-4 race, I was able to make it through the pack and take home a 4th place finish! The best time was battling it out with my brother Nick on the track. We went back and forth with each other for a couple of laps of wheel-to-wheel racing. Nick ended up in 5th position for the evening. My Coyote Hobbies/ Pro-Line Losi SCTE was on it tonight and I am really happy with my performance!

Martin Blais took 6th place in the Sportsman 4wd Short Course A-Main and 11th Place in the Expert Stock Short Course A-Main.

Pro-Line tire combo for Round 2:
Buggy – Pro-Line 4-Ribs in the front and Hole Shot M4‘s in the back.
Pro-4 – Pro-Line Sniper M3‘s all around worked awesome on the wet track.

Thanks to our awesome team sponsors:
Pro-Line Coyote Hobbies Raceway in Victorville, CA

April 7th, 2012
By: Nick Blais

On Thursday night April 5^th, we hauled out to Palm Desert, had a smooth drive out, arrived there around 11:30pm, and found a sweet camping spot. Friday morning, I woke up pretty early to get my 1/8 scale car all back together. After replacing pretty much everything on it from racing it around for years in my brother’s backyard, it was ready to go about the time practice started at noon. Right after the first practice run, I noticed that this was not your normal high traction indoor track. I experimented with some different tread patterns and I chose the Pro-Line Sniper Tire which seemed to work really well. After the long day Friday, and with only getting a few runs (controlled practice) with each vehicle, it was time to clean everything up and get ready for race day.

On race day morning, I got a few practices in before the long wait to my race #24 (Pro 2), race #31 (Pro 4), and race #32 (1/8) scale. Heat 1 started with the 2wd SC. I had a pretty good run going, little slippery but not doing too bad, just had a little issue with the breeze that seemed like it was affecting my driving. The 4wd SC class was way faster being that the traction doubled. The track had a pretty cool sweeping straight away that you could just hold it wide through the turn. I was starting to put in some pretty good laps. After a few minor mistakes, I thought I had finished pretty well, but I soon realized that everybody was running really close time-wise. I qualified for the B main night show. In my 1/8 scale race, it was rough from the get go. After running a few laps, one wheel came off (after red lock-tite, and tightening the heck out of the nuts).

Heat 2 went pretty smooth with close to the same results. I changed my tires and installed a Pro-Line Flo-Tek body and the heat went pretty smooth, finishing mid-pack. The 4wd class went about the same with a mid-pack finish again, but not improving time-wise. The 1/8 drove flawless until the last turn literally. I gave it gas, heard a grind, and coasted across the finish line. The motor backed away from the spur and chewed it up! With it being about 7:30pm by this time, the hobby shop was closed… total bummer!

I made all the A mains except for my favorite class, the Pro 4. In Pro 4, I started in front of the pack in the B main, race #21 (now dark, lights on). I’m not sure if anyone else was having problems seeing the far corners with no lights or paint on at least the tops of the jumps, but I sure was with having a dark colored body. Well I went for it at the start and tried to stay smooth and pull away, but that dark corner got me and I was in the infield before I knew it. Dropping to 3^rd now, I had nothing to lose so I went for it and after getting by everyone, I started to pull away winning the B main and getting bumped up to the A main.

My 2wd A main race came after the course had just been watered. After all the first lap mishaps, I ended up in the top of the pack, stayed there for a few laps, and started working my way backwards. I had in a 13.5 turn motor with the slipper on the loose side, but with all the mud under the body, the tires packed, the jumps tapering off, I barley had enough to get over some of the bigger doubles out of the turns. I believe I ended up in last place.

After coming off a win in the Pro 4 class, I was a little more excited to race the 4×4. I started in the back of the pack. After a slow first couple of turns, there was a big pile up that I was able to drive right around. I think I was 5^th at the end of the first lap, had a couple of awesome battles during the race, and I ended up in the 5^th spot at the finish. I had time to grind some teeth in my 1/8 scale spur gear. I made it work! It sounded like a dirt bike! I gave it a shot in the main and it actually made the warm up and about four minutes of the main before it just gave up. Oh well there is always next time! I had a good time with the family and friends, and I’m sure we will be out there next time.

JBRL Round 2 Race Results