Apr

14

Gabe Brown Engineering HPI Baja 5B Jam Session

Filed Under HPI Baja 5b, Off-Road Racing, The Company


How To Spend A Baja 5B Saturday Afternoon.

HPI Baja 5B RC Racing

The GBE team was invited out to a private test track on Saturday and we packed up the Baja’s and headed out for a day of fun. Attending this private session were a few of the Baja owner/drivers from HPI, GBE and a few invited guests who were lucky enough to drive on this track. The track is carved from the landscape and features four table top jumps, big berms, elevation changes and great dirt which lent itself to outstanding traction through out the day. From the drivers stand you get a feeling for how big this track really is with the four table top jumps located in front of the stand. Clearing the last of the four table tops leads you into a large sweeping left turn with a very high berm making it a great place to lay into the throttle and go roosting around the corning into the next table top jump. Clearing this jump leads you into a hard right turn into a quick left turn, a short shoot to the next left which also features an elevation change. Seeing a baja under hard acceleration coming through that turn is something to see. This leads you into another hard right turn into a triple step down jump into another hard right into a sweeping left banked turn. Once you are past the turn you are presented with quick doubles and triple jumps spaced close together creating a slow spot in the track. If you went through smoothly you cleared the bumps without any trouble. However if you got the car a little unsettled you could end up on your lid making this section one of the more challenging of the layout. Closing in on the left corner this leads you into the four table top jumps which most everyone was clearing with no trouble.

What Do You Need To Go Racing?

While bashing around parks and parking lots can be a lot of fun, going to a purpose built track can be fun as well. Like in bashing you do need a supply of spare parts to take with you when you go out to take care of any damage the car encounters during the session. Off-road racing presents it’s own challenges when it comes to parts on your Baja 5B. If you happen to come off a jump a little crooked you could end up landing on one a-arm or another which can cause the a-arm to snap. While this is a simple fix you will need the spare a-arm and a few tools to replace it and get back on the track. During our session on Saturday we encountered broken front lower A-arms, stripped spur gears, blown shocks and a broken shock shaft. The shaft was immediately replaced with Phatdads shock shafts for the Baja 5B SS shocks. These shock shafts come with a lifetime warranty and they are built for the abuse of off-road racing. The parts on these cars take quite a beating during a run and it is very surprising what they can take. One car flew off the last table top jump only to collide with a tree. The tree and the Baja both survived the impact and the action continued. As the day came to a close the cars were dirty and the drivers were happy to have such a great day on an excellent track layout. If you haven’t tried your hand at off-road racing you are missing out on the action and the fun. Gabe Brown Engineering will be holding two races per month at Sun Valley Speedway here in Southern California and look forward to seeing you at the track. If you haven’t tried racing before don’t worry, everyone at the track all started as a rookie and are willing to help you get started in the fun. When attending the race be sure to bring spare parts, your charger, fuel, extra air filters, an easy-up to protect you from the sun, food, jacket and of course, your Baja 5B or any large scale RC truck or car like MCD or FG or Titan. With over twenty of these large cars on the track the action is intense and exciting to watch. Being a part of the action is even better. Come on out and join in the fun. Let’s help this class of racing grow by inviting a friend or two to join you in the fun.

Stay tuned.

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