UF1 RC Thank you to everyone who attended the first UF1 round of the season! We had a total of 30 entries, which is a great showing for one class of cars!!
This was our first outing attempting some of the new UF1 format changes. So far, it seems like the 10 minute qualifying session was well received by racers. I saw many racers utilizing the longer session to make improvements and changes to their car.
Qualifying was sorted by using the racer’s 5 fastest laps [non-consecutive]. There was a bit of a delay in sorting / programming the main events. This was due to a missing drop-down to auto sort the mains. Entries 11-30 had to be hand entered.
For the second round, we will revert back to the traditional ‘three fastest consecutive laps’.
Thank you again to our series sponsors for supporting UF1:
Exotek Racing
TQ RC Racing
R1 Wurks
1UP Racing
Track Star RC
CompetitionX
Tamiya
Factory Team
Track:
Per usual, Cal’s track prep was outstanding! The track opened around 7:30am and was already sprayed, dried, and ready for practice. Track temps were relatively cool throughout the entire day. The highest track temp I saw recorded was 31C [89F]. Luckily for UF1, Cal utilized the existing layout, which meant that the racing line was already well formed! The pace of racing was ridiculously fast.
Thank you to Notch, Calvin, Tim, and the entire Cal team for the help!
F1:
10th: 264 points
Tom Slick originally entered into the F2 class, but due to his impressive speed and pace, Tom was more than capable competing in F1. Tom finished 10th overall and was vastly faster than his F2 counterparts. We look forward to seeing how Tom progresses in F1!
9th: 275 points
Mark Goldwater places 9th overall. Mark likely wanted to place higher in overall points, but Mark was competitive in each and every round. He had consistent race results, and kept his car under control all day long. 9th overall is super impressive considering the pace of racing throughout the entire field! Uf1 is a long series. Anything can happen!
8th: 277 points
Aaron places 8th overall. Aaron had a lot on his plate with his first round of UF1, and struggled to get on pace with the top guys. He was on a harder front tire, which really hindered his corner speed. The chassis Aaron raced is also completely self-designed. The chassis utilizes parts made from SendCutSend and his 3D printer. It will be interesting to see how chassis development progresses throughout the rest of the reason.
7th: 281 points
Raj Montiero placed 7th overall. Raj had fairly consistent race results [93,93,95]. Without several crashes, Raj would have placed several places higher. His pace was fast enough to place in the top 5. Raj’s Exotek chassis definitely wins the lightest overall weight award at 1001 grams!
6th: 284 points
Mike Rydwell placed 6th overall for the day. Similar to Raj, Mike’s pace was very quick. Mike, owner/operator of Exotek Racing, had his Exotek chassis dialed in all day, and his tire program was superbly well organized. The Exotek Audi finished with consistent results: 94, 97, 93. We look forward to seeing Mike’s racing program and results for the next several rounds!
5th: 290 points
Hector Martinez placed 5th overall for round 1. Hector again came out of nowhere and shocked the field with impressive pace! His car always seems to be competitive and is always in the mix of things. Hector’s incredible 99 in round one rocketed him to a 5th overall finish. We all look forward to watching Hector’s pace in the coming rounds.
4th: 294 points
Thad Garner placed 4th overall for round 1. He had a rough round 1, but scraped back and got some valuable overall round points. Thad’s R1 Wurks powered Exotek chassis had impressive acceleration and corner speed! Fast Lap Point was also awarded to Thad with an incredible 10.334 second lap in round 1. Thad being one point down from the series lead, puts him in serious contention for a series championship!
3rd: 295 points
Mr. Tony Phalen shocked the field with a 3rd place overall! Tony had the third fastest overall round and was awarded 3rd place for round 1. Being the 2012 Uf1 Champion, his Martini Racing Exotek chassis was dialed in all day. Considering that it had been 11 years since Tony last raced in UF1, we are incredibly impressed. Tony is loving the traction created by Exotek’s modern racing tires and chassis design. Lookout for Tony being a serious series contender!
2nd: 295 points
Edgar Fiallos had the second fastest overall round and was awarded 2nd place for round 1! Edgar won last year’s 2022/2023 season finale round at Cal. Results show that he and his Tamiya chassis are a serious threat at Cal!
1st: 295 points
Ken Gerberding had the fastest overall round and was awarded 1st place for round 1! Ken has been racing a lot the last several months, and it absolutely showed! Ken’s Exotek chassis was on rails all day, and looks to be a serious contender for running away with the UF1 championship. We will have to keep an eye out for any secrets or rumors revolving around the Martini Racing crew…. they are a fast pair!
F2:
F2 saw the biggest format changes to UF1. F2 raced in the same qualifier and main events as F1. Points are categorized separately from F1, so a F2 championship will be awarded at the end of the season. Qualifying sorted very well for round 1, and the majority of F2 cars were seeded in the lower main. Working the F2 cars into the F1 heats dramatically shortened our day, and allowed for a longer morning practice session!
Overall Finishing Order for F2:
1) Glen Kratz
2) Tim Ruwe
3) Danny Gaines
4) Steven Strohm
5) Jeremy Dee
6) Calvin Simmons
7) John Burton
Please note that both Tom Slick and Gabriel Gonzalez have graduated to F1, Tom for his overall pace and Gabriel for winning the 2022/2023 F2 Championship. Everyone cannot wait to see how you both progress in the F1 class! Congratulations!!!
Takeaway:
The takeaway from Round 1 is TIRES. Being on the right compound tire was essential to being on pace. The Exotek spec tires were absolutely glued to Cal’s track surface. We look forward to seeing how the Exotek tires continue to perform on the other 2023/2024 track surfaces.
