RC-Foff Finland Cup
It is snowy Saturday morning in southern Finland, Kangasala. We arrived to the gravel pit and noticed that there was way too much snow to have a RC Formula Offroad fun. Well, we went to the second place and situation was the same. At third gravel pit which was the same as the 1/1 Formula Offroad used in 05-06, we found a nice dry sand wall, and we decided to stay there and start the competition.
As you can see in that picture, the morning was very windy and snowy.
Street Class is a whole new class to this sport. Following the steps of big Icelanders, we decided to make a class, with no extra parts and no paddle tires. And it has become very tight class. In this race there were only two cars in street class, and here is Lochness Monster. Sofi Sarka is the main driver, and she was having a good race. She is still the only female driver in the RC-Foff Finland Cup. Today she drives well and end�s up in fourth place only 100 points away from podium place. Next time then!
Samu Sarka was also driving with Lochness Monster. Samu didn�t have as good a race as he had earlier in this season. Today - OK race and position number two.
Teijo Lehtonen is a new face in the cup. He has a very good garage to apply some victories. In street class he drives with Reaper. Setups were good and he gets first time in the podium in street class. Position number three.
Saku Sarka is driving with Reaper as well. Saku has build the car and is happy about it�s performance. Saku drives a competition of his life and ends up in first place. Congratulations!
Pasi �kr�s and Dictator � a winner of previous season. In speed stage he made a massive mistake and misses one gate. So, he had to come back and up on that he lost many, many seconds.
Here Dictator is in the last stage waiting for start. Pasi drives reasonable race and end�s up in second place.
Mikko Nieminen and The Devil. A couple of first timers on the hills. The Devil has a body which suits well up to theme. Here Mikko is in the first stage.
Mikko�s driving was fluid and open-minded, and that is why he can bear the golden medal. Nice driving and very interesting class!
Unlimited GP also a new class in Finland Cup. GP is only for cars that have combustion engines. Here is Teijo Lehtonen and Pink Panther. Teijo did have some problems with his radio controller. Setups were lost and position was number 5.
Samu Sarka drives with Pink Panther as second driver. Radio control setups was messing Samu�s competition too and Samu and Teijo had to quit after four stage�s because the filter was full of moisturized sand. Samu gets the fourth place.
Lassi-Jussi V��n�nen and Dragon�s Whisper. A couple with great experience from other racing too, so driver knows how to handle the car. Here Dragon�s Whisper is in stage number one.
Here it is in stage three trying to hoard the full house points, but it fails. Lassi-Jussi is still in good condition and he catches the third place today.
Arto Leinonen with Contender. A Finnish national champion from last year. Today he had a really tough race with Road Runner. In the picture Contender was also trying to jump through the finish gates, but fails also.
Here you can see how those massive paddles slew that sand in the air, even in slow speed. Arto �Atsi� drives fine race with no extra mistakes, except for one fuse and ends up in second place.
Mikko Nieminen and Road Runner. Road Runner is a new comer to this sport also. Setups in RR are absolutely surprising and car is very easy to handle. Here Mikko tries the same place that Arto and Lassi-Jussi did, but he also didn�t make it.
Mikko take�s another win in this race and he is becoming one of the biggest drivers in combustion and gas engine cars.
Sofi Sarka with Mojo Jojo. A car that weighs only 2,1 kg. Sofi was having a good race until the third stage where mechanics didn�t find the problem. Race was over. Mojo Jojo gets position number seven.
Teijo Lehtonen and Viikinki (In English: Viking). This couple was having as you could call in running round. Without wheel wideners that car rolls over quite easily, and that was the biggest problem. Battery anyway offered good power and Teijo end�s up sixth.
Mikko Nieminen and BJ4. This car was in the beginning of the season ultimate in it�s class. But this race takes the road to down fifth place isn�t quite that what Mikko was looking for. But next time with better performance, hopefully!
Saku Sarka with Mangusti. Mangusti was having a chance, from the beginning of the race to take a victory. But the race was very tight and Mangusti fell to a split third place.
This picture Mangusti is in the third stage door to the floor. Good race after all, and driver was very happy about that position.
Lauri Lahti and Cratocter. Guys call it Tractor, because it�s easier to say. =) Cratocter is the leader of individual axles front, which is soon coming to the front line.
Stage 3 and Cratocter. The car rolls to the mud puddle. After all that was very promising race for Lauri and he gets that same split third place.
Samu Sarka with Toxoplasma Condii. A ultimate Finnish national champ from last year, was having slight problems in this first race.
Batteries didn�t run as they should in such cold weather. Samu says that this is the race that they should count off the season, but anyway second place � not bad.
Pekka Murtola with his Pikku-Pastori. Driver has talent to beat other competitors, that race can only be a first of many victories.
Pekka obviously knows the lines he should take in every single stage. This race was awesome for him. Here in stage three he tries Bond turning, but fails and rolls over. Congratulations to Jyv�skyl�!
Janne Edelman and Revolution is a new comer. Car is created with no experience of this sport and still the result is good. This day wasn�t so good for Janne and he makes a couple of mistakes. Because of a fantastic level of present day�s Unlimited class, it�s hard to beat old beards. Janne end�s up to position number nine.
Matti Lehtonen and Red Devil. All new body and frame with beautiful work is ready. This car and driver does a good job until last stage. There the ESC brakes and position drops to eight place.
Mikko Nieminen with Bullit. Mikko is competing in four classes, so he has got to hurry in pit stops. =) Well today Bullit�s performance was king of flat. Not any super performances. Position number seven today.
Nightslayer and Lauri Lahti. Predominant champ, drops out of the first five. Dumb mistakes, as driver said, dropped him from master to place number six. Here he gets very good points. This was stage three and after an excellent jump to the hillock, he rolls over badly.
Pauli Tikkanen with loan car Revolution. Young driver in his first official race was driving with excellent touch to Revolution. He did get a special prize from stage six massive roll over. He even said that car�s frame was wily. Anyway good for him, first time in the race and position number five. Nice work!
Pasi �kr�s with his whole new car HocusPocus. Last year Pasi ended up to second place with his Hot Shadow, but in this year there is so many other competitors, who can also challenge. Pasi drove with average performance and ended up with Homer and Fosters helmet in fourth place.
Pekka Murtola and Kanttori. Pasi �kr�s have made this car to Pekka and Pasi�s cars happens to be good. With Pekka�s driving skills this car is high.
Pekka drove nice and complete race. Kanttori is in good balance and 3S power is easily enough. Fantastic driving from Pekka flies him to the third place.
Saku Sarka and Painkiller Jane. Here in stage 1. Many of you may have noticed that Saku has Pasi�s old Hot Shadow. Car is still working excellent and Saku is making good progress with those LiFe batteries. He is at the moment only driver who uses those.
Painkiller Jane at the end of stage 2. In this stage Saku loses a lot�s of points and end�s up in the whole results to second place. After all, nice debut from Painkiller Jane in Finland Cup.
Helltoy with Samu Sarka. Last year Samu ended up in third place with old car Tipsy. Helltoy took Tipsy�s place in Samu�s competition car, and result was just as I expected. Here Helltoy is in stage two.
Stage three was good for Helltoy too. Great performance took him to winning place.
Here is Helltoy after the sixth stages massive roll over. Tube frame took a couple of hits, and wings turned. Batteries overhangs also under the hood. Helltoy took the win today, but who will take it in S�kyl�?
(Driver, car, team)
1.Saku Sarka � Reaper � Ruutanan FoffRoad Team
2.Samu Sarka � Lochness Monster � Ruutanan FoffRoad Team
3.Teijo Lehtonen - Reaper � M�rk�per� Racing
4.Sofi Sarka � Lochness Monster - Helltek
1.Pekka Murtola � Pikku-Pastori � Koillinen Hiippakunta
2.Samu Sarka � Toxoplasma Condii - Ruutanan FoffRoad Team
3.Saku Sarka - Mangusti � Ruutanan FoffRoad Team
3.Lauri Lahti - Cratocter - Ruutanan FoffRoad Team
5.Mikko Nieminen � BJ4 - Pirkanmaan RC-Autoilijat
6.Teijo Lehtonen - Viikinki � M�rk�per� Racing
7.Sofi Sarka � Mojo Jojo - Helltek
1.Mikko Nieminen � Road Runner � Pirkanmaan RC-Autoilijat
2.Arto Leinonen � Contender � Pirkanmaan RC-Autoilijat
3.Lassi-Jussi V��n�nen � Dragon�s Whisper � Pirkanmaan RC-Autoilijat
4.Samu Sarka � Pink Panther - Ruutanan FoffRoad Team
5.Teijo Lehtonen � Pink Panther � M�rk�per� Racing
1.Samu Sarka - Helltoy - Ruutanan FoffRoad Team
2.Saku Sarka � Painkiller Jane � Ruutanan FoffRoad Team
3.Pekka Murtola - Kanttori � Koillinen Hiippakunta
4.Pasi �kr�s - HocusPocus � Havialan Konepaja
5.Pauli Tikkanen - Revolution � Autorata Racing Team
6.Lauri Lahti - Nightslayer - Ruutanan FoffRoad Team
7.Mikko Nieminen - Bullit � Pirkanmaan RC-Autoilijat
8.Matti Lehtonen � Red Devil � TPS Racing
9.Janne Edelman - Revolution � Autorata Racing Team
1.Mikko Nieminen � The Devil � Pirkanmaan RC-Autoilijat
2.Pasi �kr�s - Dictator � Havialan Konepaja
(Driver, car, team, points)
1.Saku Sarka � Reaper � Ruutanan FoffRoad Team - 20p
2.Samu Sarka � Lochness Monster � Ruutanan FoffRoad Team - 17p
3.Teijo Lehtonen - Reaper � M�rk�per� Racing - 14p
4.Sofi Sarka � Lochness Monster - Helltek - 10p
1.Pekka Murtola � Pikku-Pastori � Koillinen Hiippakunta - 20p
2.Samu Sarka � Toxoplasma Condii - Ruutanan FoffRoad Team - 17p
3.Saku Sarka - Mangusti � Ruutanan FoffRoad Team - 14p
3.Lauri Lahti - Cratocter - Ruutanan FoffRoad Team - 14p
5.Mikko Nieminen � BJ4 - Pirkanmaan RC-Autoilijat - 8p
6.Teijo Lehtonen - Viikinki � M�rk�per� Racing - 7p
7.Sofi Sarka � Mojo Jojo - Helltek - 6p
1.Mikko Nieminen � Road Runner � Pirkanmaan RC-Autoilijat - 20p
2.Arto Leinonen � Contender � Pirkanmaan RC-Autoilijat - 17p
3.Lassi-Jussi V��n�nen � Dragon�s Whisper � Pirkanmaan RC-Autoilijat - 14p
4.Samu Sarka � Pink Panther - Ruutanan FoffRoad Team - 10p
5.Teijo Lehtonen � Pink Panther � M�rk�per� Racing - 8p
1.Samu Sarka - Helltoy - Ruutanan FoffRoad Team - 20p
2.Saku Sarka � Painkiller Jane � Ruutanan FoffRoad Team - 17p
3.Pekka Murtola - Kanttori � Koillinen Hiippakunta - 14p
4.Pasi �kr�s - HocusPocus � Havialan Konepaja - 10p
5.Pauli Tikkanen - Revolution � Autorata Racing Team - 8p
6.Lauri Lahti - Nightslayer - Ruutanan FoffRoad Team - 7p
7.Mikko Nieminen - Bullit � Pirkanmaan RC-Autoilijat - 6p
8.Matti Lehtonen � Red Devil � TPS Racing - 5p
9.Janne Edelman - Revolution � Autorata Racing Team - 4p
1.Mikko Nieminen � The Devil � Pirkanmaan RC-Autoilijat - 20p
2.Pasi �kr�s - Dictator � Havialan Konepaja - 17p
Thanks to organizers and competitors for the great and sandstormy day!
Samu Sarka
www.rc-foff.net
