Control Line: Racing
Bill Lee
A couple of months back I reported on the contest in Arizona, at Buckeye, the Southwest Regionals. The big event there, and at most of the contests in the Southwest lately, has been the Big Goodyear event which I described in that column. If you recall, I made the point that this event, while extremely popular right now, will probably follow the same pattern of all the other racing events that we've had: a very active, very competitive beginning followed by a gradual decline in popularity as performance levels go up and the pros start to take over. This was evidenced in Big Goodyear at Phoenix by the winning (and currently still the record) time turned in by Joe Klause with a Tune O.S. .36.
Recently there appeared in Patty's Pinkie, the Control Line Flyer, a letter from Mr. Ron Duly, a noted competitor in Southern California. Ron has some interesting thoughts that I would like to pass on to you.
Opinion — Ron Duly: More about Big Goodyear
Aw, phooey! I can't resist writing any longer. The recent letters about Big Goodyear engines have gotten to me. As last-place finisher among 27 at Buckeye, I'm certainly not an "expert." On the other hand, I ain't no fool. These remarks are to SWCLA, not directed at you, Ben.
To set the scene: in November or December of 1978 I called the event director in Albuquerque. I specifically asked if an O.S. .36 by Tune/Hill could be used. After a week of thought, I got the decision. They said OK.
I told Joe Klause and the rest is history. We discussed the "super" engines but felt, since K&B .58s had been allowed, an O.S. .36 wouldn't do any harm. Oh, the weeping and wailing that's heard now. We "spoiled" their event. Big Goodyear will die. (Just read Bill what's-his-face in MA—he knows.) (Editor's note—That's Bill Lee, in case the what's-his-face confuses you.)
OK children, what do you want us to use? The planes are already specified. Even the never-been-seen-around-here "Mike" is allowed. One of their local boys makes (or is reported to make) kits so anyone can get one. Oh, yeah!
What is keeping SWCLA from specifying which particular engine will be acceptable? Do you want only ST .35 engines? What about a K&B .35 sport, side-exhaust engine? (I called K&B to ask if they could/would build me a BB .35 using the sport (not .58) case and they said, "No, go buy the parts at a hobby shop.") That combo was OK by the SWCLA judges. You can't even buy the engine in that configuration, yet it's OK! On the other hand, T&A Hobby Lobby has two Tune/Hill O.S. .36s in stock ready to go.
Is the problem that someone got beat? Yes, 26 teams got beat. Only one can be first. Get the idea? We voted to see who would be best, number one, the winner. I didn't like getting beat and next time I'll try harder to win.
I don't care what rules the SWCLA adopts. Limit the engines—fine. How about supplying the fuel to further equalize the chemistry of home-brew fuel? It might be fun to use K&B 100 and see how we run.
Big Goodyear is a fun event. Adopting further limits will still make it a fun event. I'm sure 27 entries in Delta Dart would be fun. Make up your minds what Big Goodyear should be, publish the rules, and we'll see you in Buckeye in '80. OK?
Wonder what they do in Texas for fun—watch paint dry? You've heard Texans boast about having the fastest guns in the west? Must mean spray guns! Or is it gums?
Either buy an O.S. and go fast, or change the rules. Quit yer bitchin' and race. — Ron Duly, Burbank, CA
Reply and Texas events
Ron's letter brings up some interesting points if you can wade through the name-calling and crying. The best point is that in any racing event, it is the rules that you compete against, no matter what they are; just let them be known, let them stay reasonably stable for a while, and then let's go race!
Big Goodyear is not flown in Texas, although I wish it were. But it is not so unique that it will defy description by an interested and (hopefully) intelligent reporter. My point in the last column on this topic is that any event conceived for the purpose of providing a reasonably simple, easy-to-enter, easy-to-get-started competition must be either kept on a very local basis or be governed by some very special restrictive rules if it is to remain simple and accessible. I believe that point is valid.
I would like to reply to Ron's concern about what we do in Texas for fun—at least as far as model airplanes are concerned. Mainly, we fly the AMA events! And we fly them damn well! Rat, Goodyear, Slow Rat are all flown here as well as, or better than, any place else in the country.
Ron, do you fly any of the AMA events, or must you make up an event to compete in? All is not lost on us poor Texans—we have some fun, local events, too. We fly an event down here called "Super Slow Rat." Basically, it's Slow Rat with a few added engine and tank restrictions. And it's fun. Why, even the junior fliers are getting into it.
The biggest restriction we've added to Slow Rat (and the one that will probably keep the event slow for a while) is to outlaw the Schnuerle-ported engine. That was my suggestion to the Big Goodyear boys after watching Joe Klause's win at Phoenix—the suggestion that has so terribly upset Ron. Too bad, Ron; hope you have fun in Big Goodyear when there aren't 27 others out there with you. But then you'll have that Tune/Hill O.S. .36 to come play with the big boys in Slow Rat, probably where that engine should be in the first place.
We also fly another fun event in Texas which we call Quickie Rat. Again, it is Rat with some additional plane and engine restrictions that make the event simple to fly, simple to enter, simple to be competitive, and most of all, fun!
So what do we do in Texas for fun? Well, we do watch a lot of paint dry! Have you ever seen how nice the Acrogloss turns milky in all this humidity down here? And there's nothing neater than having a big old roach get stuck in wet epoxy. Neat!!
Final note
From the Duke City Dope Sheet, Albuquerque, New Mexico, edited by Rich Cunningham, comes the following paragraph:
"According to the special issue of Patty's Pinkie, Ron Duly finally made it into the top ten in Big Goodyear with a 7:20.6. The top three times in Big Goodyear are all held now by O.S. .36s. Seems like those California guys have the edge."
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
