Futaba Cup 2010 R/C Race

The last big on-road radio control car race to end the year is the 2010 Futaba Cup. Up for grabs are new champions for the following classes:

• First time racers
• Silvercan touring cars
• 13.5T touring
• Modified touring
• Tamiya M-chassis (M03, M04, M05)

And of course the highlight of the event, the raffle prizes such as servos, kits and Futaba radio controllers!

This year is special for me, it's the first time my 9 year old daughter Porsha will join me in this event. I fetched her from school (she was taking her exams) around 11am and rushed to get to the track on time.

Got to the JP Raceway r/c track around 12:15pm and it was already full of racers. There was also free lunch for everyone.

The event started around 12:45pm with 3 qualifiers and 3 A-mains. My daughter entered the Silvercan Touring class while I entered the Tamiya M-chassis class with my favorite M04 Mazda Miata RWD chassis.

I love the Futaba Cup as I usually get lucky and get good results. Last year I won the Mini class and hoped to defend it this year.

Silvercan TC

Porsha qualified 4th on the grid. Finished the triple A-main with a 3-1-dnf for an overall 2nd Place finish. The only girl in the event and probably the youngest racer at 9 years old. She was very happy.

Photo: Porsha receiving her 2nd Place trophy from Felix Chua.

Tamiya Mini

I qualified first on the grid and won the first A-main. The second race was a photo finish, my car crossing the line ahead of my main competitor by a bumper! I think that was the closest finish I've had in my entire racing life. That gave me a 1-1 finish and 1st place overall. Happy to have repeated as Tamiya Mini champion.

Photo: Joel (me) receiving the 1rst Place trophy from Felix Chua. In the background is the large indoor asphalt r/c track of JP Raceway.

First Time Racers

It was great that the organizers had a class for the first time racers. These were the guys who are entering their first ever r/c car race. What a great idea and way to get more people into the hobby without getting intimidated.

Modified Touring Cars

This was the fastest class. When you see a 4wd touring car almost doing a wheelie you know it is accelerating very fast. Another hotly contested class with the race going down to the 3rd A-main. When the smoke cleared, it was Tamiya driver Ralph Lorenzo taking a close win over MTCC champion Yuichiro Takaya.

Futaba Cup Racing

Close competitive racing, delicious lunch and great raffle prizes is why the Futaba Cup is such an exciting yearly event on my rc calendar. Thanks to Mr. Shakespeare Chan for giving us racers something to look forward to each year. And to Mr. JP Reyes for a great racing track. Hope to see you in 2011.

Photo: Battle scarred radio control cars. Left is Porsha's Tamiya 414 silvercan touring car. Right is my Tamiya M04 Mazda Miata mini. These 7 year old cars can still compete and win.

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