Moment with Mike: Stock or mod?

0 April 5, 2013, 9:12 a.m.

Main Photo: Moment with Mike: Stock or mod?

4/8/2013

By Mike Garrison
LiveRC.com

Over the weekend I was asked a question that really got me thinking. A friend of mine asked me, "Which classes do you enjoy more, stock or mod?"

Immediately the first thing that comes to mind is "MOD!" seeing how that is normally the classes I run, however, upon answering I started thinking more about it and all of the fun times and close racing I've had racing stock classes.

Mod class racing, whether you race onroad or offroad, is obviously going to be some of the fastest classes at event. Instant and nearly unlimited power to rocket through chicanes, jump over entire rhythm sections, and make insane lines to pass using sheer horsepower. All of this, however, does NOT mean that mod is a more competitive, serious, or enjoyable class to race over stock.

Stock class racing, in my opinion, offers some of the closest racing you will find in R/C. While both classes take tremendous skill to be a dominate winner in, the potential to make up lost time from a crash or a mistake using horsepower to "whisky throttle" through a section isn't there in stock racing. With this being said, stock racing takes (in my opinion) just as much precision as mod racing, and depending on the competition, sometimes more.

So which is class do I enjoy more? The answer depends on who I am racing.

In my opinion, stock class racing is a BLAST because of how close the racing is, BUT it is totally ruined for me if you are racing with cheaters. When I say cheaters, I'm not talking brands of motors, esc's, etc. I'm talking about the racers who sneak mod stators in their stock motors, hack their esc to show blinky mode when it's in full boost and timing mode, or dangerously charging their batteries to 9.0v+ for added punch throughout the entire race.

If it is so important to go fast, and you are willing to cheat to do so...then why not just run mod? In mod there is no reason to hide what turn motor your running, no reason to show your esc in blinky mode, no reason to over-charge your batteries, and no reason or real way or reason to cheat like so many do in stock racing.

In a perfect world where no one cheated and everyone relied on their driving skills, car setups, and gearing I would have to say stock class racing is most enjoyable. Unfortunately, this "perfect world" doesn't exist in racing...thus making mod class racing most enjoyable for me. Not to mention a little "whisky throttle" big air never gets old...no matter how many parts you break...

Which class of racing do you prefer, and why? Is there a good way to eliminating cheating in racing, or is that just part of the game?

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