Calandra Racing Concepts

Wins Again in Cleveland!

Andrew Knapp takes back-to-back wins!

CRC Gen-X cars, Maxxcell Lipos and Pro Cut tires dominate!

Masters T.Q. and winner Wayne Gerber		World GT T.Q. Tom Firsching		1/12th 17.5 T.Q. + winner, Andrew Knapp		1:12th 13.5 T.Q.+ winner, Tom Firsching

CRC drivers T.Q.  1:12th Masters, 1:10th WGT, 1:12th Stock 17.5 and 1:12th Super Stock

Another U.S. Indoor Champs is now in the books and a new page has been turned with new management and revised scheduling. Over 260 road racers took to the US Indoor Champs challenging layout on CRC’s Fasttrak racing carpet and Clik Trak barrier system.

The main ballroom at Holiday Inn located in Independence, Ohio. Converted to a carpet race track with a dose of CRC Fasttrak racing carpet, CRC Clik Trak Barrier System and some elbow grease from race management.

Also this year saw a return of the Thursday only practice schedule that was used many years ago. This resulted in less work loss and may have accounted for an increase in entries. While the management was new, the results remain the same; solid CRC domination. Calandra Racing Concepts drivers, cars and tires were T.Q. in 4 out of the five pan car classes. Our new 1s Lipo racing battery took 3 out of the 5 T.Q. positions.

1:12th Stock 17.5

Knapp defends his title.

Last year in 2009, Michigan’s Andrew Knapp took T.Q. and won the 17.5 A-main. In 2010, he repeated the performance in style. Andrew used a very stock CRC Gen-XL (3202) 1:12th race car to take a solid victory. Congrats to the youngest member of CRC’s Michigan Mafia team for another great win.

Knapp’s Gen-XL with CRC Pro Cut tires, CRC/Power Push Lipo and Black Art R8C Body

Now in its second season, the Gen-XL holds many championships worldwide. The car also features the best price in its class making the Gen-XL a great choice for 1:12th scale racing. Making it a 1-2 qualifying result was new Team CRC driver, Kenny Lambert. The New England driver started 2nd and finished 3rd joining Andrew on the podium.

The 1-2 punch in qualifying, Knapp and Lambert capture the front row.

CRC cars, tires, lipo cells and Black Art body represented a full 50% of the A-main in 17.5 stock. Joining the podium runners was Mark Calandra (4th), Jody Flipse (8th) and Kyle Inman (9th).

1:12th Superstock 13.5

Firsching takes his second championship.

Tom makes 13.5 look easy with a T.Q. and win!

CRC has had a stranglehold on the 13.5 Superstock division for the past 3 years. Rome, NY native Tom Firsching won in 2008 and finished 2nd in 2009. In 2010, Firsching put on that same “Superman” cape he had on in 2008 when he dominated the class. Tom won 3 out of four rounds of qualifying to take the T.Q. position. Max Kuenning used his Advanced  powered CRC ride to qualify 2nd to make it another CRC front row sweep.

Firsching’s unstoppable ride featured the full CRC race package; CRC Gen-XL car, CRC Pro Cut tires, CRC Maxxcell lipo battery, Black Art R8C body and Advance Black Diamond speed control

In the A-main, Tom bolted out to an early lead cruising to his second 13.5 Superstock title in 3 years. Joining Tom and Max in the A-main were CRC drivers Kenny Lambert, defending champ , Terry Rott and Andrew Knapp making it cool 60% of the A-main! All 6 drivers used the CRC race package consisting of;

CRC Gen-XL 1;12th car kit - 3202

CRC Pro Cut front tires, magenta - 2172

CRC Pro Cut rear tires, yellow - 2181 or magenta - 2176

CRC Lipo racing battery - 3700

Black Art R8C body from CRC - 4167 or Black Art Bomb-R body from CRC - 4166

Tom, Max, Terry and used the Advanced Black Diamond Speed Control  from CRC - 4000

With Tom winning again in 2010, the 13.5 Championship has remained in CRC’s hometown of Rome, NY for 3 straight years.

1:12th Masters

The Calandra/Ezrow 11 year reign of terror comes to an end

The 1:12th Masters class has been a part of the U.S. Indoor Champs since 1995.  At times the class has restricted entries to those drivers over 40 years of age. For the majority of its existence and again in 2010, the class rules were only drivers over 35 years of age were eligible for Masters. Another interesting note; the Masters class and the stock 17.5 class use the exact same equipment, so there is always a rivalry for the fastest qualifying time between the “old dogs” in Masters and the “young bucks” in stock 17.5. For the second straight year, the old dogs in Masters take the top spot with 3 drivers quicker than the T.Q. in 17.5 stock class.

Since 1999, only 2 drivers have won the Masters class; Cincinnati CRC driver Eli Ezrow with 5 wins and CRC’s own Frank Calandra with 6 wins. Over the last few years, the younger guys entering  Masters have shown some incredible speed but they have not been able to wrestle the win away from either Frank nor Eli.

Bring on 2010 where changes were in the air; new management, new schedule, oval and no Eli. After not missing a US Indoor Champs in years, Eli (the Bearded wonder) was not able to attend to defend his title leaving Frank alone to keep the streak alive. Also in 2010, bring on a determined CRC driver Wayne Gerber.

Wayne Gerber takes his first Masters win with his CRC Gen-XL

For the last 2 years, Wayne has set the fastest lap times in Masters but one issue or another has cause him to miss the A-main victory. It was Wayne’s World in 2010 as he took the T.Q. position with his CRC Gen-XL car and Pro Cut tires.

CRC Magenta Front and Rear tires on Wayne’s Gen-XL

Joining Wayne in the A-main CRC teammates Frank Calandra (2nd), Chuck Lonergan (3rd), Jim Piersol (4th), Skip Starkey (5th), (6th), Terry Rott (7th), Randy Grosse (8th) and Phil Zimmerman (10th). And yes you read that correct, that is 9 out of 10 drivers with CRC cars and tires. With Wayne’s win in 2010, a CRC car has won EVERY Masters Championship in the history of the U.S. Indoor Champs.

Calandra, Gerber and Lonergan take the Masters Podium

1:10th World GT

CRC’s new Gen-X 10 LE takes T.Q. and 6 of the 10 A-main positions in the LARGEST class at the Indoor Champs.

For 2010, CRC released the new Gen-X 10 LE (lipo edition) 1712 based on the original Gen X 10 platform. In the first race out, the Gen-X 10 LE T.Q.ed and won the IIC in Vegas against a strong field. At the US Indoor Champs in Cleveland in 2010, the largest single class was the 13.5 World GT division. Winning ALL four rounds and setting Top Qualifier was CRC driver Tom Firsching. Tom did it in 2008 and again took T.Q. in 2010 in dominant fashion. 

T.Q. Tom dominates qualifying on the way to his #1 T.Q. position with the new CRC Gen-X 10 LE.

Tom used the super adjustability of the Gen-X 10LE to set up his car to perfection. With multiple battery positions, width and wheelbase adjustments, the LE has all the tools to win. Like all the CRC cars in the A-main, Tom’s LE was basically stock with only 1 option part on the car (aluminum left bulkhead 3351). Stock cars with no magic voodoo parts proving that the CRC team races what we sell.

Once again, the CRC Maxxcell Lipo and Advanced Speedo are the fastest in 17.5 and 13.5 racing. Add the smooth handling stock LE to the combo and you have a T.Q. car

Joining Tom in the A-main was Dave Erhlich (3rd), Frank Calandra (5th), (6th), Kenny Lambert (7th), Jari Taskila (8th) making it yet another A-main with CRC representing the majority of the field. 

Summary

For Calandra Racing, another strong result and a few more Championships to our credit. But the bigger picture is that the Champs provides a great setting to meet many of the CRC faithful, help with their car, chat about new products or just do some good bench racing trackside. Located in the heart of carpet racing, you see a good mix of serious racers and general hobby racers at the Champs. You see the travelling pro and the father/son (and father/daughter) team on the road enjoying the hobby.  

While there is some controversy whether this was the 30th or 31st annual, one thing for sure is that the US Indoor Champs in Cleveland remains a great race that is geographically and financially reachable by a good portion of the “carpet racing community”. A community that thrives in the northern and eastern states. While we are well short of the 500 plus entries of past years, the Champs is a great race for club racers, their families and friends to go and enjoy model car racing. In 2010, new race management took over the Champs and by in large made many racers happy. A solid turnout of 260 plus. Was it perfect? No there were some computer glitches and delays and there was some issues with coverage from the race. However, listening to the rank and file racers in the halls and near the track, most felt the Champs was back on the right track. With this first “rookie” year under their belt, the management team at the Champs is certain to bring us a bigger and better U.S indoor Champs race in the future. Can’t wait.