xrayxrayHome XRAY homeXRAY X-shopXRAY X-forumRCAmerica
supportsearchcontactguestbooksite map
newsproductsaboutusworldwide headlines

 
Race report from Korgae Scales click to enlarge
(click to enlarge)
The 2005 Canadian Indoor Champs. was the latest stop for Team XRAY Canada.

The crew at RC Niagara worked feverishly to put together an event that has become a mainstay in the Easter Canadian Carpet season. Racers from as far away as Pittsburgh, PA, and Ottawa, ON converged on the temporary track set up in a community center to test their skills. Teams in attendance were, Tamiya Canada, Corally USA drivers, CRC, Team Associated and Of course XRAY Canada.

click to enlarge
(click to enlarge)
The track opened Friday afternoon for practice and rapidly filled up with people trying to get a feel for the layout. Team XRAY Canada Driver Mark Fechette and XRAY Canada Rep Santino Nemi arrived at the track to begin testing early in the day, Mark has recently joined the team and has not had a lot of the time on the chassis to test and tune, but with the help of fellow team drivers, Rick Endler and Andy Vetor Mark was up to speed quickly.

About 10:30 Friday night the crowd began to disperse from the track and filter back to the hotels. Some people stayed in to work on their gear, others took an opportunity to sample the Niagara nightlife.

click to enlarge
(click to enlarge)
Saturday started bright and early at the track with doors opening at 7am and practice scheduled until 11am. Three rounds of qualifying would follow.

Saturday's qualifying was spent getting a familiar with the track and adapting setups. Due to this being a temporary track, the carpet seams had to be taped, creating some tricky traction situations. As the groove got worn into the track, and drivers got the feel for the layout, traction came up and lap times started to go down.

With three rounds of qualifying and approximately 150 class entries Saturday's qualifying didn't wrap up until 10:45pm, when the heats would be re-sorted. One more round of qualifying on Sunday morning before the mains left the order as follows:

TC Stock
1. Mark Frechette XRAY
2. Andy Vetor XRAY
3. Keith Billanti XRAY

4. Jeff Dayger
5. Chris Vogan
6. Corey Whiteman
7. Gordie Tam
8. Steve Tardif
9. Daniel DesRosiers
10.Johnny Carey

TC MOD
1. Martin Crisp
2. Mark Frechette XRAY
3. Keith Billanti XRAY

4. Mihai Gutuescu
5. Daniel Thiesen
6. Corey Whiteman
7. Steve Tardif
8. Rick Endler XRAY
9. Francis Lee
10.Mike Zufelt

The Mains kicked off just after lunch on Sunday and the action was fast and furious.

click to enlarge
(click to enlarge)
In Stock Touring Mark Frechette (XRAY/SMC/JACO) successfully defended his TQ, finishing with 22 @ 5m02.160 holding off the Xray of Keith Billanti from the USA with 22 @ 5m03.070 and Chris Vogan in 3rd with 22 @ 5m08.410.

click to enlarge
(click to enlarge)
Mod touring left the qualifying order unchanged in the top 3 with Martin Crisp (Tamiya Canada) taking the win with 24 @ 5m13.780. Mark Frechette was able to bring his Xray back up to second place after an early tangle with a back marker, turning by far the fastest lap of the race with a 12.390 (.320s faster than anyone else's best) finishing with 23 @ 5m02.600 Keith Billanti 3rd with 22 @ 5m00.510

Here are the A main results of the TC stock class: click to enlarge
XRAY Canada (Mark,Rick and Andy)
(click to enlarge)
1. Mark Frechette XRAY TQ
2. Keith Billanti XRAY

3. Chris Vogan
4. Jeff Dayger
5. Corey Whiteman
6. Steve Tardif
7. Gordie Tam
8. Johnny Carey
9. Daniel DesRosiers
10.Andy Vetor XRAY

A main results of the TC mod:

1. Martin Crisp TQ
2. Mark Frechette XRAY
3. Keith Billanti XRAY

4. Daniel Thiesen
5. Corey Whiteman
6. Mike Zufelt
7. Rick Endler XRAY
8. Steve Tardif
9. Mihai Gutuescu
10.Francis Lee