Howling Wolf Rd 1

[markyb]

looking forward to it.

need to add some more lights. bleed some brakes and get the paint brush out

[Rob Butler]

cool, best get on the blower to Devon first thing Tuesday... 4 Lightforce lamps please guys!

Oh, n' my other question was... how do we go about handing ourselves our prizes at the end of the event?

Rob

[robhybrid]

in the past no lights were better than too much light as the punches had luminescent? sticks attached to them and you couldn't see them if your spots were on full.

I wish all I had to worry about was lights no winches fitted yet and cage in pieces front wings have got to be altered yet

[najw]

buuuuugger... I was looking forward to playing on all the rocks... tell me theres still plenty of big rocks and big climbs Neil...? not just H2O....?

I'd best rais the air intake in the buggy then...

I wouldn't worry about the snorkel, we have found plenty of new stuff that has never been driven before and there are now rocks and climbs like you wouldn't believe.

In fact I think it's fair to say you will be experiencing some terrain that you may never have encountered before :ph34r:

The beauty of a working quarry is it can change so much in just a few months plus the guys at KORC have been working hard to add new features as a bonus

[JST]

I wouldn't worry about the snorkel, we have found plenty of new stuff that has never been driven before and there are now rocks and climbs like you wouldn't believe.

excellent, rocks we like bring it on.....

snorkel, we have never had one and its not been a problem at any of the HW sites in the past, even Kirton with ALL that water!!! our results have been ok at Kirton too, as Neil says you wont need one.

[will4x4]

i was looking forward to get wet lol

[markyb]

best think about a belly plate then

[jil6939]

This looks like a small entry of 20 in total? Where is everyone? How does this compare to last year Neil? Looking a bit like class one and three just turn up for a trophy! Perhaps the handicap system is better afterall as I know most these guys DO NOT just turn up for a trophy.

[najw]

You're right John entries are down, why I don't know.

In 2008 the first round attracted 40 cars, in 2009 it was 30 so there is a definite pattern

There are a heck of a lot of other series this year so maybe people are choosing to stay local or perhaps a four round series doesn't provide the same attraction as 8 rounds.

Maybe some of those who are not taking part this year will let us know.

[Nobbymogs]

we will be out but things are a little slow in the garage department as the revamp of the SJ didnt go to plan so we ended up doing a complete new build but we will be out at some point

heres a pic from last week so you can see my problem

[treebloke]

Blew the engine up at round 1 of 4x4 adventures so wasn't sure if the old girl would be up and running.

Just got her going and logged on the other day to enter and Neil had put the list up so maybe get to the next one.

Will still be there though so if you need a couple of helping hands Neil just shout.

[white90]

Difficult to have classes for many variants

but for me to compete against bespoke buggies

is ok but the courses being set out to make it challenging for them makes it nigh on impossible in a full bodied vehicle.

Add the costs escalating. MSA stuff Etc

makes a more local series more inviting.

then again nigh on every car is a Tray back now days so again sections are getting harder and harder, perhaps putting off new people in not so radical cars?

When it stops being fun then what's the point?

to much down time repairing damage post event makes it a

chore rather than a pleasure.

I see lots more very capable cars being built

which will only make the events more challenging

so may be the goal posts for me have move to far to tag along.

#These are rambling thoughts no a slight against any organiser

[Daan]

Well, I had a go at you regarding classes some time ago. My view is that the current class system does not create a level playing field, hence the downturn in interest. I dont think people think it is too tough, but maybe a brave soul dares saying this?

Daan

[will4x4]

I have to agree we are competing in all of them this year and did a couple of events last year my feedback is certainly for a points system.

i.e deducted if you have lockers/ over 35inch tyres / twin winches / 1 or 2 lockers etc etc. I think the stages are great in the howling wolf but i think teams are not rewarded when a smaller less modded truck gets to a punch in the same time as someone on 44's etc. (class 2 is very wide you can have trucks with one locker or 2 for example)

a limited points system would encourage some teams not to chuck bigger tyres faster winches on etc. buy maybe look into making their truck more competive in another way.. i.e lighter or center winch that can pull front or rear etc

hope this feedback helps

we are both very much looking forward to it this year

cheers

Will

[najw]

Well, I had a go at you regarding classes some time ago. My view is that the current class system does not create a level playing field, hence the downturn in interest. I dont think people think it is too tough, but maybe a brave soul dares saying this?

Daan

You certainly did, but that discussion was about revising the class structure which doesn't level the playing field in the context of an overall championship.

As I said before the only mechanism I can see for doing this is a handicap system but there didn't seem to be any support for that idea.

Last year only 22 teams completed more than the qualifying 6 rounds so in real terms we are not significantly down.

[Daan]

That discussion was about revising the class structure which doesn't level the playing field in the context of an overall championship.

It would if you accept a winner for every class. Or is that not what you meant?

[FLR100]

I was almost going to sign up for the series and even became a awdc member and there are only 2 reasons i changed my mind

1) the technical regs eg: mud guards, rear exiting exhausts and other bits and pieces have put me off and small things that people have said mainly on forums about being picked up on said items have made me reluctant to invest the time and money in travelling to an event and maybe bieng refused to compete because of these items.

2)A more local 7 round championship with none of the above regs simply won the day for me hands down.

I am not knocking the Howling Wolf, only stating a reson why it is not for me and maybe others? and from what i have seen and heard i think it is a great event and maybe next year might do them if the regs were relaxed slightly

[Boothy]

Neil,

A few of the usual suspects (at least 3 as I know of) have not finished building their new machines yet, one I know of hates water and night stages, another one wrecked his motor on the XTC, so on the whole it probably looks worse than it is.

Saying that I cannot find much power out of my new engine yet, looks like it may be valve timing, but thats tomorrows job.

Is the camping area still as it was or has that been dug upas well ???

[treebloke]

1) the technical regs eg: mud guards, rear exiting exhausts and other bits and pieces have put me off and small things that people have said mainly on forums about being picked up on said items have made me reluctant to invest the time and money in travelling to an event and maybe bieng refused to compete because of these items.

I always found the scrutineers to be fair and more than helpfull.

[saley]

Maybe some of those who are not taking part this year will let us know.

I personaly would like 8 that way the the 4 sites that are being used (that I don't like) would have been mixed with 4 others. Also I dont like night sections, like you said (Which just goes to prove you can't please all of the people all of the time),Looks like I'm not alone, It's a shame I have enjoyed the last 4 years it's been a good crack,

[JST]

we have always found the scrutineers to be fair and approachable and only enforcing what is already known to all competitors before turning up. i think to not enter on the grds of tech rules is unusal(?) the rules are there for our safety after all.

We are entering, and dont mind any of the venues, i would rather it was more rounds, plus different sites, but sites are hard to come by as is peoples time and with XTC running, time has to be split.

i would never not enter a round of a series if i didn't like a site, thats all part of it, you can always pick and choose which punches you do.

with respect to classes, its a hard one, what ever you do people will build to suit it with time and you will only have a level field for the first year or so they are out (if that). we run classes dictated by the number of aids you have - ie lockers or winches. but where do you draw the line on what counts as an aid? a fit codriver with experience.......

we also weight punches, the more vehicles that achieve a punch the less it is worth, so do you do lots of easy ones or spend 45mins on a hard on? makes it more a thinking mans game. If you like Bob and doing them all anyway it makes no odds.

[Nobbymogs]

i couldn't agree more with regards to the scrutineers they are there to do a job with safety in mind and if they find stuff wrong they give you until the next event to get it sorted unless it is something they think is really dangerous and you will have to do it before you compete

so i think they do a pretty good job and often thankless

[FLR100]

I am not disputing for one moment that scrutineers do not do a great and much needed job and without getting to much into what is really required to have a safe vehicle as that has all been said before, it would probally take me an extra 2-3 days work to get my vehicle to awdc spec and as i am allready hard pushed for time to complete a new build, when a series is on offer that means i don't have to spend that time it means i and maybe others take that option.

I would like to do the Howling Wolf series as like i have said it looks a great event and there are no restrictions on vehicle modifications it's just it does not suit me this year

[roguevogue]

I'm disappointed that there are only 4 rounds this year, however, Neil and his ever dwindling team do a fabulous job, even with the unfortunate introduction of the extra cost for MSA the Howlin Wolf represents a good value event with camping in the price, marshals, trophies and superb organisation.

I would like 8 new sites a year but I realise that it isn't feasible.

[Rob Butler]

I heard there are some tidy prizes to be won at this opening round also...

Out of all the series I have competed in... the HW series is the most consistent & most accommodating winch challenges there is...

No MOT? Hydro Steer? Any tyre Size?... there aren't many other challenge events that allow the vehicles to grown and evolve in the way this one does...

So stop being a bunch of whiny Internet off-roaders and show us what you're made of!!!