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Old 2008.04.28, 03:36 AM   #3
Aurora
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 365
Miniz Tracks in Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo Miniz Tracks info:




1) Freaks Garage

www.freaksgarage.com


The RCP track featured at FreaksGarage (pix from FG site)


The store counter where racer register and can purchase miniz or other RC related products (pix from FG site)


Drivers stand and pit area, Ittoku san is standing in front and one of the fastest driver at FG is standing at the end...both are excellent 02 drivers. I like how the car can launch from a designated position.


Ittoku san shown me one piece of of his original overlander/monster crawling set...and it is just one tile of the set.


A great RCP track recommended by the RC-miniz, this is probably one of my favorite tracks in Tokyo. Ittoku san (or Mr. Ittoku) runs the shop all year round, and the best part is it basically opens until 3AM in the morning!

The circuit is equipped with pit areas for approx. 12 people, compressed air, electric outlet and offers free coffee/use of microwave to all drivers, drivers could bring their own drinks or buy from the track as well. In addition, it offers sale of different Autoscale bodies, and some really cool looking painted shells.(including multi-led lit with great airbrushed shell). The RCP track do have restrictions on what tires to use, and Kyosho MT tires or Atomic silicone-based tires are mostly prohibited. I would suggest to ask local drivers in terms of what to use, and mostly likely or not you probably could purchase those tires there. For my AWD, I find it ok to use Kyosho front/rear slick 20s with chassis/body that has a ground-hugging/low ride-height setup.

The track also has embedded a Kyosho ARC system, which is quite popular used in Tokyo, and it requires connection to the board power in order for it to work. It will work with the AM band, but not the AD band board. Result is posted on a TV set next to the track. From time to time, it will host races for miniz; and they have an upcoming 3-hours edurance race in April 08; which loosely follow the Kyosho Cup rules.

I came to shop late at nite around 12 in the morning(middle of the nite), and there were around 4 people driving still. Some of them kept on driving until the late nite of 2-3 AM and it is obvious that they took this hobby quite seriously. I was lucky to meet the Kyosho cup finalist for F-1 last year on the track, and some of the fastest drivers on the track are also presented there that night.

Most popular cars driven is MR02, and AWD is a little rare to find. With my fetted AWD, it was a great fun to chase or being chased by these guys. I was presently surprised to find drivers so dedicated to their MR02s and skillful to make them very competitive, and they were also a little surprised to find my AWD doing well on the track as well, since rarely will people drive AWD on their track(or AWD is simply not as popular in Japan, as in Hong Kong or other parts of China).

Ittoku san, the track owner, is really friendly and a handy person. He has created a hand-made scenery for decorating his track, some extremely realistic obsticle track for overlander/monster truck to play with, and he shown me pictures of his lifted-up version of Overlander, which gives these puppies that much more potential to go off-road. A seasonal RC driver(for more than 30 years of RC experience), he was kind enough to find a translation program on his PC, so he could go to the PC to type in Japanese and translate it to English to speak with me. We chatted after the track was closed at around 3 and kept chatting until 5 in the morning, and I do thruly enjoy the experience and his company.

Some RC celebraties will also come into the shop from time to time, which including the founder/Inventor of Miniz from Kyosho, Ko Propo workers, or Bosses/Directors of major brand names around the world. I have humbly suggested Ittoku san to recommend Kyosho folks to consider the idea of 4WD miniz crawler, and keeping my fingers crossed that this dream will be granted in the not-so-distant future.

Fee wise it was 2500 yen for 3 hours, and it has a cap for the day(probably is just around that number as well). I think this is well worth it as an experience.

All in all, a fun-filled RCP track that opens late into the night. I do strongly recommend anyone who is visiting Japan/Tokyo to find time to visit the Freaks Garage.








2) ARS circuit

http://www17.ocn.ne.jp/~acebrain/map.html


ARS is a carpet track located in Asakusabashi, right above a post office


Another view of the track, you could see a TV showing the ranking for an ongoing race...and a small shelf offering a small number of essentials (white bodies, tires, etc)


Pit tables which can host up to ~15 people; all conveniently has power outlet next to each seat. But beware, Japanese voltage is supplying at 110v(instead of 220v as some parts of the world)


A quick snap of pix for everyone at the track that day, time was still a little early(only around 6:45pm) and probably many didn't get off work yet. Gentleman in front is a decent 02 driver(the 'battle station man'), and Fumio san is standing at the very end of the group.


Following the footsteps of other forum members, I have came to visit this great track at Asakusabashi. Located around 15-20 minutes away by car from Akibahara, this carpet track is equipped with approximately 15 pit areas(all has electical outlets), compress air, and drinks that driver can buy.

This circuit has embedded a Kyosho ARC system, which is quite popular used in Tokyo, and it requires connection to the board power in order for it to work. It will work with the AM band, but not the AD band board. Result is posted on a large TV set opposite to the driver's area. From time to time, it will host races for miniz. And there seems to be a schedule for designated days of week to play a particular car type, for example, friday night is designated MR02 night.

I came to the track around 4pm that day, and people start coming in after 5pm. The carpet track seems to be in used for a while, and the traction is rather good. I was quite impressed by some of the folks who has driven that night, one of them practically bring in a wheel cart to carry many of his goodies, and turn his pit area into a 'battle station'...A driver was driving with the new Loni shell and it was interesting to watch.

Again, AWD seems not to be popular on track for the same reason, and when asked about the reason why it is less popular, one of them has commented that it had too many parts and too much trouble to tune right. Another person has commented that more people use it for drifting than for race. Nonetheless, I had fun drifting my AWD a little bit prior to everyones' arrivals, and enjoyed driving with all the skillful drivers there that night.

The track owner, Fumio san, is very helpful and can speak decent English to communicate. He was one who had spotted my car using too much rear camber(which was actually the setting for RCP and I have forgotten to switch it to a lesser degree), and suggested a lesser camber setting--which shown the depth of his knowledge just by watching my few laps on track. And as being a lazy soul as I am, he was kind and generous enough to help me re-tape my rear tires and show me his way of doing it--which he would spray the double-sided tape with motor spray after it was on the rim. Though I think this step might soften/weaken the tape stickiness and may beg to differ, it is a really kind gesture that I really appreciate.

It was a little unfortunate that I had a dinner appointment and didn't get a chance to drive more and enjoyed the companies of the drivers thereof. But the short 2 hours do leave me with good memories and I am certain I will revisit them next time in Tokyo.

Fee wise, one will need to 'join' the track before starting to run the car, and the initial joining fee is 300 yen. And it is approximately 1000 yen per first hour for the new comer. Returning customer/member will probably cost less per hour.

Last edited by Aurora; 2008.04.28 at 10:24 AM. Reason: put in more pix
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