With the increasing popularity of Short Course racing, it was only time
before Pro-Line Racing offered their popular Caliber tire as a Caliber SC.

The new Caliber SC offers the same Small Pin / Dual Stage Pin tread pattern
that has proven to provide excellent traction on your 1:8 buggy. They are available in M2 and M3 for your Slash, Slayer, SC10, or Strike.

You can visit the Pro-Line Racing site here.

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If you are in need of some Bow-Tie tires for that short course truck Pro-Line Racing has your hook up! The new Bow-Tie SC tires come in M2 and M3 compounds and a just waiting for your Slash (2nd generation 2.2″ x 3.0″ wheels) Slayer, and SC10.

You can visit the Pro-Line Racing site here.

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For those that want to open the package, mount them up and go Pro-Line Racing has another premount for you. Made specifically for the Slash (2nd gen wheels) / Slayer / SC10 (with mods) these will fit the bill. Tires are available in either M2 (medium) or M3 (soft) compounds and the wheels are available in either red or black.

Drop by Pro-Line Racing and be sure to check the shelves often as these will be flying off them!

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Wowza, the guys over at ST Racing Concepts just keep coming up with the killer products! Check out these hop-up parts for the Traxxas Revo, Slayer and Summit! They are red anodized front, middle and rear skid plates and steering knuckles. I really dig the red! It brings a smile to my face to know someone is doing justice to the aluminum market again!

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From the folks that gave us the Truth body for the Slash comes the JConcepts GooseBumps. These fit the stock wheels (3.0” x 2.2”) on the Slash, Slayer and are designed for maximum performance when new or used as the design allows even wear all the way down to the tire body.

Goose Bumps in new condition excel on soft surfaces with either dry or wet conditions. Worn Goose Bumps excel on indoor or outdoor clay tracks where a slight groove has formed.

Features:
* Race inspired tread design with all-terrain inspiration
* Available in sticky Green compound
* Compact tire body with crisp tread and precise separation
* Aggressive step pin and bar lug combination design
* Includes foam inserts

Stop by JConcepts to pick up a set.

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The new center differential for theTraxxas’ Slayer balances power distribution from the
TRX 3.3 Racing Engine to reduce front end lift on acceleration and improve steering responsiveness.

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ST Racing Concepts has some new optional light weight performance beadlocks for the Pro-Line Epic Traxxas Slash/Slayer racing beadlock wheels. The new aluminum beadlocks weigh only 25 grams compared to the original 63 grams. They come in some cool colors also. So if you are one of those guys who HAS to be lighter, these may be a good option for you.

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Ya, everybody and their Uncles brother is b**ching about how cold it is in the greater Chicago area. I consider it “perfect wrenching” weather. You just know you have a half dozen old cars that need the tlc. So there, all you Snow Misers.

America’s iconic rc manufacture, Associated, did a great job of teasing before the release of their SC8 short course truck. This week, AE started the teasing on their new SC10. Only thing, the teasing this time sucked. Come on, a simple banner saying SC10? Even my illegal immigrant Mexican neighbor knew AE was coming out with a Slash killer, just a matter of time and at what price point. Spy photo’s are a great tease, but a banner stating the models designation is just fluff. So while this tease sucks, it’s nice to know AE is going to try to be the first to release a Slash clone. Sweet, in before the flood I guess.

Wow, even I didn’t think Trinity was going to catch the backlash that they are with their Li-po warmer. That thing might not (read- should not) make it to dealer shelves. Who was the brain surgeon that put the warm-up temp at 140 degrees? Achtung- you really want to avoid 140 or greater temps with lithium based batteries. Yet, they are making a device that purposely warms them to a borderline temp? I don’t think even Johnnie Cochran would take the defense on this one. Oh have the mighty have fallen, just how much lower can they go?

Btw, there is only two ways of stopping all this bulls**t Li-po warming, bumping, tap-shorting, ect. Eliminate the need for trying to enhance the output of these cells. How do you do that? First, eliminate cell count limits, ie- make 3S, 4S, 5S, 6S LEGAL. Secondly, eliminate all this spec motor bulls**t. If open Kv motors are run, there is No Need to warm/bump/tap Li-po batteries. So if you are a sanctioning body, and you have some stupid 2S cell count limit and .5 turn spec rules, YOU are the ones to blame for all the dangerous crap racers are doing to their Li-po’s. Step up to the plate, make the smart choice and change the rules before somebody’s track gets burnt to the ground (maybe with some of your “members” inside of it).

The print mags are hurting. Not just in the RC world, but universally. The future is the internet, either hop on wfo, or go under. Notice that this months RCCA is 30 pages thinner? RCCA is the icon of RC print rags, but even that icon is having a tough go in these times. If it’s not pressure from internet sites like BigSquidRC, it’s the crap economy. What a blatant sign of the times when the big bull of the RC print mags is shrinking. It’s elegantly simple, who cares to read in print what they already read on the net 2 months ago?

I thought the Traxxas Summit looked awesome at I-Hobby. Had all the makings of a great crawler, right? Well, seems the Summit is having an identity crisis. The crawler guys have no love for it, as it’s not “core” enough for them, yet the basher guys would rather buy/drive the E-Revo. Traxxas hit the mark with the Slash (hell they created the mark with that one), but seems they just missed it with the Summit. No pity for those guys though, I’m certain they’ve got more aces up their sleeve than Les “Worm” Murphy.

Guess what? Pro-Line came out with something really trick this week- the Carnage body for the Slash/Slayer. You haven’t seen it? Damn, get on the internet more! It’s a body that features fall away fenders, so when that noob behind you holds it pinned and takes you out in the next corner after you pass him, your fender falls off just like in real racing. Ok, it might be a little on the dorky side, but it’s trick in the realistic/scale context. And hell ya, I must get one of these. I can’t wait to call up a half dozen of my favorite Slash driving buddies and have Slash demolishing derby while using these bodies. Fun, fun, and more fun, exactly what this hobby/industry needs to make it through this recession.

That’s it for this week Squid fans. Catch you again next week. Till then, support your LHS and local tracks!

Your Cub Reporter

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We got a chance to put the Buku Performance pipe on our Traxxas Slayer and see what it could do. We were very surprised with the results, so if you are in the market for a tuned pipe, head over to the RC Reviews section or click on the picture to check out the full review!

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Gotta love our current economy. The slow last half decade has lead to many hobby shop and track closures, but what lies ahead may leave our hobby unrecognizable.

We are early into this economic downturn, and we are already seeing things we’ve never seen before in our sport. Cashback, GWP (gift with purchase), and Sales!!

Traxxas has a $50 cash back offer on the purchase of a new Slayer. Yes! Just like the full size cars, you get cash back! Send your proof of purchase of a new Slayer to the guys down in Plano Texas, and they send you $50! Once again Traxxas is being an innovator, and we will be seeing more of this in the near future. Not just from Traxxas, who are doing relatively well right now, but especially from those manufactures who’s meager/outdated offerings have deeper roots on the sales floor than a California Redwood.

Horizon/Losi is also running a special, but it’s more like a GWP. Buy a new 18th scale Losi Monster truck, mail in your proof of purchase and get a free Li-po battery and charger. So hit your LHS (local hobby shop to the newbies out there), pick up a new Mini-LST based truck, and Horizon will send you a nice little gift for your purchase. Props to Horizon helping lead the pack on cutting consumers a sweet GWP.

Did anyone say SALE? Well everybody loves a sale, even us rc knuckleheads. MaxAmps isn’t a chassis manufacture (yet), but they do offer some of the best lithium based batteries on the market right now. They are also known for being at the absolute cutting edge of “new age” marketing. Last week, they shot out the emails, shot out the press releases, and their market man posted on lots of message boards information on their battery sale. Yes indeed, a sale on all those high output Li-po’s you need for you brushless set-ups. While MaxAmps has held “specials” before, this is their biggest sale ever, with prices up to 50% off. Oh hell ya! Nothing better than Sale in the middle of the X-mas buying season.

Ok, ok, it’s nice as a consumer to see these specials, but on the other hand, it’s a painful reminder of how bad the economy is. Our beloved rc companies would not be holding these specials if they were making record profits. They aren’t, times are simply tough for everyone. But it’s one thing to hear Circuit Chity filed for bankruptcy, it’s going to be another when we start hearing about rc businesses going under. So all you consumers out there, times are really tough, but keep supporting your sport as much as you can. Family, rent, and food come first of course. But at the end of the month keep your rc hobby in mind with any leftover cash you might have. With the current and upcoming specials, your dollar will go further than ever before in our hobby, and rc cars are a great way to keep a huge smile on your face during the worst of times.

On a different note, during the second week of December I’ll be holding my first “Cubbies” awards. These will be awarded based on reader responses, in conjunction with my input and input from a variety of industry insiders. Email nominees to Brian at BigSquidRC dot com for the following categories-

08′ Car/Truck of the year-
08′ Worst Car/Truck of the year-
08′ Best piece of rc gear of the year-
08′ Biggest POS rc gear of the year-
08′ Zero to hero of the year (person or item that came out of nowhere to pwn)-
08′ RC Man of the year-

Till next week……..

Your Cub Reporter

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This weekend we got our hands on a Buku Power Exhaust for a Traxxas Slayer. We did some initial tests with the original pipe, made sure we had things tuned in, then we changed over to the Buku pipe. Wow. The top end stayed about the same, but out of the hole this thing could move! We actually had trouble comparing the two because with the new pipe, the front wheels were coming off the ground, and the rears were breaking loose. This little pipe packs some serious punch!

We’ll have the full review soon!

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Pro-Line Racing has just announced the new Desert Rat body for the Traxxas Slayer! It’s made from .060 lexan, and even has the side mirrors just like a full scale trophy truck! Nice!

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So, what truck has turned out to be the surprise hit of 2008 thus far? Two words- Traxxas Slash! Everybody seems to love the truck- hobby shops, tracks, bashers, racers, hacks, scale guys, pro’s, brushless lovers, and noobs.

Myself, along with many in the rc industry, have constantly ragged on Traxxas in the past. But you simply can’t argue with the success their new Slash truck is having.

Hobby shops love the Slash because they can’t keep them in stock. Tracks love them because they are the hottest electric class going right now. Basher’s love’em because they are hard to break. Racers love’em because they drive well and go around the track in a way that reminds them of a real Pro-2. Hacks love’em because of the large bumpers- you can put more “love’n” on the guy in front of you without breaking your own truck. Scale guys love’em because finally there is a truly race-able vehicle on the market that is actually close to scale. Pro’s love’em because they are simply a blast to drive. Brushless guys dig how you can throw in pretty serious power without the tranny blowing it’s guts up. And noobs love’em just because they look so trick.

Traxxas are no strangers to pwn’ing the sales floors in most hobby shops. AE and Losi might get all the big props, but Traxxas makes the money. The T-Maxx virtually saved the sport at the turn of the century. All their other models meet reasonable price points, give large bang-for-the-buck, and have much above average reliability. Traxxas’s distribution chain is also one of their strong points (and object of envy to most other chassis manufactures)- you can walk into nearly any hobby shop in the
country and find plenty of Traxxas parts. Their latest nitro engines and chassis designs are literally marvels of engineering. And now, after the release of the Slash- it’s even more obvious they have their heads in the right place. Release something fresh, release something that is simply FUN.

And what could possibly be even more fun than a scale electric Pro-2 truck? Well Traxxas has already answered that one as well. Last week Traxxas released information on their new “Slayer“- a nitro 4wd truck that looks just like a Pro-4! The truck features their powerful, yet easy to tune 3.3 engine, aluminum shocks set-up like the Revo, and attractive Pro-4′ish body and tires.

So how long till the Slash/Slayer clones start hitting the market? Well, years ago, after the runaway success of the T-Maxx, it took nearly 2 years for the clones to come out. I predict it won’t take nearly that long this time around.

It’s a no brainer to predict that producing kits closer to scale is going to be the next rage in the industry. This will actually be one that I look forward to!

Support your local hobby shops and tracks, and check in daily on the fastest growing
rc web-site on net- BigSquidRC!

Your Cub-Reporter

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