[PeterV]

Latest from www.xfactoryrc.com.com

BRIAN KINWALD RETURNS TO RACING

Almost exactly two years after his illnesses became so unbearable that he had to leave in the middle of the 2005 Shoot-Out, Brian Kinwald has returned to active R/C racing. Not just to practice in private at a small track, but jumping straight into the middle of one of the biggest races anywhere in the world, the 2007 Hot Rod Hobby Shoot-Out.

Brian planned to come to Hot Rod to help Paul, Travis, and Atsushi with set-up. He planned to arrive Wednesday morning and stay through Sunday. Brian had been at the Reedy Invitational helping several drivers, but “I was miserable the whole time because I wanted so bad to be on the stand with them. By Tuesday (July 17) I realized I could not be at the Shoot-Out without driving. I was committed to be there, so I stuck my transmitter in the car with all the other stuff and headed to L.A.”

One problem: Brian was getting a new real car, and it wasn’t ready yet. He couldn’t leave Tucson until about 4 PM on Wednesday, July 18 and arrived at the motel well past midnight after an 8-hour drive. So Kinwald didn’t actually see the track until Thursday…

The Kinwald family moved from L.A. to Tucson on July 1st, so the month of June was spent packing the household; the first two weeks of July were unpacking, and that’s not finished yet. Brian had very little time to work on his R/C cars, and no time to practice.

Making his racing come-back at a major international race like the Shoot-Out, with a new car and little practice took courage, and demonstrates Brian’s love for R/C racing.

“I just love racing R/C cars. It’s all I want to do, ever. I’m so happy to be back on the driver’s stand. It’s the right place for me to be.”

When we arrived at the track about 8 AM Thursday the pits were open but the track was closed until 10. That was fine, as Brian set right to work on his X – 6. Even though he had not been actively racing, Brian had several new parts and ideas he had made himself that he wanted to try, including new shock towers front & rear and a 5-cell battery configuration that brings to E.S.C. into the center of the car.

We all held our breath when the car hit the track for the first time around noon but within just a few laps it was obvious that The Dirtinator had been resting for two years, that he had never really left.

Smoke rose all afternoon from the X Factory pits as Brian’s and Paul’s wrenches were on fire. Paul got on the track four or five times through the day, and Brian ran two more battery packs before the track closed at 7 PM. He worked in his motel room until 4 AM, completely re-building two X – 6 s, one with the standard battery configuration and his 4-gear prototype transmission, and one with the 5-cell configuration and a production 3-gear tranny.

Kinwald ran his fourth pack during the short practice session on Friday morning using the 5-cell 3-gear car. It felt good, and that’s what he ran for the first two qualifiers.

What qualifiers they were! Let’s remember that BK has raced rear motor cars for 16 years and that this was the first race ever with The New Math. The Hot Rod Hobby Shoot-Out field this year was awesome with many drivers from Japan, one from England, and every top American driver. Brian’s 15 laps 5:09 run in H – 1 included 14 laps in the 20s and one 21. Incredibly consistent, as though he’d never stopped driving, and 16th fastest in the round!

H – 2 Brian improved to 15/5:04 with six laps in the 19s (fastest 19.4), two 20.0s, and five more 20s., but the very fast field also improved and he was 21st in the round..

For H – 3 on Saturday morning Brian used the 6-cell 4-gear car, but the wrong ESC had been installed and the car glitched badly with Brian’s radio system, so the run was scrubbed. In H – 4 Kinwald went back to the 5-cell 3-gear car because he knew it would not glitch, and his 15/5:00 was 15th in the round. This run included a fast lap of 19.6, eight laps in the 19s, three 20.0s, and two 20.1s., so 13 laps within a one-half second window.

Kinwald qualified 20th, last in the B, and finished 6th. “My objective for the weekend was to learn how to drive again. I wasn’t trying to beat anybody or be super-fast, I was just trying to get comfortable again on the stand. I’m in my thirties now, and I was afraid the old skills were dull or missing entirely. By the end of the weekend some of my ability seemed to have returned. Most important, I was having fun again driving a great R/C car!”

Welcome back, Brian!

[The_Mini_Me]

Its nice to see someone who has such a passion for the hobby be able to get back in. I hope Tucson is treating him well. I know it did for me when I lived down there. Great tight knit racing community.

The X-factory protos sound intriguing..

[CarbonShadow]

Ok killme for not knowing but what illness does he have? I dont follow racing much.

[masterchief06]

Many note that Brian has not attended a major race in about a year. Brian was stricken with a rare intestinal disease as a teen. Doctors are not sure how it is contracted, and there is no cure at present. Brian’s diet is restricted, and as a result of the disease and the necessary diet, he suffers periods of very low energy.

Changes in his medications over the last six months have led to Brian feeling better now, though not yet up to the rigors of the typical US 6-day marathon of 14 – 16 hours days at a major race.

“I would not have signed this contract if I did not expect to race again at the highest level. I’m feeling better and stronger almost every day, and hope to attend every major race in ’07. I want to win the Championship again in Japan, and driving the most advanced cars, cars that are different, gives any driver the best chance to do that. X Factory is the perfect fit for me. I feel better just thinking about it!”

-www.4wdrc.com

[TKCastle]

Is he that kid that was on the back of the older RC10 gt box?

[Sorcerer001]

Originally Posted by TKCastle

Is he that kid that was on the back of the older RC10 gt box?

Kinwald has been the biggest name in electric offroad for the last 10 years or so. He's the K in XXX KE. Trinity's Dirtinator. It's probably just a matter of time before he's the dominant guy on the track again.

[GalenRC]

Yes BK is getting back into racing again. Last night (8-01) Brian raced on our freshly redesigned track at Competition Hobbies in Tucson. Being new to the area it is good to see someone of his caliber to learn from. He qualified 1st going into the A-main, but not by much. Even better was to see him finish 3ed in our A-main. I say this because that means that he has some competition to race with (I knew they were good, but it is nice to have it confirmed). Racing was tight with the lead swapping several times. Small bobbles kept him from claiming victory but it won't be easy.

He wouldn't comment on how well the x-6 was running, stating that he still getting back into that racing feeling. He was using the X-6 in the 5 cell configuration. It was faster in the technical section and smooth over the Huge jumps they put in, but lacked some of the punch the others had. This is probably due to not having a full 6 cells onboard. But I couldn't tell if the smoothness of the car was from the buggy or from the driver. Time will tell, but the future of BK is looking good.

Galen

[masterchief06]

Looks to me like X-Factory is STACKED. With the likes of Brian Kinwald, Atsushi Hara, among others, how can you go wrong?

[lordoftraxxas]

did anyone else notice that the link had .com.com????

[fastharry]

If he had come back when he was 90,he;'d still be great......

I've never had the pleasure of meeting him,but in the 12 years I've been into RC,I've never heard or read a bad word about Brian....and his interviews show him to be a great guy.....personally,and for the growth of the hobby....

[associatedude92]

Originally Posted by masterchief06

Looks to me like X-Factory is STACKED. With the likes of Brian Kinwald, Atsushi Hara, among others, how can you go wrong?

Hara doesn't run for them. It was a one time deal.

[welshy40]

Originally Posted by fastharry

If he had come back when he was 90,he;'d still be great......

I've never had the pleasure of meeting him,but in the 12 years I've been into RC,I've never heard or read a bad word about Brian....and his interviews show him to be a great guy.....personally,and for the growth of the hobby....

Well I have and have to say that he is a very nice and polite chap. He is so helpful even if you are driving a different make of car. I dont think I have met a nicer chap at an RC event.

[chewie]

well rumor has it kinwald will be visiting our next ftms electric event in michigan..
but who knows.

id be stoked to meet him

[rccardude04]

I beat the big K once. Granted, it was because he didn't show up to mains day because of engine troubles and a K-Main qualifying position.
But technically, I beat him.
-Eric

[FESTER2004]

Originally Posted by CarbonShadow

Ok killme for not knowing but what illness does he have? I dont follow racing much.

yes what was his illness?

[cammaz14]

okay sory but im starting to get annoyed at my stupidity... but how do u start a new thread?? im new here btw...

[tylerbac]

if you look at the main page for each major topic there is a button for new thread.

[savagekid94]

cool i wonder if losi will ever release special edtion 8ight or xxx-tcr

[YeahYeahYouWere]

Is that controller really big or is he just a smaller guy?

It's ironic that this article popped up just now. I remember reading about him all the time back a few years ago, when my interest in R/C first picked up. Then, it sort of went on the back burner, and now that my interested has piqued again, I picked up a few mags and didn't see anything about him, at all, and started to wonder.

[ta_man]

Originally Posted by YeahYeahYouWere

Is that controller really big or is he just a smaller guy?

Kinwald is pretty short/small.

I was able to attend one day of qualifying at the Indoor Champs in Cleveland and during one of the TC Mod heats I heard Kinwald's name mentioned. So I started looking for him on the driver's stand with the other drivers and couldn't find him. Finally I noticed this real little guy standing off to the side of all the other drivers and sure enough, that was B.K. He was about 2/3 the height of most of the other guys on the driver stand.