While not the busiest week in RC, we have all been preoccupied with the tragic news out of the NASCAR world and the loss of the Biffle family in an aviation accident. Below I’d like to share my thoughts about Greg and how his untimely passing affected not only the racing community but countless others outside the NASCAR bubble. First up though are the new releases from Team Associated; the only company that showed up in our inbox over the past seven days.
TEAM ASSOCIATED
New from the racing geniuses at Team Associated are a new set of rear hubs for the 7-series 2wd’d, allowing the cars (or trucks) to be tuned to most any track surface. These -4 offset aluminum hubs not only lower the overall unsprung weight of the vehicle (an overlooked tuning tool) but also offer increased rigidity for more consistent handling. RC10B7 and B7D drivers must also use 81mm arms (#92516) along with 71mm CVA bones (#92549) and B74 CVA stub axles (#92207) to complete the conversion while RC10T7 and SC7 drivers will find the correct parts already in the box. Each hub is available anodized in either blue or black and in standard or high roll center (HRC) options.
Item #92562 Aluminum Rear Hubs, Standard roll center, -4 offset, Blue
#92563 Aluminum Rear Hubs, Standard roll center, -4 offset, Black
#92564 Aluminum Rear Hubs, High Roll Center, -4 offset, Blue
#92565 Aluminum Rear Hubs, High Roll Center, -4 offset, Black
Also new from the lab at Area 51 are Classic Kit versions of the RC10B84, RC10B84D and DC10 kits; each including gold anodized chassis and aluminum parts as well as white plastics for that classic sping on a modern chassis. These are an interesting option for those who love the look of the old-school RC10’s but crave the performance of modern engineering. With any luck we’ll see more releases like these in the future (hint, hint, RC10T7 and SC7 Classic Kit, Hint, Hint… Are you listening Team Associated?).
Item #90055 RC10B84 Classic Kit https://60years.associatedelectrics.com/rc10b84-classic-kit/
Item #90056 RC10B84D Classic Kit https://60years.associatedelectrics.com/rc10b84d-classic-kit/
Item #30135 DC10 Classic Kit https://60years.associatedelectrics.com/dc10-classic-kit/
NEWS OUTSIDE OF RC, A TRIBUTE TO GREG BIFFLE
This past week we in the NASCAR community lost one of our own. Greg Biffle, his wife Christina, daughter Emma and son Ryder along with pilots Dennis and Jack Dutton (father and son) and Craig Wadsworth were aboard the Cesna bound for Clearwater Florida when what was a normal morning flight turned deadly shortly after takeoff. The plane experienced an undisclosed mechanical failure (according to early NTSB reports) and crashed just shy of the 2-8 runway of the Statesville airport. There were no survivors.
I did not have the privilege of meeting Christina or the kids but I did get to interview Greg many years ago when I worked for Racing America, a regional motorsports magazine based here in Southern WV. I started as an intern at 14 and worked there for nearly four years, meeting and interviewing some of the biggest names in the sport. I sat down with Greg after an autograph signing at Martinsville in 2000. He talked to me like I was a seasoned pit reporter and was among the most personable people I’d met in the industry up to that point. He was a genuinely nice guy; I never forgot that interview and am glad I got the chance to spend those 10-15 minutes with him.
During his Cup run I never really cheered for him specifically but was genuinely happy for him when he’d pull off a win. Admittedly I was always a Tony Stewart fan, along with most of the Hendrick boys, and anyone from the blue oval camp was seen as the competition. Greg was an extremely talented driver that could have been dominant with the right equipment and in a different era (remember, this was during the end of the Gordon dynasty and the meat fo the Jimmie Johnson streak). To this day I still think of Greg when I see a Grainger commercial on TV.
When I think of Biff nowadays I don’t really think about his record setting season in the Craftsman Truck Series, or his success in Cup, or even his philanthropy efforts throughout the last few decades; I think of his recent regression back into a teenager alongside the crew from the Cleetus McFarland Youtube channel. Seeing him with these younger fellows shows that you are only as old as you feel. His love for life really showed, whether it was taking Garrett under his wing in the ARCA series or driving sand rails at Glamis, you could tell how much he loved what he was doing. This is the way I’ll remember Greg.
I wish all the peace and comfort in the world for the families of the victims.
Thank you all for your continued patronage of our site. Until next week, be good to yourself, be good to each other, be good to your RC. Do it for Dale, be like the Biff.