I just want to say, right from the get go, that I didn't win, I didn't place, I didn't even make the final. And there are probably a dozen reasons or excuses why this didn't happen. Let me be honest - I wasn't good enough.

That said - let me share my experience with you.

Firstly, it begins bloody early!

We had to be in line out the front of the race track at about 7 a.m. so that we could get a good position to set up our table and gear. So, I had to get up at about 5.30 and be on the train to Asakusa at about 6. I arrived at 7.10 and the queue was HUGE! We had to wait a while to get in and ended setting up very close to the entrance. The venue was at ROX3 and it's used as a multi-purpose venue for BMX, basketball, etc. It's roofed but on three sides it has mesh fencing so that a breeze can blow through (essential for Tokyo summers).

So we set up and after checking my car for loose screws and whatnot, we had to go to scrutineering. I had to remove both motor and spur gear for examination and they checked the car over, undid the spring on the motor, checked the comm, put a cable tie on it and examined my spur for compliance. They weighed it and I realized that the "Z" body is quite hefty - I was pulling around 1536 grams - better over than under!

I put the car back together and still worried about going too fast (yeah - I have 2 speeds - flat out and not moving) I put a little electrical tape around the pistol grip to stop me from going flat out. I had a practice and it was much easier to control.

You are allowed one practice in the morning and I felt this was way too little. This was my first race ever and I felt under prepared. It's a bit of a logistical exercise trying to get to a track to practice and I truly wish I had done more.

After the practice session it was time for the driver's briefing. I didn't understand anything but my friend Hiroaki filled in the details. Standard stuff - before the first heat you receive your number bib and transponder. Then, after the race you marshal the next race. After that you can collect your car. As I said - standard stuff.

Next up was a painting competition. They handed out small prizes (like 3 cans of Tamiya paint) to the winners. I was pretty happy because Hiroaki won a prize for his shell - the masking would have taken a long time and his chrome paint looked trick.

After this we went back to our table as they prepared for the first race.

I hadn't seen buggies racing before and it was pretty exciting. The organizers placed two small jumps on the track so the buggies were getting plenty of air. Hiroaki's mate Tadashi raced in both buggy and touring car so it was pretty cool cheering on someone that you know. If my memory serves correct he scored a second and a first in his heats and made it into the final. Hiroaki's first heat with his TB02 didn't go plan and he lost a lot of time after an altercation in the first corner.

I had to wait a long time for my first heat - there were 31 races and I was in race 30! After getting to the venue at 7 a.m. I didn't get to race until lunchtime. I think we worked out later that there was something in the vicinity of 280+ drivers competing!

Everyone sooner or later does something completely new and the title of "virgin" isn't completely inappropriate. There are numerous parallels that RC racing can compare to. There is a pressure to perform and you certainly don't want to make a fool of yourself first time out. "Slow and steady" is the motto - yeah... right.

Now I have to admit that I was pretty nervous before the first heat and I did the customary toilet trip beforehand to flush away the butterflies. At race 28 I went up to officials and picked up my bib and transponder. Then I had to stand behind the driver's stage and wait with my car and control. You line up where you want to stand and once the previous race stands down, you stand up. I chose a position at the end so that I didn't have drivers on both sides of me. Once you get up, you turn your car on and hand it to an official who places it on the track. Then they tell you to turn on your controller (for me it involved a lot of pointing and gesturing until I understood) and then you drive your car down to the starting position. In the heats there were 2 starting lines - depending on your number you start at the front or back then they switch it in your next heat. My number was 1 so I started on the front line on the outside. The commentator then talks about the heat and tells you to watch the light. They had a light box down one end and once it lights up (there's a buzzer as well) you're off and racing.

I could give you a blow by blow account of this heat but it was my first time and I don't want to reveal everything. (I have it on video and sooner or later, like all first times, it will end up on the internet). I can say that I was pretty happy with my performance. I didn't go too fast and I didn't smack into anything I shouldn't have. On the down side I could have gone a bit harder so, I lightened the car and took the tape off the controller for the second race.

I should mention that because I have a 415MS, I had to race in the top class against guys that are competing at a world championship level - pretty daunting actually.

After my race I marshalled the next heat which was cool as the driving was of a high quality and I didn't have to do anything.

I then collected my car and headed back to swap batteries, clean all the accumulated carpet fluff from my car and check all the screws.

Now I had to wait for about 90 + minutes for my next race.

I took the time to eat lunch, talk shop and watch some of the other races.

At about this time my wife showed up and watched the video from my previous race (Hiroaki recorded them for a DVD he's making for me).

She agreed I could have gone a bit harder and that remarkably I hadn't done too badly. Spurred on by her enthusiasm I was raring to go for the second race.

I got into position, the light went green and for the next two minutes I drove like a pimple-faced, x-box playing, suicidal banshee with no depth perception. Every single embarrassing moment that your friends warned you about happened to me in the next agonizing two minutes. I banged into everything I wasn't supposed to and even spun out and headed up the wrong way more than once. Not only did I fail to make the impact on my previous time that I'd hoped to, the only impact I did make was with other cars, the walls and eventually the back of the commentator's amplifier. I can freely admit that it felt like I was trying to steer a bullet - the car was just too fast for me.

To witness driving at its worst you can check out this video.

In case you're interested I was running a Tamiya GT motor, 102T pinion and 34T spur as per regulations. I also have a VFS-1 ESC.

The lesson learned is that I have to practice more with this set up and get used to the variable trigger (apparently it's not an on/off switch!).

The finals were then held and both Hiroaki and Tadashi had made it through. Instead of the 2 minute time limit in the heats, it was now 20 laps or 30 laps for those in "A" grade. Tadishi ended up with a 4th in Buggy and Hiroaki got his best result ever with a 5th in "B" grade.

I videotaped the final for my class and it was pretty cool watching these guys drive as well as they did. The lead changed a couple of times but the podium finished the same as the race order - number 1 finished 1st, number 2 got 2nd and... surprise, surprise, number 3 walked away with 3rd.

After the finals they had the very quick presentation and a lottery for Tamiya products. When you handed back your bib you got a ticket. I didn't win but Tadashi did (some tyre inners).

The organizers then packed up very quickly and we headed off as well.

Hiroaki was telling me that the Japanese National Titles are on in July... I might have to have a go and see if I can perform better with some practice between now and then.