PERFORMANCE TESTING
Having spoke with the HPI reps, it was mentioned to me that the Cup Racer was aimed at spec class racing; hence my installation of the 21.5 turn motor. With this current setup, we set out to the track and laid down some rubber. In all honesty, it’s not the fastest thing in the world, but in a spec class, I can see how this would become a competitive class. Right out of the box, the car is ridiculously easy to drive. The car takes off very quickly (which then led me to believe that the motor can also be geared up for more top-end), turns in aggressively and darts out of corners. And because the car isn’t blisteringly fast, the tires provide plenty of grip, and car control is astoundingly precise. The Cup Racer is a really well-handling, spirited, agile car. That said, we felt like it could use more.
HPI was kind enough to send us several kits, so of course, the setups went from mild to wild. We have the sensible car with a 21.5 turn motor, we have the spruced up car with a 17.5 turn motor, and then we have the serial killer car with the 5.5 turn motor. That, by the way, would be the wild one.
Equipped with a motor that may very well cause the car to explode, we set out to see what the Cup Racer can do. And at the first squeeze of the trigger, we knew it was over. This car, with the 5.5 turn brushless motor installed, would be about the equivalent of a 10-year-old on roller skates with six Pixy Stix in hand and a turbine engine strapped to his back. It makes absolutely no sense to have this much power in such a small car…but it’s so incredibly fun!
Suddenly, our test track didn’t seem big enough for the mini monster. The Cup Racer pummeled the 150-foot straightaway in less than three seconds and buried its front right tire into the sweeper. The rear end felt a little light, but for the most part, held through the turn. Once the car gets in the tighter turns, it’s steering city! The Cup Racer has tons of turn in. It has a tendency to go a little wide at the exit, but with some tuning time can easily be resolved. Torque steer is also evident in the car’s handling, but only in heavy throttle applications, which is actually manifested from poor driving habits (my bad). Additionally, the car is surprisingly stable in the corners and all the way down the straight. Not bad for a car with a narrow track width and a psychotic motor!
And since there is a drift version, and since I love drifting so much, the Cup Racer also went a few dozen laps on the hard compound tires. Just as it was with the rubber tires, the car is exceptionally easy to drive. It’s smooth, easy to control and eager to throw that back end around. Weight transfer is near perfect, and the drifts the car is capable of will make anyone look like a pro. The setup is a little different between the two cars, so if you’re interested, take a look at the numbers we’ve provided in the setup section.
WHAT DID WE LIKE?
I think the better question is what’s not to like? The Cup Racer is awesome! I love the size of the car, the details of the body, the performance, the ease of driving, the tune ability, everything! It’s a great car for anyone who would want to get into the hobby or for anyone who would be interested in getting into a spec class on-road race.
WHAT WOULD WE CHANGE?
I remember Stephen mentioning being frustrated during the build after building the D8T with its stepped bagging. I didn’t have too much of a problem with it, but I can see where the frustration would arise. The plastic parts aren’t very clearly marked, so during the build, you’ll be searching the plastic trees for the part you need in that step. Having built so many HPI cars in the past, this is something I have become accustomed to, so it didn’t really bother me as much. But when you build, say, an XRay car or a Losi car or an sparkles car, a certain series of steps are consecutively bagged so you don’t move on to the next bag until just about every part in the previous is used. Conversely, the Cup Racer’s build will have you searching for parts, screws and whatever else is necessary for a step. My advice: Pay very, very close attention to the instructions during the build, and take your time.
CONCLUSION
I love this car! Seriously. It’s tremendous fun and really drives well, and the scale looks are the icing on the cake. I think my only complaint with this car is that it’s not a ready-to-run, or at least an almost-ready-to-run, where the chassis is already built. Nonetheless, the Cup Racer is a top-notch performer and is incredibly easy and fun to drive. The car is still new, so expect to see more bodies on the way. We can’t wait to see what’s next.
