How much could have changed? ...really?

I knew going into this that a few things had changed, and being the technical-minded persion I am, did a bit of digging to reacquaint myself with the sport - what had changed, what hadn't changed, what changed-and-then-changed-back?

what hadn't changed - was a pleasant surprise

• there were still familiar faces present!
• The smooth drivers are still the fastest
• Everything is carbon-fibre and aluminum with a hint of titanium
• The good guys are still out there - the ones who will lend you a hand or even a set of tires (how's that for foreshadowing?)

what had changed - technology at its finest

• Brushless motors and speed controllers - more effecient motors and speed controls with fans on them!
• LiPo batteries and small chargers - when is 3200 mAh not 3200 mAh? When it's a LiPo battery that runs 30% longer than a NiMH of the same mAh rating... someone explain that one to me?
• 2.4 GHz Spektrum radios - I really love this! No! Really! I think I'm one of five guys there who uses a pair of crystals and the only one in the building on my frequency! No interference!
• personal transponders - I guess everything gets smaller/faster/lighter or more personal eventually!
• Car layouts - all the cars now are designed with the batteries on one side (a-la the TC3) either for single brick LiPo's or straight built packs.

What-had-changed-and-then-changed-back - everything old is new again

• 2-belt touring cars! When I stopped racing, the TC3 "revolutionalized" touring cars by introducing a center shaft driven car. I guess there were too many problems with torsion from the motor affecting the roll of the car - the TC5 is a 2-belt design again! The XRay is a 2-belt design. The Tamiya is a 3-belt design (why?).
• rubber tires - When Larry opened his new track he had gone to all foam racing because in the "tire-war" days, we had the-tire-of-the-week with the-insert-of-the-week and even the-rim-of-the-week... ya... Foam tires were to fix all that! Now, it seems there are spec tires that you buy pre-mounted on a common rim with a common insert - oh, and they last a while too! I never had the desire to use a lathe on tires, so kudos to the re-coming of the rubber tire.