[suicideneil]

If memory serves, the fast charge option just uses a shorter CV phase (first is CC = constant current, then it switches to CV = constant voltage when it gets harder for the charger to pump in those electrons..), so the pack comes off the charger with say a ~90% charge, the cells sitting around 4.0-4.1v per cell rather than the full 4.2v; its the CV phase at the end of the charge that can take a while, since thats when the cells get balanced out usually (if there is any imbalance to start with that is).

Im never in enough of a hurry to use anything but normal balance charge mode myself.

In see quite a few people using 3s in 1/8 buggies, but they are lighter and less demanding than 1/8 truggies- thats not to say it cant be done, but you'd have to watch temps like a hawk to make sure the batts and esc arent gobbling up too much juice. You can always drop the gearing too if possible.

As for turning down the throttle epa, I dont like that idea myself even though I see alot of peeps doing it with no problems- main concern is that the esc is most efficient at 100% throttle, so turning down the epa forces the esc to run at partial throttle even though its at 'full' throttle on your trigger finger. Driving style and having a lighter touch of the throttle can reduce wheelies, as can adding some exponential to the throttle curve using the castlelink.