[russell]

How about a triangular wheelbase with omniwheels? With the gyro provided it should be reasonably easy to build a robot that would always go the direction the joystick is pointed regardless of its orientation (push the stick towards the opposite side of the field and the robot will go that way even if it is facing a different way). It would make for kind of a different driving experience, but it would actually be easier after you got used to it I think. Im gonna draw and post a pic of what im saying.