# What you race and why.



## Mike Clark (Apr 28, 2007)

Well I've driven every type of old style of R/C car you can think of and raced at all the biggest races and had FUN. Last seen driving a Delta 1/12 & 1/10 scale car. A factory driver for years I finally gave up after a few years of fighting the battery wars. The mometary cost at that time was unjustified for personal reasons and I sold my equipment and dropped out.

I joined the AMA and started flying again (Control Line) old style, fast and very close to the ground. Flew in several AMA Nationals and was fun. After 15 years of building and flying I lost my long time flying buddy to cancer and havent picked up a handle since. 

I ran into another friend and they were racing 1/18 scale electrics (BRP) cars. I thought oh no here we go again but they used slot car motors and AA Nimh batterys. How expensive could that be? These cars are a blast we run on a 24' x 34' oval track. This is the least expensive R/C racing that I have ever done in my life and it may just be the most fun. I've been racing these car since last March and haven't broke a part yet. However being an old man the reflexes had still be good.

As you can see in my tittle the Pro1 Logo. I also race 1/4 scale gas cars, which is on the other side of the equasion. Not cheep to purchase they can be a parts hound but as much fun as you can have with out getting arrested. There is something about running a 30 lb car at Nitro car speeds around a oval track for 500 laps. This type of R/C racing is hard to beat.


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## DOUGHBOY (May 7, 2008)

1:10 oval pan cars. started racing racing about a year ago and i would have to say that this is the best hobby i have ever done. i hope this doesn't turn into a debate of why electric s^cks and why nitro is better to me they are both equally fun i just dont have a local track to run any nitro that doesn't mean that i wouldn't if i got the opportunitty. and mike i can relate with you on the battery prices thats why i went lipo about 2 weeks ago and they are awsome. i love this hobby so much i am going to drive from one coast of florida tommorrow just to race and then all the way back the same day that means i will be driving for a total of 6-7 hours depending on traffic and my car will be on the track for a total of 20 minutes you have to be obbssesed to do that


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## IndyRC_Racer (Oct 11, 2004)

I always race the odd-ball classes because I have more fun. Not so much stress about finding more speed when I'm racing with guys I like and and we aren't all worried about who finished first.


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## Mike Clark (Apr 28, 2007)

DOUGHBOY said:


> 1:10 oval pan cars. started racing racing about a year ago and i would have to say that this is the best hobby i have ever done. i hope this doesn't turn into a debate of why electric s^cks and why nitro is better to me they are both equally fun i just dont have a local track to run any nitro that doesn't mean that i wouldn't if i got the opportunitty. and mike i can relate with you on the battery prices thats why i went lipo about 2 weeks ago and they are awsome. i love this hobby so much i am going to drive from one coast of florida tommorrow just to race and then all the way back the same day that means i will be driving for a total of 6-7 hours depending on traffic and my car will be on the track for a total of 20 minutes you have to be obbssesed to do that


Nope This is about what you race and why. No caterwalling or crybabies. Give me your best shot and make me believe that you are racing because it's fun! I am not into trashing here because we are all playing with toys.


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## hankster (Jan 1, 1998)

I started racing off-road back in the old RC10 Gold Tub days (BL - before Losi  ). The local track put in a banked cement oval and I got hooked on that with a 10L wide car (no narrow cars back then). Over the next 10+ years I travelled from CA to FL to SC. Raced at places like the Thunderdrome (Encino and DH), the Whip and King. One day I sat down and figured up my costs and I spent well over $10K racing that year (that was in the early 90's) and just didn't enjoy it that much any more to continue to spend that amount.

I got out for about 5 years and have been racing off-road since I got back into it about 7 years ago. I now enjoy it more then I ever did. I go to the track more to visit with my racing buddies then the actual racing. I no longer HAVE to be at the top, I know I will never be there with the effort I put into it (and my skill/reflex level) and I'm OK with that. I am satisfied with my racing if I know I did the best I could do. If it's the A main, great. If it's the D main that's OK too, I know I did my best.


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## samgkd (Dec 30, 2003)

I started racing 12th scale carpet in the early 80's. There were around 6-8 tracks within a 2 hour drive of my house. Never had any desire to race at any big races, just small club racing with a bunch of friends. Gave up 12th scale after about 15 years and quit racing because of my eyesight and reflexes. Tried carpet oval a few years ago and loved it. It didn't seem that my eyesight was as much a factor in wheeling the car around an oval. Can't wait for the fall/winter racing season to start.


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## swtour (Oct 8, 2001)

...started w/ Dirt Oval in 1985 using a Gold Tub RC10. Indoor track, approx 80-85 ft run line...raced twice a week for 2 1/2 years. The Wednesday Nights were the best.. broke up a boring week, beat sitting home on a week night watching T.V. (Good thing M*A*S*H* wasn't on on Wednesday nights..LOL)

Track closed, ran Electric On-Road 1/10th scale pan car (w/ a BoLINK Invader) until the RC10L's came out... Wow what a difference a car made...

The 10L got to do double duty as a TOJ Bodied On-Road Car one week...and a LUMINIA Bodied STOCK CAR the opposite week... WHAT a Cool/fun time R/C was back then.

Ran Off-Road off and on back then too...never did like racing the buggy, but when Associated's 10t came out...WOW - Off-Road became fun for a year and a half or so.

Now-a-days, it's mainly PAVED OVAL...and most of my time is spent behind the MIC. running and calling the races...and my 16 year old Son gets to do MOST of the driving.

Not sure how much longer the R/C hobby will be around for me - bought the KID a Dirt Track Mini Stock (4 banger PINTO) to go round y round at the local Sat. Night DIRT track... Hopefully, I can find a way to keep doing both.

www.southwesttour.com


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## ScottH (Nov 24, 2005)

Started with an Ultima on a dirt Oval in Huntsville. The got the Optima Mid and raced that at Oak Mountain, got bored with it because it was so dependable and I "thought" I wanted a challenge so I got a Yokomo, what a mistake. All I did was work on the dang car.

Then I met Gary at Homewood Hobby and bought a Bolink Eliminator fiberglass kit, met all the guys at Magic City R/C. Raced alot of on-road with those guys and attended a World-of-Wheels race. Carpet oval bullring. I do not think I have turned right very much since.

I have had Bolink, Associated, Woods, Hyperdrive and one-of custom built cars. I have traveled all over the Southeast and to Texas to race these cars. I have been to the Whip, King, Arkansas, Florence, The Sugar Bowl, MSA, Carolina R/C, LPR and many many more I can't remember.

Like Mike, I got out due to the dang battery wars, that was about 8-9 years ago. I founs out about Jerry's BRP track and he got me hooked again. I did that for about a year and met up with an old friend Tim Smith. he asked me to drive one of his Nitro Pan cars at a race in Montgomery (LPR) and I have been hooked again ever since.

THANKS JERRY AND TIM!!!

I had some of the best friendships one could ask for when I was racing before and have rekindled several of those again. I have also been fortunate enough to make some new and very good friends this time around. I probably really enjoy this aspect of the sport the most.

I would not trade this hobby/sport for anything. I did my best to replace it with hot-rods and pocketbikes but neither every really gave me the "high" this does. So here I am again.


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## DOUGHBOY (May 7, 2008)

Mike Clark said:


> Nope This is about what you race and why. No caterwalling or crybabies. Give me your best shot and make me believe that you are racing because it's fun! I am not into trashing here because we are all playing with toys.


i wasn't talking about you mike i was really refering to the people in the other thread about rctvlive which by the way is awsome just thought i would through that in there lol!!!!! and trust me i am doing this because i love it


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## superdave2 (Dec 30, 2006)

well i race a xxxt with a brushless system no lipo yet and i also race a 1/8th scale truggy which is a losi muggy its got a dynamite platnium series motor and i raced the xxxt for about a year and then my dad had bought the muggy and he lost interist and then i got it and i just love to run it but i pretty much only run it at a track but very seldom i drive it in my yard i usually do the driving in my yard for set up cahnges and see how they affect the truck but i really enjoy running the trucks im also about to make a track on my moms property shes got about ann acre and ahalf and i think if i clean it all up and get some big machines which my gradfater has i can make a pretty good sized track:thumbsup:


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## jgullo53 (Jun 26, 2008)

i run 1/10th electric truck.(carpet oval, offroad and dirt oval) i did TC for 3 years and i personally didnt care for it that much. im sure if i was better at it, i would like it, but to me, i just didnt care for it. offroad truck i find is so much easier to handle than TC onroad. thats just my personal opinion. i also dont touch nitro when racing, i use that when im bashing!


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## pup1970 (Apr 2, 2008)

I ran 1/10 dirt, then pancar carpet, bought an 1/8 scale for offroad. I loved the dirt oval, cause you can miss the setup by some and still be competitive, don't need the best electronics to win either. THEN came 1/4 scale sprints, wow!!! lots of fun to drive but few places to run. I saw the baja 5b and got one to play with. I have been hooked on the 5b ever since. It has been 2 months since I even charged a battery for the 1/10 scales. I am even enjoying offroad now too.Plus it goes just about anywere so I can load and go find a good bashing spot. So why? To have some fun and teach my kids some life lessons they might not ever get a chance to otherwise. And it is fun to see my boy with a huge smile on his face when he does good.


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## DJ1978 (Sep 26, 2001)

*Not enough time in the day.. week or year*

I started just playing in front of the house with a Tamiya Falcon years and years ago. It wasn't long until my neighbor and I were racing down the sidewalk, out my drive, way down the street, up his driveway and back down the sidewalk.
Started organized racing 12 years ago at the College in Jackson, MI with oval racing. The progressed to ROVAL. Road and Oval. Truck was my favorite class there although I raced Dualsport and then TC too. 
On Road Ashphalt is really fun. Riders Hobby used to have tracks.. and now LAZER Speedway in Adrian, MI has the best facility in Michigan.
Then I tried my hand at Off Road at Washtenaw RC Raceway and the MARS Series and I was hooked.
I still have my On Road cars. But right now Off Road is all I have time for.
Stock truck, 19T turn Masters, 4 wheel drive Mod buggy. 
Now the Electric 1/8th scale Buggies and Truggies are taking up ALL of my time.
SO many things I would like to do... OVAL is calling again.. but nowhere to race it in south east Michigan. I take a couple of laps on the oval at Stateline in Indiana when I can between races. GREAT Facility if you haven't been there.
Crawling is also appealing. Totally different and the suspension and drivetrain technology is facinating to me.


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## ovalrcr (Sep 9, 2007)

I like to run pan cars at my local club (carpet oval). The classes with a breakout time is the funnest to me because it slows everyone down we usually run nose to tail waiting for the car in front of you to mess up. I haven't yet but I am thinking about running some of the Vintage Trans Am series races too because they kinda limit what you can run to keep the racing even and fun.


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## trailranger (Feb 9, 2006)

I started with an Kyosho Outrage about 15 years ago and then when I got back from the Iraqi war I told myself I needed a hobby to stay sain. I started racing 4 years ago with a TC3 and moved onto with a 12L4 as a second class. Somewhere I bought a RC18T for oval, but really regret that. I later upgraded to Xray T2 and CRC 3.2 just before roadcourse bailed in my area. About that time I discovered that I had cancer and been dealing with that for over two years. I started racing 1:10 oval in last October realizing that if I didn't race the only thing moving in my area R/C racing may just disappear in Springfield. I started several laps off with an L30 and old 4-cell batts from my 1:12. Now I make the most of my old used cars to get within closing distance of the local Pros.

I started racing as a distraction from my past, I continue racing to keep me from worring about my future.


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## sbrady#0 (Nov 18, 2007)

I started with a plastic striker by tamiya then got a gold R/C 10 ran on road then dirt oval and a sprint( that I still run with newer car) I run off road and dirt oval some time I get out the 4 cell pan car. Like hank said I do the best I can hope its enough I get mad at my self when I crash but try to get better every time I run. And I have taken people out in a race and they know who and why!


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## dirtdriver (Aug 1, 2008)

I played and raced for fun about 20 years ago with the Kyosho Ultima 2(electric), I did carpet racing. Quit after five years(started to work 2 jobs) and got back into it for fun last summer(07)with a RTR Kyosho inforno st truggy(nitro).:woohoo:


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## erock1331 (Apr 1, 2002)

Retired RC Racer....

Started in 1985 with a Tamiya Grasshopper racing against my friends on the street.
Eventually we graduated to racing at a local carpet track and dirt oval track. Quit racing in 1993. Started back up again in 2001 when I got divorced. Kept my mind off of things. My buddies I grew up with would make the trek 2 hours every weekend to race with me. So it was cool to hang out with them and that racing brought us closer again.
The downside was they had to quit making the trips (just got too expensive). Then eventually I had to get outta debt so I quit racing as well. Now I tinker around the yard with my Associated 18B. Better than nothing I guess.


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## Donald Deutsch (Sep 29, 2001)

I started racing in the 70s with a Thorp 1/8 scale gas car. Went to Associated rc500s.Then switched to their 1/12th cars. Ran 1/10 pan cars and then touring cars. Now running in a BRP series with Bud and friends. Like the BRP cars because the racing is fun again.


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## McLin (Dec 5, 2001)

Interesting thread. I started racing dirt oval too many years ago to think about LOL It was an RC 10 buggy converted to an oval car. I raced dirt one more season but then pretty much went to all carpet and paved oval racing. I have seen our cars go from the Bolink Invader to the ones we have today and I have seen the batteries go from 1200 MaH NiCads to todays Ka-zillion MaH LiPo’s and as the “kids” say….It’s all good.

Now days I race some electric carpet in the winter but my real love is Nitro Pan Cars on paved tracks. I now stay busy running the RC-Oval Nitro Series that covers 7 races in three states during the summer months.

As far as “fun” goes, I can honestly say that I have just as much fun today as I did the first day I picked up a radio.


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## KenBajdek (Oct 7, 2001)

I started with electric offroad in the early 90's and got bored with the dirt and moved to pan cars on carpet. I have seen the death of the wide pan cars and the evolution of the narrow chassis that were never supposed to work. I was the first in my area to have a pan car with more than 1 shock on it. Battery technology from the yellow 1200's,P170 and the lipo's today its amazing to see. Started racing mod sprints on carpet in the mid 90's have been with that along with the pan cars too. 

Too bad nitro didn't last around here we had an indoor asphalt banked oval and a flat asphalt oval to race nitro sprints and nitro pan cars. It was a balst to run a 1/10 mod nitro sprinter with an .18 on a 125ft. oval track.


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## Guest (Aug 10, 2008)

I started with a AE 12E and my collection increased from there. The only RC vehicle I haven't owned was a staduim truck or monster truck or 1/4 scale car, trucks just didn't interest me for some reason. At the height of the RC craze I was usually going to different tracks (skating rinks, gyms, parking lots etc) before indoor tracks became the norm, about 3 to 4 times a week. In the warm weather we run offroad, then convert them to run indoors as Sprint Cars, stock cars etc. Now because of real life issues, RC racing has curtailed to running mostly 1/10 oval, even though I purchased a few other vehicles the time or interest just isn't there. Yes, sometimes the cost is a factor - do I spend $100 on batteries and stuff or do I get that water heater or whatever fixed. Usually the household wins out.
The most modified RC vehicle was a Tamiya Hornet with Novak T1 ESC, AE Pink Dot, Hot Trick shock tower, Thorp axles, Parma Nerf bars, Front/Rear Oil shocks modified wedge body, JG body mounts, Advanced alum wheels and hubs. Won my first RC race with that car.


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## JSP51N RACING (Jan 10, 2004)

I race and pull. I race pede, and a new dualhurter-dagger. I pull a graden tractor, bolink digger, clodbuster in daul motor stock, and a 7# 2wd truck. I am biulding a number 2 digger, a mod pede, and a new class for pulling. Hot Farm Stock tractor.
Trucks I did race in the pass was. Spec. NASCAR truck, rustler, evdator, a old pede, a old digger and 3 Pro Stock Tractors I pulled.
My mom is started to race and pull to. She travils with me to the big and some local event. She is running the dagger, digger #1, and the 7# 2wd pulling truck.
Johnny


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## nitrohead (Aug 28, 2005)

Losi AD2 all the way been racing GT for 10+ yrs now and wouldn't change for anything . And yes I get a chance to race with others every weekend, 1/10 nitro 2wd is still strong in Ohio ..... gotta love it. Skill over bling for me


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## Baker#5 (Apr 13, 2008)

i race 2wd mod buggy. It is the funnest calss i have every raced and it takes some driving talent. My car choice is the xxx cr with a brushless system.


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## jgullo53 (Jun 26, 2008)

maxxgullo said:


> i run 1/10th electric truck.(carpet oval, offroad and dirt oval) i did TC for 3 years and i personally didnt care for it that much. im sure if i was better at it, i would like it, but to me, i just didnt care for it. offroad truck i find is so much easier to handle than TC onroad. thats just my personal opinion. i also dont touch nitro when racing, i use that when im bashing!


guess im a hypocrite, i got back into TC!


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## gndprx (Aug 30, 2006)

If there is a remote to control it, I'll race it 

I started back with 1st generation grasshopper/hornet. Moved into the frog chassis and eventually to the original RC10T. 

Now I race everything from pan car oval to mod 2wd and mod 4wd dirt depending on the turnout on any given race day. 

I was out of it for many years and got back in when my oldest was old enough to hold a remote on his own. Have to pass down the addiction...I mean joy and sportsmanship to the next generation


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