F N CUDA

iTrader: (34)

There is nothing south of OC/RC.
San Diego is the next closest place to go racing nothing in between.
South Orange County has never had a full blown R/C track except Tamiya that was for Tamiyas only.
Costa Mesa's RCHR Radio Controlled Hobbies Raceway was the closest then So Cal in Garden Grove.
I like the idea of something down that way.
We have Associated, Kyosho/Orion/Peak Performance, Airtronics, Futaba, OFNA and more all right off the I-5 and the 405 Freeways in Irvine, El Toro and Mission Viejo area.Toll roads drop off right here too.
But no racetracks?
Etnies Skate park and many more city skate parks all over, still no racetracks.

Chris__RC

iTrader: (7)

Have you heard of the Palm Desert track? It was just a track to play on but I mean it still had some good features to it. They are opeaning it back up in the fall.

tom_chang79

iTrader: (13)

Cerritos would be bling bling but watch out for ordinance and super high rent prices...

Hmm Garbage Grove would be ok too, the old SoCal was in Garbage Grove (apologies for anyone who lives there, it's meant to be a joke )

Anyone ever ride their bikes down Coyote Creek? There used to be an empty lot behind some homes that had a off-road bicycle track. I used to launch my JRX-T into the air with gnarly jumps that were there. Not to mention the hours of fun I had when it rained and made it into a mud pit for my JRX-T to thrash in!

hairymuffin

iTrader: (105)

I second for onroad, I am an offroad guy but, would love the option. Times are gonna get worse but, r/c junkies like myself will always find change for r/c

WOW!!!!!! Thanks Rob!!!!! Didn't know you were in to it for the fun and the rest of us, I thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!!! If I had it I would build a track for the love of it too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kevin.....

dag32

iTrader: (112)

Yes we do.

ratherBracin

A concept that hasn't really ever been thought about here in the States, and especially in Cali with its generally great weather, is a multi-use facility. And in multi-use I mean a carpeted indoor facility that can cater to a lot of different classes by the simple implementation and/or removal of jumps and obsticles as is more the norm in Europe where the weather sucks all the time.

Now before anyone blows a gasket hear me out.
The problem as I see it with any permanent, espcially indoor, facility is the rent and/or land costs involved with such an endeavor as well as having enough racers of any particular class or format regularly involved in the programs to support it pay the bills. Everybody always says, "I'll be there" - but the fact of the matter is that one way or another they aren't, and definately not all the time. Which is what you need. Part of the problem is because like with any hobby, be if golf or tennis or whatever, is that people really only have one day (or two days max) each week to pursue it.
And then you have to decide if it's going to be pavement, or dirt, or carpet, or off-road and suddenly no matter which route you choose to go one way or another you've pigeoholed yourself into such a small part of the market that you're missing out on all the rest.

I luv dirt, but I'm man enough to admit that it's a mess. Whether it be the dust that seemingly goes everywhere or the water needed that turns to mud, or need to keep the track groomed, one way or another it's a lot of work. I've been doing a lot of reading on db's in Europe and they do all sorts of off-road racing on carpet or astroturf tracks, in part because of the lack of maintenance involved and also because their weather turns dirt to muck and goo, both indoor and outdoor.

So my suggestion, as I started to say above, is to have a permanently carpeted indoor facility - and that way it doesn't matter if it's raining or snowing or Thursday out - and each day of the week set it aside for a different class of practicing (days) and racing (nights).

Sunday = closed
Monday = 1/8th electric off-road
Tuesday = 1/12 on-road
Wednesday = 1/10th on-road
Thursday = 1/18th on-road
Friday = 1/18th off-road
Saturday = 1/10th off-road

This way your facility attracts not only the larger scales of off-roaders, but but also the on-road guys, as well as the micro and mini-scales that have been growing in popularity (in case you've been asleep). They each get their own night, everybody's happy, and you attract a diverse crowd of racers and customers.

kahuna2793

Hey how about riverside county ? I think 1/10 would do good. titus hobbies was good. don't know what happen th that place.

hairymuffin

iTrader: (105)

Nice!! Indoor carpet? Never thought of that. Cheap to maintain. Another place for minis. Would it be hard to take out the jumps for onroad? I like the onroad idea but, to make a nice large indoor track will be expensive to pave?

I was thinking about a large paved oval. I am no Nascar fan but it is huge!!!!!!!!! Sure it would bring it out like it used to be and maybe with a nice road course in the infield. I remember a track on the east coast that I thought was beautiful that I used to see in magazines that held large nationals. It was outdoors though.

Or how about an out door track that it covered? Like that place that was in Norcal called Racers Hobby Heaven.

The other most important thing about having a track IMHO, is to have it near places where the general public can see it just by driving by. You would be amazed of how many people never saw a r/c car on the track!!!! but im sure it would be more expensive to have near shops and such????? I just think a offroad track near OCRC will hurt both places. ONROAD!!!!!!!

racenut123

iTrader: (32)

If your in the business to break even,your track will not be around for very long.Many racers will say they support you regularly,but in reality,life gets in the way of hobbies.Can't blame them for not being there every race day.You cant depend on steady numbers,because there are none.The hobbie is cyclic.Ebs and flows.@ 14000-16000 a month overhead,you will never make it.Find a place with really really cheap rent and you may swing it,but it will be well off the beatin path.There are so many things that you may not have considered or you may have and underestimated.I don't even live in the area and know with OC/RC in the area your gonna have a hard time making a track float.Good luck on your venture.

nc-hopsing

iTrader: (6)

Good call......I've often thought about why someone doesnt step up and do this. Its got to be tough convincing a landloard that you want to build walls inside their building so you can dump a couple of tons of dirt in there to race "toy" cars around. Here is a link to one of many videos of Fastcats in Ontario, Canada. They run on-road and off road there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogGKYh9Oz6c

TRCRacer24

Offroad Carpet would be a Blast!! ;-)

ratherBracin

It's fast, it's clean, and routine maintenance is severly cut

jnev

iTrader: (25)

A carpet/astro turf track would be absolutely awesome! I have wanted one for a while and also wondered why no one has built one yet... The jumps and obstacles can simply be made out of wood, and the carpet/astro turf just laid on top of it.

I'd like one between OC and San Diego also. Wherever it is though, I'm looking forward to it.

johnnyboy

iTrader: (28)

Fastcats track is pretty cool. The jumps they made (they have all kinds made up) are remarkable in shape and the traction is CRAZY! They just switch the layout every now and then. They have a great RC facility. Indoor TC, Indoor Offroad (the carpet is much different than the TC Ozite), Outdoor paved TC and a new outdoor off road dirt track. Crazy computer systems, wi-fi, personal lap counter/timer system they designed that logs all your laps and prints them out via a barcode scanner. It's a great place.

www.fastcats.ca

stitchy

iTrader: (13)

All plusses in my book. Interesting idea!