Scottrik

iTrader: (261)

I ran into Ron at Abell RC a couple days after our LAST race where he'd just seen them for the first time. Either he, or his buddy, or both HAVE raced in the past but I don't know if it was on- or off-road. Ron had his car with him at Abell's (he got it from a buddy) and they were trying to figure out what all it needed to run. It was the poorly-sighted leading the vision-impaired (John really does seem to be trying to learn and stock some car stuff) so I spent an hour or two helping them find the bearings, diff pieces, etc that were missing or damaged. I had no idea about his batteries.

Yeah, we'll keep tabs on them to keep 'em happy. Happy racers are participating racers.

And yeah, I know how small a part the racing is (doesn't mean I don't like to maximize it...). Guess I spent too long in really "serious" racing when I was young, dumb, and faster-healing... I got back into RC after several years off when I moved to Billings as a way to meet (or re-meet, in your case) folks here with common interests. Would I have met Rick, JP, Bryan, John, Darren, et al otherwise? Not bloody likely, and I'd have been poorer for it. THAT was my win!! Then I get to travel around a bit with them and meet the ND gang--what a fun bunch to play with 3-4 times a year.

Scottrik

Bob-Stormer

iTrader: (8)

I was just thinking about what killed racing over in Williston, ND. And I do mean killed, as in there has not been racing there in 12 years or more. And I have a pretty good theory. It became less and less racing with friends and more and more "clique" related racing. When everybody pitted at one end of the room, across from each other, on long tables and in one big area, more people talked, you met more people, and you had more fun. Over time, and because it was easier to setup (problems with power and extension cords) people started pitting all over the building in little groups of 2 to 4. You came with your racing group, hardly talked to anybody else, and went home. Whithin a year or two... done.

The fun was gone. To keep things fun, you have to get everybody to pit together in a big group or cluster. Keeps 'em talking, having fun, helping each other.

I still think we should get involved with the boyscouts/cubscouts in some way. These are parents, familys, supporting each other and trying to get their kids involved in any kind of fun, positive, drug free activity and environment. Sell a "den" of scouts a race car setup. Get all the "den's" together on a club race day and have each den pit with one of the local top drivers. Say you do something like limit the drivers in each den to 4. all 4 qualify, and the fastest one from each den runs the main. I'd be happy to sell all the scouts whatever they needed at cost, and bring done 5-6 extra new cars to rob part off of to keep it moving absolutely perfectly. Think of it, even with only 6 dens, that's 24 new kids and familys, all at once. How many dads might get the bug too? What if out of the blue on some club day, we had 24 new drivers, 48 parents, and assorted hangers-on, to the total tune of say 80-90 extra people sitting around and helping? It would be OUTRAGEOUS!!!!

I could take a group, you could take a group, Justin, Rick, Darren, John, there you have it, 6 helpers without even trying. I think we could still manage to each race at least one entry of our own and not be to stressed out. These kids and familys are going to want to see some faster, none-bash stuff too.

You could even call it the "scout class", or something clever.

I mention this all the time, we should really try and put this together.

Bob-Stormer

iTrader: (8)

OMG!!!!

We teach the cub scouts to putdown and pickup the track and pit tables!!!!

Scottrik

iTrader: (261)

Believe it or not...Rick, JP and I talked about taking you up on that. Our idea was to take one or two of our Saturdays we have scheduled for next spring and devote it to helping the scouts race...not even have our own equipment out to frighten civilians, etc.

Let's talk more about this next time you're in town. Odds on joining up for test-n-tune? Gotta get dialed if I'm staying within three laps of Mitchie...

Scottrik

KevinL

Yes Bob golf is very expensive. The last driver I bought was 499.00, and I think it saved me 3 strokes a round. lol. I do think that if the industry stepped back and let everyone catch up meaning the manufacturers, the competition and interest would still be there. I think the competition definately, because it would come down to driver ability as opposed to technology and who has the biggest pocket book. THe races would be more competetive at the lower levels.

Kevin

speedybill

iTrader: (73)

OK, I gotta wade in here, being involved in RC for quite a while, & being a LHS owner/racer, I have some observations,

#1. attendance, yes, it comes & goes, just like any hobby, serious racers stay, 'hobbiest' come & go, yes $$ has some to do with, but locally I hear complaints bout $$ to race, but same people speed to the 'new track' & pay 50% more to race, same people have to have the newest and bestest stuff, then complain bout the $$, yes, itz a 'pricey' hobby, but sure beatz sittin on a bar stool!

#2.how to increase attendance, locally we have tried the 'novice' thing tried 'cheap' intro class [t-spec] seems a 'sportsman' class [oval] has worked well here, NEVER call a class 'novice' NO-ONE wants to be called that!
ALSO, someone mention splitting the 'pro's & regulars' this has worked to SOME succes here, thou we are still arguing bout it, I believe it has itz merits

#3. ENCOURAGE new racers, my Team drivers were chosen because they HELP newbies, that is the main ingrediant, yes they need to win, but helping the new, uninformed, unknowing racers is what REALLY helps, they want to be a part of the whole thing, MOST of our local 'hot shoes' go out of thier way to help those needing it [including ME!]

#4. Price, yes itz nice to have a new 07 x-ray but does a newbie really need it?? how bout a RTR TC-4, decent batts, decent motor, let them upgrade slowly, help them with setup and driving tips, when they're ready upgrade to a nicer car, they'l already have a good radio/electrics by then, and they won't feel that high $$ sting as badly

#5 last but not least, LISTEN to them [newbies] answer thier questions best ya can HONESTLY, help then if possible, they just want to race like we did when we 1st started, winning comes later [not yet for me]

Sorry for the long post, lots of good info on this thread

Thankx Speedy Bill

Scottrik

iTrader: (261)

I don't really agree with this. What you claim is certainly the PERCEPTION of the problem, but is it the FACT of it? I doubt it. I pretty much guarantee you (well, right until he built a 007 over the weekend) that I've got more money in my cars/batteries/electronics than Bob has--even if we pretend Bob paid retail price. I'm no hack as a driver, but how often do I beat Bob? Not very often, and usually only if he's had a problem or tangled with a lapper.

Mike Blackstock...I could race his stuff against him while he took the oddball car Bob referred to earlier that one of our new members showed up with. We could put four different compound tires with miss-matched diameters on the rear and he'd STILL beat me. What keeps people (myself included) spending FAR more money than is necessary is the eternal HOPE that we can buy that magic bullet that would allow us to qualify in the A-main at the Nats. The day you run a race without touching a board, without deviating more than an inch from the ideal line all the way around the track...THAT'S the day you can justify the .006 voltage difference. Until you do that (and I've seen guys do it) all you're doing is trying to buy yourself tech advantage to make up for your own shortcomings as a driver.

Scottrik

wallyedmonds

1/12 rullz and tc is way to much $

BlackKat

Why don't you run for ROAR presidency? LOL

True....it's more fun when everyone pits in close quarters

KevinL

Scott, I too fall into the spend more than I really need to class, just ask my wife. I guess the point I was trying to get across was if the only real thing we had to worry about was our driving skills and mine do need work, those involved may stick around a little longer and not be so worried about the perseption of having to keep up with the newest equipment at least for a year or so. I also think Mike could beat people even if we gave him a car with no wheels on it.... I wish I had known you all raced in Montana, I lived there for 3 years in Great Falls, all they had there was airplanes.... they were fun too..

Kevin

Bob-Stormer

iTrader: (8)

And honestly, I haven't decided if that's good or bad. Firstly, you do have a lot of STUFF!!!!...lol... But don't you feel that people should be looking to us to see the new stuff at the track? OR, do we go with my thoughts which are, "Walk the walk and talk the talk" I always spout on forums, which is to simply have fun. Plus, I'm seriously strapped for time. Of course we all are really. My 4wd mod car I built in the Suburban on the way to a race. My t2007 I wired and built in the hotel the night of the club race... It's almost sad really...

And when it's club racing, I "REALLY" don't want to overly psyche out the new guys with to much new gear. Our goal in being there is to add to the event and have some fun, support the club where we can.

It's an industry thing. I was talking to a motor guy on the phone at some big event, I can't remember which one. He was in the room with Ralph Burch, at the event. Burch was just getting around to building the car he was gonna use... It's an industry thing, we're all swamped busy helping everybody but ourselves, it would seem.

I think it's fair to say I can afford to use whatever I want. But I don't. Nor does my son. I skipped over the T2, because I was perfectly happy with the FK05. My son still drives the original T1... I actually got a little crap from a few of the club guys over that. "JEEZ, what's the deal with making the kid drive the old car"? As a parent, there are certain things that need to happen at home. They don't happen, he doesn't live up to a few things and pull his own weight, then his mother and I feel no obligation to upgrade the cars and equipment. Sounds harsh, but it's really not. And you know as well as anybody, he has a great time at the track. He ran all last year, AND managed to win 2 regional titles in offroad this summer on 3300's... AND, of all the guys at our big event that Mike Blackstock was at... guess who finished 2nd to Blackstock and out-drove the rest of us with a 4 year old car and 3 year old packs... Trust me, I hear about that about once a week...

You guys better look out, he's been pulling his weight around here lately. He's finally going to be running a new chassis and cells. We're all in big trouble...

Bob-Stormer

iTrader: (8)

Let us know, we'll take an extra day and come on down and help. We'll bring a ton of stuff and spares down, maybe bring our AMB as a backup, whatever it takes to make sure it's SMOOOOOOTH, for the noob's. Maybe we'll spring for pizza and stuff and make a party out of it.

I'll run stock 1/12 next time we're down. There was a time when I could beat Mitch... sadly, that was the late 80's early 90's. I'm happy now to be in the 2 laps back category as well.

Can't race this weekend. You might see us again the 3rdd.

Scottrik

iTrader: (261)

Not 1/12 Stock--trying to leave that for the newer guys, etc.

You'll be 1/12 19-turn with us. But yeah, we'll have to get some stock running in as there's no 19-turn class at Minot. We'll have to work on those guys... They've certainly got enough 1/12 guys to make it work. Let Mitch, Randy, Bill, et al run 19-turn and give Richard, Randy, Buttsy, etc a chance to win some.

Scottrik

Bob-Stormer

iTrader: (8)

I'd get assassinated the first week in...

ROAR gets no respect right now. ROAR regionals get less attendance than a club race... you'd need to start with that.

I think I have a firm grasp on what it takes to be "FUN", and have fun. But how to bring respect back to ROAR. I don't know.

You know who should be ROAR president, and would get elected in a minute??? Scotty Earnst. THAT GUY knows how to throw an event. If you can make people beg to go to your event, you have what it takes to run ROAR.

Eddie-O would have been good to. But for different reasons. Eddie wouldn't take any crap. Scotty would be a good politician, and he's a genuinely decent guy, both of them are really.

Sorry to go off on a tangent, I know you were largely kidding.

Bob-Stormer

iTrader: (8)

I forgot about that stock and 19t thing we have now. 19t it is.

Butts is fast, he can hang in mod, the slacker...