badKarma

I have been out of the R/C loop for about the last year or so and upon coming back around, is it me or does it seem that the 1/10th Nitro Sedan scene is not as popular as it use to be around 2 years ago? It seems as though on a few companies are developing new versions their 1/10th Nitro cars. It seems that anything new now is usually an Off Road Truck or an Electric Sedan. Can anyone shed any light on this?? Thanks....

wingracer

iTrader: (24)

How do you figure that?

Serpent, Capricorn, and Shepherd have all just released new cars. Kyosho and Xray keep winning so they just keep releasing new versions. Mugen is behind the curve at the moment but I would expect a new car soon and you never know when Motonica is going to get theirs out.

badKarma

well what about HPI/Hotbodies? nothing since the R40...Team Associated? nothing since the NTC3, which won more than anything, you would think they would keep development...Mugen like you said...OFNA? Team Magic??

Look at the magazines like Xtreme RC etc...all you see is Off Road and Electric reviews no sedan stuff...

T-ROY22

iTrader: (2)

Team magic actually has a new car and are looking for drivers in the US, Bobby Watson in Florida runs the new Team Magic car and it seems to be pretty good.

rmdhawaii

iTrader: (4)

Is the popularity of a class proportional to the number of new cars on the market? I know there are many schools of thought on this:

• Some like to buy something new so they have something new to play with. A new challenge – something new to learn.
• Some think that new means better and they want to be better than their completion.
• Others are happier when cars don't change so often so they don't have to drop $600-500 on a new chassis plus all the spare parts.
• And some don't race on road nitro anymore for reasons that have nothing to do with if manufacturers are coming out with a new chassis or not.

wingracer

iTrader: (24)

HPI really never builds full blown race vehicles. The Proceed and the R40 were rare ventures on their part. When they didn't sell the numbers of the RS4, they dumped them.

AE, no idea what they are doing but they have never really supported Nitro onroad since they got out of 1/8th racing way back in the day.

OFNA, who cares?

So we lost a couple manufacturers that aren't really big time racing supporters and gained Shepherd, Capricorn and possibly Motonica. Sounds like a net gain to me.

Dru Garcia

iTrader: (4)

the HPI/Hotbodies, Associated, etc is not what you see at your big sedan races. Normally you will see all the ones wingracer mentioned. This maybe one of the reasons you feel it's declining, but with all the new nitro engines hitting the market each year and the turn outs at your big races such as FORGASS, Winternats, US Opens in Kraceway, etc...it feels like it's not. Besides, the economy is hurting everyone and hobbies don't do well when you have to choose between your mortgage payment or that new novarossi .12 that just hit the track as it was running on rocket fuel.

Kyo83

iTrader: (3)

Badkarma....what you are seeing is a reflection of the drop off of the parking lot racer. Not much new there but at teh upper club levels and professional competition level there are plenty new prioducts. That sad part is not everyyone can afford to race this class like before so its hard to get new blood into the hobby. The sedan class is tryign to make a comback by way of vintage and GT stock racers.

badKarma

all very good points!! I also didnt take into account the weather, if you dont live in the extreme southern parts of the US or tropical areas of the world, Nitro season is only during half of the calandar year!

so do all you on road nitro guys either take a break during the winter or race electric?

Dru Garcia

iTrader: (4)

LOVE Florida....we don't have this problem here.
This is why we have so many "A" main drivers in all major nitro competitions around the USA and the world.

T-ROY22

iTrader: (2)

In GA we travel to the races Dru spoke about to keep our skills up and when we're not in Fl (during winter) we run carpet to keep up our skills as well. I see your between VA & FL. VA has 301 Raceway (under reconstruction) and MiMi's for indoor carpet racing. There's also another outside on-road track in Richomond,VA i believe.

Chemical X

iTrader: (18)

Up in the rainy NorthWest, it's electric carpet racing for us from October through April. I like racing 1/12th scale, but I like racing nitro sedan and 1/8th scale more.

GMartinez

iTrader: (91)

1/10th Sedan has its ups & downs this year it had a bigger turnout in races all over the states for the nationals & since a lot of drivers are preparring for the upcoming sedan worlds on 2010.
as for the regular basher off-road has been growing since it is cheaper than On-road & it all comes down to what tracks are available we have way more off-road tracks than on-road in Florida

badKarma

T-ROY22, i intend on bringing the car and equipment with me wherever I go next season...as a matter of fact, ill be in the Ft. Benning/Columbus GA area from April-Aug of 2010...any tracks near?

asw7576

1/10 nitro racing in my hometrack is almost dead now......

Things happened this year :
1. some of them quit playing rc for good because of economic reasons,
2. some of them switch to electric 1/10 for cheaper operating costs,
3. due to low participants joining nitro racing, the race organiser decided to make more electric races and less nitro races.


Maybe it's seasonal or cycle factor......... three years ago, nitro racing was hot while electric was dead quite for 3 years.