Nitro on road racing is dead in Atlanta
05-09-2005, 04:01 AM
#1
Nitro on road racing is dead in Atlanta
3 years ago we used to pull at least 50 racers each Sunday. Now we are lucky to get 4-5 people total to race on a beautiful day, and we have 2 of the best permanent on road tracks in the United States here in Atlanta. Both of the tracks are closing very soon due to the lack of racers. Any ideas on what happened, or what could be done would be helpfull. It seems that there are about 10- 15 people that will race electric carpet this year. Soon the closest track to Atlanta (one of the biggest cities in the country) will be Kissimmee which is a 6 hour drive.
If we could get all the parking lot bashers to race (which they won't, as we have tried) we could probably have a good croud again, but it's too late.
If we could get all the parking lot bashers to race (which they won't, as we have tried) we could probably have a good croud again, but it's too late.
05-09-2005, 04:05 AM
#2
A similar thing has happened here. I also have no idea why.
05-09-2005, 04:08 AM
#3
Yeah its terrible, we have more racers show up for parking lot races down here in columbus ga. I dont really know what the
prob is from an outside stand point it appears that the people
are not working to grow the sport. I say start in the hobby shops
and promote. Just my 2.
prob is from an outside stand point it appears that the people
are not working to grow the sport. I say start in the hobby shops
and promote. Just my 2.
05-09-2005, 04:24 AM
#4
You know it may sound weird but I believe the HPI Forums shutting down has something to do with it. There used to be tons of people on there talking conversing and keeping things going.
I went to the HPI Challenge this year. DEAD DEAD DEAD. Ive been to another one like 2 years ago and it was popping pretty nicely.
So there might be something going on as of lately to make this work.
Funny enough I have returned from a long hiatus from RC cars. But im back in full force and plan on reviving the hobby somewhat.
I know HPI is almost a leader and im sure a very well sold car company. I then think this caused major splitting and loss of communications. People lost contact , then interests and so on.... I think we need rc car company support. Essentially tracks sponsored or opened soley by these companies. It would also be a great advertising tool and they could have major events for there cars only and so on.
But who knows. I for sure know that RC is looking way better than it did in a couple of years back. I was just reading some old old magazines from then. Everything looked pretty plain and weak.
I really like all the lastest vehicles. Like the Bk2 , AD2 , R40 , REVO , MINI-T, Hell.
Reflex is not heard of anymore , v-one-r isnt so big anymore , nitro engines are now sicker than h*** , everything got bigger , better, badder and more pro high-tech and if lucky easy to work with. Digital Servos are plentiful, li-poly is working its way into things.
Its really great and Im re-enjoying it all over again. I hope it continues cause its a great hobby to be in and watch grow.
I went to the HPI Challenge this year. DEAD DEAD DEAD. Ive been to another one like 2 years ago and it was popping pretty nicely.
So there might be something going on as of lately to make this work.
Funny enough I have returned from a long hiatus from RC cars. But im back in full force and plan on reviving the hobby somewhat.
I know HPI is almost a leader and im sure a very well sold car company. I then think this caused major splitting and loss of communications. People lost contact , then interests and so on.... I think we need rc car company support. Essentially tracks sponsored or opened soley by these companies. It would also be a great advertising tool and they could have major events for there cars only and so on.
But who knows. I for sure know that RC is looking way better than it did in a couple of years back. I was just reading some old old magazines from then. Everything looked pretty plain and weak.
I really like all the lastest vehicles. Like the Bk2 , AD2 , R40 , REVO , MINI-T, Hell.
Reflex is not heard of anymore , v-one-r isnt so big anymore , nitro engines are now sicker than h*** , everything got bigger , better, badder and more pro high-tech and if lucky easy to work with. Digital Servos are plentiful, li-poly is working its way into things.
Its really great and Im re-enjoying it all over again. I hope it continues cause its a great hobby to be in and watch grow.
Last edited by Artificial-I; 09-15-2005 at 10:56 AM.
05-09-2005, 04:34 AM
#5
Are the 2 tracks in your area commerical venues (owned by hobby shops) or club run?
One of the problems with this hobby is it's cyclical. One year there seems to be thousands of racers and the next there's no one. Not everyone who gets into RC racing stays. Last year it was RC, this year it's mountain bikes, next year it's paintball.
One of the problems with this hobby is it's cyclical. One year there seems to be thousands of racers and the next there's no one. Not everyone who gets into RC racing stays. Last year it was RC, this year it's mountain bikes, next year it's paintball.
05-09-2005, 05:41 AM
#6
Re: Nitro on road racing is dead in Atlanta
Originally posted by Grinder
3 years ago we used to pull at least 50 racers each Sunday. Now we are lucky to get 4-5 people total to race on a beautiful day, and we have 2 of the best permanent on road tracks in the United States here in Atlanta. Both of the tracks are closing very soon due to the lack of racers. Any ideas on what happened, or what could be done would be helpfull. It seems that there are about 10- 15 people that will race electric carpet this year. Soon the closest track to Atlanta (one of the biggest cities in the country) will be Kissimmee which is a 6 hour drive. If we could get all the parking lot bashers to race (which they won't, as we have tried) we could probably have a good croud again, but it's too late.
3 years ago we used to pull at least 50 racers each Sunday. Now we are lucky to get 4-5 people total to race on a beautiful day, and we have 2 of the best permanent on road tracks in the United States here in Atlanta. Both of the tracks are closing very soon due to the lack of racers. Any ideas on what happened, or what could be done would be helpfull. It seems that there are about 10- 15 people that will race electric carpet this year. Soon the closest track to Atlanta (one of the biggest cities in the country) will be Kissimmee which is a 6 hour drive.
If we could get all the parking lot bashers to race (which they won't, as we have tried) we could probably have a good croud again, but it's too late.
Yesterday was slow because of Mother's Day, but last weekend Sugar Bowl had at least three classes on-road. Much more than TFB. TFB usually has roughly 5 nitro cars everytime I go.
Last weekend SB had at least four 1/8 scale cars and between 8-10 touring cars. It wasn't bad, but not huge.
05-09-2005, 05:51 AM
#7
To answer the question. There needs to be a spec nitro class. I have mid grade equipment and components at best, but I have at least $1000 into my one R40 - not including tools, spare kit, etc.
05-09-2005, 06:01 AM
#8
i agree, money is the reason, and rtr kits, ok so they sell more kits which is suppose to get more people into the hobby, but just cause they are in the hobby doen't mean they are going to race. why, recent rule changes make it almost impossible for joe shmoe to compete with daddy warbucks. i.e. around here most people bought a mt-12 for the cars, 200 bucks, now you gotta spend the 200 on a motor then ship it off somewhere for another 200 dollar mod or upgrade to run with boys. another example, i have about a 3-4 year old yok gt-4 with the stock .18 engine. a few of guys just went out and bought some new engines for almost 400 bucks that come modified already. its a good thing our track isn't that great and all that extra power is wasted or i would pack my stuff and go home.
05-09-2005, 06:50 AM
#9
I don't Know about your problems down there, but I live in
Grand Rapids Mi And we running into the city wanting to shut us down for making to much noise. I've raced there going on four years, and heard they have been racing there for ten. We race
right next to a 5 lane road in front of a strip mall with a railroad
track behind that, But our nitro cars make too much noise.
We would love to some how get a permanent track up here.
Grand Rapids Mi And we running into the city wanting to shut us down for making to much noise. I've raced there going on four years, and heard they have been racing there for ten. We race
right next to a 5 lane road in front of a strip mall with a railroad
track behind that, But our nitro cars make too much noise.
We would love to some how get a permanent track up here.
05-09-2005, 06:51 AM
#10
Tech Regular
nitro is dead
I agree with the money issue. At my track the sedan lap times have come down 3 seconds in three years, it is all due to motor improvement. you can run an economical 1/8 ride for what you can run a full blown sedan, and if you factor in the "fragility" of the sedans vs 1/8 over a full season, it might even be cheaper for a board hugger like myself to run 1/8 scale. It is very hard for somebody new to the hobby to look at spending 1500.00 minimum to run something that they aren't sure they will stick with. as long long as it takes 400.00 for a competitive motor we won't see much new blood.
05-09-2005, 07:19 AM
#12
Grinder,
Im in Atlanta and Im just getting into racing. Is ToysForBoys one of the raceways you are referring to that will be closing soon. Me and a buddy of mine were planning on trying to race up there this Saturday.
Also, one reason could be, despite the amount of money you have to put into your ride to make it competitive, the $20 to $25 fee to race every week could be a bit of a deterent as well. I imagine its either much cheaper or free to race at these parking lots although I wouldnt know for sure.
Im in Atlanta and Im just getting into racing. Is ToysForBoys one of the raceways you are referring to that will be closing soon. Me and a buddy of mine were planning on trying to race up there this Saturday.
Also, one reason could be, despite the amount of money you have to put into your ride to make it competitive, the $20 to $25 fee to race every week could be a bit of a deterent as well. I imagine its either much cheaper or free to race at these parking lots although I wouldnt know for sure.
05-09-2005, 07:22 AM
#13
Tech Adept
Im 13 and I am homeschooled and RC is the only thing I get to do out of the house. We already have to drive 2 hours to get to Atlanta to race. I love onroad I'm just not in to off road. Onroad is more intense. We have some people that said they would donate there time and effort laying out some asphalt but we still need the materials. My friend Danny said he would even finance a piece of land so we could build a track. Man If we could get just 6,000 people to donate $1 we could build a track. I just hope that one of the tracks will stay up and running or someone else will buid one.
05-09-2005, 08:05 AM
#14
TFB in atlanta isnt closing...they are just relocating to a smaller building right down the street. They are still gonna have a onroad track and still possibly an offroad. But it seems like Offroad has picked up alot this year and Onroad has declined. But there will still be a place to race in atlanta. Just might only be every other weekend. But whose knows...just gotta wait and see. They arent moving till end of month though. Otherwise i gotta drive to ala, or mississippi to race. closet tracks that are to run at that are good
05-09-2005, 08:31 AM
#15
Re: Nitro on road racing is dead in Atlanta
Originally posted by Grinder
3 years ago we used to pull at least 50 racers each Sunday. Now we are lucky to get 4-5 people total to race on a beautiful day, and we have 2 of the best permanent on road tracks in the United States here in Atlanta. Both of the tracks are closing very soon due to the lack of racers. Any ideas on what happened, or what could be done would be helpfull. It seems that there are about 10- 15 people that will race electric carpet this year. Soon the closest track to Atlanta (one of the biggest cities in the country) will be Kissimmee which is a 6 hour drive. If we could get all the parking lot bashers to race (which they won't, as we have tried) we could probably have a good croud again, but it's too late.
3 years ago we used to pull at least 50 racers each Sunday. Now we are lucky to get 4-5 people total to race on a beautiful day, and we have 2 of the best permanent on road tracks in the United States here in Atlanta. Both of the tracks are closing very soon due to the lack of racers. Any ideas on what happened, or what could be done would be helpfull. It seems that there are about 10- 15 people that will race electric carpet this year. Soon the closest track to Atlanta (one of the biggest cities in the country) will be Kissimmee which is a 6 hour drive.
If we could get all the parking lot bashers to race (which they won't, as we have tried) we could probably have a good croud again, but it's too late.
Actually that is what happened most of the time in here, Indonesia.