Originally Posted by
jaredtebo
Hey Ryan and all rc tech readers. I do not come on these much, but this was a pretty interesting topic. I did enjoy reading most of these posts. To give my 2 cents.
Rc is a hobby to most, just like car racing, motocross, golf...it is also a sport to some, just like the others I mentioned. For me it is a sport and something I truley love. There are a small few that make a living.....let me make that clear to the people...small few!!! I am lucky enough to be one of those few. I really enjoy it and would not trade it for anything. I am very blessed for my situation.
It is very tough though like Ryan said. By the way congrats on the 10 year deal....I thought I was crazy to do 5 years. There is so much more work put in than most think. We all race multiple classes and have to drive alot. We have to always have nice looking and great working cars. I can't go to the track and have a dirty car with worn out tires and just have fun a drive around. I have to be Jared Tebo everytime I go to the track. Most people don't see that. If I get beat on a club night....it is like a wild fire on the websites and it isn't really that good. Then all the traveling and racing at the big races. The real work is at home.
For an example: The 1/8 worlds. I only ran 1/8 buggy for the 2 months before the worlds. I built 3 new cars for practice and for racing the worlds. And we can't just throw a car together. Then I spent 100s of hours at the track. The month before (october I drove 7 gallons of fuel) I was at the track over 40 hours a week for 3 weeks straight. Went to Thailand to practice. Not to party and just have fun. At the track all day long working on my car and driving all day!!!!
Like JQ stated. It is all about what you want. To me the time was worth it. I had a great week at the worlds and almost got my first 1/8 title. I know how much time and effort I need to do. The companies also know how much time and effort we spend. The drivers that do the time, they make the money. It isn't like big time money, but we are not in a big time industry. If I win every race, Kyosho isn't going to sell a million cars, and I will not make a million dollars.
Look forward to 2011 and seeing everyone at the races. Thanks to all that support rc and give us a chance to do what we love to do.
Jared Tebo
I obviously don't know you personally JT, but I have got to say what a well thought out post mate.
I have been following this thread since the initial post and with a bit of luck, your post will draw a line through it for all those that can't seem to understand that the current crop of high profile drivers out there, yourself and Ryan included, are not millionaires and you don't just turn up on race day, zoom a few laps, wave at the fans, smile for the camera, win a trophy or two and bugger off back home to your multi-dollar homes and spend your days between the next big race, just playing about on a full scale RC complex in the backyard and counting the vast piles of money you have earned.
As you and JQ have explained quite plainly, it's all about hard work. What you put in doesn't naturally equate (financially) to what you get out. And this can be applied to almost any sport that has an engine involved, but especially RC competition.
Another point you raised and what a lot of people should remember or try to think about, the next time they see yourself or any other high profile driver out practicing or racing a club meeting etc and before rushing home to condemn whoever it is, on a forum or suchlike, is that
anyone can be beaten by anyone.
Having formerly raced motocross at a pretty competitive level, this fact of racing life is a hard one to accept.
And for those that have only stood by the side of a track and not been on the bit that matters, its easy to say this or that about someone who spends their daily life doing nothing but what is a hobby to the critic.
Thats the nature of any form of racing, but especially a key fundemental of what RC racing is all about. The fact that we (joe public) all have access to the same parts etc that you guys use, with the odd exception to R&D parts of course. So with a good set-up, half an idea of what to do and some racing luck, it is possible.
So to criticise, is a failure to understand or appreciate the fact that that particular RC "star", might just want to have a fun days racing and treat it as such. Or they are just plain envious and it's easy to criticise from that side of the fence.
It is a pity that's the way it is, but that's the nature of the beast when you reach a certain level of competition.
Which makes me wonder how well many of the wannabe "RC pro drivers" out there, would handle that kind of pressure everytime they went to the track?
They wouldn't give a sh*t how much money they were "supposedly" making, they'd just want to be left alone and wish for it to be just a hobby again.