G'day,
Is there any offroad tracks around Sydney that are wheelchair accessable? I'm only new to my wheelchair and even newer to r/c,but I'm keen to start racing. I had a look at the Ryde track, but it looks impossible for me get around. Please tell me that there is at least one track around that I can race at. Or is there other wheelchairers out there that can help me out?

G'day mate.

Was it electric offroad you were interested in only? Im sure a few of the guys on this forum will be able to help you out.

I'm more interested in nitro, but if there's an electric track around that I can use, I'm more than happy to race both. I'm only really concerned about getting onto the drivers' stand. I had a go at driving at Ryde, but i just couldn't see the track.

Hmmm,

I know the Liverpool track (www.lrrcc.com) are doing maintence to the track which includes concrete and a new drivers stand, but Im not sure if it is wheelchair friendly dude.

liverpool offroad will be very unfreindly for you as the stand is about 5 meters high.

all i can think of is Ryde OnRoad, as there is no drivers stand for anyone anyway.

and I am sure Castle Hill On-raod will be easily able to amend their stand to inlcde a ramp, to accomodate you as it is only 2 foot high.

good luck

Thats always something i've wondered about, why more clubs dont think about people who may be confined to a wheelchair.

TFTR in Melbourne is a shining example though, they have a very high drivers stand complete with wheelchair ramp and all

I am also in a Wheelchair & the only tracks I have been to that are wheelchair friendly is Brendale & Murwillimbah in QLD. Not a lot of good to you racing offroad in Sydney. I only race onroad so I havent been to any offroad tracks. I am lucky enough to have some very good mates that carry me up onto the drivers stands at the tracks. I have also found at most places the guys that dont know me are also willing to help out. I guess the best thing to do would be to check out the tracks & have a chat to the organisers & see if they can help. My home club is PDNR at Penrith & we cater to offroad nitro vehicles (running on the onroad track) we race every Tuesday Night & there would be plenty of help for you if required. You can see the track OK from in a chair or someone can lift you onto the stand, it is only 2 feet up & one of the guys made up a bracket & I hang off that like a scarecrow. It works well. I can also stand & walk a little bit which helps. It would be good to see a few more guys like us at the tracks & accessability may start to improve. It surprises me that there isnt more because it is one of the few things that you can do & compete on level ground with anyone else, once you can see the track anyway

Sorry to say that Castle Hill off road track can not be ony help as far as wheel chair access at this point of time. Besides the nitro thing has been a bit dead of late, just some fools with 1/8th scales getting on the track at times that we have to chase away.
Our drivers stand is a little higher than 2 foot (more like 3ft 6in)
If there were more wheelie guys around, i think that most club would take a second look at their drivers stands, as long as the councils don't get too involved with all there regulations, it now costs a club a million dollars to build a drivers stand to council standards these days.

Forgive me if I'm wrong Pete as I've never been privy to talks with councils/clubs.

I recon that if a club were to approach their council and advise them that they had some interest from wheelchair bound people to use the facility, that a council would almost help fund/build a stand that would be suitable.

Every effort is made usually to make most things these days accessible to the disabled so I'd recon a council would want to help.

I've only ever been to one club (Brendale QLD) that has made a effort to make their track accessible to those in wheel chairs with a ramp up to the stand and a layout that enables people in chairs to get about the place.

So just think if something happened to you any of us tomorrow and you found yourself in a chair. The dificulties that you would face trying to continue with the R/C sport.

There was an interesting discussion on starting grid about the same thing. It mainly centred around tracks that qualify to host what they call regional races in the US (bit like our State Titles I guess). Well there just weren't to many that came up to spec as they are suppose to have access for the disabled.

Thanks for all the info, I'm guessing I'll have to grab some mates, and bribe them to carry me up and down the drivers' stand
I can't believe that there are no offroad tracks around that cater for guys in wheelchairs I'm just thinking that if there were more tracks around with access, then maybe more wheelchairers will get into racing, it's a bad feeling looking at some awesome track and then looking at the drivers' stand and think 'oh well, it could have been fun'. Hopefully, a few years down the track, there will be more accessable tracks and more wheelchairers kicking butt on the track

Don't despair para, Even though it's not in Sydney, I believe Maitland is looking at upgrading their drivers stand to have a wheel chair ramp sometime in the future, as one of their members is wheel chair bound, and still races (and does quite a good job too). If they do it's certainly worth the trip up there once a month for their club day as they put on a great meet, plus gas truck is becoming quite popular there. Maybe one of the Maitland club members can confirm when this will be happening.

what weekends do they race at maitland? I'm more than happy to travel a couple of hours for a day of fun. How does the wheelie dude get on the drivers' stand? Would I have to bring a few extra mates to carry me around?
I don't want to show up and be a newsense.

Maitland races 2nd Sunday each month. The guy in the wheel chair doesn't use the drivers stand currently, he gets a bit of elevation from a couple of pallets stacked on top of each other, and he does an awesome job.

Although its not of great use to you para, but Brisbane dirt racing is wheel chair friendly. There is a dirt track which every one uses to the driver stand. However the hand rail on top is just a little high and obscures vision in some parts of the track.

yes again no use to you but west coast model ralley club i believe is doing the same. more clubs should do it seeing as the sport is getting more and more popular.