jiml

iTrader: (3)

First of all congratulations on starting the track. You have just defined grass roots as it applies to RC.

First, you said you did this through a hobby shop. The hobby shop should have a filer posted giving the when and where of the races.

Second best way of getting info out there is word of mouth. Tell other people about the races and invite them down.

Be careful about trying to grow too fast. If you get too many people you may not be able to control it and people start not having a good time.

chicagokenji

This recent thread on rctech should be read by anyone watching this thread:

http://www.rctech.net/forum/showthread.php?t=170302

any input?

Pat Clark

^^^^^^what he said^^^^^^

tc3team

The future of on road 1/10th wont grow if you get (and I have seen with my own eyes) the "big I am's" who win races frequently laugh at the guys who do not manage to race so well.

R/C Racing does not need these idiots.

Why do they do it????? I guess they must be shallow minded...

I race to win too, but not at the expense of being like that.

TeamB&B

iTrader: (5)

I remember the go-kart industry experienced the same problem 20 years ago. Their solution was to pack up about 20 spec cars in a truck and went to the busiest Walmart, Kmart, and shopping center with the most parent $$ and kid traffic. They allowed the kids to ride free and give them prizes for winning. The prize was a free ticket to a local go kart track for a test and tune day. The winners were told that they have a special skill (brainwash and marketing speak ) and they should continue. A lot do.

RC electric in particular should start off with a RTR with brushless, lipo. Everything in one box for less than $200. Traxxis and Losi have already started the trend. We need Tamiya to convert their product line up and promote their TCS series. Have nationwide events within 50 miles of a major hobby shop. Bring 20 cars to a mock event and let the folks go at it. Young and old. Have mock races. The winners get a free kit. The goal is they have to pick it up their prizes at the hobby shop on the days when the local racers are there. Each newbe will be paired with a racer during the first few months.

Gas TC and 1/8 scale is growing like crazy in the Mid Atlantic region because the classes are only a few. Electric TC should be only 4 classes.
1. Brush stock 27 T (No sponsored, team drivers)
2. 13.5 brushless (BL) Fixed timing
3. 10.5 brushles (Fixed timing) /19 turn
4. MOD 3.5 Turn Variable timing

All events will have a tire quantity limit such as 2 set of tires for a 3 heat/1 main event.

There is talk about bringing back pan cars and 17+ turn brushless. I think this is going the wrong direction. People will spend money and more speed than they can handle. This is formula that gas is offering to people very sucessfully.

I live near Washington DC. The capital of Associations. Track and Hobby Shop owners need to form an association separate from ROAR to promote and foster the hobby to the benefit of the members. Professional advertisement and marketing consultants need to be involved. Let them do their jobs such as demographics, income level, strategy, etc.

"Spanky

iTrader: (1)

I'd hate to say it but I see it happening, less and less people are getting into this hobby because it is getting more and more expensive and especially with cost of homes and gas, how can any younger person afford to get into a hobby that potentially cost hundreds of dollars. Especially if you want to be in the hobby on a competitive level just think of all the high end batteries, motors, tires, cars, chargers, remotes, speed controls, bearings, tools, receivers, servos, hop-ups, bodies, brushes, lubes, dynos, com lathes, tire truers, your talking thousands of dollars to hang with the pros. And from what i have seen is all the tracks are closing down. Sunrise hobbies on long island closed down, south shore hobbies on long island closed down, merrick hobby closed down, Horshom closed down... their dropping like flies. Everyone wants to race on tracks but no one wants to support them and buy all there equipment online and on ebay.
I hope Willis stays opens, otherwise I will have to find a new r/c sport

annie_himself

iTrader: (5)

This is horrible.

Has anyone bothered to send this to any manufactures? If you send it to EVERY single company that is associated with our hobby don't you think some kind of movement can be developed? These companies should come together for the well being of their business and our sport.

Who agrees that something of the sort should be organized?

Edit: Chicago Bulls and NBA Champion Ben Wallace has been racing on-road for what 12 years now? If someone can get a hold of him it would be great to have a important and looked-upon idol with us.

tc3team

There is no long term answer to the problems that exist in r/c.

But, if we ALL helped the newcomers into this hobby it may just help us keep what minimal new racers enter the hobby.

Many top level racers are too interested only in their own car and their own sucsess.

Do they not like the competition of up and coming racers going as fast as them?

Pfunky

I am constantly struggling with stopping or continuing my hobby, it's supposed to be about fun and driver skill, not who has the biggest wallet. I was hoping brushless and Lipo would allow that. But I think 10th scale electric onroad seems to be in the most trouble. Tamiya is closing their track, and I believe they have no plans for a track in their new location.

ray3619

my understanding is only 10% of rc cars race , or ever even see a track , rc will be fine , racing is whats in trouble , people have to pay the bills at the tracks , by supporting them , and lets face it most are to busy to go help with a track change , be the watering crew at outdoor shows , anything , rc is fine , we just started 3d helis , along with electric offroad , 850 bucks and we havnt even flown it yet , not one one part bought on- line , would i like to save some money , yes , do i want them to be there when i auger this thing into the ground , yes , ray

Team Crash

iTrader: (8)

That new guy that shows up. (Keep Him)

First of all he had the balls to show up. Even though they were handed to him on his way out. (Hopefully nicely)

Step two (Keep Him, oh did i say Keep Him or Her)
Make a class for him (especially if you don't have enough people DAH. He or she is ONE MORE racer)
Hell call it (His Name, John, Jerry, Bob Whatever) Class untill he moves on, in skill or life then make it someone else.

I am new at this (3 months) you guys have been doing this for 15-20-even saw 25 years posted here. how could you not see it.

I in my extremly short time have probably seen 10 people show up to race and either looked at the competition and left, or raced the one race they will only race in there life. Sometimes didn't even finish the first heat.

YOU CANT STICK NEW PEOPLE WITH OTHERS IT IS THAT FRICKIN SIMPLE!!!!!!

Getting beat is understandable. I got beat in baseball, football, racquetball, pool, swimming, wrestling, life, BUT I GOT MY A$$ handed to me (and still do) in R/C Racing. That is the simple difference.......................................

A new person truley feels that there is no in between. 1/10th carpet racing for me, but i'm sure it's that way for all Classes.

You have all said it "you see em come and go", well that's why.

In all sports there will always be somebody better than you. But in most sports you are always better than someone else. When you show up to race for your first time you are the worst and you do not see anyone you have the ability to beat. UNLESS of course the guy above is still there and he or she only beats ya by 1-3 laps. Not 8 to 11 laps.

When you throw 1 out to the curb one week, guess what? He won't be there when the next new guy comes in 2 weeks later, then 3 weeks later the next, heck the next one might just have 2 friends and boom 6 people that are interested have all been kicked to the curb rather than placed on the starting line together!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We all know How addicting it is you just give em a little sample, A REASON to stick around. Telling someone "we've all been there" doesn't work because my next question and all newbies is "So, how long have you been doing this?" And well i read your thread, and yep that's the answer the newbie gets also anywhere from 5 to 25 years (now that makes me want to stick around)......


I Got news for ya's your largest classes should always be NEW DRIVERS.....But i'm also telling ya why there not there. But i bet the original 8 to 10 drivers are there every week, at least untill the track closes........

So i am new and yes i am venting, but i'm here to tell ya's not all are willing to get there heads knocked in day in day out for 6 to 10 hours on sunday unless YOU GIVE them a reason to hang around.

They need to yes practice in order to beat the Bob, John, Jerry class but as a result of that improvement they can then at least begin to understand why the others are were they are, and just how hard they did work to get there.

Yes getting new people to stay is the answer. Some people say that doing the same thing day in and day out and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. Just think about how many people have come and gone and ask yourself why didn't they come back????

Team Crash

iTrader: (8)

I don't think it is money. They already spent it on the car.
I don't think it is a lack of interest.
I don't think it is a lack of time.

I think they (I) truley feel we have showed up and Dale Jr., Ricky, Bobby, and Jeff Gordan are pitting next to them and they have no chance. And guess what they are right, and they also KNOW THEY ARE RIGHT.

You gotta keep newbies.
You gotta keep newbies.

Hey Keep the new guy, because next week he might have someone to race. Even if it is only 2 cars............

Keep the Newbies.

syndr0me

iTrader: (32)

I still think one of the most intimidating factors is the "wall o' gear" a lot of guys seems to have in their pits. If I try to be objective, and look at it from a newcomer's perspective, that's the first thing that would worry me. I've already spent a bunch of money to be the slowest guy at the track, and now I see that all the fast guys have a small mountain of gear in front of them, all of which looks very fancy and expensive. The first thing I'm going to assume is that what I've got is crap, and I'm going to need a lot more stuff to stand a chance. And maybe that's true to some extent, but we all know you can be competitive in the clubs with a lot less stuff than most guys build up around themselves, like little monuments honoring the R/C gods.

Team Crash

iTrader: (8)

But what if you had 5 to 10 guys with tc3's, xxxs's, throw in an x-ray here and a jrxs there with a RDX and 2 batteries and an ice charger. (I could hang with them i think)

Back to keeping those new guys. The mountain comes with time.

The first race i watched was OVAL, i new i couldn't hang. But if that new guy comes to the track and sees the superfast guys, and no one else(That to is a delimia). But then the next heat has 10 cars in it and they are all bouncing off the boards their interst level changes, and their thought process changes as well.

But of course you have to have the beginners to get there atention......
Back to original thread starter question.

SWTour

iTrader: (9)

...I offer classes at a lot of my races that are designed for pure fun...tomorrow I'll be doing our monthly 'club race' locally. This group is slowly growing and at tomorrows event I'll have HotDogs, Soda, Chips, Salsa and PICKLES for all paid race entries.

We run some classes for those guys who are serious about their racing, but we also have a couple classes for those guys who just want to have FUN too.

..on another note, along with directing and promoting local club racing - I also do a travelling oval series - this year we're trying something a little different for a class on our huge VELODRoME

The VELODROMES can be very intimidating because the speed of the cars can reach an excess of 60 mph in the faster classes, and the cars become very specialized.

Well this year I'm introducing for NEWBIES and others who may want to try this type of track racing a "BreakOut" class. This class will use a minimum time lap breakout rule to keep the cars slowed down.

The min. lap time will be set at a slow enough pace that virtually ANY type of oval car should be able to 'breakout' w/o slowing the car down a little.

This will let guys who've wanted to try this type of track the opportunity to come out and run w/o the threat or fear of being outgunned by MONEY or EQUIPMENT. PLUS this class will be offered at a discounted entry fee.

I've already received several responses about this class from guys who have always wanted to try VELODROME racing - but didn't think they could afford it. Hopefully it will prove to be a A++ move.

www.southwesttour.com

www.centralcoastrcracing.com