CypressMidWest

iTrader: (1)

Well put Tom!! The Champs for me is almost like a family reunion each year. Friends you only get to see once or twice a year, heavy competition, and way better bench racing than you can do at a club race.

And is $65 really that much money? Everyone thinks these races cost the promoters pennies, and they walk away with huge profits when the weekend is over. These races are a tremendous amount of work, and in many instances they don't make a ton of money.

Very few of us are ever thankful for the effort put in by ALL the individuals that make these events happen. We race at them, and then complain about them for weeks afterwards on the internet, as if we didn't have a good time. I've been to races where I've hung out with people who seemed to be having a blast, but come Monday it's all negative from the same individuals. I guess most on-roaders are just bi-polar these days.

wait a minute

iTrader: (6)

i think after my experience this year i would have to agee with you on this.

gijoe64

iTrader: (30)

To some racers that would like to attend these events yes 65 bucks is a lot. But waht about the local tack owner that put his neck out to build a track to race at and no support? To save this we need to support local racing and I know it takes alot to put on on of these events but there needs to be changes. Because next year could be worse.

miller tyme

iTrader: (5)

Yet another reason the Grandslam Series is so nice. High level of competition, awesome class structure, great race management, and the chance to visit exsisting local tracks.

vafactor

iTrader: (6)

I don't go to these major races thinking that I should win. Rather I go there because there's always a crew of guys gathered there who are so darned good at this and it's a great opportunity to see how good I can be compared to the very best. It's also a good chance to learn some stuff. These experiences just cannot be gained at a local track (where I do get more than my fair share of winning). Besides, the guys are great to be around and to hang with. So for me, the entry fee is well worth it. Besides........it's a couple of days with nothing better to do than to play with the toy cars that I'm so fond of.

The Teacher

iTrader: (62)

vafactor, you win races at your local track.......what year was this?

tc3team

All good points, not everyone has the time to get to bigger events, family commitments are another big reason some people cannot attend.

r/c is very much a disposable income hobby too, and some people don't have much of that right now.

Factory stock drivers- will always be a taboo subject I guess!

Do you include the people who have been sponsored before too, and on what level do you have as a cut off point?

Most equipment offered on the shelf these days is near on identical to team guys equipment, where at all possible.

Cherry picking team brushed motors is gone, as are cells.

Prototype stuff is prototype for a reason - its still being tested, and for example could fail at some point, a risk that a team guy takes on the track.

We would still all be using mechanical speed controls for example if the ESC never got developed and advanced in design

Politics and racing.... those two words should never be included in the same sentance! "Let sleeping dogs lie" with that topic methinks...

CypressMidWest

iTrader: (1)

4 club race days at $15 an entry is $60, so a four day NATIONAL LEVEL event for $65 seems too much to some? Either way, it's four days of racing. I guess it all depends on what you feel you take away from each experience.

I fail to see how a big race really has anything to do with hurting support for your local track. One big race weekend still leaves three weekends to clubrace, and who goes to a big event once a month?

sdunnmcp

I agree $65 is not a lot for entry. It would be hard to believe that someone will not attend a "Big Race" because of $65.

Again if you can't afford to buy the latest speedo, car, tires or whatever then go run VTA with your $600 car and new rubber tires every week.

The big races help us see where we are with other drivers across the country and the cost to travel and do that "is what it is."

How long till Cleveland 2010 !

steve dunn

gijoe64

iTrader: (30)

I said we do need big races, and most guys race more than one class at these events. And the cost adds up, Snowbirds the cost is out the door but I have to say they give you value, very rare. I don't see saving up thousands of dollars to race for 4 days and you get nothing in return. I like to see the fast guys race that is why they have a mod class, at one time mod racing was what you strived to race now there is no incentive to race any type of mod. Time to bump out racers and give the guy who is spending loads of money to attend one of these events a chance to have a really good time. And to the manufactures hey give some free product out maybe a raffel or donate some motors or kits anything but some funky ass t-shirts. And again I want large race events!!!!

gijoe64

iTrader: (30)

Instead of being so PC about this we need to knock this out and save what we love so much, because on-road is on life support

scootr117

There were giveaways this year....Sponsors gave out what they could ..

I won a body and my brother won a Spektrum Reciever.

There are always things that could go better for ANY event and Cleveland this year seemed to have it's fair share. I heard everything from the Speed Control Blues to tech not catching a 13.5 in a stock class. Bumps on the entry to the staight to changing the track after on full round of practice......BUT I will go back next year and enjoy the friendships I've made over the last 4 years.... 350 days or so till "The World Comes To Cleveland."

Tread1

iTrader: (18)

This is the second time I have seen you post this,where the hell do you race where thats the way it is?I run an out of date chassis and have had the same set of tires on all season,as have most of the guys I race with.

sdunnmcp

I race in Indy but my comment was referring to big races. Changing/upgrading equipment is a part of racing.

Steve

tc3team

Just look at the infrastructure of other hobbies and the cost of entrance, it is all proportional to where you go, for any hobby.

Big event = lot more organisation required than a club race and usually a more expensive place to hire = big $... and the chance of winning a prize too at some.

Basic car less = $, luxury sedan car = big $...

Some people simply dont like the pressure of a big race and prefer club racing, there are many reasons why the big races are not attractive for everyone, we don't all have the same level of interest or commitment I guess.... oh and money