tc3team

For me, in 17 years of R/C, the most help I have had from a single person was in my earlier r/c days called Steve Chau. He was a mentor to me.

My race pace and understanding of the hobby improved tenfold. A lot of information was given that would take a long time to find myself.

He helped anyone he could in r/c. Cheap parts, cars, equipment....
and would go out of his way to chat to anyone

He took me to the Reedy Race in the 90s and many winter race championship rounds, gave me his equipment and simply said "put it to use".

We even discussed the idea of me working for him at a LHS, but it never developed into anything more than discussion. It wasnt a solid business to be in, not then and not now.

Later on in r/c, I met Ian Billett, who has been able to spend time with me on setup and also the Hurley brothers, who race weekly and I have known for at least 12 years now.

These guys are what make r/c worth being involved with IMO. Always happy, honest and always seen to help others more than themselves...

One peice of advice for people looking for advice. It is not always found in the most likely places.

That guy in the C main might not look like he can race well, but he could be a mine field of information - and in his previous time in r/c could have won more races than you, never take anything for granted.


As for manufacturers, i'd like to say thank you to Tekin for the continued help they have given me over the years - both the team and the team guys

It is good for us all to recognise where we got to NOW in R/C.

Never forget your journey, for the future brings better things if we all share what we can. Some days you need help, other days you can give your own help....

Never burn your bridges with people, unless there is nothing to gain from it.

You don't keep a bad apple, you bake a good pie right?

So, who has helped you the most in R/C, and why?

HarryLeach

Cool topic.

I got introduced to hobby level RC in the early 90's, high banked oval pan car carpet racing. Guys at the track were helpful when it came to understanding equipment choices, why one brand or model was better than another, even if they were particularly secretive when it came to setup advice.

I couldn't afford competitive gear at the time, so my brothers and I had an arrangement with the track where we'd corner marshal the races in return for free track time with our cars and batteries that weren't up to speed to actually race 4 minutes.

When the track closed, magazines, and later the Internet, became treasure troves of setup and tuning information. I didn't start racing electric again until the brushless and lipo switch, because I remembered how expensive NiCD and NiMH batteries and brushed motor stockpiles were in the oval days. Local guys at the track were a big help sorting through all the rapidly released ESC and motor offerings, before then I raced nitro minimally at the local level, on and off road.

The last few seasons I've been trying to help out whoever I can at the track, because I think guys have more fun when they're on pace, and people are more likely to keep coming back if there's plentiful help.

So, while there's no ONE person who's been instrumental in getting me to where I am [at the local level at least], I've been actively trying to help whoever I can, not necessarily as a mentor, but hopefully as a friendly rival.

hairy

iTrader: (1)

John Jolley

tc3team

Good post HarryLeach.

I feel good too when I help ANYone else out other than my own race game.

I have set TQ in the last round then helped out a newcomer with a blown hub and a toasted comm back in the brushed days, it really brings you down to reality to see yourself helping others get into the zone....

98tahoeboy

iTrader: (16)

I honestly can say that my local hobby shop(MSI racing and hobbies) have helped me to become a skilled drive simply because the competition level is so high.

But the reason that I now know as much about tuning motors, fine tuning set up, and being a help to others at the track would have to go to my mentor and BESTFRIEND MR. JAMES REILLY. He constantly is on this forum to help others. He was the most supportive and influential person in my short racing stint. He took the time to sit down with me and go through my car and show me how to properly maintenance my touring car aswell not just show me how to put setups on my car but made me understand why certain changes were being made. He wanted me to fully understand how a simple 1mm change could make you gain a tenth or lose five. He showed me almost everything he knows and as we continue I seem to learn even more. He embedded setups and consequences of setup changes because he knew that he wouldnt always be around and that I would need to be able to support by myself when at big races and at the local track. He has instilled the fundamentals of RC. I have taken the knowledge I have gained from him and continuously made him proud by putting my self in the A main at big events and consistently being in the top 3 at my local track(which is not easy. Lol). In doing RC I gained a great teacher, mentor, motivationalist but most importantly I gained something that last a lifetime and that's a true friend.

UrabusDenis

Very good topic

I am very thankful to every single person in my club, who have been very helpful in transforming me from an absolute beginner to a serious racer. However, the biggest thank goes to two oldest and most experienced members of my club. These people have been an inspiration for me. The amout of positive energy they have shown with idiotic beginner questions at the beginning is absolutely amazing. Plus the hours of technical and logistical knowledge (and a bit of financial help ) they shared with me as I evolved, the advices they gave me... Those are the kind of people you're thankful to every day

tc3team

+1. I would like to think the people with hidden setups and info are in a minority. We all help each other in r/c to make our community a happier and more helpful one!

What do we have to hide? The only advantage one has is knowing how to RACE better than the guy next to him or her on the drivers stand lol

You won't find me hiding my car and setup from ANYONE.

No fun in lapping the entire field, unless your ego is so big that you can't fit through the doors of the race event building.... LOL.

seaball

iTrader: (9)

agreed.
individual: paul ciccarello, hands down. showed me the light, and then spent inordinate amounts of time making my dreams come true.

honorable mention: john peoples. simply by being a constant example of selflessness in the sea of 'me first' mentalities.

manufacturer: schumacher (robin). my first, and most loyal sponsor even through the recent downturn of onroad. these guys treated me with value from top to bottom, and let me waste way too much of their money over the years.

Serzoni

iTrader: (13)

8 pounds 6 ounces... new born infant Jesus, who doesn't even know a word yet.

CypressMidWest

iTrader: (1)

Great thread!!

Individual: Mike Pulfer. Already an accomplished racer when I started 25 years ago, Mike was always willing to offer advice, and even help work on the car in my early days. After all this time, he's still my best friend.

Honorable mention: seaball hit that nail directly. John Peoples is a shining example of how we all ought to look at the hobby/sport, and the people involved with it.

Manufacturers: I have three... CRC (Frank), Speedmerchant (Bruce), and PowerPush (Tony), these companies have ALWAYS supported me and treated me exceptionally well, even when I was using other manufacturers' products. They also have shown exceptional customer service to all their customers, which is something I really appreciate.

UrabusDenis

Exactly. People hiding their cars and setups are in the wrong sport/hobby in my opinion. These people are the only thing that could ever make me hate RC, as unfortunately some of my friends gave up on the hobby because of overcompetitive people. I see this as a sport, not as a hobby, but a sport which bring the best in people. Because I believe you can't "live" any sport as much as you can motorsport, which includes RC as it's scaled down version. Results never meant much to me, I'm always much happier when I see that I got much better and consistent lap times than the last time I was there. That's a result my friends, not being first in a class of five. I never hide my setup and my car is always available for everyone to see. I'm always the first one who will aproach a beginner, tell him he's doing it all wrong, and start with him from the beginning Also I try to encourage beginners not to spend so much money on stuff which are not important for them at their current level, because the money they spend is lot's of sets of tires which NEED to be deteriorated on the track in order to gain experience

PitNamedGordie

iTrader: (8)

I have to say Eric Whiteside, the owner of The Track at Harbor Hobbies. I've been in this hobby off and on since I was 15 years old, and it wasn't until Eric bought the Track that I felt someone had gotten it right. He's done a good job of creating a fun an competitive atmosphere.

But when I mention Eric I have to mention the guys at the Track who have given me a lot of help and have provided me with great competition (meaning they are all faster than me ): Fred Kellner, Dave Arnold, Alex Cortez, Kevin Kane, Mike Larson, Darrald Spencer, Rich Murphy, Brad Johnson, Goop, etc etc etc...

Although I am currently burnt out on racing, the one thing I miss is spending my day at the track. That may sound contradictory, but the reason I will go back is because of the good times that I had at the track.

tc3team

This echoes my own thoughts on my home track. I too started r/c at 15.

Any track doesn't bring the racers in, it's the people that make the track and it's atmosphere the way it is. You could have the best facility in the world but without the right people there is no buzz to it.....

The cars make people watch, but the people make the race happen and the vibe good.

tc3team

True words. If you race and you are not schooled, you have no real sence of direction. THIS is important if you are going to keep at r/c.

I don't know how I stayed in r/c in my younger years, before I met Steve.

I was getting my ass handed to me week in, week out. (I still do now) Making a top 3 finish in the A, for me, is a good result.

But.... I feel I have been in r/c long enough to understand what I am doing or what I need to do to improve my game, and to know that there are people in r/c that can use some help.

In what we sow, we reap...

I still have a comm lathe, so if there is a newcomer with a brushed motor that is a slug, I will happily get it back in shape for them, for gratis.

If they break their car, I will take the time to not only explain how, or help them fix it, but go through any way they can reduce the chance of it happening again.

Money can buy you a lot of things in r/c, it can even loose you your house - but it can't buy you experience. That has to come from yourself, or with the help of others.

tc3team

You can only do so much to help someone though, and to keep your own focus on r/c you have to understand that limit.

There is a difference in helping someone who will use your time to listen and make their racing better, than someone who will just "give up" when things are not working out for them.

r/c is like an ongoing jigsaw puzzle.

you have good days where the various parts of it fit well together and you feel good about the picture.

Other days, no two pieces will fit together