Lawrence, KS
03-07-2005, 02:01 PM
#17
I met the guys at Real R/C a few weeks ago, and talked to them for a while about the whole thing. They're very nice guys who seem genuinely interested, but like someone said, they're not wanting to run it themselves. They were also somewhat discouraged that people balked at the possibility of paying $20 to race. As much as this hobby costs, I'd be thrilled to pay $20 to race my stuff, especially if the facilities had a door that closed on the bathroom, and maybe some soap and no rivers in the pits. I also encouraged them to consider giving on-road carpet or treated cement a try, since nationally, there is vastly more interest in on-road racing than dirt.
So, who knows if they'll get it together, but it seems like it would give the Topeka guys another option, at the very least.
I'm surprised nobody has opened a track in the West Bottoms. Isn't warehouse space down there nearly free?
So, who knows if they'll get it together, but it seems like it would give the Topeka guys another option, at the very least.
I'm surprised nobody has opened a track in the West Bottoms. Isn't warehouse space down there nearly free?
03-07-2005, 03:17 PM
#20
Originally posted by Lowrance
Info on the Lawrence track "if" it happens..
Local business owner has lots of extra space for a 100X50 indoor DIRT track. Building may have enough ventilation to run nitro. The biggest problem is that the owner while really interested in having a track really doesn't what to run it himself...probably doesn't have the time with running the business that makes money...
Like we really haven't seen this before...
Info on the Lawrence track "if" it happens..
Local business owner has lots of extra space for a 100X50 indoor DIRT track. Building may have enough ventilation to run nitro. The biggest problem is that the owner while really interested in having a track really doesn't what to run it himself...probably doesn't have the time with running the business that makes money...
Like we really haven't seen this before...
I too would prefer indoor onroad even though I don't particularly care for carpet (maybe indoor asphault), but at this point I would take just about anything I could get that would be close...even offroad...
03-08-2005, 06:02 AM
#21
Tech Initiate
On-road might not have a strong following here in region 8.
But Tell me when was the last time a ANY OFF-ROAD even had 500+ racers. Lets see NEVER. You got two On-road races a year that Get that many. Cleveland and Snowbirds. You do the math.
Something to think about. It is a litte more precise then Dirt. Setups are more critical.
But Tell me when was the last time a ANY OFF-ROAD even had 500+ racers. Lets see NEVER. You got two On-road races a year that Get that many. Cleveland and Snowbirds. You do the math.
Something to think about. It is a litte more precise then Dirt. Setups are more critical.
03-08-2005, 07:53 AM
#23
Tech Master
EDIT
Last edited by Doug Gaut; 03-28-2005 at 01:48 PM.
03-08-2005, 10:04 AM
#24
Doug you are completely correct!!
Off road is easier and cheaper to get started in.
Off road is easier and cheaper to get started in.
03-08-2005, 10:19 AM
#25
Tech Addict
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Coming to you LIVE from somewhere in my head
Posts: 508
$20 to race.
03-08-2005, 11:44 AM
#27
I'm willing to travel for a race, and that can be expensive, but $20 is silly, on top of the travelling cost. One tank of gas for my Jeep costs $35 as of right now, and gas is only getting more expensive. I won't pay $20 plus $50 for a tank of gas to race a toy car. One trip to Lawrence and back takes one tank, plus food, parts(I will break stuff), entry fee, fuel for the Maxx, tires for the XXXS, etc., we're looking at a $150+ to race. Not gonna happen, not on a student's budget. There's a good reason that they won't make any money.
03-08-2005, 11:59 AM
#28
Originally posted by Doug Gaut
If the current state of progression continues in technology, prices of sedans,etc continues onroad will be dead in a few years!
If the current state of progression continues in technology, prices of sedans,etc continues onroad will be dead in a few years!
I remember when the Kyosho KX-1 came out at $369 a couple years ago, people thought they were nuts and the car was dead before it even launched.
Now, that price would be a bargin in todays sedan market.
Add that to the $200+ price of 1/12 scale rides and things aren't looking too good for on-road...
I tried off-road a couple years back, when the T4 came out, and it wasn't exactly like people were flooding through the doors with that either.
Maybe its different with nitro off-road...
03-08-2005, 12:29 PM
#29
Perhaps it's a poor indication, but looking at this board, the on-road forum has 10x the number of posts, and vastly more people viewing it at all times. I realize that's extremely non-scientific, but it must say -something- about the popularity of both.
These companies keep coming out expensive cars, and they keep making a mint when they can't make them fast enough.
Racing off-road is definitely cheaper. Apparently, not everybody needs the hobby to be as cheap as possible, since sedans seem to fly off the shelves.
As for local popularity, that could have a lot to do with track availability. Prior to Fastlane, the only thing available for years was off-road. All the other major tracks in this region seem to be on-road, or both.
It seems like R/C tracks have trouble making enough money to stay in business. You guys get violently angry when someone buys their parts from the Internet rather than supporting local business, but you won't consider paying $20 to race at a quality facility, and support its existence? The mind boggles.
These companies keep coming out expensive cars, and they keep making a mint when they can't make them fast enough.
Racing off-road is definitely cheaper. Apparently, not everybody needs the hobby to be as cheap as possible, since sedans seem to fly off the shelves.
As for local popularity, that could have a lot to do with track availability. Prior to Fastlane, the only thing available for years was off-road. All the other major tracks in this region seem to be on-road, or both.
It seems like R/C tracks have trouble making enough money to stay in business. You guys get violently angry when someone buys their parts from the Internet rather than supporting local business, but you won't consider paying $20 to race at a quality facility, and support its existence? The mind boggles.
03-08-2005, 02:21 PM
#30
I think steve said a while back that he switched the track to off-road from on-road and had triple the turnout or something like that. It's good to see a good crowd at fastlane for Wednesday and saturday races, hopefully it might build into a better on-road turnout.