New Caster Racing Nitro Buggy Just Announced!
11-29-2008, 01:55 PM
#46
That's the FT 2035 pipe not the rtr. It is a sweet pipe with great runtime, power, smooth, non-stick coating. Unfortunately the stinger likes to get pulled off. So if you buy one I suggest reinforcing the stinger with jb weld against the pipe body. The thundertiger 2035 pipe is the exact same pipe for cheaper, but does not have the non stick coating.
11-29-2008, 10:13 PM
#48
I am glad you asked and I will address your concerns to the best of my abilities. My name is Mike Mazza and I am the owner of Caster Racing USA. My partner and I took over in the end of 2007 when Caster was not very good. Since I have a limited budget, I have not advertised very much. I have advertised 3 times in RC Driver and it seems to have done nothing for me other than pay for the review I got in the January issue of RC Driver.
We have been focusing on having a small team of drivers over the past year putting products out on the track and giving us feedback. We have been putting ALL of our effort into designing cars and trucks and slowly putting feelers out. We really wanted to make a permanent name for ourselves and we decided the best way was to do the first 1/8 electric. We have been focusing a lot on it, the truggy, and the corr truck. As of lately, people have kept hearing the name Caster over and over, but don't know what it is, but they know it has been around for over a year. I personally have been working on the usa site, forums, etc....and doing some marketing, etc...
Now, yes I have been talking to Horizon, Tower, Stormer, Amain, etc.... and they all have said the same thing over the past year. We saw what happened with OCM and we don't want to have anyting to do with a small company like yours.
Kendall has actually looked at the fusion, but he hasn't driven it yet. He wants to put a Novak into it and they do not fit without a 1mm modification of the motor plate.
We have been focusing on having a small team of drivers over the past year putting products out on the track and giving us feedback. We have been putting ALL of our effort into designing cars and trucks and slowly putting feelers out. We really wanted to make a permanent name for ourselves and we decided the best way was to do the first 1/8 electric. We have been focusing a lot on it, the truggy, and the corr truck. As of lately, people have kept hearing the name Caster over and over, but don't know what it is, but they know it has been around for over a year. I personally have been working on the usa site, forums, etc....and doing some marketing, etc...
Now, yes I have been talking to Horizon, Tower, Stormer, Amain, etc.... and they all have said the same thing over the past year. We saw what happened with OCM and we don't want to have anyting to do with a small company like yours.
Kendall has actually looked at the fusion, but he hasn't driven it yet. He wants to put a Novak into it and they do not fit without a 1mm modification of the motor plate.
11-29-2008, 10:26 PM
#49
So, a month ago, I put out the team drivers thread and got a lot of results. Prior to that, we were doing ok in Florida thanks to holeshot hobbies and we were doing ok in Texas. Of course, we do good in Iowa since we are from here. Other than that, we do not really exist. Ever since the SIC race thread, we have been gaining steam and it seems like sponsoring races works for us and the results, even with the controversy couldn't have worked out better for us. As a result, we have sponsored a few other races. My partner just went down to the RC Pro finals and took 4th in expert or pro with a jacked up radio. I honestly think he would have won it if he would have had his old one, but that does not matter as it is water under the bridge. What we have learned is that if we get a driver or 2 in an area and they start to do better than they did before or if they let others at the tracks drive them, everyone decides Casters are nice and suddenly are legitimate.
I put up the thread solely to expand into other states to gain attention. Selling products at our cost when figuring shipping is better advertising for us than a magazine ad. Now, there will be a lot more attention for 2009 and we will continue to expand.
It is much harder than you think to bring a new product into the marketplace, especially if you are not in the good old boys club, but the tide is starting to turn for us.
As for stores, Nitrocountryrc was our first customer and he really hasn't done anything with it, holeshothobbies sells a lot for us. Hobbytownusa in Omaha has picked up a few things and moved them, hobby haven in Des Moines sells a lot of Caster, there are a few other hobbytowns that are picked up and modhobby picked us up. Stormerhobbies is talking to us now. Once a few "reputable" places pick us up, we will be legitimized. If it happens tomorrow, that is fine, if it is next year, that is ok, too.
I put up the thread solely to expand into other states to gain attention. Selling products at our cost when figuring shipping is better advertising for us than a magazine ad. Now, there will be a lot more attention for 2009 and we will continue to expand.
It is much harder than you think to bring a new product into the marketplace, especially if you are not in the good old boys club, but the tide is starting to turn for us.
As for stores, Nitrocountryrc was our first customer and he really hasn't done anything with it, holeshothobbies sells a lot for us. Hobbytownusa in Omaha has picked up a few things and moved them, hobby haven in Des Moines sells a lot of Caster, there are a few other hobbytowns that are picked up and modhobby picked us up. Stormerhobbies is talking to us now. Once a few "reputable" places pick us up, we will be legitimized. If it happens tomorrow, that is fine, if it is next year, that is ok, too.
11-29-2008, 10:46 PM
#50
But basically, we want to sell the best products in 1/8 scale and we want to do it at a very competitive price. Our plastics have been great over the past year (too good from our sales point of view) and we have addressed and fixed every problem Caster has had since we took over. What I love is that the other guys have similar problems and they are overlooked. But that is ok, we will keep pushing the envelope until we cannot not be noticed.
As for the next step, bigsquid, xtremerc, and rccaraction all are asking for products to review, so I would guess in February, you will start to see a second opinion, good or bad about Caster and that will also kickstart hobby store interest. My goal is to have hobby stores sell our products, but I haven't persued them very hard simply because we were not ready. Now that we have the fusion pro and rtr, the new zx-1.5r available. I am confident that we have a great product that I will gladly put my name on. Of course, that means that the truggies are coming and we are in the middle of a SC8 competitor. 2009 will be a fun year for us. What I also want to happen is for some of my no name team drivers to start doing well at events. Some of them are obviously in here as this was the venue where they were found. It would be the greatest thing in the world for me to have a guy (like my partner for example) beat the famous drivers driving a Caster. It would set the rc world on fire compared to picking up someone like Tebo and having him win races. I also think it is cool that our team drivers are actually part of a team and I consider them all like family. You can see it in my forums and these guys are actively trying to help us grow because we are not like the big boys, they know I mean what I say and I do not lie or exaggerate or make false promises, which is rare in this world and they respect us for it and they are making a few sales for us here and there. The tracks they run at also start paying attention also.
I would gladly take off slow, build up correctly, do the right thing, and not make money at first, and be around for at least 20 years, than follow the OCM path and be here today and gone tomorrow. Our products are light years ahead of where they were a year ago, and we will keep plugging away. We also make everything except glow plugs for buggies, so we are technically the perfect one stop shop if hobby stores actually took the time to investigate us. We will grow. I am not worried about that at all. The future is very bright for Caster Racingand I am glad to be the one pushing it and glad I am sticking to principles and doing it my way.
I'll step off the soap box now....continue...
As for the next step, bigsquid, xtremerc, and rccaraction all are asking for products to review, so I would guess in February, you will start to see a second opinion, good or bad about Caster and that will also kickstart hobby store interest. My goal is to have hobby stores sell our products, but I haven't persued them very hard simply because we were not ready. Now that we have the fusion pro and rtr, the new zx-1.5r available. I am confident that we have a great product that I will gladly put my name on. Of course, that means that the truggies are coming and we are in the middle of a SC8 competitor. 2009 will be a fun year for us. What I also want to happen is for some of my no name team drivers to start doing well at events. Some of them are obviously in here as this was the venue where they were found. It would be the greatest thing in the world for me to have a guy (like my partner for example) beat the famous drivers driving a Caster. It would set the rc world on fire compared to picking up someone like Tebo and having him win races. I also think it is cool that our team drivers are actually part of a team and I consider them all like family. You can see it in my forums and these guys are actively trying to help us grow because we are not like the big boys, they know I mean what I say and I do not lie or exaggerate or make false promises, which is rare in this world and they respect us for it and they are making a few sales for us here and there. The tracks they run at also start paying attention also.
I would gladly take off slow, build up correctly, do the right thing, and not make money at first, and be around for at least 20 years, than follow the OCM path and be here today and gone tomorrow. Our products are light years ahead of where they were a year ago, and we will keep plugging away. We also make everything except glow plugs for buggies, so we are technically the perfect one stop shop if hobby stores actually took the time to investigate us. We will grow. I am not worried about that at all. The future is very bright for Caster Racingand I am glad to be the one pushing it and glad I am sticking to principles and doing it my way.
I'll step off the soap box now....continue...
11-29-2008, 10:49 PM
#51
Finally, I posted a lot more detailed pics in the casterracingusa cart for the new 1.5...click to zoom....
Also, I made an executive decision that they will come with captured hingepins also...
and they are not preassembled....
I do not have the final sale price as of yet, but I did put up a killer combo deal.
Also, I made an executive decision that they will come with captured hingepins also...
and they are not preassembled....
I do not have the final sale price as of yet, but I did put up a killer combo deal.
11-29-2008, 10:58 PM
#52
I guess hobby shops in the mid west are different as far as putting parts on the walls..Out here in Ca. from what I've seen "most" shops carry a very limited selection of parts for "racing" buggies and truggies and generally if your not running the popular local brand your parts are for the most non existent..I run a Kyosho, Mugen and a Caster..guess what..I still have to order ALL my parts..no one carries them..So as with most racers I take with me all my spare parts, plus one HUGE ADVANTAGE with Caster and their approach is their getting their cars/trucks into the hands of the racers FIRST..and with the feedback they are getting from their team drivers they are making improvements very quickly and they seem really really dedicated to making a quality product at a reasonable price..and another advantage of buying directly from the manufacture is the price is a bit lower. As Caster gets more popular you will start seeing it in more and more hobby shops..but you do have to start somewhere.
I am really baffled that we are not everywhere, but at the same time, I know it takes word of mouth, etc....
We will see everyone on the track....Good luck to everyone who races and if you get the opportunity to drive a Caster from one of our team drivers, let me know what you think of it.
11-29-2008, 10:58 PM
#53
HOLY $hi%, mike
that was alot to read.
great job though.
that was alot to read.
great job though.
11-30-2008, 07:49 AM
#55
Tech Initiate
that is the best reply i have ever heard from you mike. It really put into perspective where you want Caster Racing to be and how you want the team to grow.
11-30-2008, 07:59 AM
#58
11-30-2008, 08:08 AM
#59
For all the non-believes drive one. I was skeptical coming from X-ray 808 but after racing for the first time last night this buggy is pretty stout. I was very impressed. As for Mike he has answered every email I have sent promptly which shows me this company wants to succeed and help customers. Check out casterracingusa.com all kinds of helpful info. All in all I am very happy.
11-30-2008, 08:37 AM
#60
For all the non-believes drive one. I was skeptical coming from X-ray 808 but after racing for the first time last night this buggy is pretty stout. I was very impressed. As for Mike he has answered every email I have sent promptly which shows me this company wants to succeed and help customers. Check out casterracingusa.com all kinds of helpful info. All in all I am very happy.