I am having the hardest time figuring this out. When I bought this esc I was under the impression you could change profiles at the track without using the hotwire. Nowhere in the manual or online can I find how to do this. I want the ability to either be in blinky mode or my custom (c1) profile. Is this even possible to switch between without my hotwire connected?

Yes it is possible and spelled out in the Hotwire guide.

You use the mode button to go to TP then use the increment button to select which timing profile you want. Notice that it is the timing profile and not throttle profile. LED 1 is Blinky, LED 6 is C1 and LED7 is C2. LEDs 2 through 5 are increasing preset timing.

Throttle profiles can only be accessed via the Hotwire.

Read the guide to get the most out of the most adjustable ESC on the market.

I read the manual 3 times online but apparently missed it. Was reading through it quickly trying to find what I wanted. Thanks for the help