Either of those radios would be good. The ESC, I'd go for the Novak. it'll be easier for you to use than the KO. Also, stick with a good matcher on batteries and stick with the GP3300 cells. The Sanyo 3600's aren't up to par yet. You can go to the Fukuyama link in my signature for some good battery packs. And please, don't go for a high end, low turn modified motor. You'll regret it. The reason I say this is these motors are FAST! And if you're going to be racing, the guys you'll be able to race with running those motors have a lot of experience. You should start out with stock motors. They will have plenty of power for you, you'll be able to control the car better and you'll have a lot less maintenance. Also one thing you'll want to look into getting is a motor lathe to cut your commutators. It's one of the best investments you can make. Make sure you have brushes and spare parts for the car.