Originally Posted by x3inchesx

First let me apologize for the lengthy post I tend to get wordy.

I've raced with you at Berkeley and once at Orland. I had to stop because of changing priorities but I did enjoy your racing format.

I had a whole reply asking you to reconsider the mini because I think it would work well but I will suggest something else. If you change your mind let me know. But it seems that others are voicing the same opinions on it. Plus another thing to consider is the size of the track as well. Minis will be able to race in smaller spaces.

For your racing program and format I feel the Tamiya TT01 would work well. There are many bodies available with a wide range of styles for all tastes. Muscle cars vs imports or modern vs vintage, the choices are out there. The body is what catches people's eyes and finding something they can relate too will help them stay.

They are also built like tanks so it would be good in the hands of beginners. Ball bearings are a cheap upgrade. They use the 5x11 size in most spots so buy them in bulk to save money. Other than that they don’t need much in upgrades. With the low speeds the plastic driveshaft would be ok. Just upgrade to the aluminum if they ever break. These aren't meant to be serious race machines so you don't need the adjustable toe and camber or even oil filled shocks. More adjustability just makes it harder when stuff breaks. Since both ends of the car are the same you could easily put foam bumpers front and back to protect against crashes. I make my own from the foam gardening kneeling pads and they only cost $3 and could get about 10 sets worth from one.

They carry decent speed with a silver can and the 20t pinion and for your step up class you could do the Speed Passion Brushless Combo set which is $50 right now for motor and ESC or the Hobbywing set. If you want slower speeds based on the size of the track, consider high turn crawler motors as well. They run around $10 each but don't know how long they would last but I would guess at least the full parking lot racing season.

Flysky GT2 transmitters are $20 and simple enough to use for beginners. They are about the same as the Kyosho transmitters in level of functionality. These won't need high speed or high torque servos so a Futaba 3003 would work and is only around $9. Definitely need a servo saver though to protect against smacking the boards.

I would say to go NiMH batteries because of the types of users you will get but Lipo will be cheaper now. A 5000mah battery should give you around 40 minutes of run time with a silver can.
The stock Tamiya tires would also work in most parking lots. I've bought tires and wheels from ebay for $10 for a full set and they've also held up decent. They are not as sticky as actual race tires but good enough for this.

I'm not going to deny there are other good options out there like the Sakura Zero or the TC4 Club. But I believe the Tamiya TT01s or TT02s would fit your format well and still be reasonable in price. I apologize for the length but hopefully I have given you some good ideas.