In answer to when it started, in January 78 i bought a 1/8 scale in Canberra, i went to Woden carpark and there was also another guy there Andrew Sadow, a camerman for channel 2, we started to race between us, the next week there were about 4, then it started, we organised a 6 hour 1/12 in about 79, Borthwick and co came from Qld, we raced at Woden until 83, then Wanniassa the next year when the Frog came, in the Aussie Titles held at Sydney Showground in the horse arena with horse poop and dirt and my first off road race i was beaten by Mark Mason in 84, he had the 2 speed Hirobo under cover for the entire meet as no one knew about the 2 speed and four wheel drive at first, i had a Frog and it was my first off road race and he beat me by 2 feet, since then, Brendale at one of their first meetings, Chandlor velodrome in about 89, Sydney and Melbourne, Albury, Coffs Harbour for a few years, so in answer to the question, how long, i would have to say in Australia since 1978 was when the first lot of "organised" racing was on, with Keith Plested bring a prototype suspension car for the Aussie Titles at Wagga in the early 80s. The best to ask is Ray Wood as he has been racing since about 83 and the winner of many many champs, he was basicaly unbeatable in International (7 cell), can any one add more as i am getting old and my memory is fading
Auusie Bob