Ok, a few answers for ya. Rubber is not better than Foam, but Foam tires are not legal for any touring races on asphalt in the the state of florida that I know of. As far as a speed control, I would go ahead and get one that can run both brushless and brushed motors. Brushless seems like the future, so save your self some money and get the right one to begin with. Any of the top touring cars will work. X-Ray,Shumacher, Losi, Corally, etc. But it's setup and more importantly track time and practice that will determine how well you do. Good luck and have fun!