chickens coming home to roost
Several tracks close and everyone is in a panic. No one saw this coming for the last few years?
Let's see:
A battery matcher comes on and says a problem is the batteries, but few want to run lipo, which:
1) don't fail unless abused
2) don't fall off unless abused
3) don't require maintenance
Instead we use the wonderful IB batteries which have poor reliability. Add to that the push to lower voltage to save the electronics, versus the push for higher voltage cells in racing. A good matched pack sells for $60 and lasts for how many runs before it falls off. Racers spend how many $ on battery packs that don't last? No one saw this coming?
All of the newer high end cars, which are 95% of what is raced by die hard racers cost $600 without electronics to get on the track, $1000 + with everything. Corally, Losi, Associated, Xray all come out with new cars that are $400 for the kit alone (never mind the options needed to be competitive.) No one saw this coming?
Foam tires are now available in many compounds which cost $35-$40 per 4 tires/wheels. You can go to pep boys and buy 4 low end real car tires for $80. Rubber tires/wheels cost $35 for 4 and last 5 runs before falling off. No one saw this coming?
The only thing that hasn't gone downhill are the brushed stock motors, which for $32 each (co27) is a downright bargain.
There are many things killing on road. The tracks closing are simply a leading indicator of the general state of on road rc racing.
Most tracks run on a shoestring budget anyway. Several hicups come along and they are gone. The shops that are hobby stores with other product lines are not susceptible to these hicups. These hobby stores are in retail locations and get exposure from the other product lines. Racing has rarely made money and I feel sorry financially for those who put in their time, effort and MONEY into tracks so that others can race for a few dollars. They subsidize racing for everyone else. WHY SHOULD THEY DO THIS?
It is time that tracks stop acting like charities and start acting like businesses. This means:
1) use handout motors for racing
2) use handout tires for racing
3) charge everyone for racing/practice. No one gets a freebie.
4) Raise the price to race to $20 and practice to $10, and make everyone pay it.
At this rate, their will be NO indoor tracks left who don't rely on:
1) a full product hobby store to pay the bills
2) a rich owner who doesn't care about making money.
And to those that say the economy is firing on all cylinders, stop listening to Rush Limbaugh and look at some of the financial data. Even if everyone was doing great financially, does that mean it is ok to spend $2k to race a toy car?