cripplethreat

iTrader: (6)

With Worlds coming up this week I was wondering do the big name pro's make enough to just race R/C year round or do they also have to carry jobs too?

egobrkr

iTrader: (29)

The majority of the pro racers work for the company they are sponsored by. They start off with a job and a sponsorship and most end up working for that company.

MarkA

iTrader: (21)

To expand slightly, the true top-level pros do travel almost constantly and race more or less fulltime in that if they're not at a race, they're probably testing something or other. The second-tier guys tend to work at the company that sponsors them, i.e., the customer service e-mail you send to a company might be their responsibility to answer.

cripplethreat

iTrader: (6)

That makes sense.. Thanks for the replies!

USMC STONE

I doubt any of them even make 6 figures.

Autocratic

iTrader: (26)

I know for a fact that a few top tevel AE, Kyosho, and Losi drivers make six figures a year. Given that, I can definitely see many of the other top level chassis companies pay their top level drivers close to, if not into the six figures a year as well. Also, don't forget race bonuses and money given or won from other sponsors.

skengines

iTrader: (226)

I heard of them making six figures too, but to be at that level is extremely difficult as it is with any sport at the professional level.

Also keep in mind that the life of an RC racer can be difficult. Traveling, time away from home, meeting mfg expectations, attending meetings, testing, helping consumers, etc. There is a lot of pressure being in the spot light.

A lot of racers have second jobs as just racing R/C cars does not put food on the table.

seth556

iTrader: (43)

There's probably 6 guys or so at the worlds that just race, there's probably another 10 or so that work for the company they're sponsored by. The rest may get some money from their sponsors but have "real" jobs.

USMC STONE

Again I would doubt there would be more than a handful (4-6), and the payouts I've seen aren't exactly anything to get excited over, $1000-$5000 if u win. Basically there isn't a rich driver in rc unless it came from somewhere else. Unfortunately compared to sports and other hobbies it's at the bottom of the totem pole. More people show up to a local bass tournament every weekend than come to even the National Championships of RC.
On a side note: I will also say I wish there was more T&A at the tracks but rc racing screams dorks so women stay as far away as possible. The rare trophy girls doesn't count, she has to be paid usually to be there

bambambennett

A good friend of mine is racing the worlds. He is sponsored byAE. He gets product but no salary that I know of. He does manage a local hobby shop but that doesn't pay a lot either. I would bet the top pros are making more off endorsements than their main sponser