TT_Vert

iTrader: (72)

wow, i guess times have changed Not sure how there is any money in this business anymore. The overhead has to be through the roof there given the sheer size. Then you have to heat/cool and light the place.


Dave

Dirt Dummy

I am firm believer of supporting your LHS and not buying on the internet unless it is your last option.

As we all know the internet has really changed how people do business. But people need to remember that your LHS is only as good as the customer support. The LHS owners do their best to keep cost down along with providing a great facility for us to race at and have fun with our toy cars. But they also need to make a living and support their families and business. If we do not continue to support our LHS they will not be there for us to race and have a great time with our friends. I did a lot of RC racing back in day but then life and kids became a priority and family came first. Had to give up RC stuff to spend time with the family along with working many hours to make sure my two sons could get a college degree and not have any student loans. I did the right thing and now my kids are grown up and out of college and have great jobs and NO STUDENT LOANS! A personal goal I set for myself. It was tough and we sacrificed a lot to achieve this for our kids.


Last year I was able to start back in the hobby and was having fun racing off-road again. My LHS is a very nice place but I have to say I started to notice their prices where a bit high compared to other LHS in the area and it has pushed me to buy at other shops and not my LHS. I have a hard time not supporting my LHS but I also have a hard time spending $35 to $45 bucks more on the same products at my LHS when I can go to another shop in my area and buy the same item for a lot less. I have questioned the pricing with my LHS and they have told me that is the way it is. Very sad but I am now looking to move to a different shop / track to race at. Let me be very clear here I have no problem paying $5 or $10 bucks more but when I a spending $35 to $45 more on the same item that is a bit crazy and tough to do knowing other LHS have better pricing. I want to buy and race at the same place and be loyal to them.


I have contacted Windy City and Hobby Town to price check and this is how I have found this out. I have even checked the prices on line and it seems to me everyone is in line except my LHS. It has to go both ways. The LHS has to be reasonable on their pricing and we have to support or LHS if they have comparable prices as other shops/tracks.


I guess what I am trying to say is support your LHS and try to understand the owners need to make a living and keep up the facility for us to race at and the LHS needs to take care of their customers to keep them coming back and the business growing for a long time. If the business does not grown and new people do not get into the hobby that will also hurt the hobby. Getting more people in the hobby is important to the LHS which also includes the current racers at the track helping out the new people and working with them along with the LHS doing the same.

I hope to get down to Windy City soon and check out some 12th scale racing and maybe gettin a 12th scale car and start racing again at Windy City. I really enjoyed on road. Was not very good but had fun doing it at Trackside when they did on road and oval on carpet.


Thanks For Reading.

Solara

iTrader: (17)

What is the motor choice/rules for the 21.5 TC right now..? Hobbywing fixed timing 21.5 motor or Reedy? Also....tires are open right..? Thanks.

KINGZJ

iTrader: (4)

Yes the hobbywing or the reedy fixed timing. Tires are open. Jaco's are the best, I have been running gravity's as I couldn't get Jaco's.

KINGZJ

iTrader: (4)

The 2 track setup really helps. On race day's which ever track isn't racing seems to have the same number of people practicing as the track that is racing so the place is rather busy all weekend long.

Jesse

f1larry

iTrader: (22)

cavwrench

iTrader: (128)

As far as supporting your local hobby shop, I am a firm believer in this as well. I have been in this hobby for almost 30 years. I love it, keeps me out of trouble lol and even my family and friends enjoy it. I have spent TONS of money on this hobby. 80% of it has been at a local hobby shop. Every once in a while there is a part or something that was bought online, But when you have the customer service that Eric and his guys give you, how can you go anywhere else? Eric personally has made me a local hobby shop guy. He takes great care of me and does what he says he is gonna do. I have bought a lot from him and will continue to. His place is by far the nicest place I have been to in 30 years. I have been to a ton of different tracks and shops and Eric and his crew nailed it. Hands down. If we don't support our local tracks and shops, we will all soon have no place to go. I am a racer and have been for probably 20 years, My wife and son and I are basher's in the summer also. And we also got all of that stuff from Eric. Windy city is an amazing place and I will continue to support it. I for one want tracks and shops to go to.

outlandr91

Sunday was an off-road practice day, check it out on race day!

Billy Kelly

iTrader: (9)

Dirt Dummy

I am looking to get back into on road racing. I am a big fan of 12th scale and really enjoyed it when I did race. I was at best a VERY average racer but had fun doing it and would like to start back up again after not doing it for over 18 years. I am just not sure how big this class is at your track and how I would fit in with the regulars. I know back when I raced it was a bit competitive and most racers where helpful and willing to work with new racers to keep the class going. Is it still like that? My goal is to start racing again have some fun and maybe be a bit more competitave over time. To me just going to the track, racing and hanging out and working on my car is a lot more fun than winning. Do not get me wrong winning would be great but not realistic at this time after just getting back into it.

Also I have been looking at the World GT-R class. It looks like it could be a lot of fun just not sure again if it is the right class for a guy just getting back into it. I have read on line it is a good beginner class but not sure how it is at your track and how big the class is.

Of course money is an issue. I have been looking at all types of on road cars and I am amazed how much the Sedans cost now compared to when I raced. I like the cost of the 12th scale and the WGTR cars but not sure which way to go.

I would need to buy everything new and I would like to buy from the track I am going to race at to support that track. I have sold all of my off road stuff and I am now ready to get back to on road.

Any help and feedback would be great on these classes and cars so I can get started again. Please feel free to tell me which car and equipment you would recommend. I would like to get the best equipment I can without going nuts and be able to race each and every weekend in a class and not hope there will be enough cars showing up.

All and any help here would be great. I want to start racing again ASAP.

Thanks for your help!

f1larry

iTrader: (22)

outlandr91

Thanks Billy

TT_Vert

iTrader: (72)

Is that left column the entrants? There were only 15 racers on certain days??

I'm going to possibly try this euro truck class (onroad). I've always loved spec classes (Slash, mini, VTA etc) and I'm sure I'll get bored after a while or the class will die and I'll be done w/ RC for a while again so the cheap entry costs here are a positive. I just need to go back through the live rc data to see if it'll tell me how many entrants were in that class historically to see if it's even worth the effort or if it's a dying class.

​​​​​​​Dave

anthonyscardina

iTrader: (12)

Myself and several others have WGTR cars but they usually only come out for a larger race (FYI they drive more like sedans than 1/12). VTA and 21.5TC have pretty consistent turnout. USGT and 13.5 TC if you want to go a little faster, and usually there's a heat of MOD. 1/12 has not been a strong class recently.

f1larry

iTrader: (22)