Toy Car Racing.. Or Is It?

Toy Car Racing.. Or Is It?: July 2011

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

How To Fix R/C

I've been contemplating the issue that faces R/C today as it has begint o maintain a shocking decline over the past 10 years as a whole. I feel we spend at least half of our energy devoted to r/c, after work, kids, wife, issues, etc on dealing with issues related to the decline in R/C rather than enjoying the hobby for whatever you desire from it. This make absolutely no sense. Why spend whats left of our very limited personal time worrying about such tings but doing nothing about it. Well, here I feel is the best solution:

GIVE BACK TO R/C 
Yes, dare I, to say it. And its the truth. We as enthususts have drained R/C down to a very low evel that is beginning to show its ugly face. Particularly in onroad, the TC market grew at high high rates and took many people, starting out as an occasinal racer/basher into the highest level of race they could desire/afford. Notice I say afford. Now that's great - some people became super talented racers and other companies made a few Benjamins - "Whoo Hoo!"

One thing went terribly wrong, however, we forgot the public. We got too wrapped up in com lathes, brushless motor of the week and "what does Paul L. eat that makes hin so good?". We forgot what we all started as innocent kids or bored adults who happened to stop by this R/C racing shop and check it out, from wherever they discovered it. 20 years later, their kids are into it, it's basically a member of the family. Hell, a picture of your r/c cars is probably wedged in the frame that holds the family Kodak Moment. But again, we forgot what we started as.

Now flash forward to present day and our top level racing programs have been all but wiped away and companies are coming and going, as are racers, unfortunately. Dare I say, the top drivers, you know, whoever your favorite's are (yes, it's ok to have a favorite male driver, no homo), give back to this hobby that has made them wildly successful and their affiliated "sponsors" richer. Since when have you seen Marc Rhenard, undoubtedly the face of electric TC, among other classes, post on RCTech. I mean c'mon, don' t they at least give you free wifi at the hotel? I applaud those racers, Paul (Paul L) and Jilles (JHG) come to mind, who have gone beyond their normal circle of top racers and help those below them in an organized and efficient manner the Internet has come to be. On the track, both are extremely personable to everyone and represent this hobby proudly. On the other hand, in all respect, one particularly well known person in R/C racing's "Athlete" Facebook is nothing more than moans and groans about how awful the flight was or which bottle of beer they are drinking currently. You tell me, which this pair of examples helps the hobby on a whole?

But it would be all too easy to blame the guys who have devoted much of their lives and many time relationships into this hobby ,that will continue to only become more challenging, and have the trohpies and experience to prove it. We have to look at ourselves. Every single on of us. To recover strong and will a solid foundation, we have to give back to the hobby that has given so much to us. I guarantee, ask any R/C racer, he has at least one amazing memory linked to R/C that he will cherish forever and we have to share that with others now. Alienating ourselves because we think we are the best at toycarracing will produce much more harm than good. It has gone on long enough. I love onroad and I want to make it better for myself and those around me.