Have you ever seen a grown man out in front of his house driving a remote control car? In spite of what you may have thought, he is not alone. Remote control car racing is a popular hobby. Some call it the secret hobby because so many people are involved in it, yet a lot of people don’t even know about it.
A Brief History
In the 1960s, radio controlled cars first hit the UK Market. In the 1970s, they showed up in the US. In 1966, an Italian company called Elettronica Giocattoli created the nitro-powered Ferrari 250LM. Other nitro- powered cars followed. These cars were powered by nitrogen, methanol, and lubricant.
Electric cars were also introduced in the 1970s. Then came the dune buggy design. These were cars with real suspension systems, textured rubber tires, and powerful motors. These cars were able to drive on rough terrain. RC cars continued to evolve, and by the 1980s, fast racing cars and off-road four-wheel drives vehicles were all the rage. By the 1990s, cars were becoming faster and smaller in scale.
2.4 Gigahertz Radio Control
One of the biggest changes in the 2000s was the switch from AM FM to 2.4 gigahertz technology. Rock crawler models were also popular. There has recently been a lot of advancement in technology. Better performance, higher speed, and better controls are some of the advantages of late model RC cars. There are now high-end models that are even powered by hydrogen cells.
While the technology has changed and evolved over the years so has the racing process. There are clubs and race tracks everywhere that hold races. There is also a loyal die-hard following of RC racing car fans that spend the entire day at the track. Yet, when a newcomer shows up and sees all the people and how organized things are and all of the enthusiasm they wonder if this hobby is one of the best-kept secrets.
Is RC Racing Growing?
A lot of fans think that the RC racing community is actually dwindling instead of growing. They contribute this factor to confusion about the different types of races and models. There can also be some frustration in finding the right track and getting the correct information. One of the problems is that each type of car and race is so specialized that it is like a niche within a niche.
If you are looking for a new hobby RC racing might be for you. There are tons of really nice cars available including new drift car models like Redcat racing epx. You can probably find a local track and a local racing club near your home. You don’t have to go to a track or join a club. You could just race at home or with friends. You can even create your own club.
Build Your Own
Besides racing and competition, people get a lot of satisfaction with working on the cars. You can build your own car using electric, gas, or nitro-powered engines. Even if you buy an existing car, it’s upgradable. You can also change or upgrade things like your tires, suspension, steering, transmission, and even the vehicle weight. You can build the perfect car whether you are a drag racer, a drift racer, or an off-road racer.