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Well you guys in socal have it good. 3 tracks here closed in last 6 months and none within an hour of the 3rd largest city in the country now!

RCveteran wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2019 8:12 pm Well you guys in socal have it good. 3 tracks here closed in last 6 months and none within an hour of the 3rd largest city in the country now!

Sorry but I'm gonna go off topic again..

Wow, that's disappointing! I have to believe that it's only a matter of time before another track opens - there must be many RC racers in Chicago.
I'm curious; I've spent my first 36 years living just 18 miles from Springfield, where's your closest track now?
Back in the good ole days, we raced in Peoria, Champaign (Slot and Wing Hobbies) and Bloomington (Mid-America Raceway) in the north-central part of the state, and in E. St. Louis and various small tracks in the south (can't recall their names).

Closest track now is Morris, IL or just across border in Wisconsin, depending on where you are starting from either could be a short drive or a long haul. Racing needs a total revamp to attract more than the usual 30 hardcore people that show up consistently and expect the track to cater to them only at the expense of the rest for $20 a day. Market rents and cost to operate simply won't work.

RCveteran wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2019 11:17 am ... Racing needs a total revamp to attract more than the usual 30 hardcore people that show up consistently and expect the track to cater to them only at the expense of the rest for $20 a day. Market rents and cost to operate simply won't work.

That pretty much sums it up. Not sure what, if anything, can be done.
Our only LHS and track closed a few years ago. I've been wanting to speak to the Parks authority folks to see if it's possible to setup a track at one of the local public parks. I have no idea exactly where to begin or if they'd even listen to me. There are tracks in this region but it will require a long drive - would make for a very long day.

You start with the local municipal board explaining the community benefit for relatively little cost. It's been done. There's a thread on RCtech 23 pages long right now about the issues with racing and how to solve and your idea is one of them.

Common themes:
1) Too much time, most cannot give up a whole day for racing, need a 3 hour in and out format
2) Too many classes
3) Too competitive and steep expensive learning curve keeping newbies out
4) Tracks can't make money on the parts side they so the need to increase race fees and offer ancillary product, coffee, food, party packages, workshops and on and on
5) Motors are not a good way to divide, should be skill divided. The fast guys are fast no matter what and should be carved out
6) Huge gap between novice/sportsman and "Stock" class which is stupid competitive and fast now. The vast majority of folk fall in between and are ignored and get discouraged quickly.
7) Clickish/secretive culture who won't help
Track size should shrink, major size great at pro levels and in socal where there are a ton more racers. Rest of USA, space costs money and many have hard time driving on track that gets too large.
9) End of day people have way more competing for their time and interest than we did 30 years ago with less disposable income and more work than ever. RC needs to be viewed as just another entertainment source, how do you pull those people in? It's not about the hardcore, they can't keep the business alive. Ford does not stay in business selling Shelby Mustangs, they do it selling cars to the masses.

I worry about both RC racing and real car drag racing here in Southern California, the RC side we lose a few gain a few but more on the loss side. Not to many friendly people left at these local tracks like you mentioned (clicks) I’ve been to 3 tracks in the last few months the biggest/best one was the worst the 2 smaller tracks much more involved with the practice/race days and people helping out.

I remember one guy at the bigger track shooing some kid away when he was asking questions about his shocks I felt like drop kicking the man but I called the kid over and fixed his shock problem gave him some advice and to never hold back questions for anyone even assholes. At the smaller track one time some guy tried to charge a kid 10 bucks to fix his transmission issue I told him to go and kick rocks told the kids parent to come on my table and setup next to me I’ll help a beginner out.

Now onto what kills me the most the Mecca of drag racing here in souther California is almost all gone now that really really sucks.

Rant over.
Jake

From RC to drag racing and everything in between, I feel that all forms of motorsports are on the decline. I guess it's generational; millennials don't find cars interesting (considering what's in dealership show rooms these days, can you really blame them?) and would rather play computer games or hang out on social networks. Golf will be next. It's a different world.

Funny, I was a "car guy" forever and loved working on them, racing them, cruising etc. Had too many to count. Over the years, real life happening they started to feel like work and I gradually just saw them as a tool to get where I was going. But my love for toy cars increased 10 fold. Real ones felt like work, toy ones feel like I can never have enough. So half of me is millenial and half is gen X to the core.

KidAgain wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2019 5:14 pm It is a sad situation how we sold out to china and we take it in stride like its no big deal GO TRUMP

Yes I know I typed this on a chinese made computer

some reading for you: https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2018/06/28/harley-davidson-shifts-some-production-out-of-america

(this topic had drifted way off-topic already anyway...)

Lonestar wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2019 10:46 am

KidAgain wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2019 5:14 pm It is a sad situation how we sold out to china and we take it in stride like its no big deal GO TRUMP

Yes I know I typed this on a chinese made computer

some reading for you: https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2018/06/28/harley-davidson-shifts-some-production-out-of-america

(this topic had drifted way off-topic already anyway...)

Don't need a lesson in economics bud thanks, I should have never brought it up........................................

Back on topic

DO WOULD YOU LIKE GREEN BALL CUPS AND HAM?

I DO NOT LIKE THEM,SAM-I-AM.
I DO NOT LIKE GREEN BALL CUPS AND HAM.

WOULD YOU LIKE THEM HERE OR THERE?

I WOULD NOT LIKE THEM HERE OR THERE.
I WOULD NOT LIKE THEM ANYWHERE.
I DO NOT LIKE GREEN BALL CUPS AND HAM.
I DO NOT LIKE THEM, SAM-I-AM.

RCveteran wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2019 12:19 pm Back on topic

DO WOULD YOU LIKE GREEN BALL CUPS AND HAM?

I DO NOT LIKE THEM,SAM-I-AM.
I DO NOT LIKE GREEN BALL CUPS AND HAM.

WOULD YOU LIKE THEM HERE OR THERE?

I WOULD NOT LIKE THEM HERE OR THERE.
I WOULD NOT LIKE THEM ANYWHERE.
I DO NOT LIKE GREEN BALL CUPS AND HAM.
I DO NOT LIKE THEM, SAM-I-AM.

I will use the green ball cups
I will use them on my trucks
I will use them in yo face
Well sh1t, one just cost me the race

If you expose those awfull green parts to direct sunlight for a few days, they will turn to a wither shade.

Don’t use bleach, they will turn yellow.