| By Alex Woolridge Times Dispatch Staff Writer The race is down to the final lap, but as the front car starts to make a sharp turn just before the finish, it slams into the wall and loses the lead. |
"Believe me, every guy out here - if they had the opportunity - they'd be racing real cars."
But that doesn't mean this type of racing is exactly cheap. Racers can get started for $200-$300, Basl said, but a good one-eighth-scale car could set you back $1,000. "While it is not the cheapest hobby to get into, it is one of the cheaper ways to go racing. I think each tire is $350 plus at Southside Speedway," he said. While the cars are between one-eighth and one-tenth the size of a normal car, the speeds and heat of the competition are anything but small. Basl, who has been president of the group since last year, explains that there are two basic types of cars. The first is "ready to run," which novices can use to jump right in. The drivers only have to worry about batteries or fuel with these, while advanced racers use more intricate "kit" cars. Kit cars have individual parts - motors, shocks, carburetors - that can be adjusted or replaced the same way those of a regular car would. Although it is only a casual hobby for some, serious competitors can spend hours scouring the Internet for parts and making modifications. SEE RACE PAGE D22 |
| RACE ---FROM PAGE D21
Race day can be the culmination of weeks' of hard work or it can be a disaster. The drivers control their cars via remote while standing on a platform a few feet in the air. This way competitors can see their cars wind around all of the track's turns. | During the past five years, he has seen the sport grow."We started out as a 'run what you brung,' so if someone showed up with something we'd put you somewhere, but we've kind of evolved a little bit further than that," Medlin said. Now the organization, which is sanctioned by the nationally recognized Remotely Operated Auto Racers group, has six classes to accommodate the various skill levels and car sizes. As VORRA's membership has increased, its audience also has grown. Families that are "just passing by" stay for an hour or two, and occasionally an eager son will persuade his parents to sign them up for the action. The group's treasurer, Tommy Ingram, says children are drawn to the cars. "It's fun to watch the cars. The kids love them," Ingram said. "The kids come out of a restaurant, and they just stand here and go 'Wow, look at'em burning rubber!'" Medlin says RC racing brought his family closer. Although he says his son and daughter have drifted from the hobby since driver's licenses and dating came into the picture, he will always remember the time they shared. "They had fun. It's something we'll never forget," Medlin said. "We all had fun together. It's just a thrill to see these cars running. It's a thrill to see a little bitty car like this with a little bitty motor in it go so fast." Club member John Pritchett, who owns about 30 cars, knows how valuable the time together can be. "It's good for the kids and fathers," Pritchett said. "They get that time together that kids and parents don't have that much anymore."
|
