Is there a future?
 

Question I have is this....

I used to race in the mid 90's and decided to make a return nearly 2 years ago.

In that time, most of the faces I see are those that were around when I last raced (admittadly a few years older), or a few that have progressed through the ranks inbetween.

My concern is there doestnt seem to be many new drivers coming through the ranks. The numbers commiting to the junior finals reiterates this point.

Is there anything we can do to encourage the sport, or is it something that will potentially die out over time? I really hope the latter is not the case but is there anything people involved in the hobby can do to maintain the future success?

Advertise at schools more?

Just like flyers pinned up on their notice boards or something. Advertising the fact that racing takes place, especially if the clubs use that school to race.

For RC as a whole - yes there is a future. Rallycross is where it is at and nearly all the good drivers are young. 1/10th scale died right down between the mid 90's until recently. So you basically missed the decline but no doubt noticed it on return?

Anyway tenth scale seems to be getting more popular again and hopefully we will see lots of new drivers coming into tenth as well.

In norfolk we ran an 1/8th club for ten years holding three nationals etc etc, but it was very hard to get raw beginers into rallyx as the cars just don't like pottering round with a lerner also they soon found that rallyx cars were very unforgiving on any cheep components servos,radio etc they found setting engines up some sort of dark voodo and then there were clutches,and shimming the diffs right and if they made a mistake like forgetting tiewraping their airfilter pipe to the engine and it came of mid race there face would fall a bit when you told them the engine was for the bin!! but it's ok cos the shop has some good cheep ones at £120+
Also running an 8th club can be a nightmare as getting a peice of land were nobody is going to complain about the noise can be hard work, and then the track maintanance is never ending as the cars are very hard on the track (unless you got astro££££)

As a result of all this the club had very few beginers, Kids would come look, there dad would take a look at the cars find out how much one was look at the amount of gear needed............then head for the gate!! most kids in rallyx have fathers who were well into it before hand (Elliot is a great eg)

Last year the club came to an end and I now run a tenth club on the site, it's not been easy but we now have a lot of new faces including 4 kids. The thing about 10th is you can set them off with say a B4 rtr and they can plug and play, they can get the car, a charger and some batterys for sub £200 and have a good days racing.Also when they are on the track marsheling the is far less chance of getting hurt.We do a display at the local school fate and this year were are doing a few more fates localy. Flyers in schools, local papers, posters in any shop thats sells cars. Two of our keenest new members found out about the club at there local swimming club:woot:

Is there a future? yes very much so. :thumbsup:

I think brushless and lipo will help things too.

The playstation generation like plug and play. God im getting old:confused:

When i first started at southport they used to run mardave meteor heats they used to get 2 heat fulls every week as well. it was good because everyone had very simillar gear, the new drivers actually had a chance to win races with out having to compete against modified motors etc.Maybe something simillar could be done with ready to run b4s

How did everyone reading this start racing?

Personally, I was bought an RC car when I was probably 5, and I used to be able to drive it and walk behind it, then my uncle gave me his 10th scale pan car which was fast - but to use it we had to go to the smoothest car parks at night - when empty. Then at 9yrs old I was bought a Monster truck which I raced a friend around the street with. So when my friend went to Bury Model shop one day he was told about the club, which he came back and told me about and we turned up there the next weekend - that was the start of my weekly racing and my mate never came back.

I think that now (certainly NW region), there are less shops actively involved with the clubs. For example we had Bury Modelshop > Bury Buggy club, Micks Models > Chorley Buggy Club, Rochdale models > Roche Valley Buggy Club, Formby Models > Southport Buggy Club, A shop in Oldhame (forgot name) > Oldham Buggy club.

Out of this list, only Formby Models is still open and now they have less involvement with the club.

The other idea is local news paper coverage. I know Teesside have had this - did it help?

The other thing is that there are so many of us who have raced for ages and ages, that when a beginner comes the difference in skill level is massive and that can be offputting. This is why everyone in this forum needs to be friendly and supportive to beginners and especially first timers... im sure we all are.. :thumbsup:

The class we race is growing, but I think thats because there people moving over from TC. Perhaps now the beginners are choosing TC as in introduction? I don't know.

I think the problem is the lack of clubs which race off-road at "club" level, certainly none within an hours drive of where I live!!!

All the clubs seem to run snouring car, I guess that is what appeals to the kids due to the scale look.

I started by going to Alcester buggy cub, who ran every weekend IIRC, with a friend. 1 meeting and I was hooked. That club was about 30mins away and as I had a friend to go with my dad didn't have to give up his sunday afternoon (his only time off) to take me. Of course as I got more into it he came along and supported me more than I could ever have hoped.


If that was the now then what would I be able to do (assuming I was a 10 year old kid)? Answer is nothing ..... there are no clubs in this part of the world!!!!!

What we all need to do is campaign the clubs were we go to run snouring car / micro / whatever else you run to run a heat of buggies. That will hopefully increase interest ... then there will be two heats, then 3 .... hopefully.

The real problem is the lack of places to run "off-road". If your in the north or south east then your the lucky ones. There seems to be very few clubs in the south west, midlands and Wales etc.
I guess that will continue to be the case till we have drivers to cater for from the indoor clubs ..... chicken and egg..

I agree most clubs/meetings are geared towards the top end drivers, Maybe the heats with people who can only just get round the track are more important at club level.

I think we are starting to see a full circle now in the East of england we have a number of carpet rats returning to off road:thumbsup:

PS before anyone points it out.....yes my spelling is pants:lol:.

My first taste of an radio/'remote' control car was like Chris, I had one for christmas when I was about 6. But then it wore off and I took intrest in something else due to no one else being into RC.

Then when I started work and earning my own money, my workplace was across the road from Brampton radio models. So when I'd worked enough to save some money I bought a Manta Ray. Then over the next year or so I spent all my spare money 'hopping it up' getting better motors etc.

Then Glynn Ward asked if I raced it. I said no, and he told me of a club that ran at a school, so I went to have look. They ran buggies in the school hall, and I thought it was amazing. So I talked to a few people, got some info about another club that run outdoor at a pub in Tansley.

I didn't even go to have a look first. I just got all the gear I needed and went to have a go at racing, and i've been racing ever since.

Yes I ended up having to spend more money on electronics etc. so that they didn't keep melting down when racing, but I knew that would be situation eventually.

Ok, what I raced changed over the years and after about 4 years racing buggies the numbers started to dwindle and I ended up moving onto racing F1's, then TC's......until last year, when I got back into buggies.:thumbsup:

If you mean Model Junction, they have thier own club, which has nothing to do with the BBC, sadly like alot of others, they lost thier off-road track a few years back, and have been running snorers since the dip in off-road a few years ago.

Good little club though, did most of racing there till I gave up racing, then came back with the Lawford club:D Did go along to a Model Junction tarmac meeting last year with my BX, ended up beating the snorers at thier own game:thumbsup:

When I said Bury, I meant Bury.... not Bury Noel Edmunds :lol: Always good to hear about a buggy beating a snorer :thumbsup:

I don't see as many kids playing on the street like I used to, we used to play kerby, have full on matches, go out on bikes or race RC cars - so kids aren't compelled to play out like that anymore? perhaps it is the playstation era doing it?

or XBOX chris { vegas 2 be out soon m8 }:thumbsup:

Yep, and mines on Preorder from Play.com - possibility it'll arrive Wednesday/Thursday and that'll be me busy all easter, except for mountain biking on Friday with Kash, and racing on Sunday. :thumbsup:

yep mine on pre order m8 :)

Is this thread started by the same Wayne who started a thread about the lack of NE regional events??? :confused:

:thumbdown::thumbdown::thumbdown::thumbdown:

Try putting 2 and 2 together.... :bored:

G

Erm, yes it is.

Lack of clubs = concern

Lack of regional rounds = concern

So same Wayne is concerned about the future of the hobby. Whats wrong with that?!?

Id love there to be 10 rounds of regionals, but the lack of club venues does not permit that to happen. But if the number of locations is falling, we are potentially in danger of there being fewer clubs next year?

Thats the only point I was trying to get across in the number of rounds in the regional post. I aint having a go mate, so dont appreciate the sarcastic tone

The lack of regional rounds id to allow the clubs we have to hold club days to get the young blood in.

Simple.

G

Sorry Wayne,

Didn't mean to be sarcastic.

I just don't think people know what goes on behind closed doors....

G

You all need to get involved with the clubs and help the people out who run those clubs,instead of moaning and bitching all over the place.
This is not particulally directed at anyone here,but you will do;)
:D
:thumbsup:
:wub

Is it possible to have a news letter for the NE region so people can find out what goes on behind closed doors, i know some people like to be in the know and not let on to others what is happening but it would be nice as an outsider to see what the clubs in the regions aims are and how they are going about achieving the goals.

I don't think a news letter which includes what goes on behind closed doors is a good idea, as it invites that those who think they know better to voice there opinion which is unhealthy in that it demotivates people who we need like Graham, and then we've gone backwards.

We just need to trust that things are done for a reason, and G is good enough to explain that if asked. Sometimes things may look like they could be better, but then there are always reasons and decisions made based on compromise and logic.

Any more than 5 rounds per season and then people are forced to choose between regional vs worksop, or regional vs worksop vs wife.. :lol:

4 clubs in a region is less than before, but believe me - NW is of more concern, we only have Bury and Southport and we once had Chorley, Leigh, Oldham, Burnley, Bolton, Bury, Southport, Ellesmere Port, South Lakes and Rochdale, and we was able to race Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday every week... so in having less rounds of regional gives the existing clubs in the NE chance to keep attendance levels high otherwise more will go.

There are 5 clubs ;)

Jarrow
NERCR
Teesside
York
Batley


It would be nice to see the clubs holding big 'one off' meetings during the summer, like an outdoor supercup for example. If these could be held where the public can see them then we can all promote the sport and try and get some young blood in. I'm allready working on one such meeting.

If you have just read the above and thought 'oh, that sounds cool', don't leave it up to the same old faces at your local club to do something about it. Next time your there, offer your help to arrange something. Even if it's just helping to set the track up the day before.

As it says in the circuit chatter (which I'll assume you've all read) from our PRO, it is up to us all to promote the sport.

So lets work together, get some good meetings going this year, and have fun. :thumbsup:

No worries G

Just dont want people to think Im having a go at anyone for not doing enough, that wasnt my intention :thumbsup:.

Just wanted to discuss with the racers the current trends

Since this seems to have turned into a northern england based thread I am an outsider but have to ask this question....

Do you mean to say that there are ACTUALLY clubs running CLUB meetings regularly for 1/10th off-road in your part of the world?????????????


If so that is great for you guys .... nothing at all I know of around here (by that I mean within an hour, no two hours drive!!!)

In the east of England norfolk buggy club run every other week all year round, outdoors (weather permiting:o). Then on the weelends we are not racing there are other clubs not to far away holding meetings (Lawford........To keep John M happy:D among others)

Thats the other thing, to keep kids into it you have to keep racing, if you start holding one meeting a month and not racing if it's a bit damp they soon lose interest, they want to drive rain wind or errrr even snow!! you must keep going or they stop comming.

On the subject of big meetings in the summer......Bring back the british GP, great meeting and every body pitting in one big tent great days.:thumbsup:

YES! :thumbsup:

Hopefully the lack of regionals (well we still have 8 races, but just on 5 weekends) will encourage more club meetings and one off events too :D

I think Diane at Batley is hoping to run a club championship actually ON national dates, so a real club driver can win it, not an F1 superstar!

G

It seems even more bleak further north in my current neck of the woods (glasow) there is a total of 4 know clubs between here and edinburgh. one runs nitro tc's theres my local Csor which is geared towards 1/8 buggies n truggies, they do allow 1/10 buggies too but not deemed as champoinship worthy! theres also a clud in east kilbride who are striving to get buggies running on their indoor track which im ganna take an active role in and one for tc's indoor over in edinburgh! i used to be in north east region so you can imagine the withdrawl of propper racing!:eh?:

unfortunatly it has alway been a little bleek in the far North........

Jarrow run buggies on a Tuesday night every week, although we could do with some more support for it,

At present we're also working with NERCR towards getting a permanent outdoor track. :D

Peter

Been talking to the Ledbury lads and they say that when their track is ready we'll have a 1/10th CLUB ... doing club racing in the West Mids area ...... yippy ..... been at least 10 years since I have seen that sort of thing!!!!!

Try living in northern ireland, the closest offroad track is a 2hr drive from me and thats a 1/8th rallycross track, the nearest 1/10th track is a good 2 1/2 ~ 3hrs away. I've tried drumming up interest but dispite there being 15 regular racers running buggys at my local club (indoors, polished wood, wooden ramps) none of them are interested in actually running outside off-road. :(

York Club
 

New to the sport but I want to get into racing so I drove to the nearest club to me in Knaresbourough.
York RC club runs regular race meets every other saturday 6.00 check in race till 11.00 in a school sports hall, they made me feel very welcome when I popped in to check it out, I joined on the spot, its indoor electric 1/10 buggy racing, guessing there was 30 to 40 people there, nice computersised lap counting etc ( this may be the norm but i was impressed ) got lots of advise on setting up my new car and was even given a few spares I was short of on my new car,

http://www.yorcc.org.uk/

Sort of glad to know that I'm not the worst off .... sort of thinking about moving north too .... lol

Is it my imagination or didn't there used to be a clubmans championship where people raced for the honour of their club? Might be getting mixed up with the regions at the EOY finals ......

zedman york is on every week when schools are on check there calendar will see u there when u got ur pred sorted :)

I am realy Luky to be within 15 mins and 45 mins drive away from three of the best tracks in the country Bury Metro Southport and Batley, how good is that.:thumbsup:

No, you are right. There was the clubmans, open to none-F1's (perhaps not F2's or Ex-F1's too) made of teams of 5 or 10 - can't remember that part, it may have been teams of 10 but only the top 5 scored points. The best club of the region went on to race a clubmans finals where the best of each region raced. I remember once being part of the winning team (Leigh) and going to the final at a permanent track on the grounds of a golfcourse near Rugby - then that may have been the last year.

We have the Inter-Club in the NE, although this is a race of teams from each club, it is very different to what the clubmans was.

There was also something similar called the Top models championship I think.

Chris

Glad I'm not going mad in my old age!

I think it's such a shame that I know so many people who race that don't belong to a club at all.

Clubmans challange
 

I have been racing since about 1986 when I got tamiya super sabre for christmas and the local model shop had arranged for anyone who got a car for christmas a race meeting with some prizes for the winners and during the break they had some of their Top drivers domenstrating there skills including a young William Mitchum and that is where I started from and was hooked

I also did several clubmans finals including the time when it was run to Standard motor rules which I think was at a track next to the river at a hotel I think and also remember one at Worksop.

The meetings were open to F3 and F4 drivers only and the teams had 10 drivers plus manager and you raced everyone in mixed races with one driver from each team with one team from each region.

Thats enough driving down memory lane and lets hope things get better as they seem to be in the East

Ledburys not to much of a trek for me, what sort of track will it be?

ta