RC Car Shows in UK??

[James]

Originally Posted by chuckie stella

Perfect boss!!!

Is there anything you won't take on, fair play mate

Hah, I think you're pretty much the same!

Originally Posted by Lee1972

James,
A friend of mine already has a business doing this, he has about twelve short course trucks which he takes to racing events makes a small track and hires them out if you're interested I'll give you his number.
Lee

Hi Lee, thanks but if EFRA allow it I'd be having a company in to actually sponsor and pay me to use the venue, going to get it in mainstream media and get the public to come and watch. It's going to be the best shop window in the UK for electric buggys for a while . I do have firms wanting to do this already!

[James]

It would be good if there was a national R/C show in general though - cars, quads, boats, robots. Perhaps the BRCA and it's sister organisations could talk about if it might be viable?
Why did the model engineers finish? Who used to organise it?

[RedAl]

The appetite doesn't seem to be there from the UK RC manufacturers and distributors.

The Milton Keynes round of the BRCA 12th scale nationals is being held in the Centre:MK shopping centre.

The area is around 1,800 sqm right in the heart of the shopping centre, outside John Lewis and surrounded by all the coffee shops.

The centrepiece of the event is the 5th round of the 12th nationals. The event will include live video and audio streaming by RCracingTV and live professional commentary all weekend.

The BRCA are bringing their full exhibition stand along together with a second smaller track to allow the general public to have a go at driving an RC car.

We set aside exhibition space (300 sqm) with the intention of attracting RC & full size motorsport partners who would like to show their products to the thousands of members of the public who will be attracted to the event or just passing through the shopping centre for a minimal cost.

However, despite the best efforts of many we're struggling to fill the space!

[andrewc]

I remember model engineers; me and a couple of mate raced there, was a great showcase for the sport.

Demos are a must IMO; I've recently returned to RC in the SE (after a 15year plus break) and the club scene has been decimated compared to when I last raced; tracks gone, low entries etc, and yet IMO the actual cost of competing has come down with Lipo, brushless etc. (Still got daft costly tyre compounds but that's a whole different argument!)

I originally joined my local RC club after they ran a demo at a really low key local car show; the local model shop had asked them to do it, and I ran my Tamiya Terra Scorcher and of course got totally, roundly thrashed. Everyone was friendly, a few pointers, and before you know it all my paper round money was going on ESC's, new cars, cells, peak charger, LRP, comm lathe etc etc!

Point is if no-one shows the sport off, and makes it a bit accessible, it can't grow. I'd love to see an RTR one make series at local clubs/regional level, a national final with prize being the full race kit/semi supported drive etc. All do-able, but obviously a lot of effort needs to go in and I fully appreciate that takes time and commitment to do.

Incidentally; as a returning competitor, this place was the only place, along with RCtech, to de-mystify any of the new technology. I saw a thread the other day about newbies asking daft questions and not searching the forum; some FAQ's and a get started sticky would work a treat? Even an FAQ explaining why "what's the best ???" is an unanswerable question would be a start. If I hadn't had 7/8 years previous racing experience from 13 to 20 years old I wouldn't have had a clue where to start and would likely have not bothered, whole hobby would just have seemed like another language and too hard to 'get in to.'

All the above not meant to be negative; just agree more 'show races' away from remote RC tracks are a great idea. Great to be back and enjoying the sport again : ) I'm at EPR tomo if anyone's going. This time round I've got all the gear and no talent ; )

[andrewc]

Just seen post previous to mine…what a shame, perfect example of what needs to be done!

[eyeayen]

I used to work at a model shop in 2003/4 when the NEC one was on, we were importing helicopters and had a stand there. The trouble is because it was the NEC it was hugely expensive, the model industry isn't like others and the costs were just too high.

Also people expected to be able to get deals by being there like when you go to any show at the NEC but the first year it wasn't really shops it was manufacturers showing stuff but some of it wasn't even for sale, because of that the 2nd year was a bit flat and it stopped after that.

If it could be done in a smaller venue that wasn't so expensive per metre for your stand and maybe people could get deals it would probably appeal to more and take off.

There were helicopters, planes, boats, Touring car races, there were even tanks there which drove around on the first day, they were big kits, about 20 stone one guy said his weighed but the NEC Health and Safety people told them they couldn't drive them around or crush small plastic kits which they'd made up for that purpose because it was a hazard and could hurt people so I think some of them went home after the first day.

That's not what is needed but I'm sure if everyone who does modelling got together it could happen again, a nice mix of cars and flying things with some scale thrown in and maybe even trains would surely generate enough interest and maybe people who hadn't seen some area's of the hobby would be interested to see what else can be done ??? I would like to see a dedicated model show in the UK once a year.

[bridgey]

I think if we all put our heads together, I reckon we have a enough knowledge and experience to get something like this off the ground and rolling.

As regards with a venue, what about somewhere in the midlands so it is equal for everyone to get to

[SlowOne]

In the days where all races were a grid start, and the first car on the road was actually winning that race, our shows were well attended and people loved the spectacle. With the staggered start, a race meeting is a non-starter for entertaining the public.

After one lap the field is completely strung out, and no member of the general public understands how it is possible for the car in eighth place on the road is winning the heat! The cars these days look nothing like anything the public sees on TV and the drivers almost never go into the crowd and talk to people. Where's the appeal in that?

In every other sport the spectacle of the event is only part of it. More of it is making personalities out of the people who participate and having the spectators take 'sides' with their favourites. Who really understands how to throw a right hook, play a top spin lob, drive a race car, play a bunker shot or bowl at 100mph? Boxing, tennis, F1, golf and cricket have Amir Khan, Andy Murray, Kimi Raikonnen, John Daly and Freddie Flintoff that attract punters and make them feel some empathy with that sport. Who do we have?

Don't expect the trade to come rushing in - times is hard and too many of us shop with our fingers in far-flung places. They are all going to on-line shopping and the retail stores are disappearing. If you really want to get more people in then we have to decide how we replace the high-street model shop as our source of new drivers for our clubs. Anyone with a desire to drive RC cars after the Euros at RHR is going to go where to buy it, and where to race it? If we have no conduit to the clubs we limit the number of people we can get into the sport.

As a sport, we have spent 25 years or more trying to do this. And every time we do we get some more people in, but it never reaches the heights we all hope for. Whatever the contrast to other sports, whatever the situation with the model shops and the clubs, there are more BRCA members now that 25 years ago. These things work, just not as well as we think they will!

I hope all goes well at RHR and hope to get across to watch the best in Europe. Nice to see the Euros back in the UK, and well done James and BRCA for getting it here.

[dwp102]

Apologies in advance for the shortness of the message I am on my phone...to me the key is getting a younger andience involved. To get them interested the best way to do so is for them to see them going, and to be able to have a go. In my view the best way for this to happen would be to organise events in public areans with a family bias eg fetes, car boot sales, anywhere where there will be parwnts with children really. Construct a temporary rostrum and some rope and the venue is good to go. Then between one round and the next allow observers to have a go. And finally have a model shop on site for any impulse buys.

[mark christopher]

The biggest problem to get new blood into this hobby is cost and time. Tc or buggies your at a grand to set IP with top gear, and when the newbie goes to look and his mum/dad ask how much they simply got buy a ps4 or Xbox a few games and little Jonny is in his room all weekend and his parent dontvhave to make an effort to go and take him racing and spend on tyres/breakages etc.

[dwp102]

Rtrs 150, 2 sets of nanno tech batteries 40? Charger? 40? How much does a ps4 with 2 games cost these days?

[dwp102]

As a caviet to that...cars come set up rtr for clay...where are the rtrs set up for uk tracks?

[dwp102]

A rtr that comes set up mm with yellow mini spikes and lp cut staggered ribs is what we need in thi country.

[Lee1972]

Originally Posted by mark christopher

The biggest problem to get new blood into this hobby is cost and time. Tc or buggies your at a grand to set IP with top gear, and when the newbie goes to look and his mum/dad ask how much they simply got buy a ps4 or Xbox a few games and little Jonny is in his room all weekend and his parent dontvhave to make an effort to go and take him racing and spend on tyres/breakages etc.

If you're buying all brand new gear then yes. I tell prospective buyers when asked at our club to look on Ebay for pre owned as they call it these days and as mentioned above you can get Turnigy batteries cheap so you don't have to spend thousands initially.

[brooksy]

I think Mark is right about the fact a lot of parents nowadays don't interact with there kids. Rather than enjoying something together it's far easier for them to buy a console and just leave the kid in his/her room playing on those......a sad indictment of today's society I'm afraid

I'm on a very tight budget for this hobby but I've managed to set my son up with my old 210 and saddles I had for it,£35 2.4 etronix radio gear and reventon combo for £65.

I've grown up with model boats/cars,my dad and eldest brother started with boats over 50 years ago and it's just carried on from there. A lot of people who race with there kids today have either raced many years ago and just got back into it or have been doing it for years and it's just a natural progression for there kids to do it as well.....like mine hopefully.

Like I said earlier,for the euro's,local media need to be involved which James is doing. If manufacturers could supply say five cars each that are good to go there's always a chance of getting new people hooked.

[Boons]

Nice to see I'm not the only one wanting a show then

[beale]

The guy that runs Cheadle/Stockport RCMCC has bought up loads of Blitz SC's and travels to classic car shows, he pays for a retailer spot and let's people drive for so many minutes for a couple of quid. It's basically non profit as fuel costs and maintenance of all cars tends to burn it up. The idea being it introduces more people to the world of RC.

[Si Coe]

There have been mixed RC shows like Wings and Wheels, and general shows with a large RC contingent like Woodvale Rally until recently but at those events RC cars were always the poor relation to the flyers. We'd race but there might be at best 1 or 2 stalls supporting cars to 20-30 with planes so it didn't help much.
Even Model Engineering was the same - normally the main hall was rammed with static models and shops selling plastic kits, then the side hall was full of planes and boats. The cars were tucked away in the furthest corner. People went to the show and never even spotted us!
As a sport we seem happy to sit on the sidelines.....

But yes, with the demise of the LHS it is important to consider how we get new people into this hobby. I've seen very little genuine new blood - most 'new' drivers had a car as a kid 10-20 years ago and are getting back into it now, and in bringing their children too. How many young drivers do you know who aren't the son/daughter of an old hand?

But promoting the sport costs money and who profits? If my club holds a race at a local fair say, we might get an extra racer or 2 tops so its not worth it. A model shop might sell enough kits to cover the expense but why would a model shop the other end of the country go to a local fair in Wigan? And in any case these days most people would go online and order from China in the first place!
So we do need promotion but its really just not profitable enough to any one group to justify the cost most of the time.

[James]

We definitely have new blood at our RHR astro club nights, some of you will know Tom and his mates who are now regular racers all round Mansfield, Bridgeford, Worksop, Broxtowe . Just two weeks ago we had two guys start up who race motorbikes, they bought some schuey cars from ebay, did some practicing at RHR and now have been to Batley and other venues. We have another lad who's about 14 start with his dad who used to race karts. Another two who come down on their bikes from the local town and have even put their experiences on youtube. And even our legend Charles! Who loved it from the start and was a major help in the oOple race, F345's and now is well into Worksop too! We've had a couple of retired guys this year, and several others. Infact I'd say well over half of the weds night people who have stated coming are new racers.
I have found that most say to me they find even club racing a bit daunting and they like to come and have a run round the track in their own time to gain some confidence and skill before racing with others. Steves right, you can do it cheap but you need the knowledge to shop around, oOple is a great resource for comparing and decision making on what to buy, but a manufacturers 'Club Racer' pack with all the basics but on a budget would make that initial breaking into racing less complex. We always take the mick out of the number of US classes ie stock/13.5 etc but maybe we should pay more attention! You're pretty much in for a penny in for a pound in the UK!

[chuckie stella]

I have to say James, I agree with everything in your last post. Especially the fact new chaps find it so daunting, I remember I did at Broxtowe in 2008 watching chaps fly round their winter series! We have lots of people/families just coming to watch every week right now which I hope will turn in to more racers!