About 5 years ago, with a one of life’s mishaps and a series of coincidences, I became involved in R/C Cars. I had made some off the wall comment to a co-worker friend of mine about “wanting to get into R/C Cars”. A few months later, he was moving back East, he gave me one. A Tamiya Baja Beetle, with a Futaba AM Radio and batteries. Now this little Bug was pretty well beat up, I put it back in working order only to have it break again. So bitten by the bug, I got another toy, using the radio and other electric’s to get it running.

Then my best friend, pulled out his Tamiya Grasshopper, blew out the cobwebs, oiled it up and charged his batteries. We spent hours running up and down the street, streetlight to streetlight. That was our first oval on 92nd Avenue. Racing was Ready, Set, wizzzzzzzzzzzz, Go!

Then one night, it happened, the Grasshopper spun out in front of my truck. Me, with a hand full of throttle. I was left with no choice and very slow reflexes. Whaaaaaackkk! One dead Grasshopper, broken shock tower, later to find out replacement parts were not readily available. Jerry later found a Losi XXX, and bought one, me… not to be out done, got one too! Back to tearing up the 92nd Avenue Oval, along came new radios, more batteries, more motors, etc.

A buddy of ours was watching us play one night and we offered him the opportunity to drive my truck. Wizzzzzzzzz, splat, clunk, clunk, clunk and wham is all we could hear from the garage. Bobo was having a ball. The following week, BoBo made a trip to the nearest local hobby shop, with a statement of “I want something that I can beat my friends with”. More money then sense, I guess. A few days later he had himself a B-3 and now three of us tearing up 92nd Avenue.

Well of course, as you all know, one thing leads to another and we found R/C Sports Mania had an Off-Road track! So here I am, gathering up my toy and going to go race!

Well when I got there early about 4 o’clock, Gary had torn up the Off-Road Track, only half of it was left. I found this little round kid on an ATV dragging this sled behind him; I asked what was going on. He said no more off road, just racing oval. Why don’t you race oval tonight? I explained to him, that I had never done this before and wasn’t so sure. But, he told me that it was all right and that I would do okay, not to worry.

Man, talking about being scarred, what of I am not sure. Tearing up my car, not! Making an ass of myself, maybe, but I am used to that, plenty of practice. Being in everyone’s way and causing him or her to break their cars…. My mind ran wild with thoughts of…. man I don’t know any of these guys… What am I doing here…? God, I hope I don’t screw up! Why am I making this hobby thing such a big deal?

Though the details of my first heat are sketchy. I told the “guys” to watch out for me, as I was a “virgin”. A couple of them remarked that they were too. There were four of us Novice’s there that evening. So, off goes the tone…I was racing … don’t even recall how I finished, nor do I recall how I finished in the 2nd heat. But, in the Main, I seem to have gotten it together and eaked out second place finish behind another Novice, with both of us turning 25 laps with a Stock Buggy. I don’t think I could have ever gotten through that evening without being baby-sat… fellows, I now know, offered their suggestions and help.

Funny thing, it has been a little more five years since I put my car down on the track at RCSM. I am still having the butterflies until that Starter Tone goes off. I still worry about screwing up, causing someone else to break their car, or loosing them the race. But you know I have been laughed at, laughed with, fussed at and have done my own fussing too. I cannot begin to explain how much fun that I really have had!

Now, I am back to running a Pan Car, something, I have done off and on for the past couple of years, just to help make a class, or be cannon fodder for the go-fasters and to mess up the point standings, ha. Butterflies abound, each time I get on the track with them. … they can be intimidating. These guys are good, and they are fast. I have torn-up car bodies, tires and other important parts, trying to get out of their way. I was turning 36 (if I was lucky) laps whist these boys were turning in the mid-to high forties in four minutes. So I still considered myself to be a Novice in the Class. But after each heat, to this day, my competitors have always had time to answer questions and offer me some help… and in some cases parts! They have been extremely patient with me and have got me up to running 42-44 laps now. And then … 5 minute Mains.

So to all of you new fellows who want to start racing, get your car and come on out! There is nothing special about these pan cars, they are SOB, with trick “hop-up” parts, motors, radios and batteries right off the shelf. Honest! But just finding the right shelf can be a little hard, but Gary and Cinda are always there for us. So No Problems, now, no excuses!

I know that you will have fun, you will get all the help and advice you can comprehend. And be thoroughly overwhelmed.

Something special happens at RCSM. You will find it is something guys don’t like to talk about, so we will leave it at that! But it is PRICELESS.

Each and every one of my friends here at RCSM and me, are ready and willing to help you out! Even the biggest, and fastest of them all, yep, that little round kid on the ATV will lend a hand to make you a better driver and your car go faster! We all started somewhere!

Many thanks to Billy, Miles, Brandon, Paul, Crazy Ray, Alan H, Mike & Mike, Racer X, Chris, Chris, Pop’s, Jerry, Bob, Jerky, Kelly, Pete, and all.