Radio-controlled cars June 25, 2012 hobby can get competitive KERA WILLIAMS/ Standard-Examiner Alex Strand drives one of his E-Revo radio-controlled cars in Layton on Wednesday. By DANA RIMINGTON Standard-Examiner correspondent MARRIOTT-SLATERVILLE — With intensity levels at a peak and cars racing at full-speed through a dirt- filled track, it might come as a surprise that the vehicles are actually the miniature version of their full-size counterparts. Radio-controlled car enthusiasts say the adrenaline at one of their racing events is just as high as at the full- size version with one exception: the danger level is far less than any motocross or stock car event. The races that take place eVery weekend at Addiction RC in Marriott-Slaterville are intense and fierce, as all ages compete with their radio- controlled cars in the 40-foot- deep pit more than 100 feet long. The courses are even changed up with a tractor every six to eight weeks to keep the racers from getting bored. "The competitive side is really competitive — just as competitive as any other racing sport," said Beazer Martin, 38, owner of Addiction RC. "People wouldn't think so in this kind of hobby. The power and speed the radio- controlled cars generate is pretty incredible for what it is, but at the same time, you don't stand the chance of getting hurt." Martin said a person would get hurt worse by running across the race track and having a nasty fall than they would by getting hit by a radio-controlled car. Hobbyists operating radio- controlled cars have been around since the 1970s. The on- and off-road miniature race cars range in size from 6 inches all the way up to 4 feet long, though most of the cars raced at Addiction RC are in the mid-range, around 16 to 20 inches long, with some of the newer models reaching speeds of 100 mph. Racing radio-controlled cars in old dirt lots and learning how to jump and do tricks with them is exactly what got 20-year-old Alex Strand hooked on the hobby back when he was 8. He now spends about 10 hours a week with his five radio-controlled vehicles, either driving them in dirt race lots at local parks or repairing them after they've been damaged. Strand agrees that radio- controlled cars have a minimal danger level, especially given that the only injuries he has come across are a few big bruises when he has accidentally run cars into his legs, or when he is trying to veer out of the way of other users on the track, such as bikes or other cars. For Strand, it's something to look forward to after hours of college and work each week. "I just find it's a good stress reliever," he said. "If I've had a rough day at work, it's nice to just get away and mess around with my cars." Getting started in the hobby isn't terribly expensive, said Strand, who actually spends part of his week working at Frequency RC in Lay- ton. After spending so much time in the store buying cars and parts, the store ended up hiring him, though he admits half his paycheck ends up going right back into the store. Toy radio-controlled cars are relatively inexpensive, in the $20 to $50 range, which means they don't last as long as their hobbyist counterparts. Hobby radio-controlled vehicles start out around $200. The initial purchase of the car is the biggest investment, as parts for the car are relatively inexpensive. Strand, on the other hand, likes to go all-out with his cars to see what they can do, even if it means damaging the car in the process. "Since it's not too expensive (to repair the car,) I just go to the extreme, since it's a lot of fun to see what happens," he said. He recently ran one of his radio-controlled trucks off a jump that was 40 feet long, knowing that he had a whole box of spare parts sitting at home to repair any damage the truck incurred. Some of the basic models come with a training mode option, so beginners can learn how to operate the cars at slower speeds. Martin said it's a little bit harder than people would think because of the hand-eye coordination it takes. For anyone interested in starting up a new hobby, though, Martin said they have plenty of people on hand during their weekend races to help out and answer any questions. 61