Yesterday I spent the morning watching the first off-road race to hit Chula Vista, CA. To me this is the first real organized off-road racing since Family Hobbies shut down in Santee, CA. By the time Family Hobbies shut down in 2007, Palomar Raceway in Fallbrook, CA was going through it's problems as well. The first time the Barona track opened it wasn't around long enough to get off the ground. Finally, RC off-road racing is starting to breathe life here again in the San Diego area. The track here in Chula Vista is the first sign of bigger and better things to come.They have held a few practices before this race, but yesterday was the Inaugural Race. I couldn't stay for the entire event because I had to get to work. Before I left, I spoke with the track owner/operator Frank Hinojos. He told me this track is in his father's backyard. He said it started out 5 years as a circle track for his RC18t. The track at the time was 30 by 15. Now he has built a 70 by 35 off-road track that is just awesome.
Frank told me he bought his father a Slash and he has run one pack on the track and just giggles at how hard the truck is to control. Stick it out Mr. Hinojos it gets easier the more you practice. Frank also mentioned it took two weeks of 8 hours a day to put this track together. He doesn't plan to change the layout much just a jump here and there. The track can accommodate a total of 20 racers. Right now they are running slashes and short course trucks. Frank said they would run stadium trucks and buggies if the interest was there but mostly the SC10's and Slashes are the vehicles of choice for now. Frank also mentioned to me, he would like to see in the near future some expert guys who are really into the sport come out and run his course.
Yesterday's race was being run by socal-rc.com's staff. They were using the I-lap system and keeping track of the laps like an official race. Very neat to see. One thing I thought that was very interesting was that racers came as far away from Escondido, CA. That is a good 40 minute drive to Chula Vista. If your interested in running on this track you need to go to socal-rc.com. Sign-ups are first come first served. Frank and socal-rc.com predict that off-road racing here in Chula Vista will be a once a month thing.
Due to this being in some one's backyard I am not disclosing the address because Frank and his family don't want people showing up unannounced to play on their track. We as RC enthusiasts have to be courteous to the neighbors.
Below is a link to socal-rc.com check the site often for the next race:
www.socal-rc.com
Stay tuned for my next blog...
The race was a BLAST and I have raced all over the western United States. They ran smooth, better than some tracks with many years of racing under their belt. Racing was clean and the sportsmanship was great. Fun all around. It is good to race again. I raced the Stock Slash class, been a very long time since I was able to race. Thanks for the write up and the great RC blog, keep up the good work. ~RacerNine
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