What year did you first start racing?

[wacattack]

As the title suggests :thumbsup:

[gerbil]

88:thumbsup:

[mattJT]

erm....2011:thumbsup:

[Dudders]

88 :D

[RCAshers]

81:thumbsup:

[Moozo]

91:thumbsup:

[N1CKMULL1N3R]

2009 :D

[racingdwarf]

April 6th 1984

[terry.sc]

1979.
Missed one year in 1982 but raced ever since.

[stegger]

1983 for me and still crap !!! LOL :woot:

Subaru brat :thumbsup:

[DragonRider]

1984 with my big brothers hand me down Tamiya Grasshopper at the age of 11

Stopped in 1995 (College, Work Wife)

Started again 20010

[john333]

1983......stopped 1991......started again 1998......stopped 2002......starting again now....

[paulc]

88/89 ish (Whenever the Schumacher Top Cat was released ??) :)

[captainlip]

started this year :D

[bigred5765]

competitive racing for me was about 85 , but had a holiday buggy bought for my 14th birthday which i raced on school car park against friends so 79, packed in around 94-95, then Matty my son started around 2001 thanks to Mick cragg,:o still racing

[peetbee]

With my Tamiya Holiday Buggy, sometime around 1982 I think, too long ago to be sure!

[TonyM]

May 2009 - it was a 60th birthday pressy. I'd never touched an RC Car before then.

Am I the oldest to start racing - can anyone beat that?

[quarter throttle]

i was only born in 1996 and i stated racing touring car when i was 5 :blush: ... but i was pretty shit lol ... then quit when i was 8 and started again when i was 11 :woot:

Ash

[MikePimlott]

Had a buggy in 2004 but didnt race it till 2005.

[steve46]

1979 :)

[Rick-J]

About 87. Started off road at Bedworth with a Mardave Meteor. Then a Schumacher Topcat, Cougar and the RC10 etc. Raced at Donisthorpe. Stopped racing around 1994, Just started racing again but onroad.

[Nick Goodall]

93 for me with a Tamiya Madcap that lasted about 2 weeks before changing to an Optima Mid...

Raced seriously through to 2001 (end of) doing Nat's from 96 and competing at 4 Euro's & 1 Worlds (3 Euro A Finals in that time and actually 4th at the 4wd 2001 Euro's I proudly add) then packed up...

Picked up a Radio again to have a play in 2007 doing the F2's as the only "Serious" meeting and then did a few meetings on and off until 09 but have got married and had a Baby since then so no time and not enough £££ to start racing again (not at the level i'd want to do it at anyway)...

It's a great sport though, i think the best Father & Son motorsport out there really.........safe, fun, great social side and you get to travel all around the country!

I like catching up on here and seeing what old friends are up to and how they're doing, but the best part for me is seeing how well Lee has gone on to do (and is still doing so) as I was there at the very start of his racing career (literally the first meeting) so it's really good to see him doing so well.

[MHeadling]

92 for me, first car was a Tamiya Monster Beetle then went on to a Cougar Club and first raced at Ashford Model Car Club that ran buggys on foam tyres ran by Clive and Terry Stockham of MRT fame.

[Hulk]

Started racing in 1993 until about 1997/98, quit racing all together for around 7 or 8 years. Came back in 2005 until 2008, quit for another year then started up again in March 2009.

Feel like im always playing catch up on the 7/8 years missed!

Craig

[MickD]

1974 Mardave on road:thumbsup:

[c0sie]

'05 with a Hyper 7 Pro UK

[gaza121]

1985 with a Tamiya Frog!!!!:thumbsup:

[millzy]

94' but i wouldnt count it as racing lol.



took me 2 years befor the old man moved me and Jay from club racing and keeping away from all the other drivers to regional meetings.

[jameswilkinson7]

I started in 1986 with a tamiya Falcon.. then hotshot, then Cat XL. Gave up in 1989 then came back 18 months ago. I was amazed at how much things had changed.

[hazeandfizz]

1984 with a Tamiya Frog at Derby Model Car Club, stopped in 1987 after seeing girls in a different way!

Returned to racing in 2009.

James Barker.

[Gnarly Old Dog]

1985 with a Grasshopper was my first 'race' - having had a Tamiya Holiday Buggy since 1981 but nowhere to race it.

[Mike Parker]

1988 for me, first car being a hotshot and then a PB mini mustang when the racing bug bit!! Wished I still had that car :)

Had a 10 year layoff from 1995 and started back up in 2005 with the TC's... Found my way back over to off road in 2009 :thumbsup:

[Dave77]

1988 with a Lancia 037 (Frog basically) and gave up 1994.

Always wished I had kept the Lancia, but managed to track down one in much better condition than the one that I used for racing on ebay so snapped it up.

Did T/C for a year in 2000 and didnt enjoy it but offroad was dead in Scotland.

2010 started again with a B44, planning to race as much as I can spare time this year, it still amazes me how much time my father committed to me when I raced. It was at least once a week, sometimes more. I could never manage anything close to that now.

[sldmodels]

Started with Scalextric in the summer of 1994, switched to rc the year after. Took a 5 year break in 2000, started back about 2 months before the TC4 was launched.

[Chequered Flag Racing]

May 1993

Yokomo Worlds 91 bought from Stockton Modeller
Speedmaster Silver Star esc
Yuasa 1700 batteries

[big air]

Late 80's early 90's built a track in my back garden had about 4/5 mates on a weekend come round good times.

I had the Kyosho Big Brute mates had the Big Boss and the Corvette version and loads of Trinity Turbo Drops :p

[pugboy]

'84 (Tamiya Pajero) - '91ish (Tomy Intruder) via Fox, Kyosho Salute, Yokomo YZ870c and Schumacher Cougar 1
'08-Various Losis & x6

Still rubbish!:thumbsup:

[J_WOODY]

started 87 with a Tamiya frog, then hotshot 2, optima mid turbo, cat xls, yz870c, then back to a cat xls (still got it) stopped in 91, started again in 2008

[mdb_75]

I had a Tamiya Boomerang for Xmas '86 so I started racing in 1987. I soon realised it wasn't up to much though so I got myself a Mid:wub instead.

I've raced on and off ever since, mostly off though :lol:

[niggs98]

got a mardave apache in 85 raced my brothers hornet up and down the street untill we discovered canterbury burners. have raced on and off since but like mr collinson had a 7-8 year break from 98-05. regret that now as love my racing :D

had loads of different cars over the years from optimas, samuris, top cats cougars xls procats, pb's etc etc

[telboy]

Started in 1991/92 with a Tamiya manta ray, which was slowly hopped up to a team spec thanks to Mr Booth, it was awesome!

then went to a Yokomo worlds dogfighter, then a Procat.
then I started racing F1 when they were big and got around 4-5 heats at brca nats. Then F1 died off and I started TC until around 2004ish when I started off road again. Certainly glad I did, 'cos its the nuts!:thumbsup:

[chuckie stella]

Did a year with a RC10 when I was 16 in 1996 then the booze started and racing stopped.
Back again in late 2008 and a bit sad I ever stopped as I can't remember much I did between the gap anyway..:woot:

[Battle_axe]

2009 baby with an ansmann madrat

[carpenterdean]

Had a tamiya frog in about 85 just to play started properley in 2010 with my son but he doesn't bother much and i'm addicted:thumbsup:

[i4n]

I started about 1991 racing at the Astor Theatre in Deal with an old Boomerang before moving up to an Astute (I wish I still had it :cry:).

Gave it up a few years later when I started college and took the hobby up again 3 years ago.

[Jonesy]

Started in June 1990 with a Firedragon when I was 8. I've been doing BRCA Off-Road Nationals since about 1995 and haven't stopped since.

[MrWolf808]

oo i think it was about 81 with a holiday buggy at upminster and basildon buggy club, then a kyosho scorpion, then a zelda, cat, various other grp chassis with the same running gear,then mini stox, then touring cars, then a stint of 12th, back too buggys in 10th, then touring cars again and finally 1/8th rally cross and still a but of 10th buggy. god i feel old and suddenly very nostalgic :blush:.

[kaylon]

In 1979 I got a Tamiya Lamborghini Cheetah and My older brother got the first Rough Rider...what an awesome Year that was.

I progressed through a Wild Willy and then Onto a Hornet. My last RC car at that time was a Tamyia Frog.

I've not driven RC cars since 1985 then Christmas of 2009 I saw an article about the anniversary addition of the Sand Scorcher and I wanted one. Did noting about it for a few months then found Ansmann cars and saw some neat looking well priced kits. Got my first new car last summer and now I'm addicted again, even worse now then back in the 79 I think LOL :D

I still don't have a Sand Scorcher though....yet....

J

[Bagman]

Started in 1986 in Stonehaven with a Tamiya Fox moved to an Optima then an Optima Mid. Loved the Optima though. Then moved to Hull in 1989 and tried the club there which at the time seemed a bit amateur so stopped until last year. As I can see a hell of a lot us younger middle aged men coming back to the hobby of their teens and bringing their kids with them (5 and 3 at the moment but they're up for it). Can only be good news for the sport.

[lochness42]

I started with Tamiya Manta Ray QD as it had small enough radio for me to hold :D At age about 4-5 years it was really necessary not to have it too big and heavy :) that was about 1994. I wouldn't call it hardcore racing for me for long time, however I was doing races I was rather having fun than racing (I was told funny stories that I didn't remember like stopping my car during race so it can sleep for a while :D I'm quite surprised that I didn't manage to frustrate my dad too much :D)

[tisher]

started 1984 raced club and national level upto 1991 I think I won about 300+ trophys over that period just started again before xmas now my son is old enough to enjoy the sport. I am really enjoying it although alot has changed car now have to much power :woot: you dont seem to be able to drive them as aggresive

[ConceptRacing]

2001 for me with a Hyper 10 pro Nitro @ Drakelow power station for a year then started going Ashby Woulds, raced there for a couple of years, got into rallycross, 12th and Gt10, then found 10th off road and love it, best class I have raced over the years, I think this will be the class I will stick with for a long time yet.

[ConceptRacing]

2001

[steelie600]

1990 but I only did it fer just over a year and re started in late 2008

[brian s]

1987 with an optima mid.

[Oppy]

1982 with a Tamiya Holiday Buggy, then a Frog - then a new fangled American upstart came along called the RC10 :)

Those were the days :) Simple RC fun!

http://1.2.3.12/bmi/upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5c/RC10.jpg

God I loved my RC10 - It whooped every car at my club in its day!

[fidspeed]

91 ish for me tomy intruder (dont laugh was a top buggy in its day )lazer zxr all the cat range from xls to 3000 yz10 rc10 B2,B3,B4 losi XX cougar all through to fireblade evo then mainly tourers (wide bodied to start with) all make and models currently 415msx and boy drives 416we

if it got wheels i ve probably had one :D

regards Dave

[Rich D]

1985 i had a Tamiya Frog, then a Hornet, then a CAT XLS in `87, just "bashing" mostly until Louth Club formed in 1995. Been racing on and off ever since.

[kaylon]

Started in 1986 in Stonehaven with a Tamiya Fox moved to an Optima then an Optima Mid. Loved the Optima though. Then moved to Hull in 1989 and tried the club there which at the time seemed a bit amateur so stopped until last year. As I can see a hell of a lot us younger middle aged men coming back to the hobby of their teens and bringing their kids with them (5 and 3 at the moment but they're up for it). Can only be good news for the sport.

I was at Stonehaven about then :).. Lived in Westhill for 30 years :D

It's a small world.

J

[ashleyb4]

Started 2004 with a tc4 raced boring car for 12 months then moved club bought a b4 and never looked back and loved every minute of it since.

A

[Bagman]

I was at Stonehaven about then :).. Lived in Westhill for 30 years :D

It's a small world.

J

You weren't the kid who nicked my junior championship by dint of attending more meetings than me were you? Not that I'm bitter mind you. I lived in Oldmeldrum and could only race when it coincided with my Dad being onshore.

[2FAST4U]

Visited my first club aged about 9 years old (1979/80ish), had my first RC car soon after. Started raceing in the early 90's with a Kyosho Lazer ZX-R.

[emzy]

I got a little Tandy toy RC for Christmas 1997 and we found the Brinkburn (South Shields) club... and by a total coincidence the 1998 onroad worlds were held in South Shields (Temple Park) leisure centre which got me well and truly hooked... I went to watch almost every day!

[telboy]

We went up there for the final day. :) It was pretty damn impressive.

Thats when I met the RRCi editor and since that day I've been doing shells for them.:thumbsup:

[traffman]

I first started at a club in South Queensferry , just under the Forth Road bridge.

Ooh that must be around 1987 / 88.

I started with a second hand Kyosho Optima purchased from Marionville Models when they were near Middlefield on the Marionville road in Edinburgh.

After we went through a few clubs , including Bangour and ended up in Grangemouth .

Left the racing in 1992 and now back in it again about 2008.

[ScottyDogWoof]

Schumacher Couger Club 10 version 1.0 lol

1996-1997 been racing nearly 15 years now only ever really raced at mold model car club. wow time flys lol. only just started doing nationals, and only just TQ'd and won my first A final national too lol.

To this day i still have my club 10. cleaned up, fresh shell and shelved.

[panch]

Originally started in about 85'ish with a Tamiya Hotshot 2, Then moved to a Thundershot, Cougar, Cat, Procat, Bosscat, Lazer ZX...

Re-started in 2003 with a Hyper 7 Pro UK followed by a Hyper 8.5 pro then found my sense and got back into 10th electric :thumbsup:

[G-46]

I started around 98 with an YR4 at Stoke club, after a bit we moved over to Stafford as it was more of an on-road club. When the TC3 came out we went for the change and never looked back. I raced up until 2002/03 competing in the TORC and BTCC with my best result being 2nd overall in the BTCC championship. but one race stood out the most for me was in the TORC's A final at Bedworth where I was 7th on the grid but managed to come in 1st with a 2nd & 1st in the final just in front of Mark Musgrove and Jimmy Maddison, I did a little TC in 2009 but we decided to get married and move so that put a stopper on that..

And now I’m back... with a car that likes strange looking tracks with something call GRASS, MUD and JUMPS - :woot:

[Whiskers]

Got my first car in August 2009 and have been racing on and off since then. Started racing properly in about October 2010 when the winter series started.

[wacattack]

What stands out and what concerns me is the lack of new drivers coming through. So far, of the 163 respondees just 34 started in the last 5 years. Of those 34, only 16 started over 2 years ago suggesting either a lot of people start up and quit soon after, or we have a new influx of drivers who started in the last 2 years.

[Mr_M]

Definitely before 1991 :)

Although calling it racing may be stretching the definition a bit. Come to think of it though, I'm still pretty cr*p now :lol:

[Dreadstar]

I came to this very late compared to a lot of you,I only started back in 2007,at the ripe old age of 47.:cry: I suppose you could call this part of my mid-life crisis. I started off in 1/8th off-road nitro,using a Kyosho Inferno US sport RTR. I even managed to come in 3rd place over the course of my clubs winter season,not bad for a newbie.:thumbsup: Over the following summer season,I could only manage 5th,then as we were rebuilding the track,we raced the 1/18th Maverick Atoms over the following winter,where I again came 3rd over the series.
I became very disillusioned with the whole nitro is everything mentality of the club,and changed over to Mardaves(circuit),where last year I came 3rd again in the SCC(I seem to like 3rd don't I?):thumbsup:

[James]

1988 to early 1997

10 years off

winter 2006 to present

[pugboy]

What stands out and what concerns me is the lack of new drivers coming through. So far, of the 163 respondees just 34 started in the last 5 years. Of those 34, only 16 started over 2 years ago suggesting either a lot of people start up and quit soon after, or we have a new influx of drivers who started in the last 2 years.

Good point that, perhaps many people return as it's the financial side that was restrictive in your teens may not be so much now. It's not a cheap hobby for an adult but cheap compared to real 1/1 scale racing for example. It's funny that people my age who aren't involved ask if i'm going playing with kids this weekend...well if you class men in their 20's /30's as kids!

[Spencer Mulcahy]

1985-6 ish with a mardave then a kyosho optima mid turbo LWB then cats xl xls top cat. Raced mainly at albion mill in blackburn. Stopped when I was 18 beers and women LOL started again at 25 touring cars stopped at 28 and started again at 32 still doing it and loving it.

[Mike Parker]

What stands out and what concerns me is the lack of new drivers coming through. So far, of the 163 respondees just 34 started in the last 5 years. Of those 34, only 16 started over 2 years ago suggesting either a lot of people start up and quit soon after, or we have a new influx of drivers who started in the last 2 years.

Hopefully it's the latter mate...

A lot of the shops support the hobby & local clubs so if anyone after buying a kit will be advised of local clubs if they wanted to take it further...

[BigBob]

At the risk of being called an old fart ................ 1971/72 :p

First car was a PB on-road. Can't call it a 'kit' really, more a collection of bits and a full engineers' 'Blueprint' drawing.

Chassis was a bit of 4x2 allie channel which you had to cut/file to the drawing. Came with the plastic bits for steering, wheels etc.

Rear axle was a length of 1/4" steel bar and the drive was from the clutch via a toothbelt straight onto one of the rear wheels.

Half eleptical from 'Cart' springs and quarter eleptical rear springs which you had to cut from an ally sheet, form to radii specced on the drawing, drill though and bolt together. No shockers, damping was by friction - the tighter you clamped the leaves of the springs together the more 'damping' you had.

Still got it all, including the box in the attic somewhere - I'll have to try and dig it out sometime.

BB

[GRIFF55]

you old fart!! lol
not sure when i started, but i know i had a holiday buggy followed by bigwig (ooooh, technigold and 8.4 missile) then onto mini mustangs, maximas etc...
Wales had loads of clubs back in those days:thumbsup:

[Dombrasky]

1996 with a spent 1\8 ic onroad at mendip(deliberate spelliing mistake :) )

[peetbee]

Wales had loads of clubs back in those days:thumbsup:

And loads of racers too, those were the days :cry:

[MrWolf808]

good god i remember racing in a welsh national must have been about 15 to 20 years ago, just outside Camarthen near llanstephan. they had a model shop in Camarthen then. those were the good days. (Jeez i am feeling older everytime i read this thread)

I do agree about a lack of new drivers, it does seem like the rostrums are full of a lot of middle age drivers with not a lot of new talent taking up the torch, i blame microsoft and sony, damn you xbox and ps3. :mad:

But it can be an expensive hobby and pretty dependant on Dad or Mum taking you and there really isnt enough exposure too the youth of today. Loads of adverts on the telly for games, nothing for racing. Which i think is a shame, whenever i see kids watching at slough, or any other track for that matter, they are completely transfixed. and watch for ages.

[cornishboy176]

Started in 1989-90 Competed at Regional Level and at my local club West Cornwall Radio Controlled Car Club at Leedstown Village Hall and in Hayle in a field next to a slaughter house (the smell was unbearable!!!) with a Mardave Mini stock and a Tamiya Falcon then the club moved to Barriper Cricket Field in 1994,and i raced a Mardave Meteor,Kyosho Ultima,MRC MRX,Schumacher Topcat and Cougar,Associated RC10 and then Losi XXX,i packed in 1995 (when i turned 18 and discovered women and booze lol) and started again 2010,cant believe how much has changed and i am really enjoying myself now

[MENTAL DENTAL]

I raced 1986-1992 from Taunton. Used to do the SWORDS around the South West.:thumbsup:
Started again late 2009. Now have a 12 year old who races........so now it costs me double !!!:thumbdown:

[russmini]

Started in 92, when i was 16 (i think), bought a TRX-1 not long after they'd been released. Raced that for about 1 year, then went to a JRX Pro SE which had the XX Tranny fitted. Stayed racing for about another year, then was around 18/19 and just left RC altogether.

Got back into RC around 4 years ago because of Drifting. That led me to race TC, then through friends discovered Rally X, and now for the last 12 months Back to 10th 2WD.

A lot has changed over the years, but especially in the last couple, as soon as LiPo and Brushless really got into RC.

All good and hopefully back for a long time now.

:thumbsup:

[BigBob]

Good god i remember racing in a welsh national must have been about 15 to 20 years ago, just outside Camarthen near llanstephan. they had a model shop in Camarthen then. those were the good days. (Jeez i am feeling older everytime i read this thread)



If that was a 1/10th electric Nat I refereed it iirc :p

BB

[MrWolf808]

it was a 1/10th electric :woot:, i was running an original cat then, 4wd, i actually think it was the first year they did the long wheel base conversion. its good too know that there are still some of us old skool racers still out there. :thumbsup:

[dobber]

About 1985

[Disco-Panda]

late 2002 :)

[gainsy]

1986 :woot: now i feel old :D
Started at the Cottonmill club in St Albans, sadly long gone now

[mattr]

84 (aged 11) until 87 or 88.

Still not started again, just playing now, probably do some races next year.

[read94]

I first started rc racing in about 2000 when i race indoors on carpet racing Mardaves when i was 7 or 8 years old. i came back to rc cars racing touring cars with a Tamiya 416x in 2010 about 7 years later at 16 years old and still racing now and almost 18 :)

[jasonrcb]

I started in 1981,stratford buggy club that used to be on an old building site with my tamiya ford ranger i had for xmas that year

[markwilliamson2001]

1993 - Newbury RC Car club at The Clere School, Burghclere. Tamiya grasshopper 2. Its where the mighty Lee Martin started as well, them were the days :thumbsup:

[birdy]

1988 @ The Bowling green Pub in Leigh, we then moved to Howe Bridge bus depot and then on to Fred Longworth high school.

Think I stopped in 1993 when the podium collapsed and broke my leg :thumbdown:

Started back again around 2005 racing Nitro 8th scale, now back to my 10th scale roots.

Anyone here remember the Leigh Buggy club days?

[racingdwarf]

I think it was 1984-1985, tamiya hornet, dirt track at the back of the local ind estate, dug out by hand by about 30 of us:thumbsup:East grinstead off roaders, every sunday no matter what the weather was!

Hotshots, gold tub RC10's and chain drive optimas:wub

[Speedy Steve RRCi]

95 for me started out with a Yokomo 93 works. I loved that buggy!

[ASKay]

not completely sure but I am thinking 84-85 Tamiya Ford Ranger.... then got some rubbish maplin thingy, and then started racing propper in 89 (guessing again), think it was an RC-10, then a topcat, then a CAT XLS, then a ProCat, then a cougar, then a Traxxas 2WD thingy, first they did if i remember, then a Tamiya Top force, followed by another CAT :)

now a CAT SX3, Cougar SV, and soon to be a DEX 210 :thumbsup:

I also feel old now....:drool:

[mattybucks]

Early to mid 90's. Alec Springer had a procat and a big hair perm. I had a manta ray and used to race on a Friday night at a school in towcester.

[SimonW]

1984 for me, started watching and got a hotshot sometime after that, then a SWB cat when they first came out.

[Dyna]

I started in 1981,stratford buggy club that used to be on an old building site with my tamiya ford ranger i had for xmas that year


.......along with me & my Holiday Buggy :lol: :thumbsup:

[tsan]

Mid to late 80's for me, before a 20+ year hiatus.

[ASKay]

Jezz, according to the poll 54% of us are offically old!:woot:

[alteredoggy]

1990, with a tamiya boomerang, followed VERY quickly by a RC 10 and Cat xls

[jampat2004]

first model car tamiya falcon 1984,started racing with a optima mid 1985/86.
raced until 1994, passed my driving test stop racing to build novas.
16 year break have just started racing again sep 2010 and enjoying it
again just gained my f3 so happy dayz :thumbsup:

[Hog]

1986 with a Hornet!!

[Big G]

I got a Manta Ray, a single 1200mah stick and a 14hr charger for my 10th b'day. My 30th is less than a month away :D

1st night racing the nerves were too much for me and I cried in the loo's... the following week I raced finishing 3rd with 10 laps. Same track 20 years on and we're putting in 27-30 laps lol. Just goes to show how much faster things are now.

[SlowOne]

Jezz, according to the poll 54% of us are offically old!:woot:Interesting the dates that were chosen - this poll would be more interesting if it went further back.

1976, with a 'Lectricar 12th scale at Alexandra Palace with the original Ally Pally Club. We raced on the great hall, and the heats were 10 laps long. As the time to complete 10 laps got down to around two minutes, we made the races four minutes, and then five.

The hall was used a couple of times by a beer festival, so the traction was great on a race night with the added complication that any drifting off line meant you picked up dirt which stuck to the tyres! Often, your race would end with tyres 3mm larger that you started, just like the F1 guys picking up debris at the end of a race.

And, as ASKay says, that makes me officially old!!

[Mike Parker]

Around late 87/early 88 for me when I started racing... Showing my age a bit too :D

[Nas]

I started rc in general 2006. Racing 2009. :thumbsup: But have to stop racing for a while GCSES!!!:mad:

[passy]

91 with a Lazer in the small hall at Batley buggy club. Stopped in 97 after finishing 41st in the Nationals. Originally the results showed me in 40th taking the last F1 place, however Danny McGee's results had been counted wrong, which when corrected put me in 41st place. To say I was gutted would have been an understatement. Returned 2005-2008, but definitely Iost a lot of the speed.

Moved to Hong Kong in 2009 thinking my RC days were over. 6 months later found a track and bought an Xray NT1. Track open everyday all day for practice and level off competition seriously high.

Let the fun continue....

[Ted Maul]

Guessing 1984 with a Kyosho Pegasus, I would have been about 13! Gave up in about 1990 and am slowly getting back in when time allows

[Captain-Codpiece-The-2nd]

First raced a zx-r in 92 ish, then rc-10 bathtub, then I discovered women and big cars so quit. Then a few years back I realised women and cars were overated and expensive, so bought a xxx and an x6 lol

[Nick Goodall]

1993 - Newbury RC Car club at The Clere School, Burghclere. Tamiya grasshopper 2. Its where the mighty Lee Martin started as well, them were the days :thumbsup:

When you look back it was pretty small but it was a great place for learning, and I think we had some good tracks over the years :thumbsup:

[styleone]

1989-1990 Hurst Green Model Car Club, Tamiya Boomerang :blush:...it was a large flat grass track with boxes to stand on every Sunday morning...I used to get spanked by Top Cats with Revolution motors but couldnt afford to upgrade lolol I also seem to remember I had a rat tail mullet :woot:

[steve-thebabystore]

87/88 with a Boomerang, had to pit to change battery every race!!

[losichris]

Started in 1993 with a Tamiya Grasshopper 2 ( best car i ever had)
Upgraded to a AE RC10 a year later, then upgrading to a RC10B3.
Packed in shortly after due to low numbers and track fire at Bury Metro.
Started again in 2004 with a Losi xxx and then upgraded to a X-6 , only to pack in again due to the costs of racing.
Started again a few months back, taking things a little more seriously this time around, came back due to Bury Metro new track and the fact that racing is alot cheaper and easier to maintain equipment :thumbsup:

[Andy71]

When you look back it was pretty small but it was a great place for learning, and I think we had some good tracks over the years :thumbsup:

Wednesday nights were good through the summer months. Seem to remember they were busy enough to have to use the tennis courts for parking.

2nd hand Rough Rider in 1982 (may have been '81). Stopped OR in 96'ish and had some success at TC then back to OR only in 2008 - just goes to show it doesn't matter how long you have been racing you still need some talent to be quick :)

[arransmith27]

Started racing mid 1987 at Donisthorpe (now sadly gone)

Have owned over the years :
Tamiya Grasshopper
PB Mini Mustang
Optima Mid
Cougar 2 Team (still got it)
Losi XX
Yokomo Works 92
Cat 2000
TC3
MI2EC
HB Cyclone
TC5
B4
B44

[tisher]

1984 for me optima then optima pro kyosho mid , mid turbo,then cat xls and did the nationals in 1990 with a cougar just got back into with my little lad at xmas still a expensive hobby but we both love it:thumbsup:

[brooksy]

I started with buggies in the very early 80's,tamiya holiday buggy was my first car and I ran it at a track in wath upon dearne(south Yorkshire) on a dirt track that a fella built at the back of his company that he owned. He also built a f1 track next to it. Before,during and after that I used to race model power boats, then went back to cars again in the early. 90's for about 5 years, then I discovered drink and women. I had about 15 years away then decided to start up again so I bought myself a xxx-cr.:thumbsup:

[pugs]

1991 at durham buggy club with a tamiya egress....I can remember them turning people away cos they had max 120 drivers on some saturday nights:o

[Steven Forster]

april 3rd 2011 and loving it............:woot::woot::woot:

:thumbsup:

[uop101]

1971
Mardave 1/8th Circuit

[ziggy12345]

1980. first car was a PB pan car

[Supercoolnothing]

I think it was 1988 for me first couple of races with a Tamiya Fox then moved onto a Falcon, ran that for about a year then got an Optima Mid Custom Special which I've recently returned to running and plan to race until funds allow me to get a new car. Recently got back into racing and have been using a 91 vintage Yokomo Super Dogfighter although now I have my old Mid running again the Dogfighter is either going to get sold on or become a shelf queen

[beckybean66]

2010 because of my boyfriend, it was a mardave v12:D

[teamorsum96]

1987 racing mardave mini stocks, got picture some where lol

[nitro_noob]

I started with buggies in the very early 80's,tamiya holiday buggy was my first car and I ran it at a track in wath upon dearne(south Yorkshire) on a dirt track that a fella built at the back of his company that he owned. He also built a f1 track next to it. Before,during and after that I used to race model power boats, then went back to cars again in the early. 90's for about 5 years, then I discovered drink and women. I had about 15 years away then decided to start up again so I bought myself a xxx-cr.:thumbsup:

OMG :o I used to race in the very early eighties on that very f1 tarmac track at Wath upon Dearne - I seem to recall there was a spares shop in the factory/unit too. I raced a Tamiya Ralt RT2 Hart 420R. I left racing just as the f1 track was being extended to accommodate larger nitro circuit cars. Now living in South East Wales and came back in 2013 to race off-road 1/8th scale: how things have changed in 30+ years I've been away......
Still got the Ralt, though it's now sporting a March 782 bodyshell and the front bumper is missing - I do recall the front end of the car used to take quite a beating :blush:

[Ashlandchris]

Approx 1982 with a Tamiya Grasshopper then upgraded to a Hornet. Switched to a 2nd hand frog then joined the big boys with a Hotshot followed by an Optima. Sold up in ~1985/6 as all the racing clashed with stuff on a Sunday. Used to race at Batley
Came back to it in 2014. Still race at Batley

[tonydevon]

Cat xls in 87? And a topcat also in 87.
Southend buggy club.

Then many years off while i discovered drink and motorbikes.

Now back racing rc bikes and hopefully thanks to new indoor venue micros and buggies

[brooksy]

OMG :o I used to race in the very early eighties on that very f1 tarmac track at Wath upon Dearne - I seem to recall there was a spares shop in the factory/unit too. I raced a Tamiya Ralt RT2 Hart 420R. I left racing just as the f1 track was being extended to accommodate larger nitro circuit cars. Now living in South East Wales and came back in 2013 to race off-road 1/8th scale: how things have changed in 30+ years I've been away......
Still got the Ralt, though it's now sporting a March 782 bodyshell and the front bumper is missing - I do recall the front end of the car used to take quite a beating :blush:

Yep,that's how I remember it as well. Me and my older brother ran off road and my dad ran f1. I think it was the guy who owned the factory was into rc cars and was his land he built the tracks on. My holiday buggy front end was held together with a metal plate and araldite. Wish I still had it to be honest:blush:

[brooksy]

Cat xls in 87? And a topcat also in 87.
Southend buggy club.

Then many years off while i discovered drink and motorbikes.

Now back racing rc bikes and hopefully thanks to new indoor venue micros and buggies

I had 14yrs off whilst finding drink and.....women:thumbsup:

[CHEVY]

About 83/84 mardave mk1 stock car many buggies 2wd,4wd tc 12th still here

[Pluginz]

I started racing in 1986. Worcester in the UK.

Tamiya Ford Ranger F150. Trashed it completely lol :thumbdown:

Look at what they're worth now, doh :mad:

[beale]

About 92/93 Brock Arms car park with a Tamiya Blackfoot then moved onto an Optima mid custom special when I got the racing bug

[DynaMight]

First started in about 94 when I was about 12, but only for a few years due to poor funds. Restarted again a few years ago though.

The poll does show some concern, not many of the younger generation doing it... certainly not a huge amount of youngsters in my local area, annoyingly the younger ones are pretty fast though.:thumbsup:

[mr. ed]

1987 with a boomerang
Wrong car, wrong budget and no talent for driving , but still enjoying my hobby after nearly 30 years

[stickboy007]

I couldn't afford to race as a kid, and then I went to college for 11 years, so it was a while until I could actually, properly race. Now I go almost every weekend.

[Dave Dodd]

1st rc in the early 80's nikko porsche and then a couple in the early 90's but only joined a club to race in late 2007

[bigchris]

Started in 1988 with a Tamiya Thundershot, then quickly moved onto a Vanquish - good times

feel the starter cars now are too fast to learn with

[fivepointnine]

started back in 92ish raced until 94 then took a break until late 2013 lol.
I had a fully pimped LXT with the XX transmission, a RC10 team car with the Molded RPM worlds chassis and a XX-t when I finally quit racing. I started back up in 2013 with a DEX210, then a B4.2, then I have had a ton of different buggies, finally settling with Team C.

[Mike145]

My first meeting was in '97 or '98 at what was High Wycombe Ministox Club racing a mardave v12. Still racing at wycombe but now it's Wycombe Radio Car Club (wrcc) in the bangers with similar cars. Making my touring debut finally on Sunday:woot:. Can't wait!

[bish]

About 1984 At Donishorpe. Started with a Holiday Buggy then... a Mardave Apache. Tamiya Wild One, Mardave Meteor, Kellers of Norwich with a Schumacher CAT XLS, Tamiya VW Golf FWD, Cougar 2000 '95 Team. Schumacher Bosscat Works, TTech Predator, Back to the Midlands with a Schumacher Axis and Associated RC10 B4, USA and RC10 B4.1 WC, TC6.1 now also a Schumacher KF2.

Not been a regular racer for a couple of years, but need to work that one out!

It's been awesome, i've learnt so much about electrical and mechanical engineering i can't help but recommend it to anyone.

[dodgydiy]

cnat remember exact year, 82 or 83 maybe with a tamiya holiday buggy. it was my first proper car, had radiogear in 79 and homemade car soon after, think it was 81 for the holiday buggy.....

[Petchlives]

89 for me. Project boomerang!

[timmy]

1984 here...Tamiya Mitsubishi Pajero (with the wheelie bar upside down!!!), moved on to a hornet and then finally a proper race car...Kyosho Optima

[Graham_84]

2007 Tamiya Eurocup at Carlisle :)

[Novice]

About 1986 Tamiya Grass hopper ,few of us used to get together and race. Bought a rere a while back opened the box and I was instantly transported back to that Christmas day ! First proper race meeting was in Swansea club indoors in about 1987/88 with a PB Mini Mustang.

[bigalbi]

'81 Tamiya Ford Ranger, Verulam Model Car Club when it was at London Colney. God....... I'm getting old!

[jon kedge]

1984.. Three tuns in Lichfield...

[Lee1972]

About 84, first car was a Mardave mini, but then got a Mardave Meteor and raced mainly in Blackburn, Albion Mill. Can't remember the exact name of the club.

[Welshy40]

And loads of racers too, those were the days :cry:

Yup, great clubs, great racers and always a full house at events. I do miss Cobra, Abergavenny, Newport and my favourite Caerwent clubs. First car I had was a Tamiya Hotshot and first raced with you and Dave at Tredegar park car rally. Sandra said that they would be there again a year later and I arrived again and then found out about clubs and thats when it all happened. I think that was 86 as in 89 I was racing the Lazer ZX.

[CVRrc]

2016 more of a crash fest than racing though.