What year did you first start racing?

[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!

[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

[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

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]

Originally Posted by ASKay

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

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

[Nas]

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

[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]

Originally Posted by 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

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

[styleone]

1989-1990 Hurst Green Model Car Club, Tamiya Boomerang ...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

[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

[Andy71]

Originally Posted by Nick Goodall

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

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

[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.