After reading several threads dealing with what is wrong with Oval, how about let us make something right!!

How many of us would be where we are today if it were not for that guy/guys that helped us out in the beginning. I seriuosly doubt there are any of us who just woke up one morining and went "Ahh-Haa" I get it!! And were suddenly fast.

So I challenge all of us "old guys" to "ADOPT a Racer".

At your next race, get out of your trailer/pit space go up to some of the new guys and introduce yourself and lend him a hand. Give him some tips on radio setup, tire prep, charging batteries. (Leave out all the stuff we do because we are obsessed with the 'enth degree.) Show him how to solder correctly, mount a body, set his wing. Then go to the track with him, grid his car for him, root for him in the race and tell him good job. If you are a TEAM DRIVER, give him a t-shirt or some stickers. Can you imagine the thrill this will give some guy, not to mention the good-will this will spread. He will talk about this FOREVER and when he is in the position, he too will return the good-will and then that guy... See where this can go?

How many of you would have gotten a kick out of Kent Claussen, Joel Johnson, Cliff Lett, Chris Doesek, the local Fast Guy or one of several others coming over to your pits and lending a hand?

You do not have to be the Super Fast Dude to do this and help out. All you have to be is a nice guy that wants to help. Help out some new guy you see at the track. If you do not know what to tell him, show him where the snack bar is or where the good place to eat nearby is.

But I do call on you "Old-Guys" and you "Fast Guys" to step up and do this.

So who will take this up at their races this year?

Count me in!

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Great Idea

I always willing to help the new guy and even loaned a car or two out to get people into racing.

...LOL - I feel like a FOSTER PARENT of Racers as it is....

ST-ODIE is one of the guys who races both locally and in my travelling series. I work with him alot and his driving has come around a ton the last couple years. It's been a lot of fun watching him progress and he's getting competitive..and the more competitive he gets - the MORE he gets addicted to this hobby..(Don't know if that's good or bad)

Most - if not ALL Of our guys work pretty well together...and that's what makes this group great to race with. We have our little splinter groups - some are as close to RIVALS as you can get...but that too makes the racing kind of fun. (Kinda like the pitting of KSG against HyperDrive or FORD vs. CHEVY)

Great Idea though Scott - this is something that is/has been needed for a long time...and something that works really good at the local/club race level.

(I understand it's a bit harder at BIG races...cause everyone has their work cut out for them - trying to beat the other FAST guys)

EDIT: Speaking of Cliff Lett and some of them type guys... I met Cliff for the first time at a RCThunderdrome event. Very Friendly, very helpful, Same with Tony Neisinger, and Joel Johnson...when meeting them at a National Event in the '90's. (Found out Tony N. actually began his racing in MY home town...in the local parking lots racing 1/12th scales - ....such a small world)

I have been doing this all year long.. I must say it has hurt my own performance a little, but i still enjoy it.. I have built over 30 cars this carpet season for people, and all of them have gone an average of 2-3 laps faster.. Some say i work on others stuff to much, and not enough on my own but its still fun. A few of them have even beaten me after i work on theres LOL... I enjoy seeing the guys who dont have the setup knowledge go faster.. Plus they really appreciate the help. I have had a pretty sluggish year myself so at least someone going faster makes it fun... In most cases i take the cars home, and give them a good week long build.. Then when i give them back i tell them to look the car over real good and i point out all the little tips to help make the car move free.. I tell them to write down the stuff and use it as a baseline.. If the racers show up the day before racing i try to build them in front of them and show them hands on how the stuff works..

Ive been in this hobby for over 20 years, and can build one heck of a smooth car. I never ask the racers for anything either. They always ask what they owe me, and i say just go faster .. most of them do however compensate me generously since i put alot of time in there stuff.. I leave that up to them. If i dont have someone elses car to work on, i just take mine apart a few times a week LOL.. I never turn down a racer who needs help.. Even people on HT.

we adopt racers weekly at Marshalls Hilltop Hobbies! www.marshallshilltophobbies.com and we have been doing it for a few years now! works out well. we have a pretty strong showing of new racers in the classes and Adopting a racer is what really helps. i think everyone that can help should help. :) good thread!

Btw porksalot is up for adoption, so anyone interested come to marshalls and take him home! Joe get to work on your car!
seroulsly though like porks said weve been doing it for years and has brought some new racers into pan cars at our track ,we get anywhere from 20-30 13.5 cars at a weekly show

I helped a new guy and now he is beating me. Oh well The compitition is great. I guess I have to find a new nebie to catch him.

ill gladly send a picture of myself to anyone that adopts me, and a small bio sheet ;-)

great idea by the way ;)

http://www.motorcycle.co.uk/lists/images/adoptaracer2.gif

we adopt racers weekly at Marshalls Hilltop Hobbies! www.marshallshilltophobbies.com and we have been doing it for a few years now! works out well. we have a pretty strong showing of new racers in the classes and Adopting a racer is what really helps. i think everyone that can help should help. :) good thread!
i have adopted you a few times, lol... whats up bud?

we adopt racers weekly at Marshalls Hilltop Hobbies! www.marshallshilltophobbies.com (http://www.marshallshilltophobbies.com) and we have been doing it for a few years now! works out well. we have a pretty strong showing of new racers in the classes and Adopting a racer is what really helps. i think everyone that can help should help. :) good thread! Like joe said .I am willing to help any one .I think this is a great plan. I have always siad that we need a challange to help the new guys or the guys that have a hard time getting hooked up .

Hey guys,
I'm new to racing. In fact I have never raced, but I just bought a roller and wanna try oval racing. I have a great local track, Steel City Hobbies. I think this thread is great and I will be on the other side. I need adopted... I have recently started taking my TEK18 to the track for an Indoor Offroad class we are starting. I spoke with a few guys about oval and all have told me they would help. I can't wait to get my new car on the track and learn all this new stuff!!! Thanks in advance to all you veteran guys that can keep this hobby alive and well, by helping the newcomers...

I have been doing that for the last 5 years. Giving old batteries to the new racers and I have helped them with setup and little tricks to drive better. I have loaned out my ca r few times but that got expensive. GREAT IDEA!!!!

I was almost out of racing a few years ago when our local track stopped running dirt oval and that was the only car I could afford to run at the time. I would love to say that a few of my racing friends and others I didnt know at the time adopted me. They got me into an SK car at maddness. 1 gave me a chassis, some others gave me batterys and tires and I dont think it was a week and I was off and running and being competitive, and thats all I need is compitition. I wont forget anybody that has given me a hand, oval racers are a great group of people all over the country. I think the adopt a racer is the best way to get more people involved in R/C oval racing. Let's all keep helping others, It feels pretty good too.......

omnis! yup you are always a huge help to anyone. including me! admit it though i wheeled the hell out of that car! lol

hi kenny!!!!!!!

I have to tell you that I am new to this hobby. only been racing for about a year & 1/2. Any track that I have been to, there was always some one to lend a hand. Even other chassie builders would give me help. All the track owners are a great help too. I also will admit that if it was not for KEN K (onmis85) and team KSKT taking me in and giving me all the help and words of incouragement. As well as Great products. I would not be ware I am today!!! Ken is a stand up Guy and he also will tell you the way it is. One of the main reason I am loving this hobby is all the Racers and all the help. And all the new freindships that I have made. I my self find somone to help out when I can. It makes it all worth it in the end. SO THANK YOU TO ALL :thumbsup::wave:

just want to say thanks to my SPONSor. brett diaz! been helping me out so much this season and i have been doing better and better latly due to his support! thanks pal! see you next week :)

Here in Michigan we have quite a network of helping guys out. It's sort of a trickle down/pay it forward theory. I still ask tons of questions to guys like Keith Racknor, Greg Dean, John Sparks, Mark Ciecek, Ray Clark, Dave Zipp, Mike Kingsley to name a few.
I've in turn been able to pass that info on to guys that ask me questions.
I'm not one of fastest guys, but I'll certainly do anything I can to help someone slower than me with any info or parts I have to speed them up.
I get as much satisfaction out of helping someone as I do from actually racing. Especially when they come back and have a postive result from my help.

I want to hear what you guys are doing when building a kit

Here in Michigan we have quite a network of helping guys out. It's sort of a trickle down/pay it forward theory. I still ask tons of questions to guys like Keith Racknor, Greg Dean, John Sparks, Mark Ciecek, Ray Clark, Dave Zipp, Mike Kingsley to name a few.
I've in turn been able to pass that info on to guys that ask me questions.
I'm not one of fastest guys, but I'll certainly do anything I can to help someone slower than me with any info or parts I have to speed them up.
I get as much satisfaction out of helping someone as I do from actually racing. Especially when they come back and have a postive result from my help.
yeah and when they start beating ya then you will have to ask them too:woohoo::wave::hat::cool:

after reading some of your post some never come to me and there is a few i go to here in michigan with my nickname some people that know me are willing to help but now with the brushless motor out now and with me not running oval that very much like once a winter im just lucky to have the friends up in mount plesant to help like ovaltrucker mel lents that i have been racing with a long time helping with the set up on the car rebuilding the shocks telling me to run one car not both i have listen to that i sold my l3 and kept my woods 13 way better car when hocked up thanks to a few people. see i am more of a sedan and off road racer then an oval racer you think some of the top oval guys are bad you should see some of the top sedan and offroad racer wow

This is a great thing you guys are doing. no one ever helps me at the track:confused:

Jesse, I loaned you some lock nuts and a bumper once:jest:

This is a great thing you guys are doing. no one ever helps me at the track:confused:

I try to help, but you think you are to good for help :wave:

Helping out others, and bench racing is the whole reason I do this.

now that i think about it thats a great idea im only 15 but i try to help out when needed and when i raced offroad i was real bummed one time when i broke my T4 and we couldn't get parts for it that day and my old dear friend fred loaned me his Losi for the day and i ended up breakin the thing in the main and i offered to pay for it but he just refused and said i did a good job racing i owe a lot to fred, my older brother,my dad, and hank for all the tips and little things they've tauhgt me thanks guys

P.S. hank great job on hobbytalk greatest thing in RC history except Team Associated LOL

Here in Michigan we have quite a network of helping guys out. It's sort of a trickle down/pay it forward theory. I still ask tons of questions to guys like Keith Racknor, Greg Dean, John Sparks, Mark Ciecek, Ray Clark, Dave Zipp, Mike Kingsley to name a few.
I've in turn been able to pass that info on to guys that ask me questions.
I'm not one of fastest guys, but I'll certainly do anything I can to help someone slower than me with any info or parts I have to speed them up.
I get as much satisfaction out of helping someone as I do from actually racing. Especially when they come back and have a postive result from my help.

Scott is right every body at our track helps out. They have taught me alot!!!!!!!!!!!!! both set up and driving,and parts. :wave:

Hey Joe anytime man. Nice to see the car doing well.
Just want to give a thumbs up to Bill Ozbourne.
He was the crew cheif for a novice racer all night at Marshalls this past saturday night.
The kid was very happy.
Never saw Ozzy tried after working on a car.