Hello Racers! 

With our Track Building getting close to completion, we wanted to cover a topic that is important to us! We want our all of our racers to have a great experience at our track, but in order to do so we want everyone to display proper racing etiquette! 

1. The Drivers Stand: 

• Don't Cut in line: If there is a line of drivers trying to get on the stand, wait your turn. To build on that, it is important to wait for the drivers from the previous race to exit the stand. 
• One of the worst things you could do on the driver's stand is to yell at other drivers, marshals, or employees of the track. Most marshals will not flip over your car if you are yelling at them. If no one sees your car after an appropriate amount of time goes by, it would be okay to nicely call for a marshall. 
• "When on the stand be aware of how you are standing on the stand, having your radio hanging out, or leaning way out makes it difficult for other drivers to see sometimes. It’s called the drivers’ stand, not the drivers’ slouch. Stand up when racing. You’ll drive better and you’ll be less likely to block the view of other drivers. Also, if you have a preferred spot on the stand, get there first. Don’t be the last guy on the drivers’ stand and expect other to move for you." - adapted from RC Truck Stop

2. Driving: 

• Let off the Throttle: When you are waiting for a marshall to pick up your car, let off of the Throttle. It is not safe for marshals to pick up your car if  your holding down the throttle. 
• If your Car breaks down take it off the track: Pretty Simple. 
• Don't intentionally try to crash into other racers: This should be obvious, but be good sport and don't ruin someone else's car or race on purpose. Plus we all pay for parts, and know how the expenses add up. 
• That being said, if you accidentally bump into another racer, wait for them and allow them to re gain their position back. Once you do this, you can try to pass with a clean pass. 

A few notes in general:

• Watch Language: There are families and children that come out to race and spectate. We want it to be a friendly environment. All in all just pay attention to your audience. 
• "If you are having a bad race–and all of us do at some point–do not take your frustrations out on your truck. You have a couple of choices here: either slow your pace down and finish your race or pull your vehicle off the track at a safe spot and wait until the race is over to get it. If you happen to be in the unlucky position of being yelled at on the stand, be the bigger person and let it go, leave the battles for racing on the track, not on the stand or in the pits." - adapted from RC Truck Stop

A few notes: Content was adapted from RC Truck Stop and Track Etiquette by Shaun Duffy. 

Goal:  Determine what is the best fit for you! 

RC Lingo:

• RTR- Ready to Run

RTR

Recommendations: Racing- Slash 4x4 There are other monster truck and vehicles people use for fun here. 

These are cars that essentially have everything you need to immediately start running the car. No building required. 

Pros

1. Ready to go right out of the box. The most you might need to do is charge the battery.  It has everything you need. Note: The Chargers and things that come with these may not be amazing, but will get the job done. You can upgrade anything at anytime. 
2. You don't need to worry about purchasing a lot of extra equipment to support your car. 

Cons

1. You don't get to learn all the ins and outs about what makes your vehicle run. If something breaks you'll have to learn how to replace it. Where as RC Car Kits force you to build the entire car from the ground up, allowing you to get familiar with each part. 
2. There occasionally could be a factory production error, that would cause something to break within the first few minutes using your car. While every part can be replaced, it is disappointing when your brand new car stops working in the first 2 minutes. However, this is very unlikely. 

Kit

Kits are a box full of parts that you are required to put together. You are building your car from the ground up.

Recommendations: 

Pros

1. You get the satisfaction of building your car from the ground up. Nothing makes you more proud of yourself then successfully building your car. 
2. You become more emotionally attached, and learn to appreciate the car more.
3. There is more opportunity to customize how your car is built. After all, you are the one touching every screw and bolt. You can choose how you want to mount certain things and you can choose to put better parts in the car straight from the beginning.
4. You know the car from the inside out. When something breaks or isn't adjusted properly, you will have more confidence to fix it. Even if you don't remember every step of the build, you will be familiar. 

Cons

1. These cars can take 4+ hours to build especially if it's your first time. Each kit comes with a step by step manual that guides you through it, but patience is the name of the game. 
2. "If you have particularly unsteady hands or low confidence in your mechanical aptitude, it may be best to start with something prebuilt and slowly get your hands wet with repairs & maintenance."
3. You will have to buy additional items in order to make it work. Most kits don't include electronics like motors, batteries, tires, body paint, charger, etc. 

Overall, we typically recommend that first time users buy a RTR car.  If you really are committed to the hobby then go for the kit. Patience is key. Most high quality racing cars are kits but RTR are good for beginners. Some kits are more expensive then RTR because they are higher quality. What are your opinions and tips when deciding between kits and RTR? 

Feel free to come in to our shop if you would like further assistance! 

Sources: "Hobby Level: Kit or RTR?" Beginning RC.

Welcome to the world of radio control! edusportsonline is all about helping new comers or beginners decide which type of RC Car is best for them. This series will also include a bunch of other tips and tricks that all RC Car drivers won't want to miss! 

Today we are going to start at the first basic question you will want to ask yourself. Should I buy an electric or nitro car? 

To start, we are going to make a list of things you should know about each type. You can then look at this list and decide if a nitro or electric rc car sounds like a good fit for you. 

Electric RC Cars:

1. A rechargeable battery powers these cars. 
2. Lower maintenance compared to Nitro Cars.
3. You can run this indoors. 
4. Cleaner than Nitro Cars, and don't need engine tuning. 
5. Typically cheaper to run. 
6. These cars are much quieter and practically silent compared to Nitro Cars. 

Electric Cars are much faster then Nitro cars with upgrades. Typically, manufacturers stock Ready to Run (RTR) models with basic parts that are mostly plastic. If you are really into speed, you can upgrade to better, more durable metal parts for higher performance.

60+ mph here we come! A lot of the expensive items are a one time purchase and then you can use them in almost any electric car you buy! They also last a long time, if you take care of it! 

Nitro RC Cars

1. Nitro cars use fuel. 
2. If you love the smell of fuel, the sound of a loud engine, and exhaust fumes filling the air, then you will love what nitro has to offer! 
3. This type of car can run for a longer duration of time compared to electric cars. With Nitro, once your car runs out of fuel, you simply fill it back up and keep running! No waiting for batteries to charge! 
4. You should only run nitro cars outside. Running them indoors can lead to toxic exhaust fumes overwhelming the air quality. 
5. Requires more maintenance and mechanic work. 
6. If you wish to race, you must have a pit person who can refuel your car mid-race. 

Summary from Beginning RC

Sources: RC Web Car, Beginner RC Cars how to choose the best, ( 2016). 

Beginning RC, General Buying Decisions: Nitro vs Electric

We are back again with some helpful information on RC Car Batteries! This article will help you determine which type of battery is a good fit for you and the advantages vs disadvantages of each type. 

Note: When choosing a battery you have to make sure you have the proper charger that works with that battery type. 

Let's Get into it!

LiPo: 

Advantages: 

• LiPos are lighter and smaller in dimension. 
• Not limited in the shape or size they can come in.
• Have higer capacities and voltages - this can potentially allow for more speed and power. Typical Voltages include: 7.4V, 11.1V, 14.8V, and 22.2V
• They discharge energy at a different and flatter rate which is what allows them to have more power. This allows for a more consistent stream of energy to your motor.
• Charge Faster

Disadvantages: 

• LiPos can be dangerous. If the battery is not stored properly or if it becomes damaged and punctured, fire could occur. 
• They have a shorter life span meaning they last between 300 and 400 cycles. 

"LiPos are made of carbon and highly reactive lithium, which can store a lot of energy.  With the flat structure the inner resistance is smaller (UPOWER)."

NiMH: 

Advantages: 

• More User Friendly
• Typically can endure more charging cycles, meaning they potentially have a larger life span. 
• They cost less then LiPos. 
• Not as likely to catch fire if punctured.

Disadvantages:

• This battery loses power throughout the run, meaning your car slowly loses power until the battery is completely dead. 
• Heavy Weight 
• Lower Voltages: Typically come in 3.6V and 7.2V, etc. 

"NiMH batteries use hydrogen to store energy, with nickel and another metal (such as titanium) keeping a lid on the hydrogen ions. It often comes in a cylindrical shape.(UPOWER)."

 What are your opinions on these Batteries? Leave us a comment below! Check out our Batteries Here. 

Sources:

• Nosy Nation: LiPo vs NiMH: What's your battery of choice? (2016). 
• UPOWER: 8 Difference Between Nimh vs Lipo Battery