Hundreds of drivers from all over the United States gathered in Chico this weekend for a big radio-controlled car race. Action Sports Ross Field spent the morning at the track on the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds and he found out, rc car racing is more than just a hobby.
This place is the pits.
"I mean it's perfect," says John Taylor.
Perfect? It's the pits...
"I'm going to rebuild the clutch for the 45 minute race I have coming up later on today," said Austin.
Well it's pit row, and all these hot rods are getting their hot rods tuned up.
"Basically just put new parts in there so they're ready to go because they wear out about every hour," says Austin.
"People don't know about the track," said Taylor.
"We've always said this sport and hobby is kind of a well-kept secret," says Jason Sams.
But actually this off-road outdoor track is quickly becoming a fixture for radio-controlled car drivers.
"It's definitely a lot of fun," says Kendall Bennett.
The Chico track belongs to A-Main Hobbies. They hold races every other weekend, and like other forms of motorsports, it'll get your heart racing.
"All the way from the pit area to the hot pit, it's very much the same," says Paul King.
You must keep your mind on the track.
"Body is not moving, your standing still and you're trying to keep your mind focused," says Jared Tebo.
This is Jared Tebo. He's from Kansas City and like many of these race car drivers, Tebo does this for a living, but it's not as easy as it looks.
"To do the fast lines, to make the jumps and not crash and to be smooth, run the same line everytime, it's really difficult," added Tebo.
What drives them is the need for some kind of speed.
"There's a lot less injuries, both of my kids used to race motorcycles, they got hurt so this is a lot safer," says King.
Yeah, you can't get hurt when you wreck here, but that doesn't mean these drivers aren't doing whatever it takes to finish in 1st place.
"It's all about trying to win," says King.
What a great country, what a great state, what a great way to spend a Sunday.
