Talk-It-Up Tuesday with Casey Peck

  

Welcome to LiveRC's weekly column, "Talk-It-Up Tuesday!" Here we spend a little time talking with industry icons including racers, manufacturers, team managers, developers, promoters, and everyone in between! Sit back, relax, and go behind the scenes as we interview them all! 

  

Several years ago I attended the Cactus Classic at SRS in Scottsdale, Arizona. I showed up to the race with my dad who was running a truck that had been released days before, and parts were scarce. I had never been to the Cactus Classic, and prepared my dad and I with three sets of tires for the weekend. One for practice, one for qualifying, and one for the mains. As it turns out, three sets of tires will almost last you three 6-minute runs on the super high traction track, and not a run more. Needless to say the hobby shop had plenty of wheels for my car, so I was able to outfit myself with new tires accordingly. My dad on the other hand, wasn't so lucky. Seeing how new his truck was, there was no parts, wheels, or accessories available at the time for it. After slipping and sliding on bald tires for much of the practice day and into qualifying, a team driver running the same truck walked over to our pits, said to my dad, "Your going to need these!", and handed him a two sets of wheels refusing to let him run on bald tires again.

 

My dad's enthusiasm for the weekend was brought back to life, and as it later turns out, we all spent a lot of time talking about our past in motocross, R/C cars, and racing in general. The man of the hour that weekend was none other than our good friend, and this week's "Talk-It-Up Tuesday" guest, Casey Peck!
 

 
 

LiveRC: Welcome to "Talk-It-Up Tuesday" Casey! You have been involved in a wide range of different types of racing. What are some of the different forms of racing you've been involved in, and how did you get started in them?

Casey: Well other than R/C it's been all on 2 wheels. I grew up racing motocross with my buddy George Hammel. We lived just down the street from each other and had practice tracks all over the desert by our houses. It was always my dream to be a pro motocross rider and race supercross. I think we shared the same dream. Week in and week out, I ate, drank, & lived moto for a long time. I think we wore out our "Winner’s Take All" movie!

    

 

In 1996 I turned pro and gave it everything I had. It payed off and I qualified for the night show at Anaheim Supercross '96. After a series of injuries, surgeries, and George breaking his back I decided to hang up the boots. After quitting moto I chased a lot of things around to fill that competitive side that was a huge part of my life. I did downhill mountain bikes and got hurt doing that, tried shifter carts, but it was way out of my budget, took up golf, but nothing ever really filled that gap.

  

Then a trip to the local HobbyTown to buy a TMAXX started the whole addiction! Luckily for me it was race night and I saw the 1:10 gas trucks race, and that was all she wrote! Hooked ever since!
 

LiveRC: At what point did you decide to really pursue R/C racing?

Casey: I started racing every class and race that I could possible get away with (and stay married ) in 2001.
 
   
 

LiveRC: How would you compare R/C racing to the motocross and other forms of racing?

Casey: There are many similarities in the mechanics, offroad fundamentals, and race prep of the vehicles. The biggest ones being the understanding of line choice, and timing / seeing jump combinations that you see from all the moto experience.

  

For me it still feels like I’m racing the vehicle just like I did when I was risking life and limb on a dirt bike. The differences are obviously the lack of physical activity, and unfortunately a huge lack of on and off track etiquette that seems to be lacking by a lot of the younger racers.

LiveRC: In addition to being a racer, you have also been involved in the business side of racing. Tell us a little about your business en devours such as Short Course Hobbies.
 
Casey: Yes, I had a hobby shop / track here in Tucson about 5 years ago with a partner that didn’t end well. And then after all of those years George moved back to AZ and I got him hooked on R/C. After he was injured he went 100% into his career in graphic and web design, and was very successful so it seemed natural for us to team up. SCH was more about building a brand and introducing the cross over extreme sports junkie to this awesome hobby / sport more than making money selling R/C stuff.
 
 
LiveRC: You are a TLR team driver, and your truck was featured as the box art for the original Losi SCTE 4wd short course. Did you play a part in the design/development of the original truck, and/or the new 2.0?

Casey: Yes I sure did. Joey put on the first ever Short Course Truck Championship in 2010 and I wanted to race the 2 and 4 wheel class. After telling Adam what my idea was, Losi sent me a 10T. I got to work in the garage and put it together in a few days. I used a bunch of custom strike parts, a Dremel, and some sweat. It came out pretty cool! It was too short at the time so Losi took the idea and ran with it. As it evolved into a real product I helped test things, but that was pretty much my involvement with it.
 
 
LiveRC: You have been featured a lot recently regarding the build of the 8ight 3.0, not to mention you have been winning a lot of races with it lately in Arizona and surrounding areas. Did you play a part in the development of the buggy?

Casey: No I was just lucky enough to get one of the pre-production kits and thought that it might be a good idea build one up with pictures, and include the tips that I have gathered from teammates and myself over the years of wrenching and racing the 8ight platform.
 

LiveRC: Over the years in R/C, you have been known as a racer, a pro pit guy, a mechanic, and a businessman. Through it all, what would you say has been your favorite part of R/C racing, and why?

Casey: The racing is awesome but a lot of times for me it’s the whole experience. Hanging out with friends, pitting, etc. at big races is awesome. But I would say I have the most fun club racing and helping new guys out getting started.

LiveRC: Several years ago, you had a life-changing experience with your health. Do you want to tell us a little about that?

Casey: Sure, the week after the Nitro Nats in Colorado I had an MRI of my noggin to figure out why some dizziness and headache issues had not cleared up and they found a golf ball size tumor in the center my brain. Well at least I had an answer as to what was going on (and why I had purposely set up my buggy with truggy ride height a few times). The tumor was a very rare one and the right Dr. needed to be found. After lots of prayers and research we found the right neurologist at the Barrow’s Institute in Phoenix, AZ. It was a pretty rough time but with lots of prayer and support from my friends and family I got through it with a pretty clean bill of h……..wait what was I talking about again??

LiveRC: Haha! We admire your sense of humor and outlook on it all. Has this experience changed everyday life, and how you look at things such as R/C racing?

Casey: Well It strengthend my faith and made me enjoy the important things more, my kids, wife, and family are number one. You really get a feel for who your friends are and really understand how important your family is when you face the unknown. For R/C it really just put my addiction in the place it belongs which is second to family.
 
 
LiveRC: What is your most memorable R/C racing experience?

Casey: I would say TQ and winning the buggy class at the '09 Nitro Cross, one month post-op from a craniotomy. It was an awesome weekend for me. I had a huge support system from my R/C family as well, and it was great to be able to see them all again and do well.

LiveRC: What is one R/C memory that you wish you could forget?

Casey: When my R/C stuff got stolen 2 weeks before the 2009 nationals. I had to thrash to get stuff back together before the race. But I was pretty dizzy so it didn’t matter anyway!

LiveRC: If you could be anyone in R/C for one day, who would it be?

Casey: I would be Stephen Bess so I could help charge up his energy level for a day and to tighten up my spelling and grammar skills! Keep fighting SB!
 
LiveRC: You've travelled with a lot of different drivers and been the official pit guy for racers such as Adam Drake. Who is your favorite, and least favorite R/C racer to pit/wrench for and why?

Casey: I really enjoy pitting for all of my teammates but it was pretty awesome being part of both of Adam’s National titles and Truhes IFMAR Worlds TQ. My least favorite person to pit for is Dave Salas, he turns into an R/C bully!
 

LiveRC: Who is the most intimidating person in R/C racing, and why?

Casey: I’m not intimidated by anyone in the hobby since I have to deal with people that think they are intimidating every day. But on the track, I think at that level they are all a bit intimidating with Maifield being the most. He just has that ability to turn it up a notch higher than anyone else on the planet. In my opinion he is the most talented R/C racer ever.

LiveRC: If you could race any form of motorsports, anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Casey: It would have to be nitro sprint cars with my homie Billy Fischer at the old R/C Mania LOL. Actually since this would be a make believe world…. anything off road with a cage and an unlimited budget.

LiveRC: Casey thanks so much for visiting with us today, where is the next race we will most likely see you next?

Casey: Anytime, I am looking forward to the ROAR Fuel Nats in a few weeks and hope to see all the LiveRC crew there.

LiveRC: Is there anything you would like add?

Casey: Yes, thanks for your time Mike! A huge thanks for what LiveRC does to bring the races into our homes, And of course all of the companies that have supported me all these years. Team Losi Racing, Team Orion, AKA, Spektrum, Horizon Hobby, Avidrc, Upgrade RC, Gregs Graf-x, and my cool new Vans!

  

 

 

 

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