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April 7, 2014, 7:46 a.m.
4/7/2014
By Mike Garrison
LiveRC.com
Lately I have been doing a lot of R/C parking lot and backyard bashing with my buddies. Everything from wheelie contests, janky ramp jumps, to chasing the neighbors dogs. I have decided that in a sense, this would be the equivelant of "free-riding" for motocross racers. There is no real track, only open spaces to go fast, and crazy big jumps to fly over and have fun. I have been doing this R/C "free-riding" far more than practicing at the local track lately, and the comment was made to me how I am going to be "SOOOO rusty when I hit the track again," because I haven't been practicing lately.
First of all, many would agree I look rusty even on my good days of racing. Second of all, I understand the point that is being made, however, much like motocross I believe that time behind the wheel of an R/C car is time behind the wheel no matter where or what you are driving. Some of the greatest motocross and offroad racers "train" by simply going out and spending time on the bike riding. Sometimes this is on the practice track, sometimes this is trails through woods or desert, and sometimes this is jumping the hills of Southern California with shovel built jumps. The theory behind this is that no matter where or what they are riding, they are still riding. Whether they know it or not, they are also learning.
Sure you may not be driving your offroad buggy on an asphalt track, however, the last minute wheel whip you learned while bashing in the street to save it from traction rolling will come in handy on the racetrack. You probably aren't going to be jumping BMX ramps over a building on raceday either, BUT the technique you learn to keep the car on four wheels while flat landing into an abandon parking lot is liable to come in handy when you overshoot the big double during the A-Main.
I'm not saying that as a racer you shouldn't spend quality time at the track practicing, as I would agree that is the best way to improve your racing skills, however, going out "bashing" is often looked down upon by serious racers. In MY OPINION, no matter how good or bad of a racer you are, you are never "too good" for going out and having a little fun with an R/C car. Who knows, you might even learn a thing or two while your at it!
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