Aaron Waldron: How old are you, and where are you from? Are you currently working or going to school?
Barry Pettit: I am 21, and I'm from Spartanburg, SC. I am currently doing an internship for Clemson University at BorgWarner Turbo Systems as a part of my mechanical engineering major.
AW: How important is it to you to maintain a life outside of RC?
BP: To me it is extremely crucial to maintain a life outside of RC. RC racing is an amazing form of competition, but if it is all you do it can get dull every now and then. For example I enjoy going to car shows and things like that just to get away from RC and at the same time keep it fun.
AW: How long have you been racing, and how did you get into the hobby?
BP: I have been racing for about 10 years, but the last 5 of that I would consider to be the higher level of competition. I went to The Hobby Connection in Easley, SC and fell in love. I bought my first car and it was game over!
AW: When did you decide that RC racing was something that you wanted to take more seriously?
BP: Once I had a car and my parents realized that RC would be a good route, they signed me up for some races and it hasn’t really stopped from there. When I saw some of the pro guys like Jeremy Kortz, Kris Moore, and Adam Drake racing at the Watermelon Classic in Aiken, SC I was determined to make it to that top level of RC racing.
AW: What is your favorite track?
BP: As of right now my favorite track that I consistently go to and have a blast on the East Coast would have to be K & B The Outback III in Ashtabula, OH. The track is always super hooked up and the people there are always super nice and relaxed. For West Coast tracks it will probably have to be Thunder Alley, because the Jacksons always have amazing layouts and the facility is really nice.
AW: You predominately race nitro off-road - how did your career head in that direction? Do you race electric cars at all?
BP: The area where I grew up was pretty much all nitro-oriented so naturally I just jumped in the class with the most competition. I have always been a pretty die-hard Mugen fan so I tend to stick to the cars they produce just because I know they will always kick butt! Mugen has a great 1/8 scale electric program so I race electric 1/8 scale a decent amount.
AW: What are your best race results to this point?
BP: I finished in the top 15 in Argentina at the 1/8 World Championships, 9th in the buggy class at the nationals in 2012 and 8th in the truggy class at nationals this year, but in my mind the most prestigious finish yet was 2nd at The Dirt Nitro Challenge last year in the truggy class.
AW: Who are some of the people that have helped you the most in RC?
BP: My Dad has obviously been my biggest helping hand in my racing by supporting my racing for so many years and not killing me when I drive poorly, but there have been many others as well. Kris Moore has always stood behind me as a team manager and also a good friend at the track, James Little was the one who helped Dad and I start competing seriously and also teaching us most of the trick of the trade, and all of my sponsors have helped me out greatly (Jason Ruona, Mark Pavidis, Bobbi Clausen from Byrons) by always standing behind me at the track and providing advice when it is needed.
AW: Your father is with you at most events and has to be a tremendous help, especially when racing multiple classes. How important is he to your success at the track?
BP: My Dad is a very big part of my success at the track and I am very appreciative of his help. Even though we disagree every now and then, the truth is that I could not do half of what I do at the track without his help during the week and on the weekend at the track as well.
AW: How do you think your relationship with your father compares to many of the other father-son teams racing at the top level?
BP: I think our relationship is very similar to other drivers and fathers. The main difference I see is that we will not yell at each other at the track the way some do. It is our belief that we are representing companies every time we go to a track and to act in such a manner where there is yelling or cursing occurring is unprofessional and really just stupid in my opinion.
AW: Do you think that living on the East Coast is a benefit or a hindrance compared to the top drivers who all live in California and get to race together more often?
BP: I treat living on the East Coast as if it was no different than anything else. Sure, the tracks here are different and most of the companies are based on the West Coast, but I am proud of where I live and I believe that the East Coast is just as competitive.
AW: What is different about racing on the East Coast versus out west?
BP: The East Coast has a lot flatter tracks where corner speed is a big factor, while California racing is more about the line choice and being able to clear all the jumps. With our current engine and car setup neither of the two styles tend to be a problem! (The problem is normally the driver! LOL)
AW: You’ve been racing for Mugen Seiki for quite a while now, and while they’ve had plenty of success in the past they’ve always been among one of the smaller teams, especially in the U.S. What does it mean to you to be one of their top representatives?
BP: Mugen Seiki is, in my opinion, the best TEAM in the world right now and I am honored to be a part of it. We always share data and test results and there is never a question on whether the car will perform or not - it is hard to argue with a World Championship! Mugen has always been a strictly performance-based company, and personally when I look at a race company, I want a team that is solely concerned with getting the best results possible.
AW: Do you think that having a small, tightly knit team is better when racing at large events? Or would it be more helpful to have more drivers that have a shot at winning?
BP: Personally I like having a tightly knit group at the track. I go RC racing to do the best I can, but also to hang out with friends and have a good time. With a team like we have at Mugen, everyone knows what is going on and we are trying to help each other do the best as we can. In some of the other camps you get rivalries going on internally - all that does is hurt the integrity of the team and scare non-sponsored drivers away from asking for help.
AW: You haven’t changed sponsors much throughout your career. How do you make those decisions? What’s the most important aspect of choosing which companies will support you?
BP: I haven’t really changed because I was lucky enough to get with some of the best companies from the beginning. Changing sponsors is a very tough process, especially for me, because I always make friendships at each company, but I try and stay loyal to the companies I drive for until it is contract season and after counseling with Dad and some other key influences to my racing career we decide what changes, if any, we want to make for the upcoming year. Obviously we want to choose companies that will help us perform at the highest level possible, but we also look at how the team acts at the track and the professionalism of the current team members.
AW: What’s the best part of racing RC cars at the pro level?
BP: My favorite parts of racing at higher level of RC are meeting all the different people and traveling. I am very thankful for the opportunities to travel to other countries and meet many different cultures of people, which I probably would not have been able to do without RC.
AW: What’s the worst part?
BP: The traveling part is a double edged sword. It is awesome to go and see different places, but at the same time I have missed out on many things with my friends at home due to racing. I would never strictly give one up for the other but sometimes traveling just causes problems with school and personal activities at home.
AW: When you’re not at the racetrack, what are some of your favorite hobbies?
BP: When I am not at the track I am normally involved in some sort of car activity. All of my friends are car nuts and I really enjoy driving my car as well. Relaxing is always a safe bet as well, but what fun is that?!
AW: What are your goals for your RC career? What about away from the RC track?
BP: My goals are to do the best I can at every race I attend. If I accomplish that then I believe the end result should not matter. Off the RC track, my goals are to become an engineer at a company I love and I guess settle down with a woman sometime if I have to… LOL!
AW: Thank you Barry! Do you have any other sponsors or people you’d like to thank?
BP: Thank you Aaron! I would like to thank all of my sponsors Mugen Seiki Racing, AKA Tires, Byron Fuels, A Main Hobbies, ProTek RC, OS Speed Engines, UPGrade RC, and Fresh From Birth Clothing. Thank You all for your support on and off the track! As for people I would like to thank my Mom, Dad, the entire Mugen team, Kris Moore and Tim Long for all the help and support, and most importantly my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
7/8/2014
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