I met Randy Caster when we were both kids racing at the old outdoor off-road tracks in San Diego - back when it was just a hobby for both of us. As we both started branching out further, Randy befriended Joe Pillars and Ryan Cavalieri and eventually moved to Orange County, where he continued to develop his skills both on the racetrack and off before taking a break from the hobby altogether. He hit the asphalt again with renewed vigor about three years ago, scoring A-Main finishes at some of the biggest touring car races in the country as well as building incredibly successful touring cars for some of his Team Associated teammates, including Ryan Cavalieri’s back-to-back national championship-winning kits. Caster first employed his building ability and attention to detail in a partnership with fellow Team Associated rep Nick Wautlet’s Wallie Builds, which specializes in building off-road cars and trucks, before branching out on his own about a month ago with his new brand 1up Racing. I caught up with Randy to share the story of his life, racing career, new company and more in this week’s Talk It Up Tuesday. (Cover photo: ActivRC, via Facebook)
Aaron Waldron: How old are you, and where are you from?
Randy Caster: I am 33, originally from San Diego and now living in Costa Mesa, CA.
AW: How did you get into RC, and how long have you been racing?
RC: I was 13 when a friend showed me his nitro truck, I was hooked right away. Santa brought my first RC car soon after and I was racing a few months later. I think you and I started racing around the same time at Discount Hobby Warehouse.
AW: What do you do for work? Is it difficult to find time to practice and race?
RC: I recently quit my full time job and have shifted all of my focus to growing 1up Racing. I was hitting the track twice a month or so but am getting back to going 1-2 times a week again.
AW: What made you decide to start attending big races and trying to attract sponsors?
RC: I’m a competitive person and I want to race against the best competition that I can. I am very happy to say I have some amazing sponsors but my focus has always just been on doing my best and the rest has worked itself out.
AW: What’s your favorite track? Favorite big event? Favorite racing class?
RC: My favorite place to race is Tamiya America’s track. My favorite event is the Reedy Touring Car Race of Champions - at Tamiya America’s track. And I think it’s safe to say that touring car racing is my favorite class.
AW: Tell me your new company, 1up Racing - when did you get the idea to try running your own RC business?
RC: The idea has been on my mind for some time now; I just wanted to be sure I had some great products to offer before taking the plunge. My goal with 1up is to help grow touring car; I’ve had some great success as a mechanic with drivers like Ryan and Spencer but the local racers who have switched over to my cars are showing a lot of improvement as well! I’m trying to make it easier for people to get started in touring car by offering pre-built cars that will be extremely competitive right out of the box. The base setups I use typically work very well for off-road drivers wanting to give on-road a shot.
AW: Do you have any goals for your RC career?
RC: I’d love to win a ROAR National Championship in Modified Touring Car. I was one of a few drivers with a shot at it this past year but it’s hard to stop Ryan and Rick when they are on their game. My goals currently seem to be shifting towards helping others get faster and growing the hobby that I love.
AW: When you’re not at the racetrack, what are some of your favorite hobbies?
RC: Lately, there hasn’t been time for much outside the R/C world - but another hobby that I love and need to make more time for is rock climbing.
Photo: Joann Caster, via Facebook
AW: What’s the best part of RC racing? What about RC racing annoys or bothers you?
RC: I’d say the best part is getting to hang out with your friends all day. Really there’s not much that bothers me about R/C racing. There’s no way I would have lasted 20 years if that list was very long.
AW: Who are some of the people that have helped you the most?
RC: That list is incredibly long so I’m just going to keep it to a few names that have really helped get me where I am today: Joe Pillars, Brent Thielke, Rick Hohwart, Patrick See, Paul Wynn, Steve Weiss, Todd Hodge… I could keep going for a long time. Thank you to everyone has helped me throughout the years.
Photo: Lex Tyler, via Facebook
AW: Thanks for the interview! Is there anything else you’d like to add?
RC: I’d like to thank all my sponsors for their continued support and allowing me to do what I love! Team Associated, Reedy, ProtoForm, 1up Racing, ActivRC, T-Works, Tuning Haus, StickIt1 Racing and Max.FX. Thank you for having me, Aaron!
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