NASCAR R/C Racing - Running Remotes

The guys on the NASCAR Winston Cup Series circuit spend close to 40 weeks out of the year away from home racing or testing, not to mention the many 12-hour days in between getting the cars ready for the next race. So what do they do to clear their minds? You got it ... more racing.

However, it isn't with what we might consider, in our circle, the more traditional race car. Many NASCAR crewmembers and drivers spend their off-time racing remote-control cars. These are not the remote-control cars from the typical toy aisle. According to Rob Michael of Superior Hobby in Casselberry, Florida, you can purchase a ready-to-run car for around $200 to $300. "It comes with everything you need, except maybe a couple of components like a battery charger," he says.

That's chump change, however, compared to what many NASCAR drivers and crewmen spend on their remote-control cars. Michael "Fatback" McSwain, crew chief for Ricky Rudd's Havoline Ford, spent about $500 on his first car and admits putting at least $3,000 into his hobby already. Driver Jerry Nadeau put about $400 into his first car but knows you can spend thousands. He says he looks for deals but doesn't mind paying for this kind of stuff-a perk of being a Winston Cup driver, no doubt.

Catching The Bug
So how did guys like McSwain, Nadeau, driver Steve Park, crew chief Kevin Hamlin, and numerous other NASCAR team members get involved with these little wonders of speed?

"Honestly, it hasn't been that long since I got into it," says Nadeau, driver of the No. 25 UAW Delphi Chevrolet. "When I was younger, I used to run a lot of slot car races. We had a place about 10 minutes from our house called the Hobby Center and we used to run slot cars there every Friday night. That was when I was about 13 years old. Then I became involved in racing and got away from it. Then, about a year ago, I was sitting in my bus at Darlington and heard this strange noise. It was Steve Park running his R/C car outside. Ever since then I have been into it."

Nadeau says the hobby appeals to the competitive nature of racers. "It doesn't matter if it is R/C racing or stock car racing. Anything that involves a game, I am competitive at it."

Still, he just tries to have fun. "R/C cars are more or less to keep my mind occupied," Nadeau says. "I am not into going out. We don't have kids yet, and my wife goes to school, so I need a hobby to keep me busy."

McSwain says his remote-control car hobby came out of pure boredom. "We were at a test in Atlanta and it was raining. We didn't have anything to do, so Ricky and I drove around all afternoon trying to find a shop that sells R/C cars," McSwain says. "We never found a place, so when we got home we went down to the R/C shop and bought one."

Next time you see McSwain, ask him about the "other" race he won last year. This time it wasn't as a crew chief, but as a driver. During the 2001 Winston Cup season, Motor Racing Outreach sponsored a series of remote-control car races for drivers and crewmen. The series was to take place in the drivers' motorcoach area at various tracks on the circuit. As it turned out, all but one race was rained out, and McSwain captured the victory.

Drivers vs. Mechanics
Driving aside, being a mechanic on a real race car does have its advantages when it comes to working with remote-control cars.