ASK Cubby – Now That’s A Quality Problem…

“What in the serious F???

Dude, what’s going on between ROAR and Live RC? I want my f#$%ing racing back!!!

Darren K.”

Cubby- Yo there Darren, thanks for writing in and please remember to shoot me your snail mail address for one of our sticker packs.

So what’s going on? I think that has been widely explained via social media posts. For those of you that do not keep up on such matters, last week the Live RC crew that normally covers all the bigger races in America, did not cover the ROAR 1/10 nationals in Arizona. It sounds like the Live RC crew didn’t cover it because of not only some ongoing contract talks with ROAR about exclusive coverage, but also due to just raw $$$. The Live RC crew is no joke, when they roll up to cover an event, they are packing some seriously expensive equipment, then you have to have several guys on the ground to cover the event etc, and that just isn’t cheap. Neither ROAR or the manufacturers (I have not talked to them, but this seems Obvious) seem to be on-board with exclusive coverage because they want that event to be seen by as many real human eyeballs as possible, and you just don’t get that if you limit your coverage to just one source.

So what’s going on? I don’t have any inside info on this one, but I don’t see what either ROAR or Live RC is doing as the problem, simply a symptom. Rc racing is not doing well now (along with the rest of our industry), this means there just isn’t much money to go around. Live RC does a freak’n incredible job of covering races, but thanks to ROAR holding racing back for the past 20 years, many of the old racers have been run off, and new ones should run for their lives after one visit to their local track.

The general rc population (the guys that you actually want to get into racing) could care less about it. They don’t know the big names anymore due to lack of driver marketing by manufacturers, and they don’t want ANYTHING to do with a 1/10 2wd race buggy, or even a 1/8 nitro buggy. The words Professional Racing and Marketing are virtually interchangeable, and how it supposed to work is you are supposed to win on Sunday, then sell on Monday. However, if the rc buggy you are racing virtually nobody on the planet would want to own, don’t expect much return in the way of $$$. That means car sales, people showing up to race, or people subscribing to Live RC’s racing broadcasts. If racing were 10 times bigger, w

As I mentioned in this week’s CR, I absolutely love watching the full sized Stadium Super Truck series. The trucks look awesome, and at very least, look like something remotely like what you could buy off the showroom floor. That just isn’t the case in rc. We race these weird looking bubble things that are very, Very, hard for a basher (or potential new hobbyist) to cut a check for.

The boil down- our hobby is regressing, and will continue to do so until we get our acts together. Some people just don’t care if rc dies, I DO, and I hope YOU do to.

“Dromida

Hey cubby. According to tower hobbies it appears Dromida quietly died off during the Hobbico/Horizon Hobby merger. I currently have a built BL MT4.18 that was fun to rag to death due to parts cost being so cheap but now that all parts are gone for it, its pretty much just a shelf truck at this point as if it breaks I’m screwed. What do you guys know about this? These where great little trucks.

Spencer M.”

Cubby- Hey big guy, thanks for the email.

So what’s the scoop on Dromida? I have inquired about the status of Dromida with the Horizon guys and at the time that I asked, they not sure. I do know that they announced a new drone in late July, which was good news for the brand of course. Also, it looks like Horizon has made Dromida an “in store only” line, so there leaves some hope of finding a new Dromida truck (or parts) at your LHS.

I will get with the guys over there and I will post back next week if I learn of any big news for their surface line.

Have silly a question? Absolutely need an inaccurate answer? Have a rant that you just have to get off your chest? Email me- thecubreportrc at gmail dot com.