The History of RC Car Racing
History & The beginnings of radio controlled racing:
Small, nitromethane-powered engines originally entered the market in the 1940s. At the time, there was insufficient technology to control an engine-powered model car other than on a tether. “Tether cars”, or “spin dizzies”, were capable of speeds upwards of 70 mph (113 km/h), but merely ran in a circle from the tether. In the late 1960s, the first miniaturized solid state radio control systems became available, which allowed a model car to have servo-controlled steering, throttle, and brake functionality that could be remotely controlled from a radio control transmitter unit. This allowed model cars to be able to run a racetrack, with the ability for precise control in a similar manner as with a full-sized vehicle.
First commercial products:
In 1976, the Japanese firm Tamiya, who were renowned for their intricately detailed plastic model kits, released a series of elegant but somewhat mechanically crude car models that were sold as “suitable for radio control”. Although rather expensive to purchase, the kits and radio systems sold rapidly; Tamiya eventually turned their attention away from scale detail of vehicles and towards the development of more purpose-built remote control model cars. Featuring working suspensions, more powerful motors, textured off-road rubber tires and often topped with stylized “dune buggy” bodies, these models were durable, easy to assemble, capable of being modified, and simple to repair. These models can be credited with launching a boom in the popularity of radio controlled model cars in the early to mid 1980s, and they provided the basis for today’s radio controlled car market. Popular Tamiya models included The Grasshopper and The Hornet dune buggies as well as the Blackfoot and Clodbuster monster truck models.
A British firm, Schumacher Racing, was the first to develop a ball differential in 1980, which allowed nearly infinite tuning for various track conditions. At the time the majority of on-road cars had a solid axle, while off-road cars generally had a gear-type differential. Team Associated followed suit with the introduction of the RC-10 off-road racing buggy in 1984 (see below).
Modern developments in radio controlled racing:
Modified 1/8 scale buggy with upper body removed in 1984, Associated Electrics, Inc. of Costa Mesa, California introduced the RC10 off-road electric racer; this model was a departure from Associated Electrics’ regular line of nitromethane-powered on-road race cars. Designed as a more professional radio controlled car, the chassis of the RC10 was manufactured from anodized, aircraft-grade aluminum alloy. The shock absorbers were machined, oil-filled and completely tunable; they were also produced from the same aluminum alloy. Suspension control arms were manufactured from high-impact nylon, as were the two-piece wheels.
Optional stainless steel miniature ball bearings were sometimes incorporated in RC10 wheels and transmissions. The RC10 transmission contained innovative differential featuring - hardened steel rings pressed against ball bearings - which made it infinitely adjustable for any track condition. The RC10 quickly became the dominant model in electric off-road racing.
In 1986, Schumacher Racing Products released their CAT (Competition All Terrain) vehicle, widely considered the best four wheel drive off-road “buggy” racer of the time. The CAT went on to win the 1987 off-road world championship, following suit in 1990, 1994, 1995, and 1996. This car is credited for sparking an interest in four wheel drive electric off-road racing.
Gil Losi Jr, whose family ran the “Ranch Pit Shop R/C” racetrack in Pomona, California, turned his college studies toward engineering, primarily in the field of injection molded plastics, leading to his foundation of Team Losi. When the JRX-2, the first Team Losi buggy, was released it initiated a rivalry with Team Associated that continues to this day. Team Losi went on to secure a number of achievements, which included the industry’s first all-natural rubber tires, the first American made four wheel drive racing buggy, and an entirely new class of cars, the 1/18-scale Mini-T off-road electrics.
Although Losi and Associated seemed to dominate much of the American market, Traxxas (another American company) and Kyosho (from Japan) were also making competitive two-wheel-drive off-road racing models. Although Losi and Associated were close rivals in the USA, Schumacher off-road models continued to be popular amongst European hobbyists.
Links to more information on the history of RC-Cars visit these other informative websites:
RCCarTip.com - RC History
RC-Car-Museum.de - German Museum Of RC-Cars
The History of Team Associated
The History of Team Schumacher
Tags: history of rc cars, losi, rc car history, RC Car Racing, schumacher, team associated