RC cars to race in Hope Town Square Sunday

They are far from furious, but they’re certainly fast and at noon this Sunday more than 100 feet of Harrison Street will be host to Hope’s first-ever RC drag racing competition.

Hope resident Joe Chambers says he and his brother, Jon, have always had a passion for remote control cars. As the brothers’ interest grew, so did their frustration with having to drive long distances to participate in RC events. So the pair decided to remedy the situation.

Nearly a decade ago, the pair collaborated with a few friends to open an indoor RC track just off Indianapolis Road in Columbus. Today, the brothers are the sole owner-operators of the indoor track and are bringing a taste of scaled down street racing to downtown Hope.

Hope Town Manager Frank Owens says Joe approached the town council last month about offering a RC drag racing event that, if it goes well, could certainly lead to more events in the future.

RC racing events have been popular in metropolitan areas, such as Indianapolis, and other states, including Ohio, California and Kentucky, for quite some time. And, now, with the help of the Chambers brothers, that popularity will hopefully branch out to include Hope, which is something Owens says he’s excited about.

Already, RC enthusiasts from nearby Indianapolis and as far away as Ohio and Kentucky are making plans to have their RC hotrods at the starting line," Owens says.

Organizers are already anticipating at least 50 participants, Owens adds.

“Getting larger locations coming to Hope, that is exactly what we want,” Owens says. “We want to bring people here to show them what Hope is all about and I think it will have them coming back for other things.”

This weekend’s race will consist of three separate classes, Chambers explains.

First up is the Street Eliminator Class, which is a competitive class that features large motors and the cars go pretty fast, Chambers says. Next up is the 13.5 Class that is exactly what it says as the cars racing in this category are outfitted with a 13.5 motor and standard electronic stability control, or ESC, and can reach speeds of 30 to 40 miles per hour. And then there is the open class which includes any RC car individuals want to bring, make a pass with and have some fun, Chambers says.

There is no pre-registration leading up to the event. All RC cars will be registered the day of the event along with a required $5 track fee, which helps cover expenses, and a $20 entry fee.

The race will have a 100 percent payout to the winner, Chambers says.

Chambers is hopeful Sunday’s event will bring out a good crowd and generate more interest in RC racing locally.

“We are just trying to host an event for fun and see how it goes,” Chambers says. “If it is successful and we get a lot of positive feedback then I will go back to the board and see what is available on the calendar next month and we will do it again.”

Since 132 feet of Harrison Street will be reserved for the race, spectators and participants are encourage to park on the remaining sides of the town square along Washington and Jackson Streets, Owens says.

“The Harrison Street side will be closed,” Owens says. “Vendors will be on the sidewalk and people will be asked to stay on the sidewalks so they can safely run the RCs down the street.”

As for whether or not he plans on bringing his own RC car to race, Owens remains uncommitted. For now.

“I think I will wait on buying my car just yet,” he says.

To those who may not be aware of the excitement and fun RC racing offers, Chambers gives some insight.

“It is a fast, entertaining race that is over in just a couple of seconds,” Chambers says. “You never know what is going to happen. We hope people can stop by and see what they think.”