Friday5 With Team Driver Riley Schaefer

In this edition of the JConcepts Friday5 we talk to Arizona team driver, Riley Schaefer!

1. When you first got into RC racing, what pro driver did you look up to and why? Or maybe there was a local/regional driver that you followed?

I first got into racing in 2006 at SoCal raceway in Huntington Beach, California. The pro driver that I looked up to the most was Steven Hartson because him and his father were always more then happy to give my father and I the advice we needed.

2. In your opinion, what classes have you noticed that seem to be in a decline? And how would you try to resolve this so there is more participation?

I feel like the stadium truck/ short course class has begun to decline over the years. I know in 2014-2015 they were always at the track. I think the main reason is the amount of buggy classes that are starting to come to the tracks now. Between 21.5 and now the 17.5 fixed timing class. I think a good way to resolve it is to honestly have a heads up race once every two weeks going the opposite direction because they’re so much bigger and they take more of a beating.

3. On many indoor dirt off-road tracks it seems like the hot ticket is to run slicks. Do you prefer slightly treaded tires or slicks? And why do you think things have moved this way?

Before I moved to Arizona my home track was OCRC and we ran treads. I was always scared to run slicks, but now I really enjoy it. It shows who the good drivers are because it teaches you how to stay in the groove and be as consistent as possible. I honestly don’t know why most tracks have gone to slicks. There is way more of a “tire game” with slicks, tires don’t last as long, and there’s a lot of prep that goes into sanding treads to slicks.

4. What is one tip you have for new drivers getting into RC racing that you would like to share?

I always tell people at HobbyAction is to build your kits to kit setup and learn how the car drives. Once you can see that you’re out driving the car, then you can take the time to make SMALL changes at a time and writing down what it did to the car. In my opinion that is the only way you’ll learn setup.

5. Besides RC cars, what other hobbies are you into?

I really like playing video games with my friends and I also really enjoy go kart racing!