In this edition of the JConcepts Friday5 we talk to Utah team driver, Darnell DeBrule!
1. How did you first hear about racing RC cars? And what classes did you compete in?
I started racing RC Cars in the late 80’s in Newcastle, DE. It was a local carpet track with a simple oval configuration. Fast forward 27 years, scrolling through FB I discovered one of my buddies was racing the annual April Fools Classic at IRCR in Salt Lake City, Utah. I went down the next day to watch the mains and have been hooked ever since. That was a little over 3 years ago. I race Stock 2wd Buggy, Stock Stadium Truck, and 13.5 4wd Buggy. I also run stock Touring Car and 25.5 F1 during the summer.
2. What is your favorite class to race in today and why?
My favorite is everything and anything on-road but for off-road I love to race stadium truck. I just like watching trucks race.
3. In your opinion, what needs to be done to increase participation in RC racing, or RC in general?
There are a lot of good ideas out there to increase participation. I think any idea that starts and ends with getting young kids involved is the best bet. I like the idea of tracks having cars/trucks for rent so that visitors, youth groups, etc. can have an experience whether they have a kit or not. Depending on the number of sponsored drivers at a track it may be possible to have them donate some older cars/trucks not being used.
4. Name one JConcepts product that you feel is overlooked by many but you find it very useful. It could be a tool, tread pattern, wing, etc.
My personal favorite is the rubber parts tray. It has come in handy and I use it the most when rebuilding diffs.
5. You are obviously highly skilled when it comes to RC cars, but what is one skill or hidden talent that folks might be surprised to find out about you?
I thoroughly enjoy predictive analytics. As my part of my day job, I analyze commercial real estate investments and markets. I actively look for emerging trends and have become quite good at predicting market moves 6-12 months in advance.