In this edition of the JConcepts Friday5 we talk to Georgia team driver, Shay Brand!
1. How did you get started in RC? Was it racing right away, or did you bash vehicles before you found out about the RC race scene?
I got started in RC when I was around 8 years old. The first RC car I had ever had was a Traxxas T-Maxx that my dad brought home randomly one day. We bashed around the yard with it for a little while, and then we found out about RC racing and that was all it took. We’ve been hooked ever since!
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 would say in my local area there has been a noticeable decline in the amount of Truggy entries at a lot of the local/regional level races. I think this is mainly due to the higher cost of 1/8 truck tires vs. buggy tires. There are a lot of different brand tires and many tread patterns, so it can get quite expensive for the average racer to try and keep up with changing track conditions with all the options. One solution to try and help this would be to limit the tread selection for 1/8 truck to just a few key patterns that cover a broad spectrum and just stick to those. JC has done a great job with this with providing the Reflex, Triple Dees, and Ellipse. With these three patterns you can cover pretty much every racing surface and stay competitive!
3. If you have been racing for a while now you have probably glued up 100s of tires. So what gluing tips do you have for beginning racers?
I would say the two biggest factors to gluing tires is keeping everything clean and getting comfortable with your equipment. I always use pure Simple Green and a standard blue shop towel to clean the bead of the tire. You also have to make sure your comfortable with the glue you use. Find a viscosity that suits you and stick with it, it makes the process much easier when your used to the glue and know what to expect. I personally prefer a thinner glue, but whatever you feel more comfortable with is what you should use.
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.
I’m a huge fan of the JC Dirt-Tech foam grip for the radio wheel. It’s important that your radio feels super comfortable in your hand, especially for those long nitro mains at larger events, so it’s awesome that JC provides this as an option to add a little extra customization and comfort to the radio!
5. Name one thing people might be surprised to know about you.
Before I ever got into RC racing I wanted to race Motocross. I was around dirt bikes ever since I was little, and I even had a close cousin that raced as well. But, unfortunately my parents didn’t let me get into racing because they didn’t want me to get hurt, which is part of the reason I ended up in RC racing to begin with. But, I still enjoy riding when I’m not at the RC track and I’ve even gained some RC buddies along the way that love to ride as well!