In this edition of the JConcepts Friday5 we talk to Kansas team driver, Mason Herrick!
1. Which professional driver did you follow when you first started RC racing, and why? Or perhaps you followed a local or regional driver?
Spencer Rivkin was someone I really looked up to as he was one of the younger, more successful drivers when I started. He is the reason I went with most of the products I did, and even the main inspiration for my paint scheme.
2. Name a RC class that you would like to see increase in popularity and why?
I would really like to see modified classes in general gain more popularity. Across the U.S. the stock classes have sort of taken over, and especially at the club race level. I just really enjoy running the mod classes, and when there are only a few cars in a heat it makes it far less enjoyable.
3. Off-road carpet tracks have been gaining momentum here in the states the last few years. Since you do a lot of racing on this type of surface, do you see that as the future of 1/10 off-road RC, or maybe tracks will go back to dirt or possibly AstroTurf more if they race outside?
With the opening of RC Pitstop and Raceway in Newton, KS, I have started doing mostly carpet racing. I feel that carpet makes it easier for new people to get into the hobby which is always good, but it seems to lead to not as good racing. I do think that we will see more and more tracks convert to carpet for that ease of maintenance, but I hope dirt tracks will continue to stay around as that is what I personally prefer.
4. Which JConcepts product is your favorite to date, and why?
My favorite product has to be the Smoothie 2 tires. Since their release about a year ago, they have taken over just about every dirt track. At tracks that run slicks, there is no longer the need for sanding tires creating a huge mess, or making them so thin you have to replace them every few runs allowing more people to enjoy the hobby.
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?
Something people may not know about me is that I race full size cars when I’m not doing RC. I currently race with the SCCA in their Autocross events in a 2016 Scion FR-S. I started in go karts when I was six and earned five Nationals Wins in those before moving to cars earning my first National Championship in 2021, and becoming the youngest person to win at 16 years old.