In this edition of the JConcepts Friday5 we talk to Utah team driver, Ron Reid!
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?
It started when I was about 14 when my parents got me a Tamiya Grasshopper to keep me busy, and give me something to do when I was at the BMX track during down time. Then when I was 19 my wife bought me a Toys R Us RC car and I was driving it and it was so slow. So I remembered I had my old Tamiya Fox in the garage so I got it out, charged it, and even though it was in there for a couple years the battery charged and I was racing my wife up and down the street. It was so much faster, but the dog bone kept falling out of the Fox. So I ended up going to the local race track and asked if they had parts for it, and the guy was like they haven’t made that car for a really long time. I saw the Team Associated RC10T2 up on the shelf and wanted it so I went home, talked to the wife, we took the RC car back to Toys R Us, got are money back, and I went back and bought the T2. Then I started racing it within a month because if you bought a kit from the track they would give you a month of free practice along with three races so I was hooked.
2. As a new driver for JConcepts in 2023, what do you feel you bring to the team and what are some of your racing goals?
As a new driver for JConcepts I’m using this time to learn the products and getting the right setup that I need to make my cars run the best they can.
3. From your experience what is the easiest AND hardest maintenance task on your RC cars?
I believe there really isn’t anything easy at all. Everything takes a lot of time and effort to get the car to drive the way you want it to drive.
4. When it comes to new products released from JConcepts, what are you most excited to see and why? Is it a new body, new tire, new accessory, etc.?
I like to see all the new body and tire designs. I really like the bodies because I paint bodies.
5. What other hobbies are you into besides RC cars?
My other hobbies are riding 4-wheelers and my Side-by-Side (SxS) up in the mountains and going camping with my kids and grand kids.