In this edition of the JConcepts Friday5 we talk to Illinois team driver, Troy Weber!
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 many, many years ago with a Tamiya Blackfoot I got for Christmas. Bashed with it for awhile. Then a small indoor dirt track opened really close to my house. They raced two times a week. I raced the Blackfoot for sometime then stepped up to a RC10 and I was hooked on the hobby! I started going to bigger tracks and races in the Chicago area and traveling out of state.
2. Which type of racing format do you prefer and why. A trophy race that runs over a weekend or a single day event with multiple rounds in a points series?
I enjoy both formats of racing. The longer three day races have really good competition so you can see where you stack up and it motivates me to work harder. The smaller one day events are fun also. It feels good to just relax and race for a day.
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?
It all starts with the preparation. Make sure the tire bead and the wheel bead are clean, clean, clean. Use a solvent that will not leave a residue. Motor spray or Brakleen brake cleaner works good.
4. Which JConcepts product, in your opinion, is a must-have on race day when going to the track and why?
For 10th scale I would say the Smoothie 2 tire in in the Silver compound. The way the tracks have evolved we are on slicks right from the start. For 8th scale it is the Reflex tire in the Blue compound. For me Reflex is the best balanced tire for our Midwest track conditions. I don’t leave home without them.
5. Besides RC racing, what other activities do you enjoy?
So for a few years I was a competitive water skier. I traveled the Midwest to tournaments. I have a wakeboard boat and mainly wakesurf now and I like to get out as much as possible.