HobbyTown USA, Crystal Lake, IL

[nitrothugg]

I just want to give thumbs up to the guys at HobbyTown USA in Crystal Lake. This past Sunday was my first time visiting their weekly parking lot racing and I had a good time.

It's located in a great spot so that if you bring your wife or girlfriend, she can go shopping when she's bored. The atmosphere is strictly amateur so any new guy or kid can come and bring their new RTR out and have a go at it.

They use a drivers stand and transponders are included with the $10 fee. The day we went, i was pleasantly surprised there were probably 25-30 racers but probably 20 were running monster trucks, stadium trucks and 1/8 buggies. The track was probably at least 10-15 feet too short on the straight so these beasts could not show their true speed but still big enough to offer some challenging turns.

Me and my 2 other buddies just had our onroads but even though it was on a parking lot, it was extremely slippery at the end of the straight so we were scrambling to find the perfect setup.

their sunday schedule conflicts with my favorite track but for you guys up north, give these guys a shot. from what they told me, they will continue every sunday until the weather gets bad. next time i'll bring my revo too.

HobbyTown of Crystal Lake, IL
Crystal Lake Plaza
15 Crystal Lake Plaza
Crystal Lake, IL 60014
Phone: (815) 444-1515

[Rookie Solara]

I just want to give thumbs up to the guys at HobbyTown USA in Crystal Lake. This past Sunday was my first time visiting their weekly parking lot racing and I had a good time.

It's located in a great spot so that if you bring your wife or girlfriend, she can go shopping when she's bored. The atmosphere is strictly amateur so any new guy or kid can come and bring their new RTR out and have a go at it.

They use a drivers stand and transponders are included with the $10 fee. The day we went, i was pleasantly surprised there were probably 25-30 racers but probably 20 were running monster trucks, stadium trucks and 1/8 buggies. The track was probably at least 10-15 feet too short on the straight so these beasts could not show their true speed but still big enough to offer some challenging turns.

Me and my 2 other buddies just had our onroads but even though it was on a parking lot, it was extremely slippery at the end of the straight so we were scrambling to find the perfect setup.

their sunday schedule conflicts with my favorite track but for you guys up north, give these guys a shot. from what they told me, they will continue every sunday until the weather gets bad. next time i'll bring my revo too.

HobbyTown of Crystal Lake, IL
Crystal Lake Plaza
15 Crystal Lake Plaza
Crystal Lake, IL 60014
Phone: (815) 444-1515

Good to hear there is anohter alternative for Chicagoarea racers...........if time is OK, I would love to swing by there 1 time, before they switched to race RC snowmobile....LOL

P.S...the shopping mall idea is great...........I have to hard sell that to my wife.

[MacGeek]

I was just out there picking up stuff for my RC-10. What's the time for racing on Sundays?

[7thgendman]

Looks like we have some more guys from the north ha??? Yeah the guys at the CL store are great. Sean is the owner and has been doing this for quite sometime now. They have some great guys working there and a pretty big inventory for only being in CL for about two years now. Great guys to deal with. As far as racing goes. Every Sunday until it get crappy out. They are out there all day. I have been there the past three weekends just watching, trying to sell my MT's. I will be there again this weekend if anyone is interested in a few new toys hit me up and I can meet you there. Here are the trucks.

http://forums.radiocontrolzone.com/showthread.php?t=204722

DMAN

[MacGeek]

Any idea what classes are run? It seemed reasonably well organized. Lots of people having lots of fun out there. :)

[thunderbt3]

is there AMB computer timing and scoring? can i use personal transponders? any type of points series?

[ketiov]

i gotta come with my nitro buddy, ive been looking for a track in chicago forever!

if youre gonna come in maybe 2 weeks look for the hippie with the nooby nitro mt :D .

[7thgendman]

most of the time its all just for fun out there. They usually run stock electric then modified electric. Stock gas, then modified gas. Then its all about the MT's. Just get out there and bash it up. No timing. They may do some points scoring, but I think they just give out coupons and stuff for the store. Haven't really stayed long enough to check it out. Usually turns into a long day by the time the trucks are done.

[traxdan]

how is there a offroad track on pavement??? or is it not on pavement? and does anyone know if i can see the layout of the track anywhere?

[ketiov]

most likely ramps, and maybe some other objects like that.

[Milenko_76]

There is no off road track. they race all onroad. Nitro and electric MTs on pavement.

[ZoneOfTheEnders]

so far i have not gone, is it still going on?

[DarkSavage]

Come to St. Charles lol, does anyone know if the crystal lake one is nicer then st charles?

[rcnut143]

I race 1/10 onroad at Crystal Lake and enjoy it. Havent been to St.Charles though. Check in for racing in Crystal Lake is at 10 starts bout 11:30 and goes until people leave! Lot of fun and huge MT crashes most of the time. (5 LST's going round ight turns gets pretty crazy:) Should start soon this year like mid May

[ZoneOfTheEnders]

i dont know if id want to bring my minis then, id get crushed!

[GramdeGixxer]

I would also like to see a schedule. If they are running next weekend, I will show up.

[DarkSavage]

haha i always run over minis with my savage, but with my mini the mts cant keep up.

[Milenko_76]

Ok. Racing will be starting on May 14th. It will run every sunday until it starts getting cold outside. Every other week they will be running a oval course. I know they are also adding a Mini cooper stock class this year. Come on out. They make it fun to race. We all race for fun and don't really care about what place we're in. We do it for the hobby and to have fun. I think theres also a emaxx class that will form. There should be enough people for one.