ROAR drops Production Monster and 1/10 Nitro Truck from Nats schedule

[Jason Sams]

ROAR, the US governing body issued the following statement a few days ago on their site:
"On April 22nd, ROAR President Dawn Sanchez met with manufacturer representatives and Fuel Off-road Committee members in attendance at this year's Truck Nationals held at The Nitro Pit in Phoenix, Arizona. This group discussed the viability of re-combining the 1:8 Buggy Nationals with 1:8 Truck Nationals. It was decided that in order for this to work effectively, Production Monster Truck and 1:10 Gas Truck would have to be dropped from the Nationals program.

Those in attendance at the meeting were unanimous in their decision that this would be the most cost-effective method of handling Fuel Nationals. Not only would this be more cost-effective for teams and manufacturers, it would mostly help the privateer who has to go out-of-pocket for their expenses."

[crazyjr]

I'm sad to see the gas ST Lose its class, its a great class for those who prefer to drive over point and shoot. MT is the new ST class, as its now where most start now. Its sad to see the classes that helped the truggies get popular, get thrown to the wayside of progress. Hopefully RC Pro will not follow this route. I plan to try to run both these classes next year, I guess i'm not going to attend a roar race this coming year

[88Buckaroo88]

See I personally think dropping the ST class sucks. But too late now. The ST's are the ones who really got this sport going. Yes your right, its really for people who like to point and shoot but there still is a good amount of people out there who enjoy that. I was upset that my LHS dropped the ST class from there schedule a year or so ago as well. Soon these pioneers of the sport will soon be lost. Its just sad.

[BriS]

It stinks to see MT and 1/10th classes get the boot. Not everyone wants to race buggy or truggy.

[jobo_ph]

If the production MT class and 1/10th Gas Truck had MUCH BETTER attendance at the ROAR Nationals this year, maybe things would have been different...

A lot of things are driven by economics. If ROAR doesn't get the patronage and support from the masses for certain classes, what can you expect?

Instead of whining, it's better to show up at the races and support the classes you like to run!

[MattHiggins]

I used to love nitro (and electric) stadium truck, but it hasn't been any fun since most tracks have changed to larger 1/8-scale layouts that are also too chewed up for these smaller trucks. I just have to admit I'm not going to miss a class I don't race any more and have never raced at the national level. Keep in mind that if your local track races 1/10-scale, this will not impact you.

[ToolJeff]

So since they met with with the manufacturer's too I bet we have seen the last of Good ol RC10GT's and Drakes not to mention in the last couple of years other companies like Mugen and kyosho has came out with a ST. Man- My first nitro was a Traxxas 1/10 Nitro hawk....Very sad im gonna miss the sound of a smallblock on the track with the exception of the TRX'S in revo's, but thats like a smallblock on steroid's....not the same

[ToolJeff]

I retract my previouse statement..after reading this post again I guess its at a national level, However if the big name driver's aren't racing this class than I still think they will solwly fade away for now and then make a big comeback like every other trend in this hobby..after all tc's are making a big comeback...HMMMM wonder if the RC10L will ever make it back on the scene after the big uprising of nascar...guess well have to wait and see

[RespirologyRC]

I'm shocked that traxxas hasn't complained about this. They put so much time, money, and effort into their Revo's that one would think they would be angry. You know: Win on Sunday; Sell on Monday... guess after losing to the LST2 this year Traxxas just decided to fold up shop and head home.

[MattHiggins]

I'm shocked that traxxas hasn't complained about this. They put so much time, money, and effort into their Revo's that one would think they would be angry. You know: Win on Sunday; Sell on Monday... guess after losing to the LST2 this year Traxxas just decided to fold up shop and head home.

Interesting points, but I don't think Traxxas has folded up the shop. The Revo (and the LST) has had a lot of success racing even though Traxxas has never officially fielded a team--at least not the way other companies had. One race is just one race.

More importantly, there will still be plenty of big monster truck races.

[PeterV]

Resp, ROAR killed the Production Monster class, not Traxxas. Traxxas didn't "fold up" anything. And while I'm sure they'd prefer to win the ROAR Nats, I don't think they lost a second of sleep over it--they're too busy getting ready to sell a gazillion Slashes (which don't fit any existing race class), and the vast majority of Revo and T-Maxx buyers don't race (and even if they do, any local track that has a monster scene will continue to have one; ROAR dropping the class as a Nats means nothing to local tracks. Ditto for 2WD nitro trucks; if yout local track has a good turnout for the class, they'll keep racing, Nats or no Nats.)

[cgandersen]

Peter, while I agree with you in theory, as a newb to the racing scene (long time to the hobby scene), to me its a positive thing when you see 1/10gas at the "national" level... yes, 1/10gas will still be raced locally, but to lose support at the national level gives the appearance that basically, this class is going by the wayside which (to me) is discouraging.... 1/8th is big at my track but I (personally) don't feel like putting down the big $$ to race these big machines. 1/10th is the perfect for the "budget" racers.... cest la vie.......

ps- was nice meeting you at RCX ;) (when you were video taping that guy right at the beginning of RCX)

pps- and as an owner of a Revo, I was just asking last nite at club racing why monster trucks weren't being raced... with this decree, they may not never be raced now... :(

[RespirologyRC]

Peter V
I enjoy reading about the races; i like reading about many DIFFERENT things. But if RC racing is just going to be composed of mainly two classes Truggy and Buggy then the reading might become stale. I understand that production truck and 1/10 ST will still be running at the track level, but i certainly did enjoy reading about Pro's who took the vehicle i own and ran the snot out of it. I know that I certainly can't race on a Pro Level; I just don't have those skills. What makes part of racing fun for me; is knowing that I have a vehicle that has the potential of being super fast, as proven by the Pro's at the top levels of rc racing.

[The_Mini_Me]

This seems a bit short sighted for the simple reason some have brought up. Economics. 1/8th tracks are going to be harder to continually pay for over the next few years. Transportation to large events with all the equipment needed for 1/8th will require larger vehicles where gas prices where they are at now? 1/8th Vehicles are also another few notches higher in the price range than the 1/10th STs.

Maybe the new 1/12th Truggy class will take over for the 1/10th STs. ROAR should start looking ahead and support 1/18th while they are at it specifically because of the reasons I list above.

(Traxxas did have a team in the early-mid 90s btw.)

[Mini-TBasher55]

Its kinda sad to see 1/10th Nitro Truck to go, but I guess it had to be done. Running a brushless B4 at a 1/8th Dominated Track is painful, and seeing GT2's try was even more painful...at least with the brushless b4 it was possible to keep up as far as speed and even pass the huge truggies, but the GT2's and AD2's couldn't even keep up in practice due to their slower acceleration...then even when they were alone it was brutal to be thrown across the track by large hole and whatnot in the track.

[Sorcerer001]

Maybe the new 1/12th Truggy class will take over for the 1/10th STs.



Yeah, I wish - the CRT.5 class has petered down to nothing in our area. I don't understand it, considering these little trucks absolutely RIP.

[Ed237]

It's not a surprise, but it still hurts nontheless. I wonder if electric stadium trucks and 2wd buggies will be next. At this rate I figure in about 5 years most racers will have never even seen a 1/10 2wd vehicle at a race track.

I've never found my Gas Truck to be so hard to drive that it made me want to quit the class.

[Cain]

Not to suprised. the monster truck thing among racers around here was pretty much replaced by the truggy. I know there are die hards for sure, but guys around here when the truggy thing really got going who are big into racing pretty much stopped running monster trucks. Now its pretty much bashers who show up with a MT or a die hard with a tricked out revo.

As for nitro stadium truck, considering they were being ran on 1/8 scale sized tracks pretty much became a snooze fest at times. I don't think it is some much the size of the tracks as far as length but the size of the jumps. Guys pretty much had to drive over each jump. Thats no fun.

Ultimately, I see things swinging in the future to electric's favor, as after running a 1/8 scale brushless buggy, I would never go back to nitro. if it was legal for a class, I probably wouldn't have my 1/10 scale electric truck either.

[Mini-TBasher55]

A class like electric 2wd truck/buggy will never die...with Stock, 19t, and modified classes it would be killing a large amount of the racing industry.

[Ed237]

Mod 2wd truck or buggy are not exactly doing so well at the tracks near me. Everyone is starting to switch to 4wd buggy.

Once electric 1/8 buggies or 4wd 1/10 stadium trucks go mainstream it will definately be the end of all 2wd classes.

Like I said, I give 2wd 5 more years - tops.

No one would have predicted 5 years ago that Monster and Gas Truck classes would start being cancelled either.

[Cain]

I don't see 4wd stadium really taking off either at the 1/10 scale level. I think it will be big scale outdoors, and small scales indoors, especially up north where this is snowy winters.

[The_Mini_Me]

I think it will be big scale outdoors, and small scales indoors, especially up north where this is snowy winters.

Exactomondo! If you see where 1/18th (in example) has taken off racing wise, its areas with 4 seasons.

[crazyjr]

It's a shame that ROAR dropped the MT class, Kyosho is coming out with a MT that looks real good
http://forums.radiocontrolzone.com/showthread.php?t=248381