I am also curious how this forum has changed over time since I see a lot of you joined around 2005.

Is the hobby growing? it seems to be getting more press.

Are there more racers at your events? there seems to be way more pros.

im farely new. iv always had a liking to rc but prices when younger there was no way i could get a grasshopper or lunchbox for several hundred years ago lol, i was always impressed by the speed of rcs[sm=spinnyeyes.gif] now i hear everone saying rtr generation has arrived.

I personaly believe forums such as this one attract those interested in the hobby, and more enthusiasts find these forums everyday and that is why you see a growing participation. I believe all facets of the R/C hobby are getting more visibility because of some cable TV, You Tube, Mimeo, Google, and other web-based sources, but I doubt the number of those involved is growing at any large rate.

Rc actually has shrunk, since it's glory days. I remember 120 + people on a saturday club racing at SRS in Scottsdale. Back before R/c had to compete with video games, go-kart tracks, and other forms of digital entertainment that just weren't as readily available in the early 90's and late 80's.

It was also much harder to be sponsored back then. Having a 50% chassis sponsor made you an R/c super star, it seems like people who cant even win novice have them now adays.

the cars are much more reliable, and require very little modification. Back in the day people would do all kinds of crazy mods to their cars, and the pro's stuff was top secret. Kinwald had crazy stuff done to his car. Now, the pro's more or less drive bone stock cars.

The skill level's have changed, theres more fast people now adays, since everything is easier to work on. You have kids who can have very little mechanical skill but lots of "wheel" skill compete at a high level.

Nitro used to be considered the "yahoo, hillbilly" side of r/c racing, now its the more prestigious class. While electric is dwindling down to the smaller side.

There are many more buggies available now. 5-6 years ago it was kyosho, Mugen, hobao, GS and Hong Nor. That was about it. Kyosho won everything year after year. Everything was kit only, RTR was hardly heard of and certainly not considered.
The overall design of buggies was similar, but 2.4ghz wasn't dreamed of and FM was the dogs danglies.
Engines were budget or Italian with nothing in between.