RC Car Action - July 2013

ASTLAPS

said. “;e building was in terrible shape and I had no idea where to start.” After several brainstorming sessions with his two-person start-up team, a plan was made and the hard work began. ;e initial project of opening a track and customer service area took five months of manual labor and political wrangling. ;e track opened for business on October 19, 2010, and we have been expanding and adding ever since.

For their RC Supercross Race, Unser Racing installed a rearward-falling starting gate to mimic the land rush starts of a real SX event!

How long was the kart track open before the decision was made to add an RC racetrack, and why? KC: Unser Racing had been open for about one and half years before the RC track was developed. Karting quickly became such a huge success that Scott began thinking of other ways to make Unser an all-around entertainment venue. RC has a solid following, especially locally, and o;ers an a;ordable alternative to customers who want to try something new while still satisfying the thirst for racing.

Unser Racing was fortunate to not only have room for a large racing surface, but also space for a comfortable trackside pit area with built-in tables.

How do you feel the RC track fits in with the
rest of the business?

KC: RC fits in great with what Unser is all about. It’s a recreation and a hobby that is not only nearby, but also o;ers a fun alternative for people who think karting is out of their price range. Our company aims to make everything as easy as possible for our customers, which is why our RC division includes modifications, available rentals, and even competition opportunities, all at an a;ordable price. We also get all types of customers walking through our door, including men and women, anywhere from 10 to 80 years old.

Left: While some indoor tracks don’t allow them, Unser Racing’s large track is perfect for racing electric 1/8-scale buggies. Right: No need to go searching for fast food in between qualifying rounds. Unser Racing has a restaurant on site!

Did anyone at Unser have RC experience prior to opening the RC track? Did you have to modify the facility at all? KC: Even though no one on our team knew anything about indoor karting, we were still able to do a pretty good job figuring that out. As we discovered there was serious interest in the business, we realized it was important to find the right person on board to run it. JP Sharp, our current RC Manager, was brought on last year and brings a lot of RC experience to the table from both racing and business standpoints. Luckily, there was no need for any drastic modifications to accommodate the RC track. We benefit from having a large facility and the track fit easily into what used to be the dealership’s service area. ;e drivers’ platform was built first and was then followed by the pits, which were outfitted with multiple workbench areas and stools. To build the first track, about 120 tons of clay were brought in and formed. Since then, we have redone the track five times, with our most recent change taking place in March 2013.