Author Archives: Josh Howard

Dromida: A new strain of R/C DNA

As some of you may know, some time ago we covered the launch of a new budget line from Horizon called Vaterra. The popularity of the line has not gone un-noticed. Today, Revell unveiled their new budget line that drastically undercuts Horizon.

Known as Dromida, the sub $100 price point is impressive. With design that rivals hobby brands, the stage is being set of an all out price battle.

Now, there is a catch. The trucks and buggies are 1:18 scale to keep the price down and encourage indoor running. It’s my opinion that this announcement coincides with the silly season of retail.

With Christmas on the horizon, ailing model company Revell is looking for a comeback. Stay tuned as we try to get our hands on one. It might be a while, but we’ll put them through their paces. One thing’s for sure… competition is a good thing for all of us.

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Fully Charged- A Racer’s Rants

 

This is something that I read and replied to online yesterday. I figured it would make a great post for those new to r/c. There are people out there who will discourage and point you in the wrong direction when online asking questions. Just because someone has 3k posts does NOT mean that they have good advice. Most long time racers are stuck in their own little bubble. Allow me to pop that. I’m ready to rant….

Originally Posted by “SoCALLeD_EXpErTRaCeR”
“Build a kit, if your going to race. You will save in the long run and it will be a better experience…. the stuff that comes with a rtr car is mostly junk.”

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My Story

Here’s the story of how I got into rc cars and Losi Street Weapons. It all started shortly before I turned 13. There was a place at my Dad’s home that had a track nearby, and it always seemed really cool. There was a lot of dirt for jumps and a concrete oval where the Nascar guys ran. A few times, I took my Radio Shack radio control. It wasn’t much fun.

One Day we were in a Hobbytown USA and there were two used racing buggies. I asked my Dad what he thought. He thought they were pretty neat and asked if I wanted them for my birthday. Sure enough, he bought them both for me. I ran those things into the ground that summer. And, the next year started to modify them for onroad use without regard for the lack of pavement around my home. Flash forward 10 years. A guy at work has an older touring car that he brought to test out here at work. This was somewhat unusual even though I work designing rc cars. When I saw it was a Team Losi Street Weapon, I flashed quickly back to when I was a kid looking at RC Car Action Magazines that first year of professional RC ownership. For a large sum, $175, I got a controller, a battery, and the car. I was pleased as could be. And then the belts tore from their age. I learned quickly why Losi had discontinued the model. It took FOREVER to service. The belts tended to dry rot if not used. And, the touring car was a tank by today’s standards.

After much searching online, I contacted a belt maker and began producing rear belts that didn’t explode when I looked at them wrong. I also started practicing everywhere I could. No surface was off limits. Forgetting about the size and weight inadequacies, I entered into my first race night… All I have to say is TRACTION ROLL!

An introduction…

Hello,

The name is Josh and Tim’s asked me to write a little something on occasion for those of you interested in racing on-road.  I should probably start by telling you that I don’t know it all… In fact, I still feel like I know very little.  It’s not that I don’t know how to race or what to do to set up a car, it’s simply that I feel it’s always a continual process to get better.

I started racing a few years ago after stumbling across one of the best local r/c shops with a track I’ve ever been to.  I took an old Losi Street Weapon I had bought off a coworker and tried to lap the track a few times.  Like most new drivers, I was extremely slow and often wrecked… go figure.  It wasn’t until a few months ago that I dove in full blast and jumped into a points series.  Over the next few weeks, I’ll dive into my r/c story and how and what I’m racing these days.

Stay tuned…

Josh (@JHowardDesign on Twitter)