Local RC Speedway in high gear
Track said to be one of Iowa’s most popular.
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Mike Henely leads a double life. Monday through Thursday he works at ISU, but Fridays you'll find him doing what he loves best: running White Fox RC Speedway.
This local speedway is located at 402 White Fox Road in Webster City. We met him at the speedway last Friday night, where about 80 racers were competing. Henely says most Friday nights, he sees 80-120 racers, most from Iowa, but a few from South Dakota, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois.
The Track
Henely built the track with help from Andy and Mike Jones, of Webster City. It's a dirt oval 148 feet long on the top side, which is banked to permit faster racing. That's short for an RC oval, but Henely says, "shorter tracks make better drivers. Things happen fast; you have to react quickly." There's LED lighting for night races.
"71 local sponsors donate money to make the track better, or make in-kind donations as prizes." Henely said. "Most sponsors are local, including Grandma's Diner and Mornin' Glory Coffee, but some are from out-of-state, such as Shark RC bodies, who supply polycarbonate car bodies from Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and D.E. Racing, San Marcos, California, maker of rims and tires."
Henely watered the dirt track several times, with a John Deere garden tractor pulling a rig with a number of tires behind it. He uses a solution of vinegar and water, which keeps dust to a minimum and prevents dirt from sticking to racing car tires.
Jeff Huebner, a racer from Sioux Falls, SD, praised Henely, saying, "he's a good promoter, and keeps things well-maintained. This track has everything a racer could want."
The Cars
The race cars were 1/10th actual size, powered by lithium polymer batteries. The cars we saw there were essentially chassis with detachable bodies. The batteries are energized with rechargeable packs.
Drivers control cars with hand-held controllers. The RC cars have a top speed of 45 mph, as confirmed by a Webster City Police Department radar test.
While several U.S. manufacturers make RC cars in the U.S., online sources suggest about 70% are made in Asia.
Alan Peterson, of Algona, estimated he spends $600 a year on RC cars, mostly for batteries and tires. "I spend more on travel and food," he said. Several racers said they eat in Webster City restaurants, and fill up at local gas stations.
Fully-assembled entry-level RC cars can be bought at Wal Mart for $40-70. Standard hobby-grade cars run $100-300, and high-performance cars start at about $500; topping out at nearly $900, according to RC Car World, a New Jersey-based online retailer.
The Races
White Fox RC Speedway holds races Friday nights, from April through the Friday before school starts.
"We don't want to compete with school sports, so we run Saturday afternoons, after school starts and before school's out in spring," Henley explained.
Races begin Fridays at 7 p.m. to allow those driving longer distances time to get here, and take a few practice laps before racing begins. They are over by 10 p.m.
The races last Friday had 3-8 racers and ran 5-6 minutes in length. Henely narrates the races on a public address system, which adds to the atmosphere and excitement.
There are 12 classes of racing on a typical Friday night, with some of the more popular classes being sprint cars, late-model cars and street stock cars.
It costs $10 to enter a race, which Alan Peterson, the racer from Algona, pronounced "very reasonable. You sure can't play a round of golf for that."
There's no charge to watch the races, a bargain in entertainment these days. About 50 spectators were on hand Friday, including men, women and children of all ages.
It's clear this is a hobby with something for everyone, including mastery of several technologies, driving skills, and the sheer thrill of speed. In a time of economic uncertainty, a hobby like RC racing provides stress relief and relaxation.