29 years of remote- control mayhem
May 10, 2017 11:45AM ● By Greg JamesThe indoor remote- control race track at Intermountain R/C Raceway is one of a kind with special dirt and intricate patterns. (Greg James/City Journals)
By Greg James | [email protected]
Intermountain R/C Raceway is a destination spot for many remote-control car racing enthusiasts. It hosted racers from all over the country recently for its biggest race of the year.
“We purchased the business from the previous owners in Magna about three years ago. We moved to our current location (1000 West Beardsley Place) two years ago. It had been in Magna for 30 years. We now have 16,000 square feet for the track and hobby store. We are only closed on Monday. Our club night racing is Wednesday and Saturday nights,” raceway co-owner Matt Murphy said.
The 29th annual April Fools Classic was held at the raceway March 31-April 2. The event attracted 147 drivers from as far away as Connecticut. The drivers had over 365 entries in the three-day event. In the event, they estimated they completed over 34,000 laps.
“I am from Orange County, California. This race has a lot of local racers and it draws in a big consumer crowd. I work for MIP (Moores Ideal Products, remote-control parts and accessories). They send me out here to represent our product and race our cars. This race is like the one big race a year we focus on,” said Matt Olsen, a stock buggy champion. “This place is top notch. It has all the amenities, power, good lighting and bathrooms; some tracks don’t have that stuff. The dirt at this track is absolutely awesome.”
The races include several classes including buggies and trucks in both two-wheel and four-wheel drive categories. During club nights, they host beginner and master classes.
“To have this track in our backyard is amazing,” West Jordan resident John Miranda said. “The dirt is the best dirt and it came from the old building in Magna. I raced six years ago at the old track and started up again recently.”
Beginner racers can find used equipment or buy ready-to-race kits. The best drivers have completely adjustable cars and can invest over a thousand dollars into their hobby.
“Our winter time is always busier, we might have 60-80 racers every club night. Last year, we set a record for entries, this year we trumped that. The sponsors pay prize money. I do not think a lot of people know the track is here. It is a killer father and son activity,” Murphy said.
The track is changed every seven weeks. The process takes a couple of days and several volunteers. It is very competitive. The difference between the A main and C main racers is usually less than 4 seconds.
“My life when I was younger was all about the party. Now it is all about R/C cars. I think this is fun and it is better for kids than sitting in front of the TV and playing video games. You learn about the cars and adjustments,” Murphy said.
Winners and race results are posted at www.liverc.com. Several local racers finished well in the three-day event.