About Us
The Anchorage Radio Operated Auto Racing Association (AROARA) is a group of R/C enthusiasts located in southcentral Alaska. We are committed to introducing as as many people as possible to the r/c hobby and the thrill of competition.One of the big mis-understandings of our club - and r/c in general - is that it's a bunch of kids and adults playing with toy cars. This is not necessarily the case. A major percentage of people who purchase r/c products do so for that reason; to "play" with a "toy" car or truck. And these people generally loose interest rather quickly and that "toy" ends up in the basement somewhere collecting dust.
AROARA represents the minority of the r/c hobby. We are not out to play with toy cars and trucks. We are the ones that like competition. We like to race! It just so happens that the best way for us to get our competitive urges fulfilled is with r/c cars. It is said that r/c racers are guys that can't afford to do the real thing. And in many cases, that's true. I don't know many people that could afford to operate a $250,000 Baja Trophy Truck but I know lots that could afford to race one that's 1/10th the size. Many of our members are former (i.e. injured) motocross racers because the aspects of motocross and nitro (gas powered) r/c racing are strikingly similar. And it's a bit safer :)The other big misunderstanding is that our cars and trucks are "toys". They are far from it. A race-ready off-road nitro-powered buggy and all equipment can run into the thousands of dollars. However, just because you don't have a full sponsorship from Bank of America, Visa, Mastercard or in some cases, Mom and Dad, doesn't mean you can't race. It just means that as far as price is concerned, the sky is the limit. It is very easy to get started in this hobby on a budget which is another reason why this hobby is attractive to those who like to race.
What do you guys race?
In the summer, we race mostly off-road 1/8th scale buggies and truggies. These are powered by engines that run on nitromethane fuel. They're big, they're loud, they're fast and they're fun! We have also recently started getting involved in Rock Crawling. These are electric powered vehicles designed to go very slow and negotiate very difficult terrain. Going 3mph has never been so much fun. If you haven't seen it, you owe it to yourself to check it out.In the winter, we race 1/10th scale on-road touring cars, 1/18th scale minis, and 1/12th scale pan cars indoors on carpet. Touring cars are 4WD. They're very fast and agile. But fairly complicated to work on. The 1/18th scale minis are great way to get started in R/C. They're inexpensive, simple to work on and they're also 4WD, so they handle very well. Many minis are just as fast if not faster than the larger 1/10th scale touring cars. 1/12 scale pan cars are very simple, inexpensive and easy to work on. But they are only 2WD, so they require greater care to get them to handle properly.
So whether you're a seasoned pro, or a complete newbie to the r/c scene, we encourage you to come out to our races and check it out. We will also be holding introductory "meet-n-greet" days where guys interested in racing can come see what it's all about and ask questions and even try their hand at racing. Check out our forums for more information.Other Resources
Websites
- The Basics: EasyRC by Tower Hobbies
- RC Everything: RCUniverse
- A Good Site for the more advanced: RCTech
- Rock Crawling: RCCrawler
- Micros/Minis: RCUniverse - Micro Forums
- Micros/Minis: One18th.Com (currently under re-construction)
