05/08/2026
Excellent read from one of our favourite RC racers of all times Tebo š
Is RC Racing Toxic?
Buckle up, this is a long one, but itās something I want to share. Iām kinda sick of hearing this about RC, so I want to share my experiences and my thoughts, since RC racing has been my life since March 1999.
ā¢ My childhood wasnāt really the smoothest thing you could say. Only child, parents divorced around age 7, pretty ugly divorce. Both parents worked, so I had to handle myself for the most part. I rode bicycles a lot and raced motocross until age 11 or so. Injuries got the best of me, and I was over it. Right before I turned 12, we found RC racing, and I was pretty impressed right away. I saw a gas truck driving around the track, it was a motocross bike without the hospital. Shortly after my 12th birthday, my Dad bought me a used RC10GT from Racerās Haven in Bakersfield, CA. They said I was too young and any new racer should start with electric ā¦ my Dad said ābatteries are for flashlightsā š¤£š¤£š¤£ All I wanted to do was drive, I was WILDLY hooked. I lived with my Mom, and my dad could see me on Tuesday/Wednesday nights, and every other weekend. Every day my Dad could see me, he took me to the RC track. Racerās Haven on Tuesday/Wednesday and HotRod Hobbies on every other Saturday/Sunday. My Mom was a sheriff in Bakersfield and we lived in a rough part of town. RC was the thing that took me away from all that. My Dad was a machinist, had a good job, but racing funds were very limited. I only raced Gas Truck, we could only afford one car and one class. I practiced so much, I always had to practice on bald tires, so I would sweep the track on practice days, and make a clean line for myself. In 1999, sweeping a dirt track wasnāt normal š¤·āāļø I learned quick and was a natural at driving. Fast forward 1 year and I was 100% sponsored by Team Associated and Thunder Tiger. Thunder Tiger sponsored me 100% and offered to pay travel to National events before I ever drove a 1/8 buggy. My first race was the 2000 ROAR 1/8 Nationals, in Pleasant Hill, MO (my future wifeās house) š¤Æ I qualified directly into the A-main in gas truck (top 8 and 2 bump ā¦ 10 car mains) and the C-Main in 1/8 Buggy. I bumped from the C to the B, then the B to the A, and almost won the darn main. I finished a close 2nd to Brian Kinwald.
ā¢ After that point, my career began, I was a Professional RC car racer at 13. My Dad and I started traveling all over the country and even internationally. My Mom hated the racing and hated me spending time with my Dad, so that situation was terrible. I switched schools a bunch, lots of court dates dealing with divorce drama and visitation rights. I wanted to rebel a lot with my Mom, but my Dad only let me race if I behaved good and had at least a 3.0 gpa in school. RC kept me motivated and really kept me out of trouble. Many of my friends started drinking, smoking, doing drugs, but I knew I couldnāt and I had a career that was way more important than that crap.
ā¢ 2001, Mike Reedy gave me my first paid contract with Team Associated. 14 years old and getting paid $250 per month to race RC cars. My Dad treated the racing like a business I remember. As I got older, I made more money, and I had to pay some for his missed work and also split bonus winnings. We were a business at the track, and Father/Son off the track. He taught me a very hard work ethic, he sacrificed so much for me and my racing. Iām not sure if I would have learned any of those skills without RC racing. I was taught that nothing is free in this world. These parts that I get for (free), somebody bought them. If I was going to accept those free parts, I needed to respect them and work hard to honor them and make it worthwhile that they gave them to me for free.
ā¢ 2003, I met the LOVE of my life racing RC cars in her backyard. July 4th weekend, Megan was hustling just like our kids hustle the races now. Selling waters and Gatorade. Letās just say that I was EXTRA thirsty that weekend!!!! I was so used to traveling with my racing, that dating long distance didnāt seem that big of a deal. I was 16 and Megan was 15 when we started dating.
ā¢ Yes, there are some bad people at the RC tracks, there are people drinking, smoking, even doing drugs. There is bad language, on the drivers stand, in the pits. There was also bad people at my school and all that same terrible stuff, actually worse at my school. I had a purpose at the RC track, I had goals I could set and work hard to reach. I had so much quality time with my Dad, and I met sooooooooooooooooooo many friends all around the world.
Flash forward to 2004, 2005, 2006 three of the hardest years of my life. 2004 my Mom would attempt to commit su***de for the first time. I didnāt know she struggled so bad with depression, and that was a strange time. She would attempt multiple times during those 3 years. I felt a lot of anger, sadness, confusion, but thankfully I had RC racing, Megan my girlfriend that lived 1600 miles away, and my racing friends. 2005 my Dad got arrested and my world really flipped on its head. More anger, sadness, confusion and worry that my career was going to end. I graduated high school in 2005 and Megan planned on moving to CA after she graduated in 2006. March 2006 my Dad went to prison and I had a decision to make. Let my career fall apart, let the noise of the people being mean to me for what I had no part in predict my future, or not let any of my circumstances negatively affect me. My Dad ingrained work ethic in me, so I chose to figure it out. RC racing taught me how to control emotions, make sacrifices, and work hard. I used those same tools I use to win races in my everyday life. It was hard work, but it was worth it.
ā¢ At the end 2006 I bought my first house, moved 1600 miles to Missouri and January 2007, I married my DREAM GIRL!!! At 19, we started our crazy journey together. RC racing took me to places I never imagined going and meeting so many people.
ā¢ Yes I had haters, people will try to bring you down in any sport, hobby, career. People spread articles about my Dad, people hated me for it. People hated me because I found Jesus during those tough years. When you succeed, people get jealous and want to see you fail. RC actually taught me that at a very young age. Grown men REALLY hated losing money to a 13/14 year old kid. I loved it, the meaner they were, the more it motivated me and the more money I took from them.
ā¢ 2009 I drew a logo that Robert Ibon designed for me on a t-shirt. That was the start of JTP. I always liked t-shirts and I just wanted something where I could make my shirts. JTP started with $2000, a heat press, and some blank shirts.
ā¢ Now Iām almost 40, my good racing days are well behind me. Why am I still in RC? RC has taught me invaluable skills, I could be successful in anything I want to pursue. I have work ethic that most people donāt have, focus that most people canāt produce, attention to detail that most people wonāt give!!! Because I love RC, and it is an incredible industry. Itās the ONLY Motorsport in the world where equipment really doesnāt matter. Age really doesnāt matter. Everything comes down to the driver alone, and thatās amazing. You canāt get hurt, you can do it in all seasons, and you can do it as a family.
ā¢ We travel as a family now. JTP is our business, our main source of income, and my wife quit her healthcare job to join me. Seems crazy, but I wouldnāt trade it for anything. We asked our kids early this year, what their favorite trip was last year. Vacations included. They actually all said, āWicked Weekendā! Megan and I were shocked. We went river floating, MTB riding, spent a week at the ocean, NASCAR race, tons of fun things ā¦ they actually loved the RC trip. Super long car trips, super long days outside, but somehow, the memories are incredible. Watching Nash race grown men, and battle on track. Watching them high five him, or seeing him tell grown men āGreat Jobā! Having Megan conquer her fears and pit me. Having my sons on track turn marshaling Pro A-Mains that Iām racing in. My daughter is timing my fuel stops ā¦ Those are things you canāt really get anywhere else. Yes, Nash hears some F-Bombs on the drivers stand. I donāt like that, but I sometimes say them as well. I can tell you, there is much worse language at a middle school basketball court. At the RC track, Iām with my kids, they can tell me when something bothers them, and I can try to teach them something from that interaction.
ā¢ Now the social media part ā¦ Most all social media is crazy negative. Read any post about MX, F1, Basketball ā¦ anything. RC is not special in that itās the only industry with negativity online, it is EVERYWHERE unfortunately. RC is competition, and competition always seems to bring out the bad in some people. There is drama in ALL competition. Iāve seen parents and coaches get kicked out of soccer games my kids were in, we had a Dad yelling crazy profanity at a basketball coach in a 3rd grade REC game, the police had to es**rt him off the grounds. Again, these are great opportunities to teach your kids how to handle those situations. They are going to run into people like that in school, in careers, and you wonāt be able to be there at those times.
ā¢ It sucks that tracks are closing, but RC is not going to be dead. Tracks have closed and opened during my 27 year journey in RC. Stop spreading that FAKE NEWS š I freaking love RC and Iām choosing to have my whole family involved. We are building crazy awesome memories together and meeting other awesome families along the way! My boys have made so many friends in 2026, they canāt wait for the next race. People are so kind to us and weāve gained awesome customers that have become friends at these events. Itās a traveling circus that we are PROUD to be in.
Donāt be a āKarenā or a āKevinā ā¦ be a positive light, we all need that light sometimes. The world wants failure, wants division, wants negativity ā¦ we can choose to not feed that machine!!!! We canāt wait to see you at the next race š
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