San Francisco RC Car Racers

We maintain a DIY RC car racetrack near San Francisco and we organize 1:10 scale grassroots RC car racing sessions.
We set up a temporary racetrack in a closed parking lot. The track is marked with chalk and maintained weekly. You can go anytime, there are no access restrictions.

We race only three classes of cars: 1:10 trucks, TAMIYA TT-02s and LOSI NASAR RTR. We'll soon organize separate events for high end Touring Cars and FWD Cars with 21.5T motors,

Our events are free and volunteer-based.  Donations are welcome - they help improve our setup.

We maintain SAN FRANCISCO RC CAR RACERS on Facebook

Next Event

Beginners friendly

Our track is just a traced with chalk then stabilized with corn syrop (to remove dust and add grip). We put a lot of thoughts in our tracks layout. It's has challenging as it is rewarding.  

It's the only place in the Bay Area where you can go to practice RC car racing anytime and for free. 
Use this opportunity to your advantage. Hit the track whenever you can. Don't wait for an event to go there. Go there with any car you have.

Our events are the most beginner-friendly races out there. We want you to have fun and gain racing experience. 

We have very relaxed rules compared to other racing venues: we removed everything that can be stressful to newcomers:

• We don't really care about your car specs when you join. You'll bring your car to spec as your level improves.

• You don't have to stress about giving way to fast drivers who are lapping you. With us, fast drivers have to find a way to pass you.

•  We don't have time-attack style qualifiers where fast guys get frustrated when you're in their way. With us, the qualifiers are just races.

• We keep the number of classes to 3 per race. So if you have only one car, you don't have to spend an entire day waiting for your three 5-minute races. 

• We always have 1 hour+ of open practice before and at least 2 hours after, so even if you don't want to race yet, you can come meet people and practice

The track

Our tracks are traced with chalk sticks on well-leveled but slightly rough tarmac. 

Our track layouts are slower and more technical than your typical RC track. It's 7ft wide, and we typically have upward of 15 turns. A lap typically takes 20 to 24 seconds to complete. Unlike most RC car tracks you can go to, you'll have to use the brakes.

We have developed our own system for tracking limits and walls. We have 3D-printed "apex pods" and cable covers that we use as walls. This makes hard limits that are relatively gentle on the cars.

On raceday, we spread soda on the track to make the surface less dusty and highlight the racing line.

We race 3 types of cars:

Losi Nascar:
It's a very capable 1:12 RC car that you can race out of the box with a $220 budget. This is our BOX STOCK class: no modifications allowed - race it as it comes. Great for beginners who can dip their toes into RC racing without breaking the bank. Awesome for experts who can focus solely on their race craft without spending time and money on car development.

TT-02:
TT-02s is the Miata of RC car racing. It's considered an entry-level touring car kit. Most parts are inexpensive and can be ordered on Amazon in 2 days, making the repair very easy. The base model needs some upgrades to be race-worthy, and a complete car costs between $350 and $400; add $250 to get batteries, a basic charger, and an entry-level transmitter/receiver.
The TT-02 has simple specs: a Brushed Torque Tunes Motor, 25T pinion, and 68T spur. Anything else can be upgraded.

TRUCKS
The 1:10 trucks are our unlimited class. You can spend as much as you want on it. You can put any motor you want. You are limited to 2S batteries and a track that's very tight for a big and heavy truck.
Our truck races are often like the rookie class in iRacing: speed is useless if you overshoot corners and get tangled in mass crashes. 

You can have a lot of fun with an RTR truck like an Arrma Senton. 2WD trucks are cheaper but much harder to drive. We used to have 2 classes of trucks (2WD and 4WD), but eventually almost everyone switched to 4WD.  We'll keep racing 2WD every time we have at least 6 participants.

MORE DETAILS ON SPECS on the CARS & TRANSPONDER page

Timing and Transponders

We use LiveTiming software to manage the races and the EASYLAP timing system. 
You can review your race results and lap times at: https://fastminima.liverc.com/

You must get an EASYLAP compatible transponder. Ttransponders for other systems will not work

We recommend a Dasmikro DSK-123 ordered on AliExpress because it comes with the correct FUTABA connectors for a 1/10 car.  You can also use an EASYLAP transponder ordered from the US, but you'll need an adapter to connect it to a 1:10 car

More on this topic on the transponder page