Remote Control Racing Cars Getting Small
Fri Jun 18, 6:03 PM
DALLAS - With race day fast approaching, it's decision time for Brian Shields.
Should he outfit his silver Acura RSX sports car with the all-wheel drive with a limited slip differential? Perhaps standard two-wheel drive would be better?
"I gotta be the best racer out there and I want to have the best conditions to race under," said Shields.
One thing Shields and his rivals won't be able to do: get in the driver's seat. The cars, after all, are remote controlled and small enough to fit in a shirt pocket.
The 23-year-old law firm intern is among hundreds who'll try to speed their way to No. 1 during the first XMODS Racing League regional championship in Dallas this weekend.
XMODS, made by Fort Worth-based RadioShack, have become popular with the "tuner" crowd - people who drive cheaper import cars, then "tune" them up with sportier wheels, glowing lights, stickers and noisy exhaust systems.
Released last October, XMODS are RadioShack's newest line of remote control, or RC, cars. The company had its first big success with RC cars with ZipZaps, matchbook-sized vehicles hot during the 2002 Christmas holidays.
The XMODS cars and trucks were rolled out after some RadioShack workers on a buying trip in Hong Kong learned about the growing popularity of organized remote control races.
The $50, battery-powered XMODS - named because of the unlimited possibilities for modifications - are three times larger than ZipZaps and feature body types from Nissan, Acura, Honda and Toyota.
Accessories that cost between $6 and $20 let racers tweak the suspension, add more powerful motors, custom paint schemes and graphics, and better gripping foam tires.
"You're never too old to have fun, and that's what it's all about. I love it," Shields said.
Shields' roommate, Jarrett Woods, said he prefers the XMODS because they are cheaper than regular remote control cars found at hobby shops. Some of them can cost as much as $800, he said.
And when it comes to racing, the playing field with the XMODS is more even, he said as he squeezed the trigger on a silver and black pistol-shaped remote to maneuver his miniature yellow Nissan Skyline.
"Everybody's on the same level with the modifications because everybody has access to the same parts," Woods said.
XMODS devotees can form leagues, organize races and keep tabs on each through the Internet. Thousands of racers each week log onto to www.xmodsRC.com to post photos of their souped up cars and share tips for modifying them, according to RadioShack, which sponsors the site.
The trend led to this summer's 10-city XMODS Racing League "Stop. Drop. Race! Tour" It ends with a national championship in Atlanta, where the regional winners will race each other in September.
The grand prize? A real Acura NSX sports car worth about $120,000. Loaded with modifications, of course.
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Fri Jun 18, 6:03 PM
DALLAS - With race day fast approaching, it's decision time for Brian Shields.
Should he outfit his silver Acura RSX sports car with the all-wheel drive with a limited slip differential? Perhaps standard two-wheel drive would be better?
"I gotta be the best racer out there and I want to have the best conditions to race under," said Shields.
One thing Shields and his rivals won't be able to do: get in the driver's seat. The cars, after all, are remote controlled and small enough to fit in a shirt pocket.
The 23-year-old law firm intern is among hundreds who'll try to speed their way to No. 1 during the first XMODS Racing League regional championship in Dallas this weekend.
XMODS, made by Fort Worth-based RadioShack, have become popular with the "tuner" crowd - people who drive cheaper import cars, then "tune" them up with sportier wheels, glowing lights, stickers and noisy exhaust systems.
Released last October, XMODS are RadioShack's newest line of remote control, or RC, cars. The company had its first big success with RC cars with ZipZaps, matchbook-sized vehicles hot during the 2002 Christmas holidays.
The XMODS cars and trucks were rolled out after some RadioShack workers on a buying trip in Hong Kong learned about the growing popularity of organized remote control races.
The $50, battery-powered XMODS - named because of the unlimited possibilities for modifications - are three times larger than ZipZaps and feature body types from Nissan, Acura, Honda and Toyota.
Accessories that cost between $6 and $20 let racers tweak the suspension, add more powerful motors, custom paint schemes and graphics, and better gripping foam tires.
"You're never too old to have fun, and that's what it's all about. I love it," Shields said.
Shields' roommate, Jarrett Woods, said he prefers the XMODS because they are cheaper than regular remote control cars found at hobby shops. Some of them can cost as much as $800, he said.
And when it comes to racing, the playing field with the XMODS is more even, he said as he squeezed the trigger on a silver and black pistol-shaped remote to maneuver his miniature yellow Nissan Skyline.
"Everybody's on the same level with the modifications because everybody has access to the same parts," Woods said.
XMODS devotees can form leagues, organize races and keep tabs on each through the Internet. Thousands of racers each week log onto to www.xmodsRC.com to post photos of their souped up cars and share tips for modifying them, according to RadioShack, which sponsors the site.
The trend led to this summer's 10-city XMODS Racing League "Stop. Drop. Race! Tour" It ends with a national championship in Atlanta, where the regional winners will race each other in September.
The grand prize? A real Acura NSX sports car worth about $120,000. Loaded with modifications, of course.
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