Ready, Spec, Go!
Traxxas 4TEC Spec Racing at Cedar Valley RC
Cedar Valley RC (CVRC) began because of a partnership between two longtime friends, Dan Mccumber (Dan’s RC Hobby House) and Matt Brase (MR Painting), both of Waverly, Iowa. They wanted RC racing to take off locally, after a few dead ends here and there; success has come to the small town in the Midwest.
The pair initially had their sights set on racing in the dirt. They dreamt of a large private track with sweeping berms and massive jumps. But with land in the Midwest being a high-priced commodity, they were unable to find an affordable location. The pair went back to the drawing board.
In another attempt to get an RC track built, the pair sought to use public land for their endeavor. After talking with the city and receiving a veto from the city council, the duo laid their dreams to rest.
Fast forward a decade or two, a nagging itch to race again started to tug at Matt, but this time he had a new idea. Instead of dirt, he wanted to go on-road. The idea was to create an inexpensive approach to racing using Traxxas’ Spec Class racing rules for the brushed 4-Tec.
Matt approached Dan to get his take on the idea. Could, or better yet, would road racing take off in the area? Dan, knowing his customers, confidently answered, “Yes.” Initially, all they needed was a parking lot. After searching several local parking lots for one that would be smooth enough to make their dreams a reality. The pair found a secured a fantastic location.
The car was chosen, the rules were set, and a location was obtained. Now, all they needed were racers. Dan started advertising the new racing club in his shop and before long, cars were rolling off the shelves! The beauty of their creation is a club of racers (with ages varying from
Each week the club races three qualifiers. This splits the group into skill-based mains using a Mylaps lap counting system. The track is set up using PVC pipe, allowing the layout to change each week. This keeps the experienced racers and the inexperienced racers on a more level playing field.
CVRC is growing in racers each week and is headed indoors for the winter racing season since snow and frigid temperatures are a Midwest guarantee. The club has managed to secure a suitable, low cost, indoor location. They have even purchased racing carpet to create an improved racing experience.
Currently, CVRC only races the Spec Class of 4-Tec. The reasoning behind that ensures everyone gets to race the same amount of time and it keeps the cost down. Upgrades and tuning have been limited to the Traxxas Spec Class rules (which they offer on their website) with a few slight changes. Changes include shock springs and oils, differential oils, gearing, sway bars, and bodies. Racers must choose a production car 190mm or 200mm body.
Members love the relatively inexpensive approach to RC racing hobby. Which can get out of hand rather quickly trying to keep up with the latest and greatest products to hit the market.
For More Information about CVRC, check out their Facebook page by searching for Cedar Valley RC and look for them on Instagram at @cedarvalleyrc.