ENFIELD, Conn. — The need for speed runs in every direction under Friday night lights in Enfield.
“Every Friday, we pull between 60 to 80 entries of racers,” said R/C Madness Manager Tyler Clokey.
At R/C Madness in Enfield, the cars are small, but the competition is serious.
“[These cars] are hobby-grade,” said Clokey. “It can get pretty complicated. A lot of maintenance but super fun.”
Also behind the wheel of the operation is R/C Madness owner Chris Marcy.
"Opened in 1989. It was a small hobby shop. We were across town, Route 5,” said Marcy.
Over the past three decades, the hobby has turned into a full-blown sport.
"Worldwide, it's huge. Generally in the United States, I would say there's racing going on in every state,” said Marcy.
R/C Madness has upped their game as well, moving into a 15,000-square-foot building.
"I never thought it was going to get this big. My father always tells me, ‘You started from 2,000 square feet and he was like what are you doing, you're crazy.’ And now he looks at it, like it's pretty insane,” said Marcy.
For some people, a passion can become a profession.
"Once you get into it, you have to have more,” said Greg Vogel, whose YouTube channel, @RCDriver_Online, dedicated to RCs has more than 200,000 subscribers. "It's really a multi-million dollar industry."
"We definitely have a full range of people. I get kids, I have people that have been doing this a full generation,” said Marcy.
The generations turn out every week to race under the lights, including father-daughter duo Keith and Shayna Frissora.
"My dad has always wanted to race and he stopped when I was born and by the time I was 11, he was ready to start racing again,” said Shayna.
"I’m just proud to watch her win and beat everybody because they all want to cry when they lose to a girl. It’s great,” said Keith.
The crowd calls the competition and community a winning combo.
“Everybody says the same thing, ‘Oh, you’re playing with toy cars, but really it’s an amazing sport,’” said Heather Norrie from Suffield.
Racers said the true prize of the pint-sized sport is impossible to measure in size.
"I would say that this hobby gives a lot of people something to work towards, something to strive for,” said Clokey.
Angelo Bavaro is an anchor and reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at abavaro@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook and X.
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