In 1980 the first electric radio controlled stock car was made and sold at Northampton Stock Car track.
In 1981 Dave Woodward set up a club in Newbold, Rugby. They raced on a wooden floor with metal barriers until 1985 when the venue moved to Rogers Hall, Hillmorton. This was a tiled floor with wooden barriers. Racers started applying silicon to their tyres to give them more grip.
In 1987 the floor surface changed to carpet, rolled out each week before racing. Since the carpet was being used people stopped putting silicon on their tyres, but later people started applying WD40 to them instead. By 1990 tyre additives were banned at the club as it shortened the carpet’s life.
We are now one of the longest running R/C clubs in the country, still racing on our original sized track, now steel plated for strength. We have an AMBRc computerised lap counting system. Handout transponders are available although members are encouraged to buy their own personal transponders. We race on purpose designed PrimaFelt GT carpet. Our members ages range from 6 to 60+ and everyone is welcome.
A typical race night timetable:
7:00 pm: Doors open, members arrive and help lay the track.
7:30 pm: Drivers book in with race control. Heats are assembled. Drivers may practice if required.
8:00 pm: Racing, round one
8:45 pm: Racing, round two
9:30: pm: Racing round three
10:00 pm: Consolation and Meeting Final!
10:20 pm: Track cleared away
Club championship points are awarded as follows:
Heat finishing places 1st – 8th: 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,
Consolation finishing places 1st – 8th: 4,12,10,8,7,6,5,4
Final finishing places 1st-8th: 30,27,25,23,21,19,17,15
Championships that have been set up:
- In 1981 the Coventry Championships
- In 1981 the National Points title
- In 1986 the British Championship
- In 1993 the Stockmasters Championship at Rugby
- In 1993 the Longtrack Championship at Rugby
- In 1993 the Lyn Woodward Memorial at Rugby
- In 1994 the Stockmasters changed to Kit & Bits due to their sponsorship
- In 2001 the World Championship
- In 2001 the European Championship
- In 2004 the Kits & Bits changed to Kiwi Cup
All championships are still running to this day.