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. The club raced on a wooden floor with metal barriers until 1985, when it moved to Rogers Hall in Hillmorton. There the floor was tiled and the barriers were wooden, and racers started applying silicone to their tyres for extra grip.
In 1987, the racing surface changed to carpet, rolled out each week before racing. With carpet, people stopped putting silicone on their tyres, though some later started using WD-40 instead. By 1990, tyre additives were banned at the club because they shortened the carpet’s life.
We are now one of the longest-running radio-controlled car clubs in the country, still racing on a track of the original size, now steel-plated for strength. We use an AMBrc computerised lap counting system. Transponders are available to borrow, although members are encouraged to buy their own. We race on purpose-designed PrimaFelt GT carpet. Our members range in age from 6 to 60+, and everyone is welcome.
A typical race night
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 7:00pm | Doors open; members arrive and help lay the track |
| 7:30pm | Drivers book in with race control and the heats are drawn up; practice if you need it |
| 8:00pm | Racing, round one |
| 8:45pm | Racing, round two |
| 9:30pm | Racing, round three |
| 10:00pm | Consolation and the meeting final |
| 10:20pm | Track cleared away |
Club championship points
| Race | Points for 1st to 8th place |
|---|---|
| Heat | 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 |
| Consolation | 4, 12, 10, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 |
| Final | 30, 27, 25, 23, 21, 19, 17, 15 |
Championships and when they began
- 1981: Coventry Championship
- 1981: National Points title
- 1986: British Championship
- 1993: Stockmasters Championship at Rugby
- 1993: Long Track Championship at Rugby
- 1993: Lyn Woodward Memorial at Rugby
- 1994: the Stockmasters became the Kits & Bits, after its sponsor
- 2001: World Championship
- 2001: European Championship
- 2004: the Kits & Bits became the Kiwi Cup
All of these championships are still running today.