The 21st Annual KC Hobbies and Toys Spring Fling RC Racing Event wrapped up this afternoon at Little Bear Arena East in St. Ignace. And this could be the very last year it is run, unless someone takes over for current organizer, Casey Brake.
After a couple decades of putting endless hours of his time to put on each race, he has decided to, hopefully, hand off the baton to another die-hard racer.
Brake has also raced in local, regional and national events which he plans on still doing along with operating his KC Hobbies and Toys business in downtown St. Ignace.
"It's a great passion and a great camaraderie. I mean, a lot of these people I consider personal friends. Plus, it is just fun to do," Brake said.
"I have been racing for three decades, almost 70 per cent of my life. So I am not quitting racing. I hope to get back to racing nationally and get back some sponsors," added Brake.
Brake said the end of organizing these races will be bittersweet.
"One of things I will miss for sure is seeing the new faces, and the people who have grown and learned and love the sport," said Brake.
Brake said anyone who is interested in taking over can contact him at KC Hobbies and Toys in St. Ignace. The track, the equipment, and much more is all up for sale.
As for the final race, around three dozen cars raced in several heats.
The ages of the racers ranged from early teens to several decades old.
Shawn Henderson from Bark River, Mich. made the trip for this race.
He's been racing for 25 years.
"It's the camaraderie. You get a lot of different kinds of people that do this. This is accessible for a lot of people with different kinds of incomes," Henderson said.
He feels kids should look into RC racing as a hobby.
"When you look at our society today, it's so hard to get kids away from the screens and this is a pretty wholesome hobby. It lets them learn how to use tools and learn about physics. There's actually a lot of science involved in this, too," added Henderson.
It's a bunch of people, hanging out, chewing the fat, and doing a little racing.
"A bad day at the track is better than a good day at work," Henderson chuckled.
