Kid-friendly remote race track opens

By Mags Storey  |  Friday, July 30, 2010

Participants work on their cars at Christian Sports

BARRIE, ON—Too many remote-control racetracks aren't as child-friendly as they should be, says Joe Green, president of Christian Sports. He wants to help change that.

Christian Sports recently designed and opened a brand new track to provide a family-friendly atmosphere to drive remote control cars.

"We want to encourage people to come out as a family and make it a co-ed, all ages sport," Green says.

He explains that most RC tracks are "in dusty fields, with no washroom" and rarely welcoming to entire families.

Along with creating a well-groomed and highly technical, multi-challenge track, Elite Racing has also equipped the track with a picnic area, a small pond and barbecue pits. It also has washrooms and a snack bar.

"We have a 'No Foul Language' policy too," Green adds, "The odd time someone will blurt something out, and everybody just looks at them, and they go 'Oh, sorry!' And these are guys who typically swear every other word in a sentence."

The track also includes a timing loop, so racers can run laps against their own personal bests. It's also broadcast live online at www.rctrack.ca.

"The guys are always watching from home," Green says. "Once they see other people are out and running, they'll come out and join them. We're meeting a lot of people, which is good because they're coming out to a Christian environment."

Green got the idea to build a track after his own grown children got into the sport. Christian Sports also runs baseball, paintball and hockey leagues—all of which were inspired by his own family's interests.

"That's kind of how we do stuff," Green says. "When you are playing the sport yourself you get a sense for what is needed."

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