Whanganui Radio Controlled Car Club hosting race day on Sunday, June 21

Zac Reid at the newly completed radio controlled car track on Airport Rd. Photo/ Bevan Conley

The Whanganui Radio Controlled Car Club will have its second outdoor club day on Sunday at its newly completed track on Airport Rd.

"The club has been in existence for two years now, but this Sunday will be only our second meet on the new track," club treasurer Zac Reid said.

"Up until last month we had been using an old building on Bedford Ave, and it's taken quite a while to get the new track up and running."

Reid said the club had around 20 official members, although there were 50 cars on the track at the first outdoor meeting last month.

"If we can continue with that sort of number each month that would put us up there as the second biggest club in terms of attendance in the country, right next to Auckland.

"It's not high numbers, but for a sport or a hobby it's not bad at all.

"Basically, radio controlled cars are the cheapest form of motorsport and it's really inclusive.

"We have people racing from the age of 8 right through to 60-odd."

Competing cars were either electric or Nitro powered, Reid said, and were eighth or tenth scale.

"We'll be racing once a month, both casually and competitively, and the club has a points-based system throughout the year."

Reid said the new track was available for members of the public to use "whenever they wanted".

"There aren't any gates or anything, it's there for the community.

"People are welcome to take their cars to the track at any time.

"That'll change on meet days of course, because there'll be racing rules in place."

The track was built by club volunteers, Reid said, with additional funding from Plumber Dan and free equipment hire from Harrison's HireMaster.

"Plumber Dan donated $500 and Harrison's have given us around $4000 worth of hire equipment totally free of charge.

"We just want to keep growing, and there seems to be more and more people each time.

"It doesn't matter if your car cost $2000 or $200, it's all about having fun."

The next Whanganui Radio Controlled Car Club Race Day is on Sunday, June 21, at the Airport Rd track. Race fees are $20 per person, and under-16s are free with a paying adult.

For more information, visit www.nzrca.co.nz/events