The new season is upon us!

We are now hours away from the first race of the R/C Unlimiteds season, the Atomic Cup. Race 1 of 3 for the Triple Crown, the Atomic Cup has been held in Tri-Cities Washington as the season opener since 2000. I was lucky enough to win the race last year with the Czar's final 1/8th scale, the 2008 Spirit of Detroit. (Here is a link for video footage of last years race.
http://www.youtube.com/user/kcpasco#p/u/12/M-anP34LFZ0) It is my intention to defend my title and win it again for the Czar but I know that it will be a great weekend racing with friends whether or not we come back with the big prize (and it sure is a big trophy, could not fit it in my car last year with all my gear, lol).

As the first race of the year approaches many thoughts come to mind of the people that are involved with the club. We all consider ourselves good friends as we spend most weekends of the summer together. Over the winter we have lost another good friend to RCU, Curt Anderson. Curt was a great guy who always showed up with a smile on his face and an ambition to race hard and enjoy the commodory at the lakeside. I know Curt will be on all of our minds this weekend. He is just one more added to the boat club up in heaven along with Roger and Marti Newton, Terry Olding, Ron Erikson, Troy McIntire, Glenn Ono and many many more.

In reflections of racing past, I ran accross this picture of myself with my dad, the Czar, over the winter. It was taken in the summer of 1994 in Longview Washington, two years before I actually started racing. The expression shown on my face (I know, priceless) comes to us all the first time we picked up a remote control, whether we show it or not. Well needless to say, my father coached me through it and got me through the bumps and mistakes a rookie makes. This picture embodies the need to be supportive and welcome to not only new members but to anyone that needs our help, or is simply having a bad day. It is the community at large that makes or breaks the sport, which I am happy to say keeps us all doing exactly what we are doing today, going out to the lake and having fun. Starting out the new season, we always see a new face. Make sure you reach out to that new person and make them feel welcome to the club, as if they have belonged all along.

I might not get a chance to update until my return Sunday night from the Eastside of the state, but I will be sure to bring back some good war stories. Here is to the start of another great season!