Miniature cars make for big fun

THEY may be racing cars one tenth the size of their full-scale models, but that doesn’t make things any less exciting for members of the Bendigo On Road Radio Control Car Club.

“It’s the closest thing to real motor racing without injury opportunity and the huge costs,” said club committee member, Mat Jenkins.

The father of two first laid eyes on an RC car in his own childhood at 12 years old and was instantly fascinated.

“I’m a 70s child so I grew up through the era of the development and emergence of anything radio controlled,” he said.

And while that first encounter with the intricate, miniature machines led Mr Jenkins into a career in electronics engineering, he only started racing two years ago when, at an off-road club in Shepparton, he “got bitten by the bug again.”

“All those things I remember as a child enjoying, even just driving my car at home, that all came back,” he said.

“Now my garage is full of them.

“I’m encouraging it for my kids too because there’s not a lot of opportunity for them to play with tools and learn some skills.”

Mr Jenkins said the club was open to people of all ages, abilities and experience, having just last week reached their 50-member milestone.

“Something that’s been highlighted more recently with COVID closures and lockdowns is that people are looking for that interaction,” he said

“We have a really good social aspect to the club where everybody is really friendly, trustworthy and there for the same reason.

“It’s rewarding because what you put in really does reflect the output that you get.”