Remote control cars are one of the most popular motoring hobbies – and many people even consider it a sport, racing their cars against other owners. As with real vehicles, remote control car aficionados are often willing to spend a lot of money to get the best equipment, as well as spending time making their own modifications to the way the cars perform and how they look.

There are even world championships in different types of remote control car races, from track racing to off-road competitions, just as you get with the real thing. Competitors from around the world take part in these events, with drivers and teams from the US and Japan often dominating events.

The same goes for the manufacturers of remote control cars, with foreign-based companies producing many of the best remote control cars on the market – and also the most expensive. Most people unfamiliar with the world of serious remote control car competitions might think of the models they have seen in their local toy shop, which can sell for as little as $20. While this may be a good way to start out, if you want to win the world championships, you are going to have to be prepared to spend a lot more money.

In fact, many of the best remote control cars can actually cost more than real cars – as you can see from the expensive, hi-tech, not-to-be-played-with toys on this list!

20 Freefly Tero

The Freefly Tero is not only the most expensive remote control vehicle on this list, but it is also different from the other model cars. While the likes of the Vektra 5 and the various Kyosho creations are designed for racing and for enthusiast

[This is a sponsored article with RC Paragon Universal.]

Toy cars were often found in my house during my childhood. My brother and I had a large box of Hot Wheels Cars, and would also race our AA battery cars around our living room.

As we grew up though, we also grew out of these interests, but for some people, this hobby continues into adulthood. Some may even only discover this interest in adulthood.

Others even take it one step further, by immersing themselves in the remote control (RC) cars community, which is a more serious take on toy car modification and racing.

Small but mighty 

RC car competitions are played in three different categories:

• Competitive racing; 
• Speedrunning;
• Leisure bashing.

To elaborate, competitive racing is usually categorised based on skill levels, the scale of RC cars, and types of surfaces such as dirt, astroturf, and on-road, to name a few. 

These tracks are specifically made for RC car racers to test their abilities in manoeuvring through the tracks, with some examples being the Kota Raja on-road track, Putrajaya P6 off-road track, and more.

Meanwhile, speedrunning is where things get serious for RC racers. It challenges a racer’s modification abilities and capabilities in keeping control of their cars at high speeds. 

Fun fact: Within Malaysia’s RC cars community, the current national record for speedrunning was set in 2022, when a competitor managed to get their toy car speeding from 0km/h to 260km/h on a track that was under 1km long. According to Malaysian hobbyists, it was a feat that put Malaysia on the map for the global RC community.

Leisure bashing, on the other hand, is where most players start. Bashing in RC generally means racing without rules or

For many, going to a grocery store or ordering food delivery is a daily chore, but one man decided to take things up a notch with a clever set-up. Kael Schorelin (@the_blue_car) sent his remote-controlled car out on an errand to procure shark food in a viral TikTok video. Equipping his FPVRC car with a 360-degree camera, Schorelin recorded the car’s journey from his house to Petco.

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In the video, the car arrives at Petco, catching the attention of a befuddled employee who says, “Hi, there’s a camera on that!” and excitedly adds, “He nodded his head!” The employee leans in and checks the back of the remote car with a note that reads, “Glow shark food, please.”

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Spending all day assisting customers at a humdrum department store is tedious, but stumbling onto something extraordinary, such as a remote control car approaching you to buy fish food, can brighten your day. The little car then follows the amused employee to make the necessary purchase.

She grabs a bottle of shark food and says, “Can you open it, so I can see how much cash you got?” From there, the transaction becomes smooth sailing. While the billing is done, the coffee shop workers tell the remote control car, “Please come back and do this more! It made my day.” The total was six bucks, and the employee took out the required cash from the box on top of the car and exchanged it for a shark food bottle and the bill.

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Once the food and change were both back in the basket, the

COLONIAL HEIGHTS – Start your engines and charge your batteries. Hundreds of remote control monster trucks are at Keystone Truck and Tractor Museum this weekend.

The 7th annual Solid Axle Showdown is happening today through Sunday, August 7. Races will be held from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. each day.

The event includes more than 300 remote control monster trucks – patterned after real monster trucks – competing for the coveted title of Solid Axle Showdown Champion in 10 different classes.

The Solid Axle Showdown will feature track obstacles, jumps, crashes and plenty of excitement. The event, considered one of the largest solid axle racing events in the country, is organized by Chesterfield-based Showtime R/C Motorsports, a local remote control monster truck enthusiast and racing group.

Brothers Marlon and Rafael Cox created Showtime R/C Motorsports. They have been monster truck and R/C enthusiasts for over 20 years.

Racers from Virginia, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Maryland, New York and Illinois will compete for trophies and awards.

Seed spitting contest: Start practicingPetersburg Watermelon Festival at The Iron Works: Music, food, beer, cider, wine, mead

Keystone Truck and Tractor Museum

The museum encompasses more than 125,000 square feet. It’s cool, combustive and guarantees to take you on an exhilarating walk down memory lane.

Keystone has tractors, classic cars, a still, an old Gulf service station, vintage gas pumps, oil cans, toys, tools, bottle collections, automotive signage, clocks, advertising posters of yesteryear and much more.

It is free to watch the race with the price of museum admission: $10 adults, $9 seniors [62 and older], $5 active military and students [ages 6-17], and free for children five and under. Purchase tickets at the museum in the gift shop.

The museum is open seven days a week 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. The last admission is

How many of you know that we have a first-class RC airfield in our backyard as well as a certified USA-BMX track?

Triple Creek RC Aircraft Club (TCRC), situated on 58 acres of county-owned property shared with the BMX Triple Creek track, is located at 12705 Balm Boyette Rd. south of Rhodine Rd. and north of County Road 672 and Balm Road in Riverview.

The club, which has been active for over 17 years and has nearly 150 members, provides a wonderful opportunity for both new as well as established RC pilots to join a group of like-minded enthusiasts who love to fly, instruct or just hang out and enjoy a day at the airfield.

The airfield features a 350-foot by 35-foot paved runway, a 40-acre flat and mowed outfield, and three taxiways. There is a large, open pit area for parked aircraft and a covered pit area with worktables and electricity at every station for pilots to work on their planes. There is also a spectator area with a kitchen and serving area for anyone wanting to prepare a snack at the park.

“Getting started is as easy as contacting the club or an existing member and setting up an intro flight,” said Keith Hall, president of the TCRC. Existing members will be happy to discuss the requirements and gear necessary to get started. It was surprising how little of an investment it took to get involved with RC planes if taking it up as a new hobby.

“All you need is an airplane, transmitter, AMA membership for insurance and a FAA registration, the same as drone operators need. Trainer planes start as low as $200 and can be found at local hobby shops as well as online, or you can come out to the field at one of

Having become a parent relatively recently myself, I’m quickly becoming accustomed to the deluge of brightly colored objects that are filling our once minimalist living quarters. Toys are, of course, amongst the worst offenders—many kind and well-meaning family and friends delivering new garish, throw-away plastic play-things with almost conveyor-belt levels of efficiency.

It’s little wonder then, perhaps, that I swooned a little on first glance of ‘First Gear’—a range of remote control toys developed by London-based V2 Studio. Not only is the range delightfully understated, but these cork-based little beauties also have a sustainable edge that makes me a little more hopeful for the future of the planet.

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From a nifty F1 car to a stylish speedboat, graceful sailboat and beyond, the First Gear range of vehicles and vessels are made primarily from Portuguese cork. The soft, lightweight material makes a perfect impact resistant car body and buoyant boat hull, but also has great CO2 offsetting abilities—the seven million acres of cork forest around the Mediterranean apparently offsetting 20 million tons of CO2 each year.

If that wasn’t sufficient sustainability credentials, the entire range is designed with longevity in mind. The remote control for the toys—a simple half-moon wheel, with a couple of buttons—comes equipped with dynamic control settings that give children different steering sensitivity and speeds (and thus control challenge) as they grow, hopefully meaning these toys will stay relevant for longer.

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Naturally, we enquired with V2 Studio as to whether these little beauties were available for purchase but, alas, you won’t be seeing them in toy stores just yet. Apparently, the range was the outcome of a self-initiated project of the studio—the firm having spent many a year developing toys for