SETTING UP THE NEW SITE, STEP-BY-STEP REPORTS

[kevin]

UPDATE 04/19/2010:

Grayson and I got things cleaned up pretty good at KRC. That means all that wood, sawdust and other debris is gone. We also vacuumed the track, but did not get a layout set up. I could not get there tonight because we were pretty busy. The only thing I did get done was to pick up three used metal cabinets donated from Zion Church. Gene Brown had them save them for us and I needed to pick them up today or they would be scrapped. They are in the trailer there; we can unload then tomorrow. They will come in handy for us for storage.

Anyway, we will still be there for an open practice night, for those interested. I will go there as soon as I get off of work tomorrow and put down an on-road layout. For those that want to practice, the price is $5 per driver for this first night. We need to get this off the ground. I will likely continue to work on things, but Grayson will probable run if he can get there. Please feel free to stop in. We hope to see you there!

[kevin]

UPDATE 04/23/2010

The track is set up with an on-road layout and ready for use. I ran a box-stock RTR Slash on it yesterday after getting it ready for a customer. That was cool! I thought it went around there great even though the layout was a bit tight for it. The layout will stay up for use for practice for now.

I will be on site with Grayson tomorrow afternoon. (Saturday 04/24/2010 12:00PM - 6:00PM) We will be working on setting up equipment and etc. Those that wish may run on the track for the day. Fees will be $5/driver.

In order to be able to start setting up off-road layouts, we most haul over the carpet from the EGF Legion. We will use those pieces to cut Landing Zones from to lay down after our jumps. Grayson and I would have a hard time loading those Carpet Rolls ourselves. We will need to arrange to do that when help is available. Please let us know if any of you are willing to help with this some time. Thanks.

[kevin]

Hi gents:

Things are coming along. I have to say, having the track ready to run on is a serious distraction though. Grayson and I have turned a bunch of laps with our trucks and mini trucks. Rcnub has been a regular practicing with us also and we are happy to have his support. It is a little more fun than putting up shelves and getting the systems installed. I wish I had a 1/12 scale on-road built to run some laps with. That would be a great class on this carpet layout.

The plan is to spend the day there again Saturday May 1st. I have set up the office with decent shelving on the west wall, so can now install the camera security system and other equipment. The plan is to get that working properly so that the office point of sale computer sytem can be installed. Then I will will be able to do business properly with a cash drawer and credit card sales system. As far as setting up the racetrack computer and displays, that is simple and we will do that last.

Here is some pics:

[kevin]

UPDATE 05/02/2010

Yesterday was a good day. Some new people checked the place out and are anxious to get into racing. We managed to get the rest of the track stuff from the EGF Legion and Bill used some of that carpet to put down an Off-Road Layout. So now we can start alternating between layouts. Next week we will run Off-Road Carpet.

Grayson and I are going there tonight to work a bit. Tuesday will be an open practice from 7:00PM to 10:00PM. Racing will start soon!

[kevin]

UPDATE 05/02/2010

Today was a good day for getting things done. The track is now set up with an Off-Road layout. We will add to that a bit and run again this Saturday. After that, we should schedule some racing.

So, gather up those toys and be at KRC next Saturday. Practice begins at noon. I will hook up the track computer and we can check out what lap times we can get. Maybe we can set up some "Score Only" races to warm us up. Remember this is Off-Road. The jumps are in place. Bill was running his 18R on it, but it is a bit hard on things. They are your models though, I won't stop you from bouncing those on-roads around if you like. Bill cut a bunch of landing pads out of the old carpet, so the on-road carpet is now fairly safe from gouges on landings.

Later...

[kevin]

UPDATE SATURDAY 05/08/2010

Today was a good at KRC. We had a few racers practicing all afternoon and I got a lot of things done. The track is currently set up Carpet Off-Road and will stay that way through this Tuesday so I may have a chance to get another feature built; a table top jump up we can. On Thursday we will change to an On-Road layout for Saturday. Saturday will actually be our first race day, so please plan to have your toys set up for the flat track.

The security camera system is all set up now, so it is safe to bring in the rest of the shop computers and other items. We had some major issues with not having enough power supplied into the store and my Office/Repair Shop requiring us to run cords out, but that will be fixed on Monday. They added three more 60 amp circuits to each room. No more problems with tripping breakers. Most of the computer networking is also done. As was mentioned, Tuesday will be the next open practice. I will then mount the two digital displays and we should be ready to have some races.

[kevin]

We have 60 more amps of power in the store and 60 more in my shop now. No more running cords out or waiting for the pizza oven to get done before using the microwave. Also, all of the shop equipment can be set up permanent with enough to run everything.

I put that 4' digital display up in the store window across the track from the drivers stand. the other 2' one will hang on the wall in the pits. For those that have not seen this, those display run during races to chow what race is up and time before it starts or what is remaining while in progress. This makes it easy for racers to keep on schedule.

Tomorrow evening, (Thursday 5/13) I will complete the set up for the track computer and print some basic race entry forms. Then our site will be fully ready to have races.

[kevin]

UPDATE 05/15/10

We had a great time at KRC Raceway today. We did not get enough people here at this first day we ever put a a scheduled race to actually set up races, but we still had a blast. It is 10:30PM now and Grayson and I have just burned up our last packs. I figured I would log in a post before we go home.

The race management system is ready to go now with both displays working. I am using the track computer to both play a Netflix special on Larry The Cable Guy while remote logged in to my home computer to do this at the same time. It all works great. I am only using the smaller 100 watt amp and portable speakers now, but it sound good in here as is. I will put some power to those other speakers later and see if that 100 watt can do the job and leave it at that if it is enough. I don't think we need that 250 watt amp in here; that is mainly for our outdoor racetrack events.

We will continue to put on scheduled race night and days to get things going. Those that came here had great fun and were not sorry they spend the day here at all. One guy even came down from Canada to run and said here will be back here again soon. He likes to run on-road and appreciates the fact that some place plans to have on-road races year round. Our next On-road Saturday will be May 29th.

Look guys, all those that came here today are going to help promote this place and try to get regular races going. Getting regular racing going here at KRC is the only way we can keep this place open. Do you guys want a place in Grand Forks to race at or is driving 100's of miles to go to places further away what you rather do? We need your support. The scheduled will continue to be racing on Tuesday evenings, Thursday evenings and Saturdays. Some holidays may change this somewhat, but those will be shown on the calendar. The races will alternate from on-road to off-road and back continuously. I am going to work with Brian Stonecipher on promotions to come up with a more basic flier that promotes our racing and points to our web services for more info. Once we get that flier made up, we need to get copies put up regularly every where possible. HobbyTown is putting up our fliers now and that is great, but we need more. Please help with this effort. Thanks.

[kevin]

It has been pointed out to me that it seemed like I am trying to get racers to race at my place INSTEAD of going to away races at other places in the region. I want to make it clear that that is not the case at all. I expect the more serious racers will go to those bigger event races any time they can because they are great fun and like a mini vacation away from home. We will have regularly scheduled races to service those in the immediate area mainly and if we draw from out of the immediate area, I expect it will not be something those out of town racers will do regularly. If it seems like we are trying to compete for racers because we have races scheduled on the same days others are having events, that is not purposely done to spite anyone. We are just doing the best we can to provide good service to our racers and produce the revenue needed to stay in business. I hope that is clear to everyone.

[kevin]

JUNE 2ND UPDATE

We are continuing to work on the KRC Raceway site. The Point of Sale system for the office is set up and ready. I have set up items for race and practice fees so far. Now I can start moving in products and set up inventory items for those as we go along.

In stead of having designated On-Road and Off-Road days, I have went to an open program with basic layouts that can be switched back and forth as needed. If we get too busy to stay with that in the future, we will go back to designated days, but for now we will leave it up to the drivers to decide what they want to run.

I am setting up to have a Grand Opening Race on Sunday June 27th. Any help from our local racers to make this a successful event would be appreciated. It would really help get R/C Racing going in our area. Thanks.

[kevin]

Racers,

The weekly evening and Saturday carpet racing program is suspended until further notice.

[kevin]

For those that are wondering what is going on, lack of participation in the KRC site has forced me to step back and take another look at the situation. As is, there is really no sense in my going on in there now if you guys don't want to use the site. For those that want to have a decent local place to have races at, you really need to consider the consequences if I go out of business. When I am gone, I do not think it likely anyone else will ever try to set up a place like I have done at KRC again in the Grand Forks area. I cannot help the fact that there is not an outdoor racetrack, but that will come if there is support enough to keep the place open until it becomes possible. It is really up to you guys whether KRC will be around this winter or not. I am doing everything I can, but that alone will not be enough.

The Grand Opening race will be held as scheduled on Sunday June 27th. I am working whenever I can to improve the site until then, but no longer am there on regularly scheduled times. If anyone wants to get in to use the track, you need to give me a call 1st to know when I will be around. My new shop/home number is (701) 402-0871. After 6 rings, that forwards to my cell phone if I am out and about. As is now, the site is ready to have racing any time. The things I am doing now are cleaning and setting up the shop. One point of sale system is ready to accept credit cards and etc. to make things easier. I have my friend Gene bringing in some more chairs for the Grand Opener and will see if I can get more anywhere else also so it is ready for both Racers and spectators. If any of you guys want to help out, please contact me. Thanks.

[oldgeezer]

I just do not see how not having krc racing open can possibly help the situation!

[kevin]

What it boils down to now is that my options have run out Lance.

Last month, the fees paid for using my track did not cover 1/2 of just the light bill. I have no way to pay these bills, so no longer have a choice but to spend all my time trying to work on other projects that can be done that may make some head-way (when I am not working the day job) to try to find other income sources. There is no option for me of just sitting here hoping any of you guys may decide to come in. That just increases my expenses making even more problems. When you guys do decide you want to use this place or will try to help support this place in some way, please let me know. Hopefully, support for this place will come before it is gone.

The race on the 27th will let me know if there is any chance that there may be enough support to keep KRC Raceway going. We have put up some fliers at Grand Forks/East Grand Forks Hugo's stores, but cannot fund any commercial ads. Today, Grayson and I will will see if we can find more places to put up fliers and haul all those green tubes and anything else we don't need out of here to clear the place out more. All I can do now is put on a good race the 27th and hope things work out. That is the only option I have left. Thanks.

[kevin]

Grayson and I have removed some of the stuff we don't need and hauled it to Manvel. This week, I will see about arranging things better and making the second 2' x 10' cart ready to stack the jumps on. I don't have regular hours I may be working on things now. When it is wet and rainy is when I will likely work in KRC. Call the KRC number (701) 402-0871 if you want to contact me.