10 Best Jobs In RC [June Issue – Preview]

10 Best Jobs In RC [June Issue – Preview]

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The dreams gigs that could one day be yours

WORDS ERICH REICHERT

For some of us, RC is more than just a casual hobby – it’s a passion.  It consumes every minute of our lives and is often the subject of our daydreams.  Running your car is one thing, but for the rare few, taking it to the next level and working in RC is where our dreams lay.  Many of the people you read about each month, those behind the scenes at manufactures and even the guy at the local hobby shop, they all had that same dream.  If you’re one of these types of people like I was at 15 years old, then this article is for you! Here’s an up-close look at the 10 options your guidance counselor doesn’t know about: The 10 best jobs in RC.

#7 Pro Racer – Cody King & Paul King [KYOSHO]

The Job

One of the most sought after but misunderstood jobs in RC, many think that the life of a pro racer is one of jet-setting around the world for races, making big money to simply drive, and sponsors beating down your door to give your free stuff.  While there are a small handful of racers who don’t need to work, most have day jobs within the RC industry as engineers, in R&D, or anywhere else they can fit in.  As a factory team driver, pro racers not only drive cars and try to win races, but also act as ambassadors and spokespeople for their sponsoring companies.  Their work is highly visible to the RC community and how they act and perform on and off the track is a major driving force in the sale of their sponsors’ products.  At major races, many work on their own cars as well as drive, while others paired with a mechanic who frees up their time to focus on driving their way to the top of the podium.

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Pro Racers not only drive cars and try to win races, but also act as ambassadors and spokespeople for their sponsoring companies.

 

The Pros

Paul and Cody King are a father and son RC racing team.  When they started out, Cody was primarily the driver and Paul worked on the cars.  However, over time, Cody has started working on his cars, leaving more time for Paul to focus on the other aspects of their team like handling sponsorship contacts, scheduling, and inventory, so he has everything he needs to be at the top of his game.  He also plans all of Cody’s travel and ensures that they have plenty of fuel and tires for big races and pits for him at all major races.  “It’s been interesting for me, because my roll has changed a lot lately.  I worked hard at educating myself about chassis setup, and now I help him learn much as possible,” said PK.  For Cody, the day to day involves building cars, preparing for races (especially Nationals and Worlds),  and writing race reports for his website (codykingrc.com). Weekly practice typically involves testing prototype products and giving the factories feedback to help improve them. “It’s kind of like being a carnival working; on the road all the time with my big suitcases. I often have races back to back, so I barely have time to wash my clothes before I have to catch a flight,” said Cody.  The kings are always thankful for all of their sponsors past and present and are currently sponsored by Kyosho, Reds, Pro-Line, Byron Fuel, A Main Hobbies, Protek RC, KO Propo, Speed Passion, Stickit1 and Lunsford.

To read the full article of 10 Best RC Jobs click below to view the digital edition

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Updated: July 21, 2015 — 2:37 PM
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