Remote-controlled car racing club aims to create a community in McHenry Township

The McHenry Township Hall in Johnsburg was buzzing Sunday with the sound of remote-controlled cars zooming around a track made of green carpet with white rain gutters as barriers. Children and adults were racing the RC cars at an event hosted by the Remote Control Racing Club of McHenry Township.

The club was created in summer 2023 by McHenry Township Trustee Adam Shaver, who aims to create a community while making a space for RC enthusiasts to race their cars.

“Doesn’t matter if you’re a man, woman, kid or adult; everybody in this hobby has fun,” Shaver said.

He said he was inspired to start the club because the township hall usually sits empty on Sundays and the next closest RC race tracks are in Batavia and Burlington, Wisconsin.

Shaver’s biggest goal is to raise money to build an outdoor track somewhere on township property, he said.

The Remote Control Racing Club of McHenry Township hosted its first indoor racing event in October, which brought in about 60 people. Two RC car manufacturers donated a few cars to the club, so people interested in racing can try it out, Shaver said.

“We had kids who had never raced before racing; we had people who had their own RC cars race them,” he said.

After attending the first race, Gretchen Short was inspired to help out and became one the club’s sponsors. Her 8-year-old son, Carter Short, got into the hobby a few years ago.

“I just think what they’re trying to do is really great. And there’s other people here that can help him with the car.”

The club will host monthly race days, the next one Feb. 18. People can join the club’s Facebook page and Facebook group to get updates on future events while connecting with fellow racers, said Eric Shaver, Adam Shaver’s brother.

Eric Shaver describes RC racing as a “dying hobby,” since it was more popular in the 1990s, but hopes this new generation picks it back up.

“It’s fast. It’s rapid. It keeps your attention,” he said.

Dozens of RC car models, from buggies to monster trucks, were on the track Sunday. Most go as fast as 30 mph, but others can reach speeds up to 70 mph, Eric Shaver said.

No RC car looked like another, with differences in size, color and car model type, because many are custom-built or modified by the owner, Eric Shaver said.

“They’re an extension of you,” he said.

RC car enthusiast Todd Booker said he was excited to see an RC event in McHenry Township instead of driving over an hour to the next closest indoor track. He has traveled as far as California and Florida for racing tournaments. For Sunday’s races, his ambitions were modest.

“It’s all about having fun,” he said. “Winning is when you don’t have to fix anything.”