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CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait (January 7, 2009) - The
Americans brought their decked-out vehicles with elaborate paint
jobs, spare parts and plenty of fuel to race at 40 mph on a wide
open dirt track in the desert. But the cars are only one-eighth the
size of real cars and deployed Soldiers and contractors are the
"drivers."
Nitro gas powered "RC" cars and trucks are remote controlled and
are a fast-growing hobby in both the U.S. and Kuwait. Several
deployed military members with nicknames like "Driveshaft" and
"Clutch" found they had a common interest in this hobby and decided
to start a club in Kuwait. Surrounded by sand, they figured they
had enough space to build a track.
Sgt. Martin Sherrell, 228th Signal Company in U.S. Army Central,
began doing on-line research several months ago to find out how to
build a track. He received permission from the camp leadership then
he and other enthusiasts began collecting scrap parts.
They asked for wood scraps, got a condemned metal storage
container, and attached stairs that were part of a fuel tank for
generators not being used anymore, Sherrell explained. They also
signed for two generators to provide light during night time races,
requested sandbags, and set up several splintered wood tables which
on this day were being used to fine tune vehicles.
Sherrell, has a lot of experience with the small cars. He's been
racing them for 14 years. The Oklahoma City, Okla., native, is
assigned to Kuwait for one year.
He's seen the desert weather turn from hot and humid to cooler
temperatures with fewer dust storms. Using the outdoor track, the
controllers must modify their cars to beat other members of the
club.
Staff Sgt. Watson Martin, a 311th Sustainment Command
(Expeditionary) Soldier and Halifax, Va., native, came to watch the
speedy cars, see the 3-foot high jumps and talk to the racers,
after which he decided to buy a RC car.
"I like tinkering with mechanical and electrical gadgets so I
thought this was an affordable hobby that I should try while I'm
deployed," said Watson. "Plus, all the work to build the track is
already done."
The completed track sits in an open area behind warehouses and
includes dips and hard-packed dirt mounds for jumps and plenty of
curves outlined by filled sandbags.
Among the 40- members RC club, there are three different
classes: buggy, truggy and monster truck. A truggy is a cross
between a truck and a buggy; it has the handling and
design-characteristics of a buggy but is closer in size to the
truck.
"Speed is nothing without control," noted Sherrell, who said he
used to drive the RC cars in Oklahoma in front of the restaurant he
managed when business was slow," said Sherrell. "It takes a lot of
hand and eye coordination. That's why when you get to 35 to 40
years old, the 9 and 10-year olds start kicking your butt."
After many hours on the job, club members agreed that driving
their RC cars is a welcome break from the deployment.
"This is great because it gives us something to do and bonds us
all together," said Cornelius Bennett with Army Systems.
The Cobra Crossing RC Club meets behind the Zone 1 track next to
the softball field, Thursday's and Saturday's at 6 p.m. All are
welcome to watch or participate.
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