Almost exactly two years after his illnesses became so unbearable that he had to leave in the middle of the 2005 Shoot-Out, Brian Kinwald has returned to active R/C racing.  Not just to practice in private at a small track, but jumping straight into the middle of one of the biggest races anywhere in the world, the 2007 Hot Rod Hobby Shoot-Out. 

Ready For Work.

Brian planned to come to Hot Rod to help Paul, Travis, and Atsushi with set-up.  He planned to arrive Wednesday morning and stay through Sunday.  Brian had been at the Reedy Invitational helping several drivers, but “I was miserable the whole time because I wanted so bad to be on the stand with them.  By Tuesday (July 17) I realized I could not be at the Shoot-Out without driving.  I was committed to be there, so I stuck my transmitter in the car with all the other stuff and headed to L.A.”

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One problem:  Brian was getting a new real car, and it wasn’t ready yet.  He couldn’t leave Tucson until about 4 PM on Wednesday, July 18 and arrived at the motel well past midnight after an 8-hour drive.  So Kinwald didn’t actually see the track until Thursday…

The Kinwald family moved from L.A. to Tucson on July 1st, so the month of June was spent packing the household; the first two weeks of July were unpacking, and that’s not finished yet.  Brian had very little time to work on his R/C cars, and no time to practice. 

Making his racing come-back at a major international race like the Shoot-Out, with a new car and little practice took courage, and demonstrates Brian’s love for R/C racing.

“I just love racing R/C cars.  It’s all I want to do, ever.  I’m so happy to be back on the driver’s stand.  It’s the right place for me to be.”

When we arrived at the track about 8 AM Thursday the pits were open but the  track was closed until 10.  That was fine, as Brian set right to work on his X – 6.  Even though he had not been actively racing, Brian had several new parts and ideas he had made himself that he wanted to try, including new shock towers front & rear and a 5-cell battery configuration that brings to E.S.C. into the center of the car.

We all held our breath when the car hit the track for the first time around noon but within just a few laps it was obvious that The Dirtinator had been resting for two years, that he had never really left.