The 26th annual Dirt Nitro Challenge in Perris saw over 200 hobbyists racing remote-controlled vehicles. While amateur racers reached speeds of 40 mph, elite competitors waited to finalize their vehicles in the pits. Professional RC driver Ryan Cavalieri achieved national success at a young age and now supports his family through racing. Unlike NASCAR, RC racing offers a lower earning potential, with the top percentile reaching approximately $150,000 annually. The races vary in length, with professional drivers navigating their cars at over 60 mph while competing against one another.
The neon yellow race car whipped around the corner, gunning it in a bid to lose the dragster on its tail. Mistiming a turn, it ricocheted off a dirt mound and landed on its back, swaying side to side, like an overturned beetle.
More than 200 hobbyists gathered to race their remote-controlled vehicles in friendly competition. For a couple dozen elite RC racers, the stakes were higher.
Ryan Cavalieri, a top-25 globally ranked RC driver, is a 38-year-old who supported himself through RC racing. The top 1% of RC racers typically max out around $150K a year.
Drivers stand on a platform overlooking the race track as they pilot their gas-powered and electric cars, using devices for steering and speed. Races run from a few minutes for lower heats to nearly an hour at the highest competitive tier.
Collection
[
|
...
]