Big Dog RC in Stoneboro turns 15 years old this year. The business, owned by John and Robin Raskob of Sandy Lake, is a hobby shop with both indoor and outdoor racetracks for radio controlled model cars. They also feature a fully-licensed kitchen facility to provide tasty meals to hungry drivers, continue to be one of the “Top Rated” Indoor, RC model car racetracks in the country and may be the only “A+” rated track facility by the Better Business Bureau!
The business brings in an average of over 200 drivers a week for their year-round, weekly racing events. Drivers from the surrounding states of Ohio, New York and West Virginia regularly attend. The age of drivers range from 5 years old all the way to well over 70. Some visit the business for the large hobby shop which features cars, trucks, planes, boats and drones. Others visit for one or more of the three weekly racing events held on Wednesdays, Fridays or Saturdays. Spectators are always free, and most events are broadcast on Facebook Live. There’s also open track days on Thursdays and Fridays for drivers to run their models.
The “tri-level” 1/24th scale indoor rock crawling course continues to be popular. Small 4x4 trucks, that can fit in the palm of your hand, take their turn trying to negotiate the course. There’s mountains, hills, bridges and more, including a simulated “mud pit.” The course is free to use! Complete, ready-to-run 4x4 trucks start at about $100, and the shop carries a full line of upgrades for those who are serious about this aspect of the hobby.
Big Dog RC hosted several events for one of the longest running RC Clubs in the country. The “Midwest Series Nitro RC Club”, which has been around for over 50 years, held several of their 2023 points races on the big asphalt onroad track. Drivers came from around the country to compete. With speeds of over 60 mph, the races also attracted plenty of spectators. There are two events already scheduled for this summer, along with a Formula 1 series complete with pitstops!
One of the largest RC Manufacturers in the world, TAMIYA RC, based in Japan, has a championship series in the USA. There are 10 races across the country. Qualifiers from the 10 events are invited to the National Championships, with the winners in several classes earning an “All Expense Paid” trip to Japan with the Tamiya Race Team to compete in the World Championships. Kits to build your own legal race car start at under $150. Big Dog RC will host one of the 10 championship races this year on June 28, spectators are Free!
The 1/10 scale Drag Strip, featuring an NHRA type “Christmas Tree” with all the lights, bells and whistles, continues to expand with a newly sealed surface slated for 2025. The Drag Strip will host events fairly regularly on Saturdays when the weather is good. Zero to 60 mph times under 2 seconds are common. Some cars are now reaching speeds of over 70 mph in just 132’, that’s 700 “scale” miles per hour! The runoff of the strip has been extended to accommodate the increased speeds!
Indoors, Big Dog RC has a dedicated dirt offroad track of 4,200 square feet with over 400 tons of clay. The track is changed every six to eight weeks by forming new jumps and turns to keep the layout fresh for the drivers. Also, a 75’ x 30’ Dirt Oval offers racing three times a week. Recent events have had over 50 drivers racing their Sprint Cars, Modifieds and LateModels at scale speeds of over 200 mph! Cars range in size from 8” long that fit in the palm of your hand to almost 3’ long, weighing over 30 pounds. At Big Dog RC, custom Sprint Cars, Asphalt Modifieds and Midgets are just a few of the models built and sold exclusively by the company.
The “All Access Track Pass” gives drivers access to the tracks 24/7, 365 days of the year. The pass lets drivers come in on their own schedule to keep their skills sharp. Several drivers are working extra hours or second and third shifts and can’t enjoy the hobby during our normal hours — this gives them something fun and safe for them and their families to do. The Access Pass lets them use the facility on their time, even if it’s 3 a.m. on a Sunday!
Big Dog RC features one of the largest hobby shops in the area, with pricing at or below what you find online. They also handle warranty service and do repairs. The shop also features a fully-licensed kitchen serving all sorts of food and snack items, some saying the “Best French Fries” ever made! You’ll find Big Dog RC just off I-79 at 482 Stoneboro, Lateral Rd., Stoneboro, PA. 16153. Their website is www.bigdogrc.com and Big Dog RC on Facebook, phone 724-376-2379.
