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While the Drift Australia and Super Drift teams are battling it out, round by round - it can be easy to get involved in the action and forget what else is happening during a Drift Australia event.

Unless you happen to take a break in between battles and grab a bite or check out the trade stands, it's easy to forget that there's 'small scale' Radio Controlled cars also battling it out in the RC Drift championship.

We have a quick chat with Nick Romano and Adam Boag, the owners of RC Garage and the co-organisers of the RC Drift championship about Drift Australia and the future of RC Drift.

Drift Australia: Let's move back to Drift Nationals at Oran Park, what was it like to gather other RC enthusiasts around the country to compete in a national RC Drift competition?

RC Garage: It was a fairly hard task to organise a national event for the first time for RC Drifting in Australia, but with the help of those from Sydney RC Drifters and some other major plays from Melbourne and Queensland it was a lot easier than first thought.

DA: From what I understand, RC Drift is very much a hobby with most people. Does this become an obstacle when it comes to organising a national competition? For example: How do you convince guys to spend on travel expenses?  

RCG: RC drifting is definitely more for the Hobbyist simply due to the fact it’s in its infancy as far as competition goes.  And with that being said with the support of Drift Australia, RC suppliers and other hobby shops it’s sure to grow and more interest and competitors will follow.

DA: Does having RC Garage help a long way when it comes to establishing a national drift competition?

RCG: Yes, definitely, having RC Garage helps in many ways such as having the credibility to approach suppliers and other hobby shops to gain support and to promote the events.  It also shows competitors that we are serious and that we are here to support them as best we can.  We want the hobby to grow on a National level, up until now there hasn’t been any form of National unity within the RC drift community and that’s what we have established with the help of Drift Australia.   

DA: Tell us a bit about RC Garage? How long has it been around?

RCG: RC Garage started in my (Nick’s) garage over 8 years ago on a very small scale. Predominantly as an online shop and selling to friends, repairing and modifying Nitro RC engines. 3 years ago we out grew our garages and moved to a 200m² Retail premises in Bayswater, Victoria.  The business has grown again since then and as of late 2009 we moved to a bigger (500m²) and better location at 394 Dorset Rd, Boronia just around the corner from the old shop.  With the added space we can now cater for a broader range of RC’s and not just Off Road and Drift cars.

DA: Does the RC Drift market have a significant percentage with RC Garage sales?

RCG: Drifting has grown so much in the last 3-4 years that it is now one of our top sales items.  Seeing it grow from the days of taping up rubber tires with electrical tape to now having so many tire, chassis and body choices it’s amazing.

DA: Is that indicative of how big the RC Drift scene really is?

RCG: I’d say it’s a good indication of how big the scene is growing.  In store we are seeing a wider range of customers entering the Drift scene than ever before.  It’s just so easy and so much fun for anyone.

DA: You have been involved in the RC Drift scene since day one. How have you seen it progress to date? How does having Drift Australia support help with its progress?

RCG: 5 years ago we were still making our own drift tires and using any on-road chassis we could find.  Now we have at least 30 models to choose from let alone the countless others you can make with option parts.  Tire choices are also huge, different styles, tread patterns and even compounds.  Having events at Drift Australia helps to promote another form of drifting to those who already love it but just can’t afford it.  With RC drifting you can get a similar thrill without the huge bill.

DA: Your affiliation with the Drift Australia crew actually goes back before the '09 Drift Nationals when you featured in DriftFest at 2007. Tell us a bit about that experience?

RCG: DriftFest was awesome, a very memorable event with a great atmosphere and a great crew to help with the event so we could man the stall.  We totally sold out of drift cars and even sold our own to some desperate customers who wouldn’t leave without an RC drift car.

DA: How did you come to meet James and Greg and how did that affiliation continue on with Drift Australia?

RCG: James and Greg walked into our store after a mutual friend recommended that we get together and have a chat. They introduced themselves with all these big plans for drifting in Australia and asked if we would be interested in contributing to Driftfest, we liked the guys and their big ideas and hit it off well and the rest is history.

(ed note: James and Greg were the organisers of DriftFest in 2007 and also became part of the team that acquired Drift Australia in 2009).

DA: What plans do you have in store for the 2010 series? Can you see a full season gathering momentum and a steady following? Where do you see RC Drift Australia heading?

RCG: We plan to run RC Drift at all Drift Australia events across the nation mirroring the big boys.  With the amount of positive feedback from Oran Park in ’09 and the amount of emails we get daily I’m sure this season will be even bigger. RC Drift is just simply heading for bigger and better things every year as it builds momentum and a stronger following.

DA: Is there anyone in particular that you think the fans should look out for?

RCG: Definitely “the King” Kenny Conomos current Australian RC Drift Champion, his steady hand and cool attitude he’s sure to be a front runner , he’s going to be a one tough competitor to beat.

DA: Is there anyone who would you like to thank for their support thus far?

RCG: We would really like to thank all those behind the scene that make these events happen, a lot of work goes into preparation for these events and without help from volunteers it wouldn’t be as successful as it is.  So a big thanks to all those guys and girls for their time and efforts.  And a big thanks to James and Greg for inviting us to be part of Drift Australia and yourself Brendan, I know you have all spent countless hours contributing to help make RC Drift as big as it deserves to be.

DA: Thanks for your time and we look forward to seeing the RC Drift Australia competition progress in 2010