Recently, Eric Vasutin has been a very busy guy. With over 25 years of r/c experience, he’s decided to add two new ambitious ventures to his resume. The first being his partnership with long time friend/fellow racer Kevin Jelich to purchase Nor-Cal Hobbies in Union City, California. The second we just learned, his split with Werks Racing and the formation of Prime Racing. Top that off with running the RCCAR club based out of San Jose, California. His life is 24/7 R/C. I decided to catch up with Eric for a short interview.
Darth Vader: – So your one of the busiest guys in RC lately, Your the co-founder of Werks Racing, run a very well known racing club in Northern California, and you just bought a hobby shop and track with Kevin Jelich. How do you do it?
Eric:- It’s gotten a bit busier lately, no doubt. But I’ve run 3 things before.
Darth Vader:- Let’s see… You owned Castle Hobbies back in the day and ran the RCCAR Club in the 90’s when it had so many entries you had to turn people away.
Eric: -Yea, we had to cap the club racing at 170 for nitro back in the day, there just wasn’t enough sunlight. These days we could handle more cause the scoring systems allow you to run more than 10 racers at a time. We were always trying to make up 15 seconds between each heat. And ya, Castle Hobbies, the race place. (pause). I attached the race place to the new Nor-Cal Hobbies …kinda a throwback to the old shop. Nor-Cal has the feel like castle did. It’s a place where people go to be with their hobby and talk to others who are as obsessive with it too. People show up just to see who’s there. It’s awesome.
Darth Vader:- So do you still enjoy racing? Or is it all work?
Eric:- Of course I still love it. That’s why I’m still in this. You have to do this stuff to know what your selling or developing. It’s tougher now since I can’t devote as much time to my racing, and I hate not being competitive. I pick a few classes each year and just focus on that. You gotta mix it up. I run a class for about 3 years then change. It keeps it interesting. I think I quit for 6 weeks when I was a kid. My only radio was dead so I had to. Otherwise I’ve been non stop for 27 years. I’ve learned a lot from all the classes. I’m diggin’ the off-road lately. I love driving my 4 wheel. And I still love nitro TC, it’s my favorite. I dig the strategy of nitro racing and the technical side to the engines.
Darth Vader: It must be hard to juggle work, hobby, and family. Especially when 2 of the 3 are intertwined.
Eric:- Yea, I’m always thinking of all 3 all the time. It’s hard to say exactly which is work and which is hobby though. My work is my hobby and my hobby is my work. There hasn’t been so much family time, I’ve been home 2 days in 2 months. They understand though. It’s what dad does. I got em a parrot to keep em busy.
Darth Vader: – Why did you decide to take on a store again, especially in this economy?
Eric:- Well, simply, it’s the tracks. The silicon valley hasn’t seen a permanent track in 10 years, let alone a facility with 3 tracks. I couldn’t bear to see it die. Someone has to keep it going. It’s really the racers and the customers that keep it going, I’m just the caretaker. We really have an awesome group of guys. Everyone chips in on race day, and the guys really do take pride in the place. That keeps me going. Now only if I could find someone to clean the bathroom and sweep the floor.
Darth Vader: – So you left a company you started, Werks Racing. And we hear your starting another company Prime Racing. What happened?
Eric: – Other than I am moving on, no comment, sorry.
Darth Vader: – As you know, I am the Evil Lord of R/C. You cannot leave me with just that answer. If not, I will be forced to force choke you. You can’t just leave me with that. This is the Barbra Walters question of the interview. What’s really going on?
Eric Vasutin: – I’ll tell you it’s tough. It’s tough to bail on something you started and worked on for 7 years. But it is the way it is. I’m on to something else, Prime as you mentioned.
Darth Vader: - Yes, I know the name Prime. So is this a nitro company?
Eric Vasutin: – Yes.
Darth Vader: – And any other products?
Eric Vasutin: Yea, but that’s down the road. I like all of this too much to just limit it to one facet of racing.
Darth Vader:- So when does all this launch? When does it hit the shelves?
Eric:- You’ll start seeing some fast guys running the fuel. It should hit the shelves in a few weeks.
Darth Vader:- Care to say anything to our readers?
Eric Vasutin:- Yea, support your local hobby shop. It sounds so cliche, but it’s so important now. Since I’ve been in the wholesale side of the industry for the past 7 years, I’ve seen a lot of shops go out of business. Its sad. If you want your local shop to stay alive so you can buy a 3mm screw, you have to support them with the bigger purchases too. On the other side, there’s something to be said for service in the shop too. It really pisses me off to go in a shop and the guy behind the counter asks you for the part number. Like that’s not their job. You have to answer questions, not ask em.
Darth Vader: -Thanks for the interview. May the DARK SIDE of the force be with you.
Post interview we took this shot of the new Prime Racing fuel. Available soon at a store near you!
