Beginner Guide to Nitro Powered RC Cars

Nitro Powered RC Cars can travel anywhere from speeds of 50 mph up to 80 mph which is why they have become one of the most popular segments in the RC Hobby Universe.

The majority of these are 1:10th scale and refered to as "On Road Touring Cars".

The key to a fast car is the combination of a high quality low profile chassis, powerful engine, gear ratio, and high grade domestic nitro fuel.

The most popular brands of nitro powered rc cars include: Schumacher, CEN Racing, HPI, OFNA, Team Associated, Duratrax, Traxxas, and Megatech.

Here is a picture of the CEN Racing CT4S chassis. Look at how low it is to the ground. This is essential for high speed driving:

Given the very low profile of nitro powered RC cars, the places where they can be run are limited to smooth outdoor surfaces. Well paved parking lots, basketball courts (when not in use!), etc., are the best locations for racing.

Here's a great top view picture of a fully equipt, ready to run nitro powered rc car chassis. This is the Duratrax Street Force GP2:

Click on this image to see an exploded view!

Beginner Level:

Speaking of the Duratrax Street Force GP2, this is a great first car for anyone new to nitro powered rc cars. Here's why:

The car comes ready to run with a transmitter, glow plug ignitor, fuel bottle, and a one year "Stress Tech" parts guarantee. This means that if any of their list of covered parts should break during the first year of use, Duratrax will replace it for free. This is great news for a beginner since you are almost guaranteed to break something early on in use!

Click here to read a review of the Duratrax GP2 in RC Universe Magazine!

Begginer Level:

One of our top selling nitro powered rc cars is the Schumacher SST Fusion RTR. With the optional gearing (part # U2567) installed this car can go 80 mph!

The car includes the top of the line Pro Spec .21 engine, tuned pipe system, and their exclusive "E-Start" starting system that only requires you to insert a torque drill to turn over and start the engine. This eliminates the problems often associated with basic pull-start systems found in most nitro powered rc cars(wear and tear).

Beginner Level:

The newest of the high speed cars comes from CEN Racing. Originally one of the leaders with their CT4S series of cars, they've now released the new CT5 Spec. What makes this car different is that it has a "Dual Speed" system. This means that you have the option to run it for top street speed up to 75 mph, or set it for quicker acceleration in low end speeds - a huge benefit for on-track racing.

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