Drake Hartzell RC Racing

Drake Hartzell RC Racing RC Dirt Oval racer who travels across the Midwest

This weekend I went to the Oval race at Elburn Days! It was a blast and reminded me of my favorite combo: Street Stocks ...
08/24/2026

This weekend I went to the Oval race at Elburn Days! It was a blast and reminded me of my favorite combo: Street Stocks and Tight tracks! I ended up TQ-ing and winning Slash SS and Buggy SS! They had a great variety of cars including Losi Sprints, Losi Late Models, Traxxas Late Models, and 2wd & 4x4 SC off-road trucks on the oval! I got to announce the Losi Late Model class all day and those things look like they handle really good on the dirt for an RTR car completely stock! It was also great to see the carpet guys and some off-road guys give Dirt Oval a go! Huge thanks to the Hartlines for lending me some track prep equipment and some hands, Cory Hauser for sticking his neck out to not only have this race but getting us a water truck and doing the off-road / oval layout, HobbyTown Bativia for sponsoring the event, and Shawn Conley for doing everything Shawn does! I wanted to get out to the off-road race today but I was pooped.

I hope we get to do it again next year! Even though I was running on almost no sleep (thanks mother nature) it was a blast, and I even got to put some stuff in my track prep notebook! I also brought the enclosed trailer (for hauling the tractor) and pitted out of it and I see why those who have trailers have them 😅

Huge thanks to those who support me!

-Rotor Ron

-Orca Cut light CNC

-MMD

-Hartline Racing Enterprise

-Redbull 20oz cans! (9 to be exact)

Mad Dog Motorsports Championship 26':This weekend I made the last minute decision to attend the Dana Zenil memorial race...
08/16/2026

Mad Dog Motorsports Championship 26':

This weekend I made the last minute decision to attend the Dana Zenil memorial race at Attitude!

Before I go onto my race report, I have to say I'm glad I made it to this event in particular. I didn't know Dana very long, but the year we lost him I kinda started to get to know him a bit. I give Dana partial credit for my well known happy go lucky attitude. When I was running weekly at Attitude in 21' one day I wasn't in the best of moods and he kinda halfway sat me down and explained that just cause your stressed at home and work doesn't mean you get to take it to the track. We all have our own problems and the track is where we go to get away, and not to mention it's a privilege to be at the track. And from then the next few race days he'd go slightly out of his way to greet me with a smile at the beginning of race days. That talk kinda stuck with me for a bit, it was kinda one of those things that your parents tell you when you're young but it doesn't really stick cause it's just mom or dad saying it, but it's really valuable life info. And then after I started acting more positive, life started getting more positive. Funny how that works. Anyway, story over...

I've won a lot of Slash SS races, but this was one of the 2 slash races that I've wanted to win that I haven't. I was finally able to take TQ and Win a Bulldog in Slash SS last night! (And I did it with a 12t all S**g Oiled up vs a bunch of BL2s) (And a non-decked Shark body)

I also brought my 1/10 Late Model and I borrowed Adam Radiske's backup B-Mod! In Late Model I took the last transfer from the B-Main and started the A-Main dead last. I was able to drive my way up to 2nd and was on the leader's back bumper for at least 10 laps! Had a good battle going with Mike Dibb, and I believe I was ever so slightly faster, however he was dead consistent. I tried to cross him over towards the end and got super loose, and in the process of gathering myself back together Jamie Tenneis was able to get by me. Ultimatly I ended up 3rd!!! Super fun race with me, Mike, and Jamie all battling nose to tail around the high side of Attitude raceway! Somehow I managed to get hot lap of the race, but just barely!

Also I had a lot of people ask me what motor I had in my LM, it's a Rotor Ron tuned Fantom 7.0 paired with a Gen 2 Hobbywing XR10 160amp ESC, all bought directly off the Rotor Ron website, nothing special done to it just for me.

I worked on Adam's new B-Mod all race day and got it turning good! It was extremely low on power but with how good it handled I was able to finish 4th in the A-Main!

Then finally Me and Caden Brown ran 2 Man Cruiser with my Slash! We were able to come out of all the chaos 2nd! It was a blast and after watching the Figure 8 after I almost need to put together my last slash chassis for it 😅

It was a great day back in Wisconsin and I can't wait to get back up there once this year! Great to see everyone again and thanks Table 1/2 and Orca Cut for loaning me some parts I forgot 😅

Next weekend I'll be out at the Oval Portion of Elburn Days helping with track prep and I'm sure racing my Slash SS!

Thanks:

-Rotor Ron ( www.rotorron.com )

-Orca Cut light CNC

-Milkman Designs

-NRP

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07/19/2026

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Had an absolute blast tonight racing toy cars! After work I went and scooped up Robert James Scianna and we went out to ...
06/27/2026

Had an absolute blast tonight racing toy cars! After work I went and scooped up Robert James Scianna and we went out to HobbyTown Batavia for some Parking Lot Asphalt oval! Had fun running "fun" cars. I ran Slash SS, Stock Losi NASCAR, and Buggy SS (running my dirt car against Carpet cars). I managed my first Nascar TQ (in my own car) (then stepped on it in the main), Took TQ and Won Slash SS, and finished 3rd or 4th in Buggy SS (I honestly don't remember and was just happy to be there)

It's awesome to get out and do some true Club racing! In Losi NASCAR I was having so much fun I was able to recite most of the star spangled banner to Steven Novak and Steve Sears during the second qualifier!

First round we were a little late and I figured out why you always put a little S**g Oil on your 12t... I forgot to and it got a little hot 😅

Had fun catching up with everyone and now I'm taking a weekend to chill! We'll see ya at the next one

Some pictures from the last few races. Liam Beal at Cedar Bluff and 3 Joys Photography at Kempton. Super cool to see som...
06/24/2026

Some pictures from the last few races. Liam Beal at Cedar Bluff and 3 Joys Photography at Kempton. Super cool to see some action shots, as normally we only get them at the Chili Bowl or a big race visit to Jacksonville.

Plan for this weekend is to go to HobbyTown Bativia Friday night for Parking Lot Oval racing and Attitude for a "weekly" Club race plus 1/10 LM!

Struggled last weekend on this spec tire but this spring I've finally got my Mid Bite program close! Huge shout-out to all the great people and products with this operation!

-Rotor Ron ( www.rotorron.com )

-Orca Cut CNC

-NRP

-HRE

BB-Mods Raceway JConcepts Dirt Oval Nationals 2026:After a few podiums in MWM this year I was finally able to take one h...
05/25/2026

BB-Mods Raceway JConcepts Dirt Oval Nationals 2026:

After a few podiums in MWM this year I was finally able to take one home! Pretty cool it happened at the JConcepts race too!

Although Midwest Mod was the smallest Mod class, it was a Stout A-Main. I started 3rd on the grid behind the Lewis brothers JoJo and Jomari, and Coale Dolbert and Cole Hartline right behind me. This type of track (Med to High bite) is right in the Lewis brothers wheel house so I really didn't think I stood a chance. At the start I felt free and kinda played it safe dropping a position to set a pace. About halfway through I'm not exactly sure what happened but it seems to me the leaders got caught in lapped traffic. Thankfully I was able to play my cards right and zig zag around the wrecks and find myself 2nd. I felt I was on pace with Jojo however he is deadly consistent and I was fighting my car getting a little loose on entry. Unfortunately for JoJo he broke a sensor wire and I was able to pull up to him. I'm not sure if I would've been able to pass him but he was involved in a wreck and I was able to dodge it. From there I ran away for a few laps, then when I heard the race director say 10 to go I slipped in behind a lapped car and just rode. JoJo was pulling on me but I had built enough of a lead that he didn't have enough time to get around me.

This was easily my biggest purpose built class win! Being able to top the podium over JoJo and Coale is awesome, since right now those guys are the guys to beat in fendered Mod racing!

I also entered Late Model, and I feel I had a really fast car, just I was unable to drive it. I'm not sure if it was a me problem or the fact I was running a loose dirt 24' Assailant but I couldn't hold a line in dirty air. After the second round I elected to park it to stay out of everyone else's way and save my equipment as I would have to play alphabet soup even if I did figure the car out, and I currently do not have enough batteries to do that (without hurting one)

Cole Hartline also came with as well as Shawn Conley making his BB-Mods debut. Cole is coming around good with an impressive drive in his Late Model D-Main, spending most of the race running second and not doing anything stupid to try and win it (2nd place transfers). Unfortunately 3rd place caught up and after a few laps the leader got loose and had to check up, Cole checked up and 3rd place didn't and Cole was sent around. That really sucks cause Cole was faster than the leader but was just playing his race smart

I'm taking next weekend off and debating where to go the week after. I'm kinda tapped out on spending for awhile so I'm gonna go through my tires and evaluate where I'm better off going. Huge thanks to everyone who makes this possible. I don't only use these products cause they help but also because I believe they are some of the best out there:

-Rotor Ron ( www.rotorron.com )

-Milkman Designs MMD

-NRP

-The Hartline Family

-Orca Cut CNC

-Shawn's neat 3d printed stuff

-Crayola

-Visa Credit Cards

-Pepsi & Dr. Pepper

-Everyone who put up with me "on the chip" Saturday when I was kinda over it

Last few weekends I've been out racing and haven't posted! Last Saturday me and Cole Hartline raced Kempton and yesterda...
05/17/2026

Last few weekends I've been out racing and haven't posted! Last Saturday me and Cole Hartline raced Kempton and yesterday we ran at Farmer City.

I managed to pull off 2 Second Place A-Main finishes in a row in MWM. At Kempton I was Chasing JoJo and FC Pasley had us whooped. Only being the 5th and 6th race on that car I am happy with how it's running so far!

The Late Model has also had a ton of speed Lately, I've just had no luck. I'm finally figuring out this car. It's finally handling and I don't have to drive it like a madman. Before Jake's I went down to a Rotor Ron Fantom 7.0 motor (to match the MWM) and the car is on a rail! At Kempton I had the fastest LM in the B-Main but was taken out and then was treated as a pingpong ball when trying to get going again. I don't remember exactly what happened just I was pi**ed. At Farmer City I was leading the B-Main, then I stepped on my 🌭 and over drove halfway and spun in the dry corner of the track. I fell to the back and was able to recover to 3rd. That one was all on me.

Cole has also been running LM, MWM, and dabbling in Mod Sprint. I am super proud of him these last few weeks, he's starting to recognize what the car needs and is making 95% of the calls on his radio adjustments. The kids come a long way. He's also doing a lot better at reigning back an ill handling car. He caught on quicker than me 😅. The way he was able to control being lapped but also still racing for position in last night's Mod Sprint A-Main (with an ill handling car) was beyond impressive. If we can just figure out a setup that suits him (in any class) he's gonna be deadly.

Also shout-out to [my] neighbor Rob starting his journey into RC Oval racing and starting to catch onto this awesome hobby, sport, lifestyle, parasitic bank account and time drain! He's been starting to catch on.

Huge thanks to everyone who is a part of this operation! Without Rotor Ron, Team NRP, MMD, HRE, and Orca Cut we wouldn't be where we're at today! I also have to thank my mom for letting me borrow her daily to get everyone to the track yesterday with Cole's parents having to do this pesky thing called work.

See everyone next week at BB-Mods for the Jconcepts race!

Thursday night update:Some stuff came up throughout the week and I've decided at 8:30 tonight I can't finish the cars an...
05/01/2026

Thursday night update:

Some stuff came up throughout the week and I've decided at 8:30 tonight I can't finish the cars and sleep for work tomorrow, then go race and make it home after. Unfortunately the last year or so I've discovered I function a whole lot better with sleep, very different from how I used to operate 😅 Sucks cause I really wanted to go to Kempton tomorrow night.

The new plan is to head to Jake's Saturday! After that I'll have a quick turn around loading up Monday night, then you can catch me, the old man, and Jimmy in the campgrounds at Illinois Speedweek! Then that Saturday I'll head to Kempton instead of Fairbury.

Thank goodness Rotor Ron stocks and ships tires super fast and Team GFRP got me setup first thing Monday morning after some trackside advice this weekend! Wouldn't be able to do this if everyone wasn't good at what they do!

Hope to see everyone at the track sometime in the next week!

BB-Mods club 4-25-26:First outdoor race of the 26' season in the books! Won my first 13.5 Sprint A-Main and finished 3rd...
04/27/2026

BB-Mods club 4-25-26:

First outdoor race of the 26' season in the books! Won my first 13.5 Sprint A-Main and finished 3rd in Mod Late Model! I'm finally getting the Late Model figured out. Did some more wrenching on it Sunday and bought the parts to make the Midwest Mod match.

Plan is to get back after it Friday at Kempton, one of the few times this summer my Slash SS will make it out this year! Then possibly a stop at Jake's Sat but that depends on how the end of the week goes. Right after that is Illinois Speedweek!

Huge thanks to my partners

-Rotor Ron

-Milkman Designs MMD

-Nordholm Racing Products

-Orca Cut CNC

-Boss at work for putting up with me and not firing my annoying ass

(Btw MMD is selling those wheel dots)

Doing a little more work this week and we'll see what happens!

Address

Batavia, IL

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