Remote control cars, trucks and other vehicles replaced the typical skateboards at Auburn-Opelika Skate Park Saturday morning. From novice drivers to hobbyists, people of all ages flipped, jumped and zoomed their vehicles across the park's ramps and surfaces during Auburn Parks and Recreation's RC Car Skate Park Takeover.
"Everyone really seemed to have their own RC cars, some really cool ones ... I've never seen before, all different levels [and] they did some really cool tricks with them," said Gabby Filgo, community and special programs administrator for Auburn Parks and Recreation.
Henry Kingston, 5, of Opelika, wore a "Grave Digger" monster truck T-shirt as he controlled a small, rounded green vehicle, one of about 20 his family owns, around the park and an obstacle course Parks and Recreation built.
"We love to race and jump them," he said, grinning as his father attempted to drive the vehicle up an incline at the park.
Other RC vehicles that raced around the park included one that looked like a shark, one that was a miniature dragster and several larger monster trucks.
Participants were eligible to receive door prizes when they registered — one of three TCBY gift cards or the main prize, a Polaris RZR RC car.
A downpour of rain began around 11 a.m. and sent many of the attendees scattering, but that wasn't enough to deter some committed hobbyists like Kayden Quinn, 12, of Auburn, and his family.
"This is what I was supposed to drive," Quinn said as he gestured to a custom-built car on the flatbed of his dad's pick-up truck which included a small nitrous component. "You're literally leashing it so it doesn't fly."
Quinn ended up controlling a small black Jeep SUV, but he said he was glad to see a local event involving RC cars and hopes there could be more in the future.
"I got into [RC cars] when I was really little," Quinn said. "[My dad] got me into it."
Quinn's father said he's visited Columbus, Georgia, on occasion where there's more of an RC car hobbyist scene with stores like HobbyTown featuring a racetrack for casual and competitive RC car racing but would be interested in future events in the Auburn-Opelika area.
Filgo said Saturday morning's event "exceeded my expectations as far as attendance" and that the Parks and Recreation department would be interested in offering Auburn-Opelika families similar events involving RC cars.
"Apparently, there's a big remote control car community that I did not know about," Filgo said. "I could definitely see us doing more events like this in the future for these people that are interested in that."
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Tim Nail, senior in journalism, is the community editor of The Auburn Plainsman.
