EFRA is very lucky to work with some of the best and most established RC racing clubs in the world, welcoming racers to their home tracks for several days of high-intensity competition! Of course, it takes amazing amounts of effort, time, patience and very hard work to make any one of these events a success, and that’s where the race organiser comes in!
In this interview series, we’ll meet some of the hardest-working people in the world of RC! Today, we are talking with Robert Kerler of MCC Türkheim in Germany!
EFRA: Hello, Robert! How are you doing?
Robert: Hello, I am well and hope you are too!
EFRA: We can’t wait! So just to get the formalities out of the way, what is the full name of your club/organization, and where is it located?
Robert: The name is called MCC Türkheim and is located in the city of Türkheim, Germany, in the region of Bavaria west of Munich.
EFRA: How many people work or volunteer for the club/organization?
Robert: We have a good amount of volunteers, 20 people help us organise events at the club.
EFRA:Â What type of racing does your club/organization cater to?
Robert: We organise not just club races but also national races for German drivers and international races, such as the 1/10th Track Euros for touring cars later this year.
EFRA: That’s great that your club has a busy schedule! What is your official role within the club?
Robert: I am the 1st chairman and team leader.
EFRA:Â And on a daily or weekly basis, what do you do for your club/organization?
Robert: There is a lot of organising to be done to make sure everything operates smoothly, so quite a bit of correspondence with people like EFRA officials!
EFRA: How many events or races do you organize for MCC Türkheim during a normal year?
Robert: We have about five to six races each year.
EFRA: And how often do you organize major national or international races?
Robert: In the last four or five years, I would say about 20-25 races in total, so quite a lot!
EFRA: What would you say is the largest event you’ve organized for the club?
Robert: The biggest event so far has been the European Championship for 1/10th IC in 2019.
EFRA: What event or race would you say is your proudest or most successful for MCC Türkheim?
Robert: Definitely the 2019 Euros for 10th IC, everything went really well for us and it was a high point for the club for sure.
EFRA:Â Are there many local racers take part in regular or weekend events at the club?
Robert: Yes of course, we are lucky to have have many regular racers and like to see everyone regularly.
EFRA:Â Who would you say is the most successful racer from your club, and what kind of accomplishments have they achieved?
Robert: Certainly Dominic Greiner! He has many titles to his name: World Champion, European Champion and German National Champion – we are very proud to call him one of our own.
EFRA: That’s really great! So, looking to the future, what would you say is the most important thing to get new club members to participate?
Robert: Yes of course, we always invite locals to experience RC and racing and welcome anyone to take part.
EFRA: That’s certainly key to getting local support! Now, getting ‘new blood’ into the hobby is very important to keep thigns going – so what would you say is the biggest challenge facing the RC hobby in the next few years?
Robert: For me definitely it’s getting new drivers to participate because of the costs. That is the biggest struggle.
EFRA: Finally, what’s the first piece of advice you would give to another club/organization event organizer?
Robert: For sure it’s having a good organising team to make sure everything that is supposed to happen, happens.
EFRA: A well-oiled machine is certainly the most important thing for smooth running! Thank you very much for your time, Robert!
