This month for our Spotlight Driver column we are featuring the one and only William Lyddane! If you've been to Adrenaline RC you've probably seen Will at our races in his iconic pink shorts (Pictured Below). He is a great driver, puts a smile on everyone's face, and keeps the sport fun! 

Where it all Started...

He was just a kid with the classic radio shack car, when the RC bug bit him. However, it wasn't until 2006 when he got his first hobby grade RC car. 

"I've been doin rc since i was a kid, good ole radio shack cars were what got me started. it wasnt untill about 2006 that i got my first hobby grade rc, the traxxas rustler. me and my neighbor were into making huge jumps and sending them into orbit."

Lyddane attended a few races at Awesome RC in Stafford, VA before the closed up and that's when got seriously in to the sport. Unfortunately, when Awesome RC closed their doors, there wasn't a lot of local racing. 

"I got into the sport of racing rcs during the last few races at awesome rc in stafford, they closed up after my 3rd race and I went back to bashing, until I discovered Adrenaline RC with my buddy Jeff Avery. That was earlier this year (2017). Since then we have met some great people, built a sweet track we call Powerline RC (shameless plug, look us up on facebook) and met great people that I now call freinds and team mates." 

One of the greatest things about this sport is the community. Will Lyddane is living proof of the positive effects RC has had on his life and we couldn't agree more. If you haven't been to Powerline RC it is a lot of fun and a great track! You can actually read our feature on Jeff Avery and his story along with more information about Powerline RC here. 

 Lyddane's Sweet Arsenal 

Currently, you can find him racing the following:

1. Tekno ET 48.3
2. Tekno SCT 410.3
3. Durango DEX 410
4. Traxxas Rustler (the one and only original)
5.  Traxxas Slash 2wd 

It's not uncommon to see Lyddane run at least 3 classes at Adrenaline on race days! We're still trying to figure out how he manages it all! 

BUT wait.... There's more! 

"I currently own 22 hobby grade rcs, ranging from quad copters to rock crawlers to race rcs to monster trucks. Brands include Tekno, Traxxas, Losi, Helion, Durango,and Helimax."

 Advice for Others

"I think RC is great for people to get into for many reasons, the main one is fun. They are just a ton of fun. But on the racing side RC builds many different skill sets from mechanical, problem solving, working under pressure and working with and around other people. I use RC with my son to help teach patience, sportsmanship and how to figure out problems himself."

If he could go back in time to when he got into RC he would tell himself to start racing sooner and practice, practice, practice!

Brands, Cars, Recommendations

Lyddane is pretty dedicated to the Tekno Brand, while he loves his Traxxas cars, his Tekno vehicles allowed him get to the front of the pack. 

"The level of chassis tuning and performance is in my opinion un matched by any other brand. The Tekno cars have also proved to be almost tank like in the durability department which is good since I love to send it!  O tried Losi but it was like driving a battery operated bull dozer so I went back to Traxxas, I even tried Associated which was better than the Losi but then my buddy Josh Lyall let me try his Tekno.....and then I was hooked." 

His practice schedule tends to be every Wednesday evening and weekends he doesn't have a race to go to. 

How far would you go?

The furthest Lyddane has traveled is up to Tiltyard which is about 2 and a half hours from his home. He plans to attend several bigger races in the upcoming season that will be further away.

Final Thoughts, Family, and Gratitude

He has multiple family members that participate in RC and he loves that it is something they can all do together. His son is crazy about RCs as well and drives some form every single day. He's mostly been in to monster trucks and rock crawlers lately. 

 "I would like to give a shout out to my PLRC team mates Josh Lyall, Jeff Avery ,James Greer, and Vince Dooley. We have all put in many many laps and helped each other get better and better at this awesome sport of rc racing. I'd also like to thank Marc Lyall for acting as the coach and helping us along the way. I'd also like to thank Donnie Ward for his help at the track. Marc and Donnie together are like an encyclopedia of racing hints, set up tips and all things Tekno. And of course I would'nt be able to do any of this with out the love and support of my amazing wife Katrina, with out her I wouldnt be where I am today. "

Rapid Fire!

1. Electric or Nitro? Electric 
2. Pro-Line or Aka or Other? AKA
3. Kit or Pre-Built? Kit
4. Dirt or Road? Dirt
5. Track Racing or Rock Crawling? Track Racing
6. Racing or Practicing?  Racing
7. LiPo or NiMH? LiPo ( but I do hope they eventually discover a battery thats as powerful but safer and less explosive lol)
8. Big air or keeping it tight? Big Air, "Hi I'm Will from Powerline RC, and I'm here to SEND IT"
9. 1:10 Scale or 1:8 Scale?   1:8 Scale 
10. Buggy, Short Course, or Truggy? Short Course