Inside the Mind of Jacob Hardison: Racing, Running Adrenaline RC, and the Future of the Hobby | Slow Is Fast RC Podcast
Recently, Jacob Hardison — better known around the pits as “Mr. Adrenaline” — joined the podcast for a long-form, unfiltered conversation about racing, running a track and hobby shop, YouTube, sponsorship culture, and where RC is headed.
If you’ve ever raced at Adrenaline RC Racing or followed Jacob’s racing career, you know he’s not just fast — he’s thoughtful, analytical, and deeply invested in the health of the hobby.
Here’s a full breakdown of the biggest takeaways from Episode 34.
Getting Hooked: From Toys R Us to the Track
Like a lot of racers, Jacob’s journey started with toy-grade cars from big box stores. After breaking a few, his dad upgraded him to a Traxxas Slash from a local hobby shop — and the rest is history.
He didn’t grow up in a racing family. He and his dad discovered competitive RC together. They started by timing laps in a local park before eventually finding organized racing at an indoor clay track.
There wasn’t a dramatic “aha” moment where he realized he was talented. Instead, it was steady progression — traveling to nearby tracks, gaining experience, and gradually becoming one of the fastest racers in the region.
By 2013, he was traveling heavily. By 2015, Adrenaline officially opened with an outdoor track in Winchester — and later expanded into the full indoor/outdoor facility racers know today.
Building a Track Instead of Chasing the Circuit
At one point, Jacob did chase the pro-level circuit — racing major events like DNC, Silver State, PNB, Wicked, and Nationals. He ran multiple brands over the years, including TLR, Mugen, Associated, and others.
But eventually, priorities shifted.
Between:
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Managing daily operations at Adrenaline
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Track builds and maintenance
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Event promotion
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YouTube content
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Travel and logistics
…it became clear that living on the road 24/7 wasn’t the long-term move.
Instead, Jacob found his niche: building something bigger than himself.
And that’s where Adrenaline really shines.
Running Adrenaline RC Racing
Jacob describes himself as the day-to-day operations manager on the Winchester side. He handles:
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Race programs
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Track maintenance
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Customer service
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In-store support
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Event execution
While Hannah manages backend systems, social media, ordering, and brand relationships — and Jacob’s dad still handles major business decisions.
One of his biggest points of pride?
Adrenaline consistently develops fast racers. When they travel to major events, it’s common to see multiple Adrenaline drivers in A-Mains.
That’s not accidental.
The track is technical. It rewards precision. And it forces drivers to adapt.
Why He Recommends Tekno to Beginners
When asked what platform newer racers should start with, Jacob didn’t hesitate:
“Build the Tekno EB48 2.2.”
Tekno RC has earned his respect for:
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Durability
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Consistency
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Fit and finish
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Logical build process
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Strong base setup
He emphasized something critical:
Most drivers don’t need ultra-aggressive, pro-level setups. They need consistency and durability while building skill.
The majority of performance gains come from:
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Driver development
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Repetition
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Confidence
Not from chasing exotic setup changes.
Setup Philosophy: Keep It Simple
Jacob broke down suspension geometry in a way that made even complex concepts approachable.
His core philosophy:
“Take RC out of it. Look at the geometry.”
Instead of getting lost in weeds, he looks at:
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Link height and angle
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Pivot width
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Shock length
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Roll characteristics
For example:
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Narrow pivot + tall tower = more roll, more aggression
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Wide pivot + shorter tower = more stability, more consistency
And here’s the kicker:
If you’re not competing for a national title, many micro-adjustments simply don’t matter.
Balance your tires? Sure.
Flip your shocks? Maybe.
But most racers would benefit more from practice than from obsessing over fine-tuning.
Sponsorship Culture: A Real Talk Moment
One of the most thought-provoking sections of the podcast was about sponsorship.
Jacob’s take:
There are only two real reasons to be sponsored:
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You generate results.
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You generate sales.
If you’re not doing either, you’re just a “contracted customer.”
From a hobby shop owner’s perspective, over-sponsoring hurts:
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It shifts sales direct-to-consumer.
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It weakens local shops.
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It destabilizes the ecosystem.
And without shops and tracks, there’s no grassroots racing.
It was a grounded, business-minded perspective — especially coming from someone who sees both sides.
YouTube: Education + Entertainment
Jacob’s YouTube channel started thanks to encouragement from Lee Setser.
Unlike brand-locked drivers, Jacob can:
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Run multiple platforms
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Compare brands honestly
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Share setup logic
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Race bashers (yes, even the Typhon)
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Create race vlogs
Interestingly, race weekend vlogs perform best — but educational content (clutch builds, setup explanations, prep tips) may become more valuable over time as searchable evergreen content.
Motorama Goals
Going into Motorama, Jacob set a clear goal:
Top 3.
He understands the competition — names like:
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Gary Vee
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Gibler
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Burns
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Switzer
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Setser
But he’s not lowering expectations.
“If I go in thinking I’ll be 10th, I’ve already failed.”
It’s that competitive edge paired with calm logic that defines him.
What He’d Change in RC
His biggest frustration?
Overcomplication.
Too many racers:
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Chase tiny setup tweaks
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Obsess over parts
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Sign sponsorship deals that hinder performance
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Forget the fun
His reminder was simple:
“We’re racing toy cars.”
If you’re not having fun, you’re doing it wrong.
Final Thoughts
This episode showed why Jacob is respected both as a racer and as a leader.
He’s:
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Analytical without ego
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Competitive without drama
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Business-minded without losing passion
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Honest about the hobby’s strengths and weaknesses
And above all — he cares deeply about the long-term health of RC.
If you haven’t yet, check out his YouTube content and stop by Adrenaline if you’re ever in Virginia.
The future of the hobby depends on leaders like this.
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