PRW Special Events Center

08/27/2026

MOTOR MADNESS EXPLAINED - Gravity/Turn 1 Motors, What You Need to Know

Good morning racers,

With the 2026-27 version of the TOUR rules being released, we've received a number of questions on the new Turn 1 motors, what the heck are they, what classes they're going to run in here at PRW, etc. As most of our racers know by now, we offer all TOUR classes at our events and each of those classes use the most up-to-date TOUR rules. Here's the roadmap for the PRW Events season regarding the new motors, plus some class name updates:

WHAT ARE TURN 1 MOTORS:
- Turn 1 motors are sourced by Paul Lemieux of Gravity RC and are a single-wind design, custom made for TOUR carpet oval racers. Paul has given us a great opportunity to have the closest spec racing we've ever seen, as the motors are much easier to keep in close resistance tolerance using this single-wind design. Racers also have the ability to install aftermarket bearings, align the sensors and adjust gearing/timing to their preference. This is why "21.5" and "17.5" are in quotes below, as they technically are not 21.5 or 17.5 turns - the motors are intended to simulate 21.5/17.5 speeds. TOUR has pivoted their wording of the affected classes to omit the motor turns as a result.

TURN 1 MOTORS APPLY TO:
- Sportsman RTT ("21.5")
- Stock FTC ("21.5") - name changed from 21.5 Truck in response to motor/body update
- Pro Stock FTC ("17.5") - name changed from 17.5 Stock in response to motor update

TURN 1 MOTORS DO NOT APPLY TO:
- Stock RTT, SK Modified, 1/12 Stock. These three classes now allow any ROAR-approved 17.5 motor, INCLUDING the prior Tekin SPEC-R2 17.5 motor, so your Tekin is NOT a paperweight. TOUR has allowed a grace period for epoxy design motors through the completion of the 2026-27 carpet oval season (May 1, 2027)
- No need to grab your torches and pitchforks - we firmly believe the Tekin SPEC-R2 will be a competitive motor in all three of these classes due to its epoxy stator design. Should you want to try a new motor, competitive options include offerings from R1 Wurks (V30R), Exalt (Gen-X), Hobbywing (G5), and more
- To reiterate, any ROAR-approved 17.5 motor is allowed in these three classes, and TOUR is not strictly following ROAR's 12/31/2026 cutoff of epoxy designs. Epoxy motors will be allowed through the conclusion of the 2027 TOUR Nats (cutoff: 5/1/2027)

We hope this helps clear up any confusion on the motor situation for 2026-27. We will be heading to Mahoning Valley Speedway this weekend to attend the Keystone Classic, the first race with these new motors. We look forward to watching the racers and motor tuners figure out these new motors; fully expect some seriously close racing once everyone gets laps/experience. Club racing at CRC Raceway starts up on Saturday 9/19/26, and the Putnam Race isn't too far off either (11/19 thru 22)!

08/08/2026

Disclaimer: Before the "great, another class" peanut gallery comes out, for the last half-decade we have routinely added and removed classes based on racer interest or racers gravitating to other divisions. We're not interested in hearing it, and comments of that sort will be removed. Thanks in advance!

RACER QUESTIONNAIRE: Are you a 12th scale racer that's missing your truck body? Are you interested in racing 12th scale, but not in foam tires or truing them? Is 21.5T more your speed? Well how 'bout that, do we have the class for you!

Now more than ever, 12th scale oval racing is in a position where at the club level, we could benefit from a slower-paced, lower barrier-to-entry division. The TOUR 1/12 Stock (17.5 foam tire) division is healthy and does not need modification. However, for those that are dissuaded from the speed, tire bill/upkeep and direct handling feel of foam - this is calling your name. We will be rolling this class out starting with our club race program at CRC Raceway, and YES, this class will be on the docket at the 6th Annual Todd Putnam Memorial Classic, November 19-22 2026!

BASIC RULE GUIDELINES for 21.5 1/12 RTT (Rubber Tire Truck):

- 1/12 oval chassis/TOUR-defined dimensions
- BODIES: Previously approved 1/12 truck bodies are eligible to be run (ex- SuperRad, Next Oval Body, McAllister) with no minimum weight. The goal here is to be able to dust off your old foam tire body with no modification. This can be subject to change in future seasons if the class gains traction, and thicker/heavier bodies are preferred for durability
- TIRES: Any readily available 1/12 rubber tire that is approved for GT12 on-road racing. Examples include Gravity, Excelerate, SJT, CRC, Dumper's Speed Shop
- MOTOR: GRC2010 GRAVITY RC TOUR USGT 21.5 Spec Motor (45deg Fixed Timing) - the TOUR spec 21.5 motor from the last couple seasons. Yes, this motor is no longer available to buy brand new, but there are hundreds of them out there and everyone either has one in their toolbox or knows someone that does. Good way to make use of what was going to be a paperweight! Also can be subject to change if the class gains traction and becomes nationally sanctioned
- TOTAL MIN. WEIGHT: 31 ounces, to compensate for heavier tires and put emphasis on this being an entry-level 1/12 division. Drivers will not need to shave weight on every portion of the car to make the minimum
- Other Notes: Open 1s lipo (ROAR-approved), zero-timing/blinky ESC, open gear ratio, 3mm min. ride height

08/05/2026

PRW GOES FOR 2 - Season #2 of Carpet Oval Racing at CRC Raceway Schedule Unveiled for 2026-27

BREAKING NEWS - Our schedule for the 2026-27 carpet oval racing season at CRC Raceway & Hobbies - Rome, NY is here! Check out the attached photos for full details. A huge thanks once again goes out to Frank Calandra Jr. and the entire CRC staff for welcoming us back for another season of racing. We look forward to building upon an incredibly successful inaugural season and we plan on keeping things as consistent as possible in the interest of racer and rule continuity.

- Non-points races 9/19 and 9/26/2026 to kick us off
- Points begin: 10/3/2026; Final points race: 1/23/2027
- Points series: 12 weeks, 3 drops
- Pan car classes are under FULL TOUR RULES - rules packages will be identical to PRW big races
- PLEASE READ CRC HOUSE RULES, THESE ARE REQUIREMENTS, NOT OPTIONAL
- BATTLE ON THE BULLRING - Friday-Saturday January 1-2, 2027! Friday evening practice 1/1 (time may change), doors 8am/racing 10am Saturday 1/2

Much more to come as the days and weeks count down toward the first race. Start ordering those parts, dusting off those cars and spinning those wrenches. We look forward to seeing you all here!

07/08/2026

Welcome to Vernon Downs Casino Hotel, your host venue for PRW Special Events Center races in November 2026 and March 2027 🔥 THE place to be for high-level carpet oval racing!

This weekend we did a test track setup ahead of the new season, and let's just say we are all in for a massive treat. The floor is smooth as glass, and you see that correctly, we laid lexan down in the corners to provide a barrier between the two layers of carpet to prevent squishing and compound transfer. It worked absolutely perfectly. Art and the Vernon Downs crew are already putting the correct infrastructure in place to allow us to pull and fasten the carpet tightly, the ballroom lights will be upgraded for crystal clear visibility, and we have brand new ice for the season as well.

Folks, we had our doubts and our concerns, but after this "dry run" they have all been put to rest. Much more promotion and information on the way in the coming weeks, but rest assured, the 6th Annual Todd Putnam Memorial Classic (November 19-22, 2026) will be an event you won't want to miss. We hope you will join us at our new venue for 2026-27 and hopefully many more years to come. See everybody this weekend at the Firecracker Classic at NORCAR Raceway!

Book your $79/night room for the Putnam race here: https://secure.webrez.com/hotel/3532/?package_id=349246&date_from=20261117&date_to=20261123

06/09/2026

Testing, 1, 2... hey, it still works!

Hi everyone, we hope you've all been having a great spring and summer season. We've been enjoying the break in the action and have found a way to be just as busy as we usually are during peak indoor season. We've spoken with a good deal of racers that feel the carpet off-season is getting shorter and shorter - definitely feels that way, can't disagree!

We wanted to take a moment to observe some losses in the racing community. Of course, the death of Kyle Busch has touched as all and we can't express enough remorse for the entire Busch family. On the RC side we suffered a great loss as well, unfortunately. Clayton Smith, 2024 Snowbird champ and multiple-time PRW winner, passed away earlier this month after a long battle with deteriorating health. Clayton was mild-mannered off the track and one of the hardest workers you could find in the pits. People learned quickly not to confuse his quiet nature with being timid on the track - Clayton was a fierce competitor and was one of the Northeast's hidden treasures. It all came to a crescendo at the 2024 Snowbirds when Clayton claimed the 17.5 Stock championship. We will not further elaborate in an effort to maintain privacy for Smith's family and close friends, however, we did want to offer our sincere condolences and mourn the loss of one of the greatest carpet oval racers this community has seen. Clayton was 46. May he rest in peace.

We wanted to update everyone on our plans for our new venue, Vernon Downs Casino Hotel in Vernon, NY. We're so excited to open this new chapter and host events for our 6th season. Pretty amazing that we're on the latter half of a decade now. Can't thank everybody enough for continuing to support us. We have plans of doing a "test" track setup later on this summer, probably a Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday type deal. Anyone local is welcome to come help out with setup, run some test laps and provide feedback. Rest assured, we will get this thing right and Vernon Downs will be a destination venue for some of the finest carpet oval racing you can ask for.

VENUE INFO

Vernon Downs Casino Hotel
4229 Stuhlman Rd
Vernon, NY 13476

➡️ Only 19 minutes (12 miles) west of our prior venue, Accelerate Sports. Closest airport: SYR (45 minutes/41 miles)
➡️ Track will be conveniently located in the ballroom, just steps away from the main lobby, elevators, and Mr. G's Food & Spirits restaurant
➡️ Trackside pitting available, we should have around 100-110 spots. Once we have a map finalized, we will share with everyone. Much like Snowbirds, it'll be a bit tougher to pit in large groups, but will come together nicely
➡️ YES, YOU CAN PIT IN YOUR ROOMS! If we run out of trackside pitting or you wish to have your own setup in your room, this is a welcome option. No such thing as entry caps here at PRW Events!

2026-27 PRW EVENTS SEASON SCHEDULE*

1. NOVEMBER 19-22, 2026 - 6th Annual Todd Putnam Memorial Classic. Standard format - Thursday practice, Friday practice/Q1, Saturday Q2/Q3, Sunday mains

2. MARCH 4-7, 2027 - 5th Annual U.S. Oval Champs. Standard format - Thursday practice, Friday practice/Q1, Saturday Q2/Q3, Sunday mains

*We apologize for not being able to make a Winter Blast happen this coming season. Vernon Downs did not have availability anywhere around when we usually host the event. We truly believe in continuity and working together to grow all events, and not shoving a race in somewhere just to have a race. We will absolutely inquire on January 2028's dates and see if we can make a Winter Blast return, but for January 2027 we will not have one. Your understanding and support are always greatly appreciated.

HOW TO BOOK YOUR ROOMS

Brandy at Vernon Downs has provided us with an online link to book your rooms for the 2026 Putnam. 2027 USOC rooms will be available closer to the event and we'll also share that link. We will also put these and the event dates in a pinned post on our page for convenience. For the Putnam race they are offering $79‼️ per night rooms! Unheard of in this decade.

2026 PUTNAM ROOMS: https://secure.webrez.com/hotel/3532/?package_id=349246&date_from=20261117&date_to=20261123

PLEASE NOTE! These rates are good until 30 days before we begin venue setup. We highly recommend booking ASAP, there's a great chance these blocks will sell out, especially at the low price of $79.

Much more to come. We're getting excited to see everyone not just at the Firecracker Classic next month, but also in little old Vernon NY for season #6 of PRW Events! Much more to come, stay tuned.

03/18/2026

Want to re-watch your mains from the 2026 U.S. Oval Champs, but don't have LiveRC's bonus lap subscription? Thomas Neave has you covered! HD videos of all the mains are on dad Tommy's YouTube channel - thanks Thomas for the great footage. Check it out!

Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

03/12/2026

Also... every single counted lap in Accelerate history! We eclipsed 1,000,000 with the 4th Annual Muddslide Motorsports U.S. Oval Championships!

03/12/2026

Now that our 5-year Accelerate Sports run has closed, we did some digging around LiveTime and are pleased to show you our track records. This specific report is qualifying only, since the short first lap of a rolling start main will skew the overall pace.

- 12th Stock is slightly skewed, as we had run a 5-minute race at one event. The true "best" runs will be the 4-minute ones. 17.5 RTT will be missing as we accidentally did not make that a new class in the system, instead we renamed Mod RTC, hence why those runs look a tad fast. Our bad on that.

03/10/2026

Presenting your winners from the USOC! Tap on each photo to read the caption and see where your favorite racers ended up! Thanks to everyone that made 2025-26 our biggest year yet.

More info regarding the 2026-27 season at our new venue coming soon!

03/09/2026

2026 USOC results. All we can say is wow, what a way to end our 5th season. As you all heard the big news... we have officially closed our chapter at Accelerate Sports after an amazing five-year run.

However, when one closes, another opens. We're just getting started.

In November 2026 we will be relocating to the Vernon Downs Casino Hotel in Vernon, NY. We are so excited to share more details on the new venue. On-site hotel with all the amenities! This is going to be a true destination venue, fit for the entire family. Once we have taken a couple days to rest/recover, we will start hammering out all the details and sharing here with you all.

In the meantime, we wanted to say thank you so much for a USOC record of 219 entries and 108 heads. Despite missing many regulars, we grew the turnout again and we are simply blown away! From the bottom of all of our hearts here at PRW Events, thank you. More to come.

Talk soon,
Jared