"It's just really fun!" More than 300 racers battle RC cars in Spektrum Off-Road Championships



BROOKFIELD (WITI) -- They're little, they're loud and they're fast! Brookfield played host to a national indoor race this weekend, and more than 300 racers battled remote-controlled cars.

The self-powered model cars are controlled from a distance, and while most people might recognize them as toys, this is no child`s play!

It was all part of the 2014 Spektrum Off-Road Championships. Trackside Hobbies and Raceway played host to more than 300 drivers vying for the championship.

"It`s just really fun. The track is really nice to race on and it`s really competitive, so you can gain a lot from being here," 2013 Spektrum Champion Ryan Cavalieri said.

The sport appeals to everyone -- young and old, male and female.

"I think it`s awesome! I mean, it`s cool just to give the guys a run for their money and just show that we can do anything, you know?" Sarah Ernst said.

In the male-dominated sport, Ernst says she finds joy racing against her father.

"When we`re racing and stuff I`m just, he`s zoned on his car, and I`m zoned on mine," Ernst said.

When the race is over though, they're back to being father and daughter.

"It`s pretty awesome for me as a dad," Scotty Ernst said.

Scotty Ernst used to own Trackside Hobbies and Raceway. He now travels the world announcing races, but he says he gets the most joy when he's next to his daughter on the driver's stand.

"The best part of this hobby is that we can share it with our kids -- not only on the sidelines cheering them on, but competing with them even though our kids do beat us," Scotty Ernst said.

It's a decades-old sport that just continues to grow.

FOX6 News has learned Ryan Cavalieri won this year's race -- defending his championship title.

This event has been coming to Wisconsin for more than 15 years.

CLICK HERE to learn more about Trackside Hobbies & Raceway.