A few of the winners that sent in Fan Pictures for the 2009 Big Squid RC Prize Contest have sent us their pics with prizes in hand! Congrats to our two top winners here seen with the HPI Flux and the O’Donnell Tool case filled with tools!

Congrats to all the winners! In 2010 we are going to change up the contest a little bit, more information in the coming weeks!

First a big thank you to all of our readers and fans for sending in all those Fan Pictures for the Big Squid RC Contest! This year we had entries from 8 different countries and a ton of different states send in photo’s! Thanks for all your support! Also thanks to all of our sponsors who helped make it happen this year!
HPI, O’Donnell Racing, Duratrax, Pro-Line Racing, Team Novak, Team STRC, RPM RC, RC Pro Products! Go buy their stuff!

We had the most entries ever this year again, so it’s great to see it keep growing! I will be contacting everyone via email over the next 24 hours. Because we were a few monthly drawings behind, we are playing catch-up, so I need to wait for the ‘winner’ of the previous drawing to pick their prize before you can pick yours. Of course the Grand Prize and Runner Up Prizes will go out right away once I get your shipping info!

Grand Prize Winner 2009 of the HPI Flux - Samuel J. Buffalo Grove, IL!
Runner Up of the O’Donnell Tool set goes to Cyle B. City/State unknown at this time.

Other winners for the monthly contests who will be contacted shortly:
Craig N. - Rantoul, IL
Jimy S. - Schaumburg IL

Jose S. - Illinois
Beau R. - Brighton MI

Stephen W. - Morgantown WV
Brian M. - Illinois.

Congrats to all of our winners! Look for an email in the next 24 hours with more details. If you didn’t win this year, thanks for the pics and support! Start dusting off the camera for next year’s pictures!

Ok, I mentioned we would start to play catch-up for the prize drawing contests, so here are the latest two random winners from the Fan Pictures sent in for the Big Squid RC Contest!

Thomas P. - From Sweden
Richy S. - From Austria

Looks like our shipping bills won’t be cheap on this one! LOL! Congrats guys! I’ll be contacting you via email in the next 24hours to let you know what prizes you can choose from!

Big HPI Flux Drawing is this weekend! Wooo Hoooo!

Here is the third batch of catch up Fan Pictures for the Big Squid RC Prize Contest. After these, we’ll work on getting the actual fan page caught up so people can make sure their picture was up there. Don’t worry yet if you don’t see your picture, all the names are in the database, just the webpage needs to be updated.

Thank you all for all the support!

Here is the second batch of catch up Fan Pictures for the Big Squid RC Prize Contest. I have to admit, I like the guy who sends in a picture of his HPI Savage Flux for a chance to win a HPI Savage Flux!

Thank you all for all the support!

Here is the first batch of catch up Fan Pictures for the Big Squid RC Prize Contest just keep coming in! 2009 was by far the most entries from the most countries! Sooo cool!! Looks like the Slash really started to dominate this year! I’m sure Traxxas is happy about that.

Thank you all for all the support! You guys rock!

Hey everyone, I just wanted to post a quick update that we have finally caught up on the database for people sending in Fan Pictures for the Big Squid RC Contest! All the pictures that we have will be posted over the next 24 hours. I know our mail box filled a few times this year, so if you don’t see your picture in a few days, send it in. But give us a day to get them posted.

We are a little behind on the monthly drawings so we will start drawing names EVERY DAY to get caught up with the monthly stuff, and then do the GRAND PRIZE HPI FLUX drawing this weekend!! Woo Hoo! So for those that have been slacking, or tried to send when the mail box was full, you have a few last days to get in that last second entry for the grand prize.

Hey everyone, I just wanted to post a quick update that we have finally caught up on shipping all the stickers people have been ordering for the Big Squid RC Contest! The final batch to get us caught up went out this morning, so if you have placed a order, and have not received them, keep an eye on your mail box for the next few days. For the orders out of the US, they have also been shipped, but please give them more then a few days to arrive.

Now that stickers are back on track, we will start to get the contest pictures caught up, and the drawings going again! Sorry for the delay, the big iHobby production put us a little behind, but we are catching up!

Thanks for all your support and orders! I can’t believe how many we have been shipping overseas this year, it’s been awesome!

Breaking news! Traxxas has just announced the Traxxas Slash 4×4 Short Course Truck!
Wowza! I have been hearing from Traxxas that this upcoming announcement was going to be big news.. and while we here at the Big Squid office had some guesses, that were close, like an electric Slayer, we didn’t think it would be a re-design like this! Very cool!

Here are some still’s from the video!

A few shots made it look like it had a headlight setup, similar to what we would see in the Sumit.

Details: 4 Wheel Drive, new super efficient shaft drive, new race suspension, licensed BFGoodrich tires, TQ 2.4 Ghz Radio System!! Top speed 40mph with included 3000mah 7-Cell battery pack and Brushless Velineon System! Also of note, the front Revo Sealed Diff!

Awesome stuff.. some of these pictures are from the official press release we just received.
It’s truly a whole new platform of vehicle! Good job Traxxas!

I have started a Traxxas 4×4 Thread in the forums. Got questions or comments? Head over there and post em up!

More info coming as soon as we get it! Hopefully some hands on at iHobby Expo in a few weeks!

I grew up on Hi-Torque magazines. I’ve been told half of what I write needs looking up on Wikipedia, so for you not in the know peeps, Hi-Torque is a magazine publisher based out of SoCal. Anyways, I was a huge motocross fan, and Hi-Torque publishes the iconic titles of Dirt Bike and Motocross Action magazines. Growing up in the 80’s, the walls in my room were littered with fantastic photos of Rex Stanton, Bob Hannah, Chuck Sun, Johnny O’Mara, Mike Bell, (all were famous motocross riders from the early 80’s) and tons of others, all supplied by Dirt Bike or Motocross Action. The photos seemed to make the sport larger than life, but it was the writing inside that truly made the mags well worth buying. The guys working at those mags just weren’t doing it to get a paycheck, they lived their sport, and luckily for us readers, they were also exception writers. Jody Weisel (editor for MXA) could make even the most boring day at Chicken Lips raceways an epic experience. Rick Sieman (editor at Dirt Bike) could write dirt bike stories that could make the most core of grown men cry. And my hero, Mr Know It All, aka Vic Krause (who stills lives in greater Chicago metro area and formerly wrote for Dirt Bike), verbally tormented those who dare write in stupid letters.

RC has always been good at showcasing “how to” articles, but that’s about it. No epic editorials, no incredible photos to make the pros look like living legends. Sure, there have been some good issues put out here and there (most because of Frank Masi’s passion for the sport), but as a whole, the RC mags have been un-interesting and un-entertaining.

So where am I going with all this? Stephen Bess took over the lead role at R/C Car magazine (a Hi-Torque publication) a couple years ago. After meeting him a couple times, it was obvious he is not the most affable person on the planet, but he certainly is core for the sport, and honestly cares about putting out the best magazine he can. Up to this point, Bess and Waldo have made some forward strides with R/C Car, but nothing epic. Cue the September 09′ issue. I am rarely surprised by what shows up in an RC mag, but I’ll be damned, the Sept 09 issue has an honest to goodness shootout- the HPI Savage Flux vs the mighty Traxxas Revo (and yes, you’ll have to buy the mag to see who wins)! Pigs do fly! Heck has frozen over! Now, while a couple of their test categories were a bit “goofy”, they do come up with a winner, something I never thought I’d see in an RC mag. I have to give props to Bess and Waldo, they are on the verge of going where no RC mag has gone before, one that’s truly enjoyable to just plain read. It’s my job (and nature) to rag on the RC mags, but it’s also my job to be honest and give credit where its due, and the September issue of R/C Car is actually worth your hard earned cash this month.

Ok, you all suffered through my R/C Car rave, so on to some BigSquidRC service announcements.

BASH-A-PALOOZA is coming FAST! Get your bash truck ready and support your sport, be at Leisure Hours on August 16th 2009 for some good ole’ fashioned basher fun. It’s the bashers turn to take over rc nirvana, hope to see you there.

I just came up with a new contest for BigSquidRC. I didn’t pre-approve this with our editor Brian, I like surprising him from time to time. So here’s the contest. We (or just I??) want to see your gnarliest post-crash picture. Remember the pic you took of your T-Maxx after you hit a curb doing 60? Or the time you broke your chassis in six places on your drag car after wrapping it around a telephone pole at 80? Or the pic of your Slash after it got ran over by the garbage truck? Shoot your gnarliest “after” shot of your crashed car/truck before the end of the month, win a cool prize, and have your picture posted up on the front page of BigSquidRC. Check back to The Cub Report next week to find out what the cool prize is.

We posted the results of our LiPo Battery Shootout a couple days ago and so far still no epic meltdowns from battery company owners. Whew! We’ve even gotten a couple of “kudos” emails (never thought I’d see the day). If you haven’t checked out the entire review, please do so, and spread the word on it. I’m certain all your friends looking to buy new Li-po’s will appreciate all our hard work.

That’s it for this week. Thanks for reading, and support your local tracks and hobby shops!

Your Cub Reporter

Because of our huge move last month, we missed a drawing, so we did two sets of drawings at the same time! So we picked 4 lucky winners for the May and June Big Squid RC Contest! Thanks for all those great Fan Pictures!, keep sending them in!! You also get a little bonus with the new Big Squid RC workshop in the background. We are still working on the shop, and there are probably another 15 vehicles on the floor near our feet, guess we should of gone with the extra 10,000 square feet Cubby was suggesting! I thought he just wanted a bigger office.

Check it out on HobbyZip

Here’s the YouTube edition for those iphone and HD needs.

Winners for May:
1) BT from Solvenia
2) Marchaund C. from Alberta Canada

Winners for June:
1) Jeremy M. from ??
2) Doug S. from Griffith, Indiana

Winners will be contacted in the next 24 hours.

Thanks for all the support! Good luck Next Month!

The awesome Fan Pictures for the Big Squid RC Prize Contest just keep coming in! This year has by far the most entries from the most countries! Sooo cool!!

Thank you all for all the support! You guys rock! Look for the latest prize drawing video to be posted tonight!

I want to thank everyone who has been sending in Fan Pictures for theBig Squid RC Prize Contest! You guys are awesome! I know it’s been forever since the contest stuff was updated, but the move put us a little behind on some of the bigger projects. That being said, Big Squid RC Prize Contest page is now updated!! There are some AMAZING prizes this year! So if you have not entered yet, make sure you do so!

Wow, just wow! I can’t believe the Fan Pictures for the Big Squid RC Prize Contest that have been coming in lately! Not only is this year a record year for entries, but this is the first time we have ever had pictures from FIVE (5) different countries come in, in the SAME WEEK! Of note: Custom Slash from Austria (Europe), Custom Revo from Iraq, the Tamiya TRF801XT from Australia, the Raze from Canada, and the group of Vehicles from Washington, USA!
Seriously, I can’t thank you all enough for your world wide support! You guys ROCK!

Just wanted to post a quick Fan Picture for the Big Squid RC Prize Contest this morning. Not sure we had any other SC10’s yet! Lots more fan pics coming in, will try to get them posted asap.

I just can’t believe how many awesome Fan Pictures for the Big Squid RC Prize Contest we have gotten this year! I can’t thank you all enough for all your support of the site! Our best attempt will be thanking a bunch of you with great prizes! We got a few more prizes in over the weekend, so look for a prize update soon!

First I would like to thank everyone that has sent in Fan Pictures for theBig Squid RC Prize Contest!This year we had more names in the hat then we did 6 months into it last year! We are really growing, and it shows! Thank you all for your support! You guys ROCK!

Not all of the prizes have arrived yet, which is part of the reason the contest page isn’t updated, but we wanted to do the drawing before we get too far behind. That being said here are the two winners for April!
1st - Samuel J.
2nd - Ben W.

Congrats guys! I’ll be sending you an email to let you know you won, and give you some more details about the prizes you can choose from!

Just to remind everyone, the first drawing will be tonight! So keep an eye on the page later this evening to see if you were one of the lucky people to go first this year! I’m sure Mini Squid is looking forward to the monthly contests again as well.

Here are a few more Fan Pictures for the Big Squid RC Prize Contest. Sounds like a lot of people are pretty excited about the Savage Flux we will be giving away this year as a grand prize! I dig the spoke wheels on that truck, and the Savage XL conversion looks good!

Keep those awesome pictures coming in!

You are reading that correctly! This year’s grand prize in the Big Squid RC Contest is a brand new HPI Racing Savage Flux! How awesome is that?! I have a feeling we are going to get more entries than all the previous years combined for this baby! The official contest page will be updated soon with all the prizes we will be giving away during the year. We are updating the fan pics now.. get those Big Squid RC stickers on your vehicles and take some pics!!