As cars shoot by the huge track before him, Jacob Cruz (11) holds a remote control [RC] car in his hand and gets ready for a race. What may seem like a toy or a hobby to others turns out to be a genuine sport and a passion for Cruz.

RC racing is a competitive hobby for drivers around the world to participate in races with remote-controlled cars on a track. This sport is similar to full-size auto racing, and it is a sport that anyone can participate in.

Cruz’s journey into RC racing began at a very young age, with his dad passing down his interests. As Cruz grew older, his passion for RC racing grew, and his love for this sport opened a new world to him.

“[My dad] did it in the 2000s. I got started when I was six years old, and I’ve been doing it for nine years straight,” Cruz said. “I basically just worked my way up, and then it became a profession to me.”

As he continued to race following in his dad’s footsteps, nervousness was inevitable. Fortunately, after a lot of practice and going to many races, he began to feel comfort in the adrenaline instead of anxiety. His friends, Joaquin Huerta (11) and Landon Torres (11), have seen the effort that he puts into the sport and are amazed by his dedication and determination to continue something that he loves so much.

“Knowing Jacob since I was really young, he’s always been a very determined person,” Torres said. “Just getting to see how much he’s overcome and how much he has worked for himself to reach this is really cool to see as a friend.”

Not only does Jacob do RC racing as a sport, but he is also able to travel around the world with this hobby. He has been to many places, from South Korea to the Netherlands.

“My favorite place that I’ve raced at is a track located in Apeldoorn in the Netherlands,” Cruz said. “I was lucky enough to travel all the way there this past May, and it’s my favorite track due to the world-class competition I had to race against.”

The dedication that Cruz puts into his craft is shown through many of his qualities as a person and as a racer.

“He’s always been very focused on what he wants to accomplish, and I feel like it’s for the better because he gets a lot of different opportunities, especially for the future,” Huerta said. 

Cruz has grown throughout his career as a person, but also as a friend and racer. This sport not only showed him his capabilities in racing, but also showed him how far his determination can get him.