Photo by Jason Sethre
Chris Musty, who grew up in Chatfield, Minn., has enjoyed racing since about 1992. He says it was short-lived, but he worked with different teams back in the day. His racing days took him to St. Charles and Kasson. The last time he pit crewed for a team was two years ago.
Today, at age 53, Musty still enjoys racing, but on a whole different level. Over the past five years, his passion has turned to the sports hobby of RC racing. He originally started tearing it up on an outdoor clay oval track along Highway 14 near Chester, Minn., established by the late Tom Ashton, founder of Teas Design – a business that specialized in custom street rod seating.
Eventually, that track closed around 2023, which prompted Musty to get creative. He thought about additional space they had available at their shop. In 2024, he spent two months constructing his vision of a track measuring 26 feet long by 11 feet wide, built for 1/18th scale race cars.
And, so it began. The WB RC Raceway (Motorsports) was born, creating a racing club that would attract enthusiasts from Winona, Wabasha, Utica, and even Eau Claire, Wis. Of course, he has a large contingent from the Chatfield area, taking advantage of a short jaunt to the indoor raceway. As Musty attended track events like the one in Osseo, Wis., which draws up to 115 racers, he spread the word about his track in Chatfield.
By day, the WIT Boyz facility in Chatfield is buzzing with big trucks undergoing repairs and modifications based on customer needs. They help a lot of farmers with semis and work on RVs. One of their biggest clients is FedEx. Owners Chris Musty and Luke Thieke have been busy since they opened in 2010.
Friday Night Lights
On many Friday nights throughout the winter months, passersby will see vehicles parked in the front and back of the WIT Boyz facility.
During those evenings when the windows of the old brick building are glowing, that means the racetrack is ready for some fresh tread.
For anyone who has ever played around with a remote control car, these are more than a toy.
These cars go fast. Really fast. They are rated to go up to 140 mph.
Surprisingly, these battery-powered speedsters, which cost about $210 each, are super lightweight and yet amazingly durable. With a body made of lexan durable plastic, they can deflect off of walls and cars – sometimes even going airborne off of the track – and they show virtually no damage.
With some AC/DC music thumping in the background, the races begin.
From Musty’s computer, he starts each race and the performance stats for each car show up on a screen over by the concessions area. The number of laps, lap times, pace, and fastest lap time appear in real-time on a display for enthusiasts.
As each car speeds around the loop, overhead sensors recognize each vehicle crossing the checkered finish line. Top finishers will make it around the track upwards of 56 times during the four minute races, averaging nearly three seconds per lap. Of course, crashes seem inevitable, and they can be a gamechanger.
For those who know how these cars perform best, they keep an eye on the alignment, tires, drivetrain, bearings, suspension, shocks, bumpers and protectors. Musty figures that each set of tires will last about 1,000 laps. Each driver becomes their own pit crew in between races, making sure their cars are track-ready.
With Musty coordinating the entire event, the heats are set for the night based on specific classes (divisions), so racers know who they are racing throughout the night. In between the races, participants and fans can enjoy hotdogs and beverages.
The races kick off at 6:30 p.m. and can run until 9 or 10 p.m. depending on the number of participants. The track can typically handle up to five vehicles. The more cars added to each race increases the risk of crashes, so Musty tries to manage the races to minimize the likelihood of pileups. He strives to give everyone a chance at a clean and uninterrupted race.
Musty usually expects between eight and 12 racers. But, then there’s the crowd. Family and friends gather to watch for crashes, just like it’s the Indy 500. As the night progresses, more people arrive to watch the final races to see who takes the top spots for the night. The crowd grows to more than 20 people by night’s end.
At the end of the night, when the results are in, winners take first, second and third place on the podium.
The Driver Experience
For Musty, he enjoys sharing the racing experience with others.
He’s attended many events over the years, sharing that this is a fun activity for men and women of all ages. He’s seen racers from age five on up to 75. According to Musty, there are hundreds of clubs all over the nation. “While you are on a trip to Florida, you could bring a car along with you and find a track there. They’re everywhere.”
One racer who showed up at Musty’s racetrack that Friday night was Kevin Hager. When it comes to racing, Hager is all in. Each of his four cars display number 94, which simulates his full size race car.
Hager is well known in the RC racing community, because he has his own track located behind Lark Toys in Kellogg, Minn. His outdoor clay oval track, known as Hoosier Speedway, measures at 80 feet long by 65 feet wide, and accommodates 1/10th scale cars. Musty said those cars cost a little bit more, usually between $300 and $1,000.
According to Hager, Hoosier Speedway is named after their family dog, Hoosier. As a matter of fact, the beloved family dog that passed away is buried beneath the track.
Kevin Hager seems to be the man to beat, according to Tucker Batzel, 14, of Chatfield, Minn.
Chatfield high schooler Tucker was at the raceway that Friday night, and hasn’t missed a race all season. Musty organizes between 12 and 16 race nights over the winter months.
As Tucker’s father, Travis Batzel, said, “He likes the competition.”
While he often places in the top three, Kevin Hager gives him a run for his money.
Tucker, one of the younger racers, took on this sports hobby about a year ago. He has two cars, and isn’t afraid to change out parts as needed to maintain performance.
Along with RC racing, Tucker enjoys trap shooting and golf. Last year, as a seventh-grader, he finished in the top three for trap shooting. And, he was the only boy from his grade on the golf team.
Whether it is RC racing, trap shooting or golf, Travis and Tucker enjoy many of the same activities, which makes for great father-son bonding time.
For anyone interested in racing at WB RC Raceway (Motorsports), they have a Facebook group regularly updated by Chris Musty. He can also be reached at 507-251-6433. If people show up without a car, Musty offers rentals for $20 each, and he establishes heats for novice participants based on their experience level. The next race night is scheduled for March 6, 2026.
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