Hometown Rankin - February & May 2015

#greatidea
Erin Williams
Behind the Wheel
It’s no secret to those that know Bubba Barham that he thoroughly
enjoys life behind the wheel. Bubba’s passion began eleven years ago
after he was given his first remote-controlled vehicle. Although 57-yearsold
at the time, Bubba had never owned one and quickly found himself
fully immersed in the hobby of operating, and specifically driving things,
by remote.
It wasn’t long before he met others who shared the same enthusiasm.
After forming a club called Track Seekers RC, a place for those who enjoyed
the sport to get together, Bubba was disheartened by the fact that there
were no off-road race tracks anywhere around. So he took things into his
own hands and built one.
For five and a half years, the Track Seekers RC club met and utilized
Bubba’s track to enjoy their sport. However, as the group became larger,
and the city of Flowood continued to grow, Bubba knew he wasn’t zoned
to continue to operate an off-road track on his own personal property.
It had gotten too big.
So with the backing of Mayor Gary Rhodes,
and the help of the Flowood board of aldermen,
the city of Flowood bought a space in September
to build an indoor, off-road, remote-controlled race
track. And on December 1, 2010, the Flowood R/C Indoor Park officially
opened its doors – and Bubba Barham was at the controls.
With four years now under its belt, the Flowood R/C Indoor Park is
thriving and has become a staple in the community – especially to the over
315 youngsters who’ve celebrated their birthdays at the park. As a member
of both the Flowood and Rankin County chambers of commerce, the
Flowood R/C Indoor Park is the only city-owned indoor, off-road, remotecontrolled
race track in the United States.
“I really enjoy being a part of something that gives so much back to our
community,” Bubba said. “It’s very rewarding seeing people enjoying the
track because it’s something that appeals to everyone, regardless of their
age or ability.”
Hometown Rankin • 21