What are the pluses and minuses of electric versus gas power?
Electric power is both reliable and easy to use, and electric racing is much more prevalent than gas racing. For these reasons alone, electric power is the only way to go if you are a beginner interested in racing. As you get experience in racing you will form your own opinion about gas power. By all means attend some races and drive some cars if you get the chance. In my opinion gas power is well matched to outdoor road racing. Gas powered road racing cars travel at 70 MPH (actual), and major races last an hour with short refueling stops. Clubs exist all over the USA to race 1/8 and 1/10 scale gas road racers. I believe that fuel is less well matched to off-road, largely because of the high maintenance created by mixing oil and dirt. Manufacturers are trying to generate interest in 1/8 and 1/10 gas off-road racers, but with only modest success (as measured by actual racing activity) so far in the USA.
