15 replies to this topic

[tazman]

Heard rumors that the raceway closed for good. Hope it's not true!

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[Larry Horner]

Yup, it's true. Rodney says the tracks have all been dismantled already for moving. I've been going there pretty much since I moved to SF. Eddie and Janet will be missed!

[Jay Guard]

I'm sad to hear that yet another iconic raceway is closing.  I lived in CA in the late 90's and early 2000's and raced at Eddie's quite a few times.  I always enjoyed racing there and talking with "Wong Way" Eddie.  Any idea where the track(s) are going?

[team burrito]

Eddie's kicked out more than half of the racers in northern California at his track, including Me. He's manage to ruin slot car racing for a lot of people, so it's no great loss to the Bay area.

[Zippity]

Always sad to see that another slot car raceway has closed - especially one that I have visited  

[Bill Seitz]

I visited Eddie's a few years ago during a trip through NorCal. Janet and Jeannette, my wife, had somewhat of a long chat while I was trying out the King and flat track. I'm sorry to see any slot car raceway close, and hope the tracks find a new home. I wish Eddie and Janet the best in their continued retirement.

[Phil Smith]

Eddie's kicked out more than half of the racers in northern California at his track, including Me. He's manage to ruin slot car racing for a lot of people, so it's no great loss to the Bay area.

 

Really! Only one guy was ever banned at the tracks I raced at. Why did he kick you and so many other racers out?

[Alchemist]

As much as I liked Eddie and Janet, I unfortunately, had been witness to a few people who were told to leave and never to return.

 

From what I had witnessed, if you had a "difference of opinion" regardless of the topic (mostly political and non slot car related) and would not agree with his opinion - you eventually got kicked out along with Eddie throwing all kind of expletives at you.

 

I almost got kicked out, if it hadn't been for a slot car buddy who pushed me away from "debating" with Eddie - just because I had a difference of opinion regarding autobody/paint repair?!

 

I stopped going there some years ago - because he allowed smoking and it was difficult to be in that type of environment  - I do not smoke.

 

Ernie

[Dennis David]

I had been there a few times and I know that he had a loyal following. Sorry for the racers that lost the last track in the SF Bay Area.

[team burrito]

Really! Only one guy was ever banned at the tracks I raced at. Why did he kick you and so many other racers out?

it didn't take much to get kicked out. if you disagree with him or he didn't like what you did, you were out. he kicked out the norcal series because he didn't agree with them. in my case, some idiot tripped me & i smashed my face into the flat track. i was really hurt that day, but i stuck around & raced anyway. later, i heard eddie banned me because he said it was my fault for running to get my car; i wasn't. whatever - like i said, no great loss to slot car racers.

[Phil Smith]

Wow, that is just ridiculous. No wonder he's out of business.

[team burrito]

Wow, that is just ridiculous. No wonder he's out of business.

 ridiculous is not the word i would use.

[tazman]

When I visited the Eddie's raceway over a year ago, I thought I stumbled upon a pool hall in Hawaii. It was not that well lighted up but the familiar sounds of slot cars flying around the track really caught my ear. I approached the counter and inquired about how much it was to run and his wife said it was FREE to run. Wow - I got to run on the king and road track for over and hour. I managed to strike up a conversation with one the racers and I asked who was Eddie? He pointed to a guy who was playing a bass guitar and jamming with his music - like he was in another world. Eventually I got a chance to talk with him but he was more concerned about playing the bass, My cousin who came with me, also a musician, started to inquire about the music store and the building. He told us he had only 6 more months of mortgage payments and he would own the building. He looked at me and said that's why he did not charge track fees. He said he loved slot cars but at that time music was his deal. He told us he was once part of a band in the past and that's how he met his wife. Anyway, he was very blunt, colorful, and did not care what others thought about him - interesting to say the least.

[Dennis David]

The location was such that you didn't want to visit after dark or any darker than it was inside.

[Larry Horner]

I will back Dennis up on that one ... I only went during the day. As for the inside, I started painting all my cars with bright vivid colors so I could actually see them in the cavelike atmosphere. And yes, Eddie and Janet were colorful characters but they were always helpful and courteous to me. But what I will miss the most are the fellow patrons. Last time I was there, I was having problems with some vintage tires that had lost their bite. Luckily Rodney was there to help me out with his magic tire rejuvenating elixir!

[Dennis David]

The problem for me was that I can imagine the first impression for a newbie was the opposite of what you would want if you wanted to grow the hobby. Oh well, it was what it was.