295 replies to this topic

[JohnnySlotcar]

Raced at Springfield Model Car Raceways in 1968. American "economy" Hillclimb, and you had to use silicone coated sponge tires!

Track record in the Can-Am (open at that time) was in the 7 second range. You always had to blip the bank, and there was a fishing net above the high bank that caught the cars if you didn't. Bob?? was the owner and he was a team racer for REH and did the Midwest circuit.

I was in college and he would drive a load of us up to the big races, including Hinsdale Arco in 1968 where I promptly smoked my motor in practice (super dirty power) and didn't have a spare. Not much in the memory bank on this one!!

[stevphens]

Who then were some of the other commercial track builders?

Also:

Miniature Grand National Raceways, Ltd.
Speedway Products Corp. (fiberglass tracks)

[stevphens]

Also:

Mr. Raceways (a division of Model Raceways, Ltd.)
Custom-Line Model Roadways, Inc. (Formica or wood)

[SlotCar1]

Any pix or remembrances of Checkered Flag Raceway in Des Plaines, IL, about the same years as Tom Thumb and Tony's Hobby Lobby in Wheeling, IL?

[John Stezelecki]

The American Royal black at Modelville Hobbies has just been resurfaced in black paint with Magnatraction braid. All done by Gerding and Silky.

The infield is now completed on the American Sovereign purple.

[Gator Bob]

Years ago I walked into a raceway in South New Jersey that had an Aristocrat on the first floor on the left as you walked in the building just past the parts counter. As you walked in straight ahead was another track with a very steep bank that looked like it was climbing the wall. Upstairs was an R/C track. The owner's son was not very friendly.

Do you remember that raceway or have pics?

Do you remember a town or highway?

In Farmingdale (Freehold), NJ, on Rt33 there is The Race Place. Hillclimb was on the left side after the parts counter, the high-banked track was on the other side. Both were homemade, not American tracks... but we had a place to race. Later in the '90s I think they put a "production" upstairs. I might have a picture, if I find it I'll post it here.

[Gator Bob]

Great post and photos - Thanks, Ron!

Flashback:
The Emperor came in red - raced on it at Closter (NJ) Sport and Hobby circa 1966. Does anyone remember that place? Eight tracks (before 8 track tapes).
The Aristocrat came in yellow - ditto
The Imperial came in orange - ditto - color in photo is dark, but orange.
There also was a Purple offset (95ft?) banked Figure 8, the only track that was moved to the basement of their new Closter store location. I would go there in the early '70s and do thousands of laps practice and no one else ever came.....

Also ran on a cut-down version of the Imperial at Radical Raceway, Rt17 in Lodi, NJ, in the 1990s. Took out the finger, shortened the straight, and removed the very short straight section creating a true donut. Turned out great, and won the 1990 season points championship.

Hope that helps???

[old & gray]

Thanks for the memories.

My early memories include a raceway in Bloomfield, CT, with three American tracks. Time frame was 1964 to 1968. They had three American tracks: a blue king, a Hillclimb complete with crossovers and steering wheels, and a 220' yellow-sided monster which I can now identify as an Emperor.

[Ron Hershman]

Interesting on the Emperor tracks... story goes there was only four ever made... one was at Buzzy's in NY and may still be there, one was in Colorado, and the other two went out of the country... so the stories go. All were made in yellow.

[Larry Labounty]

Bob,

I remember the tracks at Bloomfield, it was a neat raceway. Most of my time was on the yellow track. One day at C&C I looked in one of the other rooms. There was a yellow track sitting there. Always wonder if it was out of Bloomfield.

Nice to see you Saturday.

Larry

[Gator Bob]

I forgot a bunch of stuff but not that red track in Closter. Right in the front window overlooking seven other tracks. The high bank was so steep slow cars would just slide down. Their Aristcrat was yellow.

They did have at least one true touring Pro race on their King (yes, it was blue ). I watched in amazement as the American/Bally's Race Director was rocking, racking up laps so fast I thought it would start to roll around. There has to be some race report on it somewhere, maybe some pics.

I gotta find SOMEBODY that raced there in the '65-68 time frame. It was called Closter Hobby in The New (at that time) Closter Plaza. The had eight (yes, 8) tracks. I can still see the American timers four wide and two high.

Ron, were buyers able to pick options like what color Formica or paneling type sides?

Geez, remember they had astro-turf infields. My uncle took me to the track in Teaneck, NJ, he was marshaling for me, he stepped up on the track to get my deslot, I yelled "No" as he fell through the the infield. OMG... felt like a fool, I may have been nine or ten years old

[tonyp]

We had one pro race at Cloister after they had moved to a smaller building. I just remembers Wetting blowing up and zero bite. I guess every track sucked when compared to Nutley at the time.

Their King I believe was the one Bob Emott restored for BIR. Which after his tweaking became the fastest American blue King track in the country. This was before the power went above 12 volts.

[casady]

I started on a American yellow in Flint, MI, at Hobbies, Inc. The owner changed the track. Everyone wanted to go faster, then they got the best track in the world, the American orange. If you ever wanted to learn how to drive try it with a Parma Womp or a Champion Thumper, if you can run fast with them, then you can drive on any track... Just remember to blip coming out of the bank.

[Joe Mig]

Up for auction... blueprints:

c1965 American Model Car Raceways BLUEPRINT Commercial Racetrack "Red Imperial"

Original 1960s BLUEPRINT AMR Commercial Slot Car Racetrack Black Royal Mini King

[MG Brown]

Great googly-moogly - I understand that it's history and all but...

[Dave Reed]

WOW! I just wonder how much he will want for the blue King blueprints?

[slotcarone]

Talk about getting the prices from the telephone book!!! Is this guy kidding???

[Guy Spaulding]

Are the tracks included with these blueprints?

[Vay Jonynas]

Another eBay seller fishing for someone with money to burn. If listing fees varied with the Buy It Now price, it would prevent some of that.

[Cheater]

That seller also has the blueprints for the American orange track listed.

[Indiana Outlaw]

Any pix or remembrances of Checkered Flag Raceway in Des Plaines, IL, about the same years as Tom Thumb and Tony's Hobby Lobby in Wheeling, IL?

I raced at Tony's in '71(?) until his demise, 11 lanes and pinball counter. Also raced at Heights hobbies in Prospect Heights.

[Joe Mig]

In Farmingdale (Freehold), NJ, on Rt33 there is The Race Place. Hillclimb was on the left side after the parts counter, the high-banked track was on the other side. Both were homemade, not American tracks

I was told it is a American but I think you are right there is a picture of it here > http://www.raceplaceinfo.com/

[Rick]

If the Hillclimb is home made, they knocked off an American really well...................