13 replies to this topic

[MG Brown]

IRRA slot car racing refers to the retro-style slot car racing governed by the International Retro Racing Association (IRRA), an organization dedicated to reviving the spirit of 1960s slot car racing with a focus on scratch-built cars and scale authenticity. Founded in 2007 after a pivotal national race in Chicago, the IRRA aims to unify retro racing rules across regional, national, and international events, emphasizing inclusivity and cost-effectiveness for racers and raceways. Its a niche within the slot car hobby that appeals to enthusiasts who value craftsmanship, historical accuracy, and competitive racing rooted in the golden era of the sport.

The IRRA defines several core racing classes, starting with four foundational ones: Can-Am, GT Coupe, Formula 1 (F1), and Flexi GT. These reflect iconic racing categories from the 60s, with cars designed to resemble their real-world counterpartsthink McLaren M8s for Can-Am or Lotus 49s for F1. Additional classes like Stock Car and potential future ones (e.g., NASCAR or anglewinder) have been introduced or considered over time. The rules prioritize scratch-built chassishand-crafted frames rather than mass-produced kitspaired with vacuum-formed Lexan bodies that mimic period-correct designs. For example, Can-Am rules require a minimum chassis clearance of 0.015 inches and restrict motors to sealed, approved models like the Pro Slot 4002FK, ensuring a level playing field.

A companion class, Flexi GT, caters to beginners or those easing into retro racing. It uses pre-built flexi chassis (like JK Products Cheetah series) with simpler assembly, helping newcomers develop skills like soldering and car setup while still racing scale-looking models. Flexi GT often serves as a warm-up or non-ranking event at nationals, broadening participation without diluting the scratch-building ethos of the main classes.

The IRRAs rules are detailed and evolve through community input, managed by a board including figures like Joe Noose Neumeister, a prominent body committee chair. Updateslike the 2024 tweak setting front wheel diameter to 0.600 inches for Flexi GTreflect practical adjustments based on racer feedback and manufacturer realities. Tech inspections are rigorous, checking aspects like tire width, body thickness, and motor compliance, often sparking debates on forums like Slotblog about enforcement consistency (e.g., measuring roof thickness with a gauge).

Racing under IRRA rules happens worldwide, from the U.S. to Japans Retro Tokyo club, which adopted IRRA standards for its Blue King track. Events range from local meets to marquee nationals like the Retro Revival & Reunion Race, first held in Columbus, Ohio, in 2008. Tracks varyflat, banked, or twistybut the focus remains on skill, strategy, and car preparation, not just speed. The community thrives on nostalgia, with racers often painting bodies in period liveries and swapping tips on chassis tuning.

Cost-wise, IRRA racing is designed to be accessible. A competitive car might run $100-$150 (chassis, motor, body, wheels), far less than high-end Eurosport classes. The hobby rewards hands-on effortbuilding a Can-Am car from brass rod and piano wire takes hours but costs less than a ready-to-run alternative. Its less about outright speed (top speeds hover around 20-30 mph on a track) and more about precision and durability over multi-heat races.

In short, IRRA slot car racing is a love letter to the 60s, blending DIY craftsmanship with competitive racing under a unified, evolving rule set. Its for those whod rather solder a chassis than plug-and-play, keeping a vintage vibe alive in a modern world.

[Mark Mattei]

Founded in 2007 after a pivotal national race in Chicago. What else is known about this race?

[Cheater]

Mark,

IRRA was formed in the gravel parking lot of Mike Swiss's Chicagoland Raceway in La Grange, at the very first Sano Retro race in 2007. You should have been there!

The AI text above is maybe 95% correct and is actually pretty good. For one error, the Flexi GT class was dropped after the first couple of years.

[Dave Crevie]

The full race report of that first event is in the IRRA forum under Da Sano Files. Your exemplary coverage can be found there. Unfortunately, the photos don't come up any more. 

 

I remember the discussion in the parking lot. A lot of time was spent debating if cars built from kits would be legal. Or if they all had to be scratchbuilt. In any event, the end result was that the seeds were planted for a new formula of slot racing, drawing heavily on slot racing's history.

[Dominator]

Here is the original introduction of the IRRA.

[Noose]

[MG Brown]

The full race report of that first event is in the IRRA forum under Da Sano Files. Your exemplary coverage can be found there. Unfortunately, the photos don't come up any more. 

 

Dang I wish I had known that was the case, I would have gladly hosted them. I think preserving Slot Car Racing historic photos is important.

[slotcarone]

Here is the original introduction of the IRRA.

 

My computer will not open this. Security reasons it says.

[MG Brown]

Youre referring to the International Retro Racing Association (IRRA) in the context of slot car racing, which aligns with your clarification that this is about IRRA slot car racing founded in 2007 after a pivotal national race in Chicago.

 

Let's dive into what's known about this race and the broader context based on available information and some reasonable inference where exact details are sparse.

The IRRA, focused on retro-style slot car racing, was indeed established in 2007, with its roots tied to a significant event in Chicago that year. This pivotal national race is widely understood to be the first national slot car racing event held under a unified retro racing framework in Chicago in 2007, which served as a catalyst for the IRRAs formation. Heres what we can piece together about this race and its significance:

Event Details: The specific race in question is often cited as the first national race of its kind for retro slot car racing in the U.S., held in Chicago in 2007. While exact details like the venue or precise date arent universally documented in public sources, its strongly implied to have been a major gathering of retro slot car enthusiasts. This event likely took place at a notable track in the Chicago areapossibly tied to a facility like Chicagoland Raceway, known later as a retro racing hub, though its full establishment came after 2007. The race was a landmark because it brought together racers from various regions to compete under a shared set of rules, highlighting the need for a standardized organization.

Purpose and Outcome: The Chicago race was pivotal because it exposed both the enthusiasm for retro slot car racingmodeled after the 1960s heyday of the hobbyand the fragmentation in rules across regional groups. According to posts on SlotForum, the IRRA was born from this event, with its rules developed after a careful review of all regional D3 and Retro rules sets, in a process begun at the first national race held in Chicago in 2007. This suggests the race wasnt just a competition but a collaborative turning point, where racers and organizers recognized the potential for a unified national (and eventually international) retro racing body.

Classes and Format: The IRRAs foundational classes,  Can-Am, GT Coupe, Formula 1, and Flexi GT, were likely showcased or debated during this event. The Chicago race would have featured scratch-built slot cars reflecting the 1960s aesthetic, a core tenet of IRRAs mission to promote a return to the spirit of slot car racing from the 60s. It's reasonable to assume the event included multiple heats or classes, drawing competitors with cars like Can-Am racers or vintage-style GTs, raced on a track designed to test skill over sheer speed (e.g., a technical layout rather than a pure drag strip).

Significance: Beyond competition, the legacy of the race lies in its role as a springboard. SlotForum notes that the IRRAs mission to define cost-effective, scale-accurate cars and unified rules for regional, national, and international competition crystallized here. The event's success (or perhaps its logistical challenges) underscored the need for an organization like IRRA to streamline retro racing, leading to its formal establishment shortly after. The first official IRRA-sanctioned race followed soon after, on March 15-16, 2007, at Tom Thumb Raceway in Columbus, Ohio, suggesting the Chicago race was a precursor, likely in early 2007 or late 2006, setting the stage.

What's Less Clear: Specifics like the winner, exact date, or track layout remain elusive in public records. It's possible this was a grassroots or semi-official event, not heavily publicized beyond the slot car community, which might explain the lack of granular detail. The focus in IRRA's history is more on the organizational outcome than the race minutiae.

In essence, the 2007 Chicago race "The Sano" was a defining moment for retro slot car racing, a national gathering that revealed the sport's potential and inconsistencies, sparking the creation of the IRRAs. It was less about spectacle and more about community and standardization, laying the groundwork for a structured revival of a nostalgic hobby.

[MG Brown]

My computer will not open this. Security reasons it says.

 

Digging deeper, the detail of the error message says that the site slotblog.net 's SSL certificate has expired.

Unfortunately I didn't capture the full error text.

 

[Cheater]

My computer will not open this. Security reasons it says.

Mike,

Give it another try. There's usually a way to approve opening a page flagged like this.

[Bill Breck]

When did Retro racing start in California?

[MG Brown]

When did Retro racing start in California?

 

From grok.com:
 

Retro slot car racing in California doesn’t have a single, precise starting date, as it emerged as a revival movement drawing on the state’s rich slot car racing history from the 1960s.

 

The original slot car craze peaked in the mid-1960s, with California—especially Southern California—being a hotspot due to its car culture and the proliferation of commercial raceways. At that time, estimates suggest there were between 3,500 and 5,000 raceways across the U.S., with a significant concentration in California, hosting everything from casual races to competitive tournaments.

 

The "retro" aspect of slot car racing refers to a modern resurgence that deliberately harkens back to the aesthetics, technology, and spirit of that 1960s golden era, using vintage-style cars (often 1/24 scale) with low-cost motors and designs inspired by the period. This revival began gaining traction in the U.S., including California, in the early 2000s. One key indicator is the formation of organized groups like the Southern California Retro Racing Association (SCRRA), which formalized rules for retro racing by at least 2012, reflecting an intent to recreate the mid-1960s racing experience with scratch-built cars.

 

Evidence of retro racing’s growth in California can be seen in the activities of enthusiasts and businesses like Electric Dreams in El Segundo, which has been a hub for new and vintage slot car products since the late 1990s under Scott Bader’s ownership.

 

By the early 2000s, the store and its associated community were actively promoting retro-style racing, aligning with a broader national trend. Forums and clubs, such as those documented on Slotblog.net, also show retro racing events and discussions picking up in California around this time, often tied to nostalgia for the 1960s tracks like Speed & Sport in Lynwood or Checkered Flag Raceway in Torrance.

 

So, while the original slot car boom in California started in the 1960s, the retro slot car racing movement—focused on reviving that classic era—likely began taking shape in the early 2000s, with organized efforts solidifying by the 2010s. It’s a grassroots phenomenon, driven by aging hobbyists and new enthusiasts alike, rather than a single founding moment.

[Bill from NH]

Before D3 Retro, Buena Park ran a couple "semi-vintage" classes, but I don't recall their exact dates. One had the 1/24 Eurotoy chassis, a sealed Deathstar motor, & vintage coupe & Can-Am bodies. The other class used modified 36D motors, a 1/25 model kit body, & I believe scratchbuilt chassis. Monty Ohren was very instrumental in building the motors. I believe it was Paul Sterrett who had a collection of scratchbuilt cars he wanted to race. He got together with Mike Steube, & I think Philippe & they came up with the rules for "D3 Retro. Motors were limited to the Slick 7 FK can, the bodies were very limited, a Lola became quite popular, the chassis was a scratchbuilt inline. Later, John Anderson, Bryan Warmack, & John Cukras each got involved. All this was before the IRRA started. These events were once posted here on Slotblog & probably still are if someone wants to go exploring.