188 replies to this topic

[Gus Kelley]

Hey Rick! Is that sarcastic or ? I believe I've run on a double looper twice in my life, but can't remember the experience. Gus

[Bill from NH]

I agree with Rick! The darn things were just too big. I raced on the one at Modelville Hobby in Framingham, MA from 1969-1976. When practicing, I always had my time held until I got done glueing my lane, otherwise, my time would have run out before I got my car on the track.

[mam2f]

Thanks for the info. Tex... do you know if anyone is planning to set 'er up someday?

I wonder how many guys you'd need for marshals?

I once ran on an even longer track in Johnstown (Moxham)... I think it was about 300'!! But I don't think it was an American Model Raceways track.

The 220' track encourages you to NOT deslot... it can be a loooong walk to retrieve your car.

[Tex]

Thanks for the info..Tex...do you know if anyone
is planning to set 'er up someday ?

I don't think he has any immediate plans to do so. As you are aware, it's a HUGE track with footprint to match. I think he also has a Red American (Imperial?) and Black American (Royal?) in storage. Actually, the donut of the Purple Sovereign is currently pressed into service on the owners current track layout.

The 220' track encourages you to NOT deslot... it can be a loooong walk to retrieve your car.

Yes, I made that long trek far too many times.

[Prof. Fate]

Hi,

The one I ran on LAST was near Atlanta in the '90s. "Cheater"?

They are all good. Think of all the years when we didn't know of any tracks to run on.

Fate

[Rick]

Rocky,

That was the 1990/92? Nats track at Georgia Hobby Center? Air conditioning broke and Phil Hackett and I watched the Pro Main through the window, standing on stools because it was cooler outside. LOL.

Cool-Georgia-August-Nay...

[Mike Patterson]

That's it? I count 14, including the ones supposedly in storage and the half-a-red? I would have thought there would be more left, being as how they were built like tanks. And only 3 Kings? Wow, that IS depressing .

Any more out there?

[911GT3]

Just curious, how many layouts did American Model Car Raceways offer? From what little information I can find, I counted ten.

[Ramcatlarry]

Last I heard the Red last set up in McHenry, IL from the 1980's to about 1993 is in storage in southern Wisconsin. The humps were taken out of the straight and we ran a lot of wing and pre-FCR hardbodies on it (Victory Lane).

[Prof. Fate]

Hi,

Rick, I was in Atlanta in '92, my wife was presenting a paper at a genetics conference that I helped her with. She was a bit peeved that I didn't attend her presentation, as the first thing I did was take a cab to the track because I had never run on the purple!

Was hoping to meet a friend there who died soon after, but he couldn't make it. However, unlike in the other thread by Nesta and others, everyone was friendly. I did a bit of track time with other racers lending me THEIR cars. "You run this, try this..." sort of thing. I just didn't remember if the track was the same one we have talked about elsewhere.

Fate

[nicky 65]

BUZZ-A-RAMA RACEWAY IN BROOKLYN - 45 years and still going strong.

Has four American tracks still up and running... Buzzy still has the only American Emperor 220 left... too bad it was taken apart and stored in the basement to make room for birthday parties.

Buzz-A-Rama Raceway
69 Church Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11218
(718) 853-1800 You can call him anytime during the day for info, as his store phone is forwarded to his cell phone.

Hours:
Sat 2-7 PM
Sun 2-6 PM

[Mike Patterson]

Nicholas,

Thanks for the info on Buzzy's. I'm glad to hear the Emperor is still around.

[Mr. Smith]

Are there any records of how many tracks AMR built of each design?

[tonyp]

Buzzy's 220 is not stock. At one point they put some esses into the inner straight making it undrivable with faster cars.

[Ron Hershman]

Are there any records of how many tracks AMR built of each design?

Not that I am aware of... this is what I found from "order numbers" assigned to buyers once they made their down payments or paid in full their orders for tracks. The order number was assigned to each buyer and the order, not the number of tracks ordered per buyer.

According to correspondence between American and two raceway owners, it appears that between November of 1965 and February of 1966 there were orders placed for 122 raceways. Depending on how many tracks each order represents, that meant that 122 or more tracks had to be produced to fill those short four months of orders.

[Mike Patterson]

I asked Cheater to help me clean this thread up some. The topic had drifted quite a bit, so most of that has been shifted to other threads. To get back on topic, the number of known King tracks has increased to four, one surfacing in Texas and is supposedly being refurbished for use. I'll try to get a list together here in the next couple of weeks.

And if you know of any AMCR tracks that are still being used or in storage, please post that information here. Thank you.

[Daytonaman]

I currently have an AMCR 90' Black Regal in storage in Hiram, GA. It is not in operating condition and needs resurfacing and side apron repair.

[Mike Patterson]

Thank you for that info, John, I appreciate it.

[Ron Hershman]

I know of a American Hillclimb in storage in NE Indiana.

I think Northcoast Performance in NW Ohio is still using a American Hillclimb that was re-topped once upon a time.

[Rotorranch]

That was the 1990/92? Nats track at Georgia Hobby Center? Air conditioning broke and Phil Hackett and I watched the Pro Main through the window, standing on stools because it was cooler outside. LOL.

Cool-Georgia-August-Nay...

1990 Nats. Not sure the AC broke. I think it just couldn't keep up. Too many soldering irons, power supplies, people, etc.

It was HOT.

Rotor

[slotcarone]

It doesn't look like anybody mentioned Dom's Raceway in NJ. Dom has an original American Hillclimb that has been retopped and the crossovers have been removed. It is a very smooth track to race on.

[Mike Patterson]

Here's the list of surviving AMCR tracks to date:

CA - (1) Orange Monarch (in storage?)
GA - (1) Black Regal in storage, (1) Green Queen in storage
IL - (1) Black Royal, (1) Black Regal (in storage?)
IN - (1) Aristocrat aka Hillclimb (in storage?)
MA - (1) Purple Sovereign
MI - (1) Modified Red Imperial, (1) Yellow Windsor (set up?)
NJ - (1) Aristocrat
NY - (1) Yellow Windsor, (1) Black Regal, (1) Orange Monarch, (1) Blue King, (1) Yellow Emperor (in storage)
OH - (2) Blue Kings, (1) Aristocrat, (1) Orange Monarch (in storage?)
PA - (1) Yellow Windsor (in storage)
TX - (1) Black Regal, (1) Blue King
WI - (1) Red Imperial (in storage?)

Totals:
14 tracks set up or in the process
3 in storage
6 presumed to be in storage
_________
23 tracks total

Thanks to everybody who has replied to this thread. If you know of, hear of, or stumble across an American track that's not listed, please let me know.

Edited by Mike Patterson, 07 December 2010 - 09:59 PM.

[Mopar Rob]

What about Elvis's Red in TN? I remember reading many threads about it?

[Ron Hershman]

I think Jeff Bechtel in IL still has a Regal in storage.

Boogieman in MI has a yellow up and running I think.

[Mike Patterson]

Rob, IIRC, Elvis' track was an All-Tech/Engleman. There's a thread on here somewhere about it.

Ron, thanks for the info.