181 replies to this topic

[John Streisguth]

There was a King Cobra I raced on in the Keystone USRA series in the early '90s. It was typically easier to drive except for the kink leading onto the main straight, and mostly the inside lanes.

[MSwiss]

Unless it's a very flat or bumpy one, they are much easier to drive than a King. They have one less turn and a "softer" lead-on.

IOW, on ones of similar banking and condition, a King Cobra will be faster and easier than a King.

[Neuspeed]

I see. So Kings were built with wing cars in mind. What is the latest design for slot car tracks? Nothing new for 2010?

[tonyp]

Originally Kings were built for cars that ran around them in 10 plus seconds. There were no wing cars when the first King tracks were built. Just wound up that the design worked well for slot cars.

[Neuspeed]

History is always good to know.

[TSR]

Mike,

Lots of early records are missing from the JPVR list. Joel, as an example, did a 4.11" that was a new record, Tango had it at one time...

There are about fifteen more in my listing.

[Zippity]

Mike, you only need to do it once if you do it with a Marcos Mantis body...

[tonyp]

That is it.

Funny story is we were going up Friday night to the race. They were supposed to hold one of the new super-slippery Waters McLarens, but no one did. The Mantis was the only painted GT body in the whole raceway. Mounted it, put new tires on my car and teched in without ever running a lap.

[GaryA]

This is a little off topic but I figure you guys might know.

I started racing at Model Car Raceway in Berlin, CT. The April 1969 Car Model magazine I have listed a race announcement for the Fifth New England Car Model race on the "220 Titan track."

I know from Ron's pictures that it was not an AMR track. But who made it and does anyone have any pictures? It had a very steep bank.

[DOCinCanton]

This thread being about the King track, I am surprised that no one has talked about the red King track. Am I mistaken or what? Wasn't there a red king, with or without bumps in the front straight.

For me, and as I told Tony at our last Retro race, when I grew up racing slot cars in Northeast OH, we had NO King tracks. So, when I went long distance to race in some of the Champion Arco races, they were on the blue King which made it very difficult for me to do well.

[Guy Spaulding]

A King Cobra recently opened in Concord, NC. As you can see, the building size dictated they move the driver's panel to the opposite side of the track. This pretty much guarantees a totally new driving experience for all.



But, one more question:

What's the difference between an American blue King, and and American red?

LOL!! Funny, Dan! You posted your question, just as I was composing mine about the red.

I believe the difference is 150' and humps in the main straight for the red. (But it was not called a King)

[Ron Hershman]

The red was five feet shorter than a King and the bank was narrower... the red also had a very small "straight" in the middle of the donut.

And big launch ramp humps in the straightaway.

[Steve Deiters]

No mention of the Parma 160' King yet? It was fast, smooth, and custom made. Totally different to drive than the original King. Longer finger and swoopy carousel. A lot of early '70s slot racing history happened on that track. There have to be some pictures floating around somewhere.

[MSwiss]

Steve,

Who built the Parma King? Ken? A local carpenter/cabinet builder?

[Edwardo]

The red also had a completely flat deadman as well. I've never seen one, but I think some of the reds had a round donut, just like a blue King.

[tonyp]

All the reds I saw had straight in donut and giant humps that 1966 speed scratchbuilt sports cars would launch over. Had to blip the straight back then...

[TSR]

I always will remember Jim Aguirre's face when I punched the Buena Park American red donut for the first with the very first Diamond chassis built in late 1972. He literally FREAKED!

[Ron Hershman]

I always will remember Jim Aguirre's face when I punched the Buena Park American Red donut for the first with the very first Diamond chassis built in late 1972. He literally FREAKED!

Was that before or after "break-out" racing was held there? LOL.

[DOCinCanton]

The Parma King was custom-built by Ken McDowell and a few buddies. Right now I cannot think of the name of the older guy back then who I think was responsible for about 80% of building that track. It just came back to me: I think it's Al Gumbach!

The Parma King was different from the blue king. The Parma King had to be custom built so that it would fit into a tight space in front of Ken's main sales counters. So the finger was a bit different, of course. Ken took out the high bank figure 8 to build his King.

[Edwardo]

The red that I ran on as a kid in the mid-'70s had a D-shaped donut as well, but I think you could special order one with a round donut. Sadly, my car wasn't fast enough for me to have to worry about launching over the humps.

What I would give to be able to drive on one of those again. Do any still exist?

[Ron Hershman]

The Parma King was custom built by Ken McDowell and a few buddies. Right now I can not think of the name of the older guy back then who I think was responsible for about 80% of building that track. It just came back to me: I think it's Al Gumbach!

Al Gumbach... R.I.P What a guy or grouch... depending on if he liked ya or not. LOL.

[Ron Hershman]

The Red that I ran on as a kid in the mid-70's had a D-shaped donut as well, but I think you could special order one with a round donut. Sadly, my car wasn't fast enough for me to have to worry about launching over the humps. What I would give to be able to drive on one of those again. Do any still exist?

I read a lot where American made special tracks. I have even seen a couple longer than normal models, but nowhere did American mention this... so who knows what the real deal is??

I know of no American red set-up anywhere at this time. The last one I knew of was Les Wright's in the '90s.

[Old pink can guy]

I liked the old school King Tracks, too. Ya had to drive them.

I had never seen the Sovereign 220 before. Sure looks like a fun track to learn to drive and would be great for D3.

Thanks for the pics, Ron.

[TSR]

Was that before or after "break out" racing was held there? LOL

The knives were out, that's for sure!

The lap counter was on the return on the switchback and cars with light under-steer flew over it and would not register. So the experienced guys made sure that there was a ton of lead up front...

All the reds I saw had straight in Donut and giant humps that 1966 speed scratch built sports cars would launch over. Had to blip the straight back then...

Yep, the Monaco "red" track had two launch ramps and the "D-shaped" donut... it took a while to get under four seconds on that thing...

[Guy Spaulding]

A red was in the first Vegas tracks of the early '80s. It claimed to have the humps "nearly" ironed out.

That was when I first met Mick Antonelli. He built all the scratchbuilt chassis for the track, and inspired me to start building.

Oh, BTW, did see Mick's Hasse King for sale on eBay?