173 replies to this topic

[John Gorski]

A one-of-a-kind masterpiece!
SUPER SANO NOOSE

(That's my Can-Am colors.)

[Pappy]

Much too pretty too race, that belongs in my museum, I mean, the museum.

Mike, you might want to get little stick-on name tags for everyone. Just a thought.

[MSwiss]

I'm giving Noose a 5% discount on his entry fee and a semi-sincere pat on the back to paint everyone's name on their forehead when they arrive.

[Hworth08]

Please remove me from the list. The continuing drought has forced me to wean my calf crop earlier than normal.

Sure hate to miss this race but I'm damned well used to missing things after 28 years. Bitter? Yeah.

[Pappy]

Bummer! I've removed you from the list, Don, but please try to make it to our race Nov. 3 in Richmond, IN.

[billibob]

Hi Butch! Indianapolis will be proudly represented by Ken Green. This is a firm commitment.

[Pappy]

He's on the list. I take it you're not going to make it to Chicago, Billibob?

[Roy Hood]

You can add my name to the list.

I’m only a few miles away and long overdue for racing again. When Swiss put in a flat track, I knew I had to get over there eventually. It’s been a few years since I’ve held a controller but it looks like a fun race so, what the heck, here I go again.

Thanks to Greg/cheater for giving me the head- up about the event.

[Pappy]

Gotcha covered, Roy. I knew Cheater was good for something.

[KenMiles]

You can add my name to the list.

I'm only a few miles away and long overdue for racing again. When Swiss put in a flat track, I knew I had to get over there eventually. It's been a few years since I've held a controller but it looks like a fun race so, what the heck, here I go again.

Hi Roy, Racers.

Might you be the Roy Hood I remember from Revell Raceway, North Hollywood, CA, 1968-69?

ThanX,

KenMiles on behalf of

[Pappy]

For everyone staying at Motel 6

TOP 15 SLOGANS REJECTED BY MOTEL 6:
15. "Because you deserve better than the back-seat of his car".
14. As seen on "COPS"
13. "If we'd known you were staying all night, we'd have changed the sheets".
12. "Not just for nooners anymore".
11. "We left off the "9", but you know it's there".
10. "You rented the room, now buy the video".
9. "Sure, you could stay someplace nicer, but then you wouldn't have money left over for the hooker".
8. "We'll leave the Lysol for ya"!
7. "Sure, we're not the Ritz, but just try taking your secretary to the Ritz on your salary, pal!"
6. "We don't make the adultery. We make the adultery BETTER"!
5. "It's Hookerriffic"!
4. "Official lodging of the Washington Wizards".
3. "Blurring the fine line between stains and avant garde sheet art since 1962"!
2. "Cheap and easy, just like your mother".

AND THE NUMBER ONE SLOGAN REJECTED BY MOTEL 6:
1. "We put the "Ho" in Hotel".

[Mr. HP]

Oh No! Technically I'm still 13th down on the list, I'm already doomed.

At least I’ll be able to blame my performance (or lack there of) on bad luck.

[Pappy]

I fixed it for you, Steve.

[Cheater]

That Pappy is so helpful... NOT!

I'm headed for Jay's new place in Anniston, AL, tomorrow after work. We board our flight for Chi-Town at 6:30 AM Thursday morning.

You'all behave while I'm gone, OK?

[Bill from NH]

If you're missing people when you get back, Dokk or I took care of them.

[MG Brown]

If you're dialed in and looking for something to take the missus to while at "Da Sano"...

Footloose - the Musical

The Madness of Edgar Allan Poe

Eleventh Hour Haunted House

[Cheater]

MG,

Do you know if the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is playing in town during the Sano?

I made the acquaintance of the CSO's tuba player, Gene Pokorny, a while back but have never seen him play in person.

Just thought I'd play a long shot...

[MG Brown]

Actually on Friday the 12th the CSO is playing with guest Branford Marsallis and Saturday the 13th is "Macy's Day of Music" 11th annual free music festival.

More info here: CSO October Calendar

[Roy Hood]

Might you be the Roy Hood I remember from Revell Raceway, North Hollywood, CA, 1968-69?

That is me. Revell was my home track. I raced in the "golden era" from around 67 to 72. I also raced raced in the "modern era" from 2000 to 2004.

Revell was home to quite a few slot car notables - Monty Ohren, Jeff Gilbert, John Stephen, Don Aspensen, Howie Ursaner, and some others I am certainly forgetting. The Team Dynamic crew was over there a lot. Wow, that was a billion beers ago. Did Revell close in '69?

Revell had a track with a hill called the LeMans track. IIRC, a guy named John Wessels was the first to build a chassis called the hump-hacker that hinged in the middle to better negotiate the hill. Full sidewinder. That was one of the first brass and wire cars I owned. It was junk everywhere else but it sure got around the LeMans track. I heard somewhere that Wessels was responsible for several other slot car innovations.

About '70 I raced mainly at Speed & Sport because it was THE place to race. The fast racers were there and it was quite competitive. The lack of track calls and consecutive lane changing (as opposed to today's staggered rotation) made for some interesting racing. Funny race story:

1971 Western States Championships at S&S. The race had Pro, Semi-Pro, and amateur classes. I was racing amateur. I think this was a Group 7 race with a 40 min, 8 lane main. I qualified 2nd, earning one of two sit outs. Jeff Gilbert was TQ (no relation to Greg or Lee). Jeff cut me by a few thou mainly because he forgot to let off in the deadman while there happened to be ton of glue there.

In the main, my primary competition was Don Aspensen. Donnie chose the lane to my left. Bad news for me on a King track. We ran one/two most of the way despite tangling up at almost every opportunity. In the last heat, I nerfed Don into the infield where he sat for several laps while marshals hunted for the hook. Donnie was none too happy about that and punched me in the shoulder. Being just 14 at the time, I was a few years younger than Donnie and considerably outweighed. So, I did the only thing I could; smile and make laps. I won the race, too. Gil Gundersen won Semi-Pro that year. Don't remember who the pro winner was.

In 2000, I was amazed to find not only did slot racing still exist but that several people I knew from the old days were still involved. The first person I called was my old friend Monty Ohren. I remained a BOW guy pretty much the whole time. Monty is a legend in slot racing and has always been a great builder. For racing, I preferred Kal's over BP mainly because they had a flat track. At Kal's, I met Greg Gilbert, who is the guy I give the most credit for helping me as a racer in the "modern era." Greg is always hard to beat but when you do, you really earned it.

I'm looking forward to meeting all use guys a couple, two, three days from now over by there.

[S Forsyth]

Roy,

Glad to here that you are going to start racing again. We sure miss you out here in SoCal, hope this means we may see ya at the 2008 Scale Nats.

Hope to see ya soon. I plan on bringing Jonathan to the ISRA race at Rogers new facilty in February.

[KenMiles]

That is me. Revell was my home track. I raced in the "golden era" from around 67 to 72...

... Did Revell close in '69?

Revell had a track with a hill called the LeMans track. IIRC, a guy named John Wessels was the first to build a chassis called the hump-hacker that hinged in the middle to better negotiate the hill. Full sidewinder. That was one of the first brass and wire cars I owned. It was junk everywhere else but it sure got around the LeMans track. I heard somewhere that Wessels was responsible for several other slot car innovations...

Hi Roy, Racers-

Wow, Roy. So that IS you! So Donnie punched you? That is SO like him! Do you remember 'bad boys' Del Zahner and Alan Erikson, too? What FUN these guys were! I'm laughing just thinking of them!

We were very fortunate that local pro Jerry Cowan ran the racing program at Revell. I think we all became better racers for it. I understand that John Wessels, Cowan's builder, invented the hinged outrigger pan. As for the hump-hacker, I'd built one myself which our team won the last three-hour enduro at Revell.

Like your Wessels, it was a pig everywhere on the track except the bridge. When we hit that humped bridge, we'd brake right at the apex, gun it, brake, and gain two feet on every other car at that one section alone. The Steube-equipped team of John Stephen and Donnie Aspenson were favored to win that enduro. But we'd gained such an advantage with our hump-hacker that by mid-race, Donnie began self destructing. The irony is that John Stephen's father kindly lent us the money to replace the Thorp armature we'd burnt out during practice, plus entry fee. We were THAT broke! But that was typical of John's father - he was the coolest.

Donnie's deceased now, just a few months ago. The news was a shock to me, my recollection of Donnie being this brash, energetic kid.

And yes, Revell Raceway did indeed close in 1969. The rumor of its demise spread a few months prior, then one day, 'poof'. Most of Revell's remaining racers gravitated to Circle 'T' Raceway at the north end of North Hollywood. But the closing of Revell ended my racing days - I could catch the #93 bus from downtown Los Angeles for the 1-1/2 hour trip to Revell. I'd get off at Chandler and Whitsett, then walk four blocks to the track. But the bus service that ran nearest the Vanowen and Vineland intersection near Circle 'T' ran at one hour intervals, and beyond a certain hour, ceased running at all.

~~~~~~

This internet has been something very special. Being able to hit the track with Mike Steube, John Cukras and all the pro legends is something I'd never have dreamt. Then to read 'Roy Hood' - dude, I'd never have expected this! Maybe we'll meet again on the slotcar track!

ThanX,

KenMiles on behalf of

[TSR]

Hi Roy, hi Allen,

Revell Raceways on La Tijera closed in August 1970. Roy, I do have the results of those races at Speed & Sport and will dig for that particular one.

John Wessel was indeed the inventor of the hinged side pans that are still widely used by D3 racers today.

[KenMiles]

Revell Raceways on La Tijera closed in August 1970.

Hi, Philippe.

The Revell Raceway that was home to Roy and myself was the North Hollywood location at Burbank Boulevard and Whitsett Avenue. Did they close in 1970, too?

ThanX,

KenMiles on behalf of