27 replies to this topic

[Ohio Retro Series]

Two of the most exciting slot car series being raced today are Retro and FCR. So, why not combine the two? That is exactly what we will be doing this season in the ORS. Let's get some of the FCR Nascar followers to see what Retro is all about and some Can-Am or F-1 pilots exposed to the fun of FCR "rubbin and racin." We are using the FCR-NRS National Series rules for the "Super Truck" class and swapping out the body for some old school Nascar rides like the Parma Cyclone. Full rules will follow soon as will the approved body list. Being the newest class it will run last in the schedule but we think it will grow quickly. It is not exactly "retro" but it is pure FUN !

[Rick]

It's way closer to Retro being an in-line than any Flexi class is!  I think it's a great idea....................

[MG Brown]

Three cheers for a great idea.

[John Streisguth]

We ran a basic FCR class with retro stock car bodies at Slot Racing Revival before it closed.  It's a fun class.

[TG Racing]

This is going to be a great class!  It should bring in a lot of new racers.

[Mike Patterson]

I think it's a bad idea. You're NOT attracting new racers, you're just taking two existing groups of racers and hoping they'll merge into one. We already run THREE classes on race day, and you want to make it LONGER?

[Tom Thumb Hobbies]

I disagree Mike. I think we WILL get new racers. Even if we don't we have to at least try. And since it runs last it will have NO impact on your day anyway. Right?

[stemmy]

mike, alot of people who race fcr do not  race retro classes. this will get them introduced to retro racing. sounds like a fun class

[Danny Zona]

Its a good idea IMO. My home track has been wanting to do something like that for a while. My home track in our flexi state race series is replacing the wing car form of racing(not many racers race wing cars here) with one class being can-am and the other super truck.

[Mike Patterson]

Excuuuuuuuuuusssse. Mmmmmeeeeeeeeee, as Steve Martin used to say, but, do you honestly think this class will bring in NEW racers? You might get some crossover between the two groups, but NEW racers? Ain't. Gonna. Happen.

 

And slapping a "retro" body on something does not make it a retro car. Otherwise, we'd all be racing "retro" flexi something-or-other, instead of the hand-crafted machines we race now.

 

The Ohio Retro Series should be promoting the RETRO racing we already have, instead of adding another bastard class of slot cars.  

[Samiam]

I like the combination but it's a new FCR class,not a new Retro class.

 

It may attract people who like scale looking bodies,Old School Stock Cars,and an off the shelf Spec. chassis.

 

Add a PARMA Dead Star and I'm in.

[mppicione]

Mike will this class have two level's (beginner and advanced) ? And perhaps different motors in those classes?

[Tom Thumb Hobbies]

Excuuuuuuuuuusssse. Mmmmmeeeeeeeeee, as Steve Martin used to say, but, do you honestly think this class will bring in NEW racers? You might get some crossover between the two groups, but NEW racers? Ain't. Gonna. Happen.

 

And slapping a "retro" body on something does not make it a retro car. Otherwise, we'd all be racing "retro" flexi something-or-other, instead of the hand-crafted machines we race now.

 

The Ohio Retro Series should be promoting the RETRO racing we already have, instead of adding another bastard class of slot cars.  

That's just it Mike. Our goal IS to grow retro. And don't be surprised when that "bastard" class of slot cars out draws retro nationally in the near future. You should realize by now that, after seven plus years, retro has already reached most of the old farts like you and I that remember when it WASN'T retro. Some still race, some have moved on to other things, and some didn't like it at first glance. We need to expose more people to retro for it to continue long term. Retro is NOT a class that the average person will jump into "cold turkey". Too much "hands on" needed for those without much tech experience. Too much $$$ outlay for a person who isn't even sure that slot racing is his cup of tea. The hope is to "hook" them with retro FCR and make them the future Can-Am or F1 racers. Our focus is still on retro but is hard to argue with the appeal of FCR and the good it could do BOTH programs by exposing each to the other.

[Tom Thumb Hobbies]

Mike will this class have two level's (beginner and advanced) ? And perhaps different motors in those classes?

 Hi Marc,

 

Not at this time. By using rules similar to the current FCR-NRS program we have a existing base of racers to draw from up front. We will re-evaluate after this season.

[John Streisguth]

Hmmm....I don't see anywhere it was ever claimed the idea was to attract new racers. What was stated was getting some cross exposure between the retro crowd and the FCR crowd.  That could bolster participation for both types of racing.  Why would anyone look at that negatively?  If you want no part of the FCR racing, you can just go home at the end of the retro program. If you want no part of the retro racing, come later.

 

Ohio probably has more opportunities to race retro slot cars than anywhere else on the planet.

[Gator Bob]

We have a group of about 15-20 guys doing it here locally in Florida on 2 short track ovals.

It's all good (Velcro) Spec car fun. Parma or Pro/Track tires.  

 

[Steve Deiters]

"Ohio probably has more opportunities to race retro slot cars than anywhere else on the planet."



Very true and we're trying to have as many racers new and old to take advantage of all of those opportunities for now and in the future.

A rising tide lifts all boats to steal a phrase from another type of discussion. The same metaphor will hold true here also.

[Guillermo Suar]

Sounds like the Grand National class Parma left out of the series. I loved it.

[Mike Patterson]

I'm just pist that there is NO ORS racing of any kind until October!!! Hell, I might be dead by then.

[Gator Bob]

Sounds like the Grand National class Parma left out of the series. I loved it.

 

Locally .. In NCS the 4.5" was not competitve .... so we ran the 4" Mustang and the Camaro, which of course are not GN but T/A.

[Gator Bob]

I'm just pist that there is NO ORS racing of any kind until October!!! Hell, I might be dead by then.

 

** Beware of Sticks **

[Guillermo Suar]

 

Locally .. In NCS the 4.5" was not competitve .... so we ran the 4" Mustang and the Camaro, which of course are not GN but T/A.

 

The national race in that class  was won by a 4.5" car over a bunch of 4", mine included.

[Dan Ebert]

Actually, Danny Z and Brantley ran 4 inch cars at the Nats last year.  Only one 4.5 car made the main.  And there were only 3 or 4, of the 4.5 cars in the entire 20 plus FCR Nats field last.  At our track the 4 inch car dominated.   I see nothing but good things coming from this move in the ORS.  The FCR chassis is a good platform for any racer wanting to jump into Retro and learn with an inline chassis.

[Pappy]

Anything that brings people into the raceway is a good idea. My only concern is (if my memory is correct) you are putting a 3" wide body on a 3 1/4" wide chassis. Are you allowed to cut out the wheel wells and have the tires stick outside the body?

[Mayberryman]

Actually, Danny Z and Brantley ran 4 inch cars at the Nats last year.  Only one 4.5 car made the main.  And there were only 3 or 4, of the 4.5 cars in the entire 20 plus FCR Nats field last.  At our track the 4 inch car dominated.   I see nothing but good things coming from this move in the ORS.  The FCR chassis is a good platform for any racer wanting to jump into Retro and learn with an inline chassis.

Dan, I completely agree with you.  I am a nobody who just got back into slot car racing after a 12 year absence, however, in my 50 years of off and on racing I have seen the same mistakes done over and over.  I believe that the inclusion of FCR racing to the retro series will get some people to take a look at retro and ask questions and get hands on ideas of how to get into and race retro.  I remember that back in the early to mid 90s our USRA races included Gp 10, Flexi NASCAR and a class we called Group 15 pan on Saturday and Int 15, 27 and 7 on Sunday.  The Group 15 Pan class allowed people to put a Group 15 motor and wing body on their Group 10 chassis and learn the joy of wing car racing.  In a burst of infinite wisdom the powers that be eliminated the Pan 15 class and to my way of thinking a perfect transitional class for potential wing car racers.

 

It is human nature to want to take baby steps when doing things for the first time and it does take a while for some to learn the art of the soldering iron.