4 replies to this topic

[Bob Chaney]

  

 

I remember seeing this in Boy's Life when I was (much) younger.

 

For a totally unrelated reason, I was perusing the Boy's Life magazine archive and ran into it again (along with a lot of other slot racing material).

 

It was promoted in late 1965 and early 1966, and reads:

 

"The Strombecker Internationals, world-wide racing competition is open to everyone 18 years of age or yournger.

 

"Nothing to buy!  All you do is race your car - any 1/32 scale car - against others (winning cars need not be Strombeckers) in your neighborhood or town.

 

"Race your model cars for trophies... for fame and fortune at the official STROMBECKER RACEWAYS CENTER near you. Competition in your area will be starting soon; neighborhood champs go on to compete with guys from other cities and towns in the big Regional Racing Meets to be held in early 1966. Regional winners then compete in the All-American Racing Meeting in Detroit. And then the big one! Next spring a lucky guy, along with a parent or companion, will fly to Paris via Air France to compete in the Strombecker world-wide International Racing Competition!"

 

So, thousand of big trophies, scholarships, and a 1966 Plymouth Barracuda were all on the line for the "champions" with one "lucky guy" winning the big trip to Paris.

 

After these two page spreads, the whole thing, and most of the slot car advertising, seems to vanish..

 

Does anybody know who won, what?  And who was the big lucky international champion guy?

 

All that "fame and fortune" seems so enticing

 

As an added bonus, the list of "Official Strombecker Raceways" provides a window into the proliferation of the commercial Strombecker brand across this great country of ours. in 1965.

[TSR]

A little extract from the new book (yes, yes, we are working on production now)...

 

"Strombecker promised an "International Championship" comprising local, regional and national events. In June 1966, the winners were to be flown to Paris, France, to compete in the International Finals with a full-size Plymouth Barracuda being the top prize. Strombecker ran an advertising campaign for their raceways in Sports illustrated, Boys Life, Popular Mechanics, Car Model and their own magazine, promoting the contest. This was to be run in eliminatory races at “each of the 37 Strombecker raceways located from Alabama all the way to New York State”. Seventeen-year old David Muchow of Elgin, Illinois, was the lucky winner. Dave used a Lola GT fitted with a Hemi 300 motor that had a scratch built brass-pan chassis with a swing pickup. It de-slotted only once in the finals thirteen heats, but so much for showcasing Strombecker products as it included virtually none of the factory parts!"
 

[JohnnySlotcar]

Dave was a friend of mine in the 80's. He has passed. His father was a dentist and avid radio collector who fiddled with everything electrical. Made a dyno and magnet zapper among other things and was a great rewinder. Dave was an extremely intense racer and would show up with a dozen cars for each class in the IMCA days. He had cases of Strombecker parts they gave him after the race.

[don.siegel]

Sorry to hear that John, he was still very young. 

 

Back in the 90s, at the only swap meet I went to in Chicago (not the big one, was never around for that), I met a guy selling slot stuff who said he was a buddy of Dave's, but don't remember his name. 

 

Don 

[Bob Chaney]

Just for the record, I found a picture of David Muchow..

 

 

..with trophy.