38 replies to this topic

[Mr. GoFast]

This year's winners of the USRA Div 1 Nats in Pro Group 7, OMO, 27 Lite, and Amateur Box 12 will ALL win a round trip plan ticket to fly in to Nashville, TN, to race,
 

Information on discounted hotel rates will be available soon.
 

"The Hillbilly Nationals"
SlotCars-R-Us "The Track"
101 Highland Dr.

White House, TN 37188
(615) 268-4094

(Note: The date of this race has been changed. See below.)

[Ricky Vegas]

Hi Tracy ~

 

We have a lot of friends and family in Nashville and my oldest daughter is going to Belmont U. so we go from the Chicago burbs to Nashville quite a bit. 

 

Two years ago I met Chicagoland Raceway owner Mike Swiss, sold all my home set stuff, and dove into commercial slot racing as a "two-race nights a week regular" at Mike's. Best hobby on the planet as everyone on Slotblog well knows!

 

Anyway; I am still pretty green. I race hardbodies, flexi-cars and have a couple Retro races under my belt. I'd love to race with everyone at the Hillbilly Nats! Best bet for me would be to probably enter the Amateur Box 12 category.

 

Can you tell me what I need to compete; then, I'll work with Mike on my builds and practice at Chicagoland Raceway to get ready for your event.

 

Thanks!

 

Ricky V. 

[Matt Sheldon]

Ricky,

 

You have a secret weapon IMO with having Mike at your disposal (if he still talks wing car verbage).

[MSwiss]

LOL.

I think I am too far removed to be of any value.

We had a wing race on Saturday and apparently the latest fad is to run way too hard of a tire and fall off all the time. Maybe it's to save wear and tear on the motor.

[Mr. GoFast]

I'm working on what classes and what rules. Will post in the next few days, thanks.

Ricky V, come by and see us if you come down before then.

[Half Fast]

Good luck with your new place and track.

 

However it seems that your King will be seen as too "flat" for the "refined" (speed crazed) taste of high-end wing car racers. The USRA Div 1 Nats has only been contested on "punch bowl" Kings for quite a few years.

 

Maybe you should consider some non-wing classes for your first big race.

 

Cheers,

[MSwiss]

That track will be plenty fast.

The pic HERE really doesn't do it justice.

Maybe the angle of the pic combined with the wider than normal trackbed.

[John C Martin]

This track is a blast to race on. The donut is a foot larger in diameter, plus the larger lane spacing (I believe 1/4" more) makes the straight over the bridge quite a bit longer, then the lead-on should be punched with a wing car.

And notice each lane has it's own power supply and caps (13.8 or 14.3 volts) Definitely fast...

A real thrill with Retro cars, can't wait for a big Retro race. You guys will love this place!!!

[Cheater]

In case anyone missed it, Tracy's new place opens officially on this Saturday, April 11, at 10 AM Central time.

I'd probably drive up there if I wasn't headed to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the swap meet and AACA Southeastern National meet.

[Ricky Vegas]

I look forward to seeing the classes and rules for the Hillbilly Nats, Tracy! 

And when in Nashville I'll stop in and depending on what's on tap at the track, would love to get to race with everyone!
 
I second John's motion for a large Retro race in 2015, too. 
 
Mike sure summed up the wing racing last Saturday at his shop well. Our hardbody race club was getting ready for our weekly event while the wing racers finished up their final heats. I never saw slot cars fly so high and so far as they de-slotted on the King and went airborne!

[Mr. GoFast]

Deadman 25 degs, finger 22 degs, lead-on 25 degs, donut 18 degs. Not flat at all. It's the angle of the pics. The track is very low to the ground and looks like it is flat but it is not. I will try and take some pics and show you what I'm talking about.

Also the track has 4.750" lane spacing.

[MSwiss]

Is the track elliptically or "compass" routed?

[Mr. GoFast]

Elliptically, Mike.

[brnursebmt]

Mike,

 

Could you or someone explain the difference in the two?

[MSwiss]

On a compass-routed track, all eight lanes are routed off of the same pivot point.

 

On an elliptically-routed track, usually the first lane is routed, using the outer edge of the track as a reference. Each subsequent lane is routed using the previous lane as the guide, i.e. white is routed off red, green is routed off of white, etc

Because of the two spaced pins in the router plate, each subsequent lane will turn in a bit sooner (a softer transition).

[Tom Thumb Hobbies]

Best description I've heard...

[GotToRace]

Mike, do you have a picture or diagram of the router plate? Thanks.

[smokie]

We're racing Box 12s at Tracy's and they're running around 2.8s on average. Track record is 2.73 (I believe) set last Saturday during the race. That was on 13.6v with fair conditions (there had been several races earlier in the day) so there was some rubber already laid down.

 

Maybe someone can chime in with other track lap times for Box 12 cars.

[Ralph Thorne]

TQ was a 2.3 this year at the Nats in Dallas.

[Mike Walpole]

Yeah, I know. Then I had trouble in the semi and didn't make the main. I would have fired the crew chief however...
 
That time was set on 16V. Also, Am ran spec tires on .500" hubs. We had three choices: Jet 36s, TR Beuf Blend, and Koford WX+
 
Qualifying motor was a race motor with a 40* arm; however, it is a screamer, pulls high amps, and falls off a lot in race conditions.  I raced on the Beuf blends, but I qualified on the WX+ cut to .760". I had seven race motors and three motors that I thought might work in qualifying. Two were duds, but that one motor really went.

[Dave Fugate]

To Mr Swiss:
 
I call BS On that building statement! I bet that if anyone puts the right equipment in front of you, you will build a bullet of a car. And I would be willing to try it!!!

[garyvmachines]

Hey Pablo,
 
I know Dave , and he is no newbie... He builds an bad azz wing car his ownself!!! He just doesn't post much on the blog...
He built me a Cobalt 12 That still rocks!!
 
Hey, Dave...

GAV

[garyvmachines]

I should have known better, Paul... Just standing up for a fellow Illinois boy...

 

GAV 

[John C Martin]

With a new Gerding G 21 coming this is really gonna' be something.  I may even start wing racing myself, after all I am old now. LOL

 

They are just one gear, off or wide open, right? LOL 

[smokie]

I agree with J.C.....

This could really be a barn burner. I guess all we can do is wait to see if G21 shows up before or after the race date.

Either way, I'm ready to put on my racin' overalls and head on up to White House and lay down some rubber