14 replies to this topic

[Lenjet]

After 46 years the Engleman HO Parma track has had it's first race in 40+ years after full restoration. We had our first race with anglewinder brass cars built by John Reimels.

A great deal of time and effort went into bringing this historic track back to life.

Come to the 2016 HOPRA Nationals at Lenjet Raceway and run on it yourself and while you are at it try the original Car Model Engleman, the original Aurora tub and see the only Purple Mile in both HO and 1/24.

[Dushkwoneshe]

So very cool and wonderful...

 

Great to see, what was only a picture in a magazine for 40+ years, come to life...

 

Thanks for that...

 

John

[grooverunner]

Peter,

 

Looks great!

 

Excellent restoration! You showed me that track a few years ago, That was a lot of work from were it was.

 

This is like finding a famous 1/1 race car that was gone and but a picture in a old magazine, and you find it derelict in barn/field pull it out bring home and bring it back for the world to see...  Priceless!

 

I'm going to come up there to run my 1/24s on the Purple real soon. What day are you there at Lenjet?

 

Can't wait to see it! Thanks for bringing back!

 

Ken

[Lenjet]

Ken,

 

I am here every day, as my manufacturing company occupies the rest of the building.

 

Modleville for 1/24  is open weekends and every day except Monday from 4-9:30 PM. Call my cell if you want any time... (508) 380-3339.

 

New website coming...

[Cheater]

Peter,

 

I recall seeing the condition that track was in when I visited a few years ago. Fabulous job on the restoration!

[Steve Deiters]

Not familiar with this track at all. History and legacy?

[grooverunner]

Peter,

 

Thanks! Got your cell number and will give you a call few days before I come there.

 

Thanks again.

 

Ken

[Cheater]

Does anyone know in what issue of Car Model this race was covered? Or the date when the race was held?

 

I've been attempting to locate the race report for Steve (and myself, actually...) but haven't had any success.

[Lenjet]

How about this:

 

 

 

 

[Cheater]

Thanks, Peter.

 

Let me see what else I can locate on this race.

[A. J. Hoyt]

I built two dedicated scratch-built chassis for this race. A bunch of the Westland HO Racing Association (WHORA "red shirts") made the trip from the Detroit area to Parma a few weeks before the race to "scout" it out and discovered the "fuzzies" (combed-out braid) to complement the pick-ups (A/FX type cars, like Tony's in the photo) or the wipers for the Tyco can in-line Riggen-based or scratch-built chassis.

 

On that trip, I met Don Andrews (the tall, young guy in the photo), the local "hot finger", who made some absolutely stunning Riggen-based scratch-built cars that did not use the Tyco motor can as a stressed member (motors could be swapped out). I only had one scratch-built car set up but was lapping pretty quickly straight-away; the other chassis not built-up. I really wanted to get one of Don's gorgeous chassis (Parma actually included them in the catalog at one point) but, with the big race only a few weeks away, they were in big demand and, of course, were out of stock. Don was impressed enough with my chassis' performance that he pulled one of his out of his box and we swapped even up. His chassis was so beautifully built (had hinged bat pans and plumber, just amazing workmanship!) that I put it in a plastic bag inside a plastic case and never built it until we started a "BRASCAR" gravity class here in Denver about 8 years ago. It was super competitive straight away.

 

Read the article to see Carl Dreher's account of the story of Gary Rider's "adjusted program" during the event - it is the stuff of slot car myth and legend but is true!

 

Great to see it running again. I got to see the track at Modelville under construction while they were widening the inner and outer lanes so they could run all eight (note that the race only used the middle six because it was just too tight to the walls in '72, I think)  

 

I have heard many rumors of a "reunion" race to get all of the principals together again. My original car still has the original motor parts in it and still runs! I know that Scott Hebron has been racing slot cars within the past decade, Gary Rider has been contacted, Rob Hayes is still very involved in toy cars and is still one heck of a skilled racer, Mike Farrett is actually Mike "Raisin" Garrett, who is no slouch at racing slot cars, Pat McGee was there (now lives in CO) and just this year, won the first Retro race he ever entered so he has certainly still "got it," so there is a lot of interest from the MI-based racers to have another go at this.

 

The best friends you will ever make are the ones you make racing toy cars!

[chaparrAL]

Back in the day Steve Medanic and myself arrived very late in his red 65 VW.. We had little

time to dial in our stuff but Steve did well to make the Main, I had controller problems but a great car ,and wound up just outside the Main. If Steve had my car he would have finished  as good as 3rd or 4th.

George Sherlock then gave me an offer i can't refuse. I was broke.  Steve and myself then had a fine dinner at the  restaraunt  across the street the street like the bigtime racers like Limpach and Cuckras, on me. . 

[bbr]

These were the race reports that fuel my passion, as a kid, for HO racing. Soon after this Parma race I started to race with the HOUROC guys (Gary Beedle) out here in SoCal

[Slot Car Mods Magazine]

What a great looking track...  

 

Nice to see it was brought back to life...

 

Ron...