55 replies to this topic

[Egil Aksnes]

Forty years ago today I entered Joel's Race Place in Greenbelt, MD, to participate in The Big Bicentennial Race. It was to become one of the most memorable moments in my life. But more about this later.
 
I just wondered if there are any other slotracers out there who also raced in the Bicentennial 40 years ago, and if any of you still are active racers?
 
Would be fun to know.
 
I have enclosed some pictures. More will come later.

[Bill from NH]

I wasn't at the Bicentennial race but a group of racers I knew from the state of Maine went down. Some of them still race slots. I did race against Joel when he traveled north to their track, Jewett's Raceway, Westbrook, ME, the following summer. I think it was 1978 I ran rental cars on Joel's king when I made a trip to DC.

[tonyp]

I was there.

[John Gorski]

Bob "Stork" Crane.

[tonyp]

We had that race in the bag, Ernie had the best car and was cruising but we lost two pinions. Still had the lead with a couple of minutes to go, got banzied in the deadman where Big Jim as marshaling and since Crane was running his motor he yelled out, "Go, Bob!" as he held Ernie's car until Bob went by.

That's how it was back then. Especially for a $1,776 prize.

[alainprost22]

I was there. I ran one of Ray Kallio's monorail chassis, with a Rocket arm/set-up and (most likely) a Camen Lancia. I had the distinct pleasure of qualifying for a 3 AM Consy. In (probably) 8 minutes, my race was over. I'm pretty sure Ray TQ'd. Full punching the donut was heady stuff in those days. I think Gauls won the Amateur event. I watched a lot of the high end archery boys, strutting their stuff. 
Greg Elner came down with me. I remember assuring Greg's mother said that he would be safe with me. Little did she know, that many hours later, some of the guys in our crew would tie Greg to a chair. Greg was let go, due to good behavior.

Before the Main, Jim Difalco asked me to detail his chassis. I was probably the only slot racer that always carried 0000 steel wool and Q-Tips. 

During the main, I marshalled the straight, while keeping Jim aware of current track happenings. It was a great race. Tired and exhausted (somehow), we made it home.

[NY Nick]

Al you have any pictures of the Kallio?

[alainprost22]

Sorry, Nick, I do not. But if Ray was around... he might have an example.

[tonyp]

Some day I'll tell you about blowing out the power in the hotel for the weekend with our zapper.

[Egil Aksnes]

Just a couple of days before I went over to the race I dated a girl. I told her that I would be away for three weeks to the States to drive small model cars. She said OK, thinking this was some temporary craze that would last for a short period... Well, I am still racing small model cars, and I am still married to the girl I dated that time!
 
Coming over to the states I had not managed to book a hotel. No online booking back then... But Joel was kind enough to let me stay at his home for the entire time! Thank you, Joel!!
 
Arriving in Greenbelt, Axel Pommeranz from Germany had alredy arrived. The Swedes came a litle later.
 
In the picture the Swedish drivers Jan Ekman, Thomas Hansson, and Bjarne Lilliendahl.

[Egil Aksnes]

Alan Payne qualifying: Jan Limpach watching. Anyone know the other guys?

[Egil Aksnes]

Warm-up race final.

L. to R: Bob Crane, Rick Dodge (?), then no. 4 of the drivers Steve Bogut, then Thomas Hansson, Alan Payne, Chris Berlew of Outisight, and Neil McCurdy(?).

[MSwiss]

Great pics, Egil.

I especially like #11.

That race was about midway in my 10-year hiatus from 1/24 racing, but I do recognize a very young Jim Stevens in the Michigan State shirt, and of course, Jan Limpach.

I'm still waiting for Bud to chloroform Jan and drag him to R4 against his will. LOL.

Was the roller coaster main chute a problem at all with cars launching?

[tonyp]

Second from left driving is Big Jim owner of Checkpoint.

[Jaz]

Next to him, at third position, looks like it might be Dick P.

[mjsh]

In picture #11, looks like Anthony Onesto in the red tank top, Dave Willits' friend Mike Fromer and his beautiful wife Alaina behind him. I know you can't see her but I remember that top vividly.

[S.O. Watt]

We beat ya to it by a few years.
 
Cleveland NCC, Walt's Pearl Motel... wadda long strange trip it was...
 
Isn't that you Tony, in the right background?

Some day I'll tell you about blowing out the power in the hotel for the weekend with our zapper.

[S.O. Watt]

Straightaway marshal next to Bogut was standard on any American King for many, many years. There is still "the shelf" in the bank, too. So, yes, It was pretty normal for the times.
 
When I ran on that track in '86 it was still a very good American King. It was upstairs at Camen in Hyattsville with close to a third of the straight and the bank suspended from the ceiling hanging out in space. One could walk around it at the lead-on end and turn marshall your car in the deadman, but don't misstep.

Was the roller coaster main chute a problem at all with cars launching?

[tonyp]

Tom, yup that's me.

But you did not blow out the power in the Washington DC area on the bicentennial weekend the biggest holiday of the century. LOL. We were lucky to get a room in a different hotel. When we would drive past the hotel there were electrical company trucks in the lot for a couple of days. LOL.

[tonyp]

Mike, as this was full glue racing, as long as you had someone clean the straight every heat there was no issue with the straight unless your car was hurt.

[brnursebmt]

Tony, 

IIRC "Big Jim" had just arrived in Chamblee, GA, to work at Champion before this race. I remember he had wound a ton of arms to take up there. Wally Fleming and Jimmy Joye went up with Jim. My parents wouldn't let me go because I was too young. But maybe the Champion thing came right before the NATS at Buzzy's. It was all a long time ago!
 
Jimmy later painted and mounted bodies for Trinity's RTR cars.

[Egil Aksnes]

One of the Semis: Some familiar faces?

[Egil Aksnes]

My car from the race. Lots og everything back then: Lots of lead, rubber, heatsinks. And glue of course!!

[tonyp]

Jim Difalco, Alan Payne big Jim, ???, Art Taarver, Ernest Provetti, ???, Kallio, Alan Polack.

Might be Al Chuck marshaling the straight. This is probably one of the Semis to make the A.

[MSwiss]

It was upstairs at Camen in Hyattsville with close to a third of the straight and the bank suspended from the ceiling hanging out in space. One could walk around it at the lead-on end and turn marshall your car in the deadman, but don't misstep.

I vaguely remember someone mentioning if you launched in the bank, you wound up on floor, a floor down.
 
I'd love to see a picture of that end of the track.
 
Any idea what it took (how many guys) to rig that up?
 

This is probably one of the semis to make the A.

Not the A. It was called the Main.
 
You've been racing Retro too long. LOL.