102 replies to this topic

[Ron Hershman]

Here is a LINK to a photograph of a King track with the steep high bank.

I'll try to get a better picture on here soon but this King does have a high bank steeper than 30 degrees

It was also used for the 1982 Nats.

If that is the '82 Nats track in the pic... it is NOT a King track. The '82 Nats was held on an modified American red track.

[tonyp]

It also does not look at all like an American King. If so it was completely rebuilt.

I do not remember any Kings without the holes in the walls up the donut. The finger is banked way too much.

[kuni123456]

I started to race USRA in 1973 and still have my old angle winder slot cars. I know that the old slot cars are faster than the new D3 slot cars. The old slot cars were run in full glue and with rewind motors. The new D3 slot cars are run with no glue and with stock motors. I was told by John Cukras that he had a slot car that broke the 4 second barrier on a Blue King Track. The other problem with comparing the old with the new is that the new tracks are much smoother and have more banking in the corners. I could run my old slot cars with full glue at Buena Park Raceway and see how fast they are compared to the current D3 slot cars. I also have my 1990s Group 7 slot cars and I remember that Craig Landry's Group 7 slot car qualified at 1.875 seconds at the 1993 Nats Race at Checkered Flag Raceray. The current Group 7 qualifying time is 1.404 seconds at the 2007 Western States Race at Buena Park Raceway by Paul "Buef" Pedersen. I do not think that you can compare the old with the new because of the changes in technology and the improved track conditions. I would like to see more slot car racers racing today and also more slot car raceways. I guess that the average age of a slot car racer is probably over 50 years, and the hobby really needs younger racers.

John K. Wakamatsu

[JEngland]

Well, it is. It's an American Model Raceways King track built in the 1960s. I owned this very special track for two years. Several former employees of Champion of Chamblee told me and a dozen or so usra div. one racers within the southern region told me this was in fact the Inman South Carolina track. I supose all of them are mistaken. And no, it does not look like an old king from the photo but I can tell you that it was so heavy that it took pallet jacks and fork lifts to move it around. I was told that a very few king tracks were produced with a 45 degree high bank. I was the very proud owner of one of them. Have a nice day.

PS This was not one of John Ford's tracks and it was not one of Hasse's either. It is an original King. Yes, it had been improved through the years and the little spindle side rails across the bridge had been removed long ago. Have a nice life.

[loudspeaker]

I figure we will be running 6 second laps on the 220 ft Nuvolari when Retro East goes to Elmsford in September for the John Gorski Sr. Memorial Race. I hope it will be a huge turnout like the Arco race was "Back in the Day".

Hi Ray,

What is the date of the Elmsford race?

Thanks,

[Ron Hershman]

What is the date of the Elmsford race?

Sunday, Sept 14, 2008.

[NJ Racer]

Hi Sandy,

Good to hear from you again. The Elmsford date is Sunday, 9/14/08, 11 AM. Hope you can visit and join in on the fun. There may be some other surprise visitors/racers showing as well.

Please wear your best suit.



Here is the link to our schedule on Slotblog: Retro East™ Schedule

[NJ Racer]

Actually, Jeff...

Pro Wire 12 was a class run in the Parma Challenge Cup National Series race #6 during March of 1994 in Hayes, VA. Additionally Ray Lee won the NE Challenge Cup race #5 at Zeppelin's in March of 1994, which I was at. Ray Lee won the Series in 1995. During 1995 Pro Wire 12 was attracting even bigger fields in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. The 1995 USRA Nats featured Pro Wire 12 using Parma rules. We were using Pro Slot, RJR, Mura, and Camen horsepower and Pro Slot chassis were hot at the time.

[tonyp]

Sandy,

Let me know about two weeks before the race if you plan on racing...

[tonyp]

Ray,

Which geek in that picture is you?

[NJ Racer]

Tony,

That's Dave Liebenthal in between Howie and Sandy. Dave is the owner of Proformance Racing, Inc.

The kid on the right I believe is Bruce Paschal or something like that and Alan Pollack may be able to elaborate what happened to him when we see him at the Elmsford race.

[Cheater]

I ain't buying that that's Liebenthal. Wasn't he born old and ugly?

[Cheater]

I shot Dave Liebenthal a link to this thread and here's his reply (posted with permission):

Yeah, that's me alright. I saw this picture a few years ago. Some of the old group still talk about that race with the Pollack's and Team Russkit at "Jumpin' Louie's". If you REALLY want to stir things up... say real loud "TURN UP THE HEAT, LOUIE !!!" and see who knows what that means.

The reference to Bruce in one of the posts... Bruce died in the early '70s. He hung out with the Pollack's on and off the track. I spent many an afternoon at the Pollack's apt. We all met in the mid-'60s racing at the many tracks in the New York area and went to high school together thru 1969.

We are still very good friends... more like family actually.

[NJ Racer]

"TURN UP THE HEAT, LOUIE!!!"

By the way, no one got hurt, but we lost our home raceway.

[Noose]

The first mis-use of lighter fluid for tire cleaning?

[tonyp]

The rumor was it was on purpose, but we know people do not do those things in real life.

[David Liebenthal]

The rumor was it was on purpose, but we know people do not do those things in real life.

Someone went on the roof to retreive a football at Louie's and nearly jumped off of it coming back. He found the football he went for had four legs and a long tail to match the long snout with a nose on the end. I can't remember if he said it was smokin' a cigar! I still shiver and chuckle when I remember that. I sure miss Jumpin' Louie's place even after all these years. Sigh...

I have never seen another track with that design. If I get bored I'll draw up its configuration and post it for you guys. I can still see it in my little brain. It was really different but awesome. A real necktwister.

Thanks,

[tonyp]

Hi Dave,

Woodburry had the same track for awhile. God, I hated that thing... LOL. I am not sure who made them. It may have been an off-brand like R&J?

[slotcarone]

Welcome aboard, Dave!!!

[loudspeaker]

Let me know about two weeks before the race if you plan on racing...

Thanks, Tony, I will let you know. I want to try to attend but as for racing... I just don't know.

[TSR]

The kid on the right I believe is Bruce Paschal or something like that...

Bruce is 83 years old now, so that kid would have had a rather explosive growth!

[David Liebenthal]

Hello everyone,

I am really getting excited about Retro. I am going to make the trip this next weekend and go to the race in Maryland. I'll pick up Steve O'keefe and we will be there Saturday. I am looking forward to seeing how you old farts drive with tri-focals, canes, oxygen tubes, IVs, and bedpans nearby... "depends™" on how much fiber you had that morning, huh!

I'll be the big, fat, bearded, silver-haired Heeb so shake my hand and tell me who the heck you are. Steve looks like Garfunkel's old man... (sorry Steve, I couldn't resist).

[tonyp]

See you guys Saturday!

[MSwiss]

I am really getting excited about Retro...

David,

Great to hear you're fired up by Retro. With the building, tuning, diverse-looking cars, and realistic speeds for guys our age, you'll have more fun than you can stand.

[David Liebenthal]

Hi Mike,

I've been meaning to call you about all this. I have been hearing about all the success you have been having with Retro.

I am planning to come up in July, I think it is. I'll call in the next few days.