15 replies to this topic

[Markomatic]

Saturday was rainy and dreary here in Wisconsin. I decided to take my 11-year old daughter Grace to Lucky Bob's in Milwaukee. We took an old boxstock car with a Mini Brute motor. It is fast enough for a beginner but hard to deslot.

 

Grace drove for about 10 minutes and seemed to enjoy herself and wants to do it again. I got hooked at her age many years ago and have been hooked since.

 

[Jairus]

Nothing wrong with that! 

 

I have two daughters and a son. All showed a strong talent for racing, but it never took hold as a hobby.

 

You're a good dad!

[Markomatic]

Notice the trigger is up to 11.

[Jairus]

(Spinal Tap fan...) 

[Bill from NH]

My two kids are 30 and 36. Both raced slot cars with me when they were your daughter's  ge. I still have their cars.

[Markomatic]

Grace at Lucky Bob's

[John Streisguth]

Hey Mark,

 

Did you race at a track in Rockaway, NJ, by any chance?

[Markomatic]

I sure did, as well as at Zeppelin and most other tracks in the NJ, NY, and PA area.  

 

I remember you, John.

[gc4895]

I built a wing car (Contender motor) for my daughter. It sported a six-inch mini-Barbie doll firmly attached to the hood. With a bit of tape to restrict full controller trigger wiper movement (sorta like the "restrictor plate" concept) she could zoom around the track with the Barbie's blond locks flowing in the wind while her brother and I raced on the adjacent track.

 

While the execution of the concept was flawless it, sadly, didn't foster any follow on interest from my daughter. Though she clearly remembers whipping around the track with that set-up.

[Markomatic]

My Difalco controller handle was a bit shabby so fortunately the raceway had some handles for sale. There was smoke and pink which is more of a raspberry/purple color. She got to choose.

 

Which one would you guess I now have on the controller?

[Bill from NH]

Pink, of course.

[Cheater]

That's a no-brainer... LOL!

[John Streisguth]

I sure did, as well as at Zeppelin and most other tracks in the NJ, NY, and PA area.  

 

I remember you, John.

 

Welcome back to the hobby.

 

BTW, I've been to Lucky Bob's on a business trip to the area. A couple guys loaned me a car and controller for one of the weekly races. Didn't do great, but still had fun. Seems like a nice bunch of people there

[Markomatic]

Thanks John,

 

I stopped in to Alpha Raceway one Tuesday night. Met up with Paul Pfeiffer again. He lent me a car and I came in sixth out of 11. Not bad for 20+ years of cobwebs. Plus, I didn't want to piss off the locals on the first night so I tried to stay out of their way.

 

I was pleased at how friendly and welcoming the people are at both tracks.

 

I still have my old slot box and every so often I would open it up and out would come the smell of racetracks of yore.

[John Streisguth]

Thanks John,

 

I stopped in to Alpha Raceway one Tuesday night. Met up with Paul Pfeiffer again. He lent me a car and I came in sixth out of 11. Not bad for 20+ years of cobwebs. Plus, I didn't want to piss off the locals on the first night so I tried to stay out of their way.

 

I was pleased at how friendly and welcoming the people are at both tracks.

 

I still have my old slot box and every so often I would open it up and out would come the smell of racetracks of yore.

After a few years in heavy duty HO racing, I started racing again at Zeppelins until about 2006. Two years away, the I came across "retro" racing, and a bunch of familiar names from back in the 60's at Nutley Raceway jumped out at me. I've been doing that for 9 years now.

[Markomatic]

I think I may have gone to your house to race HO back in the day.