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#126 Cheater

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Posted 30 May 2017 - 02:29 PM

The rumors I am hearing suggest that Roger is the guy who has helped to fund the production of the Mossetti chassis, not Ron Hershman. Whether this is accurate info or not, I do not know.


I have been privately informed that this rumor is not true, by someone whose veracity is good enough for me.
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Gregory Wells

Never forget that first place goes to the racer with the MOST laps, not the racer with the FASTEST lap





#127 Brinkley47

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Posted 30 May 2017 - 03:11 PM

I heard a rumor there are people making tons of money in slot cars. Unfortunately, I don't believe it is true...

Let's be thankful to those willing to volunteer their time to keep this hobby successful.
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#128 old & gray

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Posted 30 May 2017 - 04:24 PM

I heard a rumor there are people making tons of money in slot cars. Unfortunately, I don't believe it is true...

Let's be thankful to those willing to volunteer their time to keep this hobby successful.

 

I heard of several people who made a small fortune running slot car tracks.

 

They all started with large fortunes. :laugh2:


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#129 Mike K

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Posted 30 May 2017 - 05:01 PM

They are to the raceways that host them and spend a lot of money to spruce up their shops.

This might be devastating to a raceway like SCR.

 

Sounds like the USRA is more relevant to the raceway owners and manufacturers rather than the racers who are supposed to be running the organization...


So much DRAMA for such small cars....
Mike Kravitz

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#130 MSwiss

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Posted 01 June 2017 - 03:20 PM

For those who don't frequent OWH much, I just spotted this;

 

http://www.slotcarta...-jk-c43-chassis


Mike Swiss
 
Inventor of the Low CG guide flag 4/20/18
IRRA® Components Committee Chairman
Five-time USRA National Champion (two G7, one G27, two G7 Senior)
Two-time G7 World Champion (1988, 1990), eight G7 main appearances
Eight-time G7 King track single lap world record holder

17B West Ogden Ave., Westmont, IL 60559, (708) 203-8003, mikeswiss86@hotmail.com (also my PayPal address)

Note: Send all USPS packages and mail to: 692 Citadel Drive, Westmont, Illinois 60559


#131 Eparison

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Posted 01 June 2017 - 03:28 PM

Let the backpeddling begin!


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#132 Greg VanPeenen

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Posted 01 June 2017 - 03:33 PM

For those who don't frequent OWH much, I just spotted this;

 

http://www.slotcarta...-jk-c43-chassis

 On Facebook also. I hope Tim holds his ground. The bite bar assortment should also be approved.

 

GVP



#133 Ramcatlarry

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Posted 01 June 2017 - 03:56 PM

This GvP precedent must also allow a J-bar assortment from Mossetti.

 

July first - deadline to propose bylaw changes.  I would start with a LEGAL board of directors from the membership. Duty officers are a separate function such as tech directors.  Incorporation, 990 IRS filing.et al.


Larry D. Kelley, MA
retired raceway owner... Raceworld/Ramcat Raceways
racing  around Chicago-land

 

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#134 Greg VanPeenen

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Posted 01 June 2017 - 05:21 PM

This GvP precedent must also allow a J-bar assortment from Mossetti.

 

July first - deadline to propose bylaw changes. I would start with a LEGAL board of directors from the membership. Duty officers are a separate function such as tech directors.  Incorporation, 990 IRS filing.et al.

 

Yes. But only if it is OEM from Mossetti and JK.

 

GVP



#135 Dennis David

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Posted 01 June 2017 - 05:22 PM

I think it's more the prestige of holding what is still considered a major race than the extra income for this event. Having attendance take a hit because of this controversy would be very demoralizing.

Just my $0.02

Dennis David
    
 


#136 Zippity

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Posted 01 June 2017 - 06:33 PM

Let the backpeddling begin!

 

Let's keep politics out of this discussion :)


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#137 old & gray

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Posted 01 June 2017 - 06:51 PM

 

Let's keep politics out of this discussion :)

 

pol·i·tics
ˈpäləˌtiks/
noun

the activities associated with the governance of an area, especially the debate or conflict among individuals or parties having or hoping to achieve power

 

Too late, way too late.


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#138 Fast Freddie

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Posted 02 June 2017 - 09:49 AM

GVP is right, the J-bar assortment should be allowed if only for the reason that previous bite bars of different sizes were allowed as well as the different size of tube on the Mossetti not to mention the crazy Z-bar as a last minute fix to the unreliable push/body pins. 

 

Oh and by the way since it does say "push/body pins" in the rule book that would allow the use of T-pins which are a form of "push pin."


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#139 Arne Saknussem

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Posted 04 June 2017 - 01:06 PM

This would have made a great Marx brothers movie.


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#140 Samiam

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Posted 04 June 2017 - 02:36 PM

I thought it was.


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#141 Kevin Donovan

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Posted 05 June 2017 - 05:32 AM

Obviously USRA needs some changes but it is the oldest and most legitimate organization in our hobby.

 

As far as the new flexi chassis, I welcome the advances made and the fact that more than one manufacturer has a competitive chassis.



#142 Cheater

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Posted 05 June 2017 - 05:56 AM

I would agree with the oldest...


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Gregory Wells

Never forget that first place goes to the racer with the MOST laps, not the racer with the FASTEST lap


#143 Arne Saknussem

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Posted 05 June 2017 - 03:58 PM

Obviously USRA needs some changes but it is the oldest and most legitimate organization in our hobby.
 
As far as the new flexi chassis, I welcome the advances made and the fact that more than one manufacturer has a competitive chassis.

 
The problem remains that several parties to the string of missteps that is the recent history of the USRA have no regard for the health of slot racing.
 
Here's to a fifth decade of incoherency.

Pete Varlan

60 years a slot racer


#144 Kevin Donovan

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Posted 05 June 2017 - 10:41 PM

At least the members of USRA have an opportunity to vote and change things instead of being at the mercy of a "board of directors." Racers should be able to have a say in the rules since they are the ones paying to race and keep the hobby alive. I would like to see regional USRA racing again.



#145 MSwiss

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Posted 05 June 2017 - 10:59 PM

LOL.

There should be some interesting posts answering the above statement.

I bet we'll see a good one from the owner of Slotblog.

Mike Swiss
 
Inventor of the Low CG guide flag 4/20/18
IRRA® Components Committee Chairman
Five-time USRA National Champion (two G7, one G27, two G7 Senior)
Two-time G7 World Champion (1988, 1990), eight G7 main appearances
Eight-time G7 King track single lap world record holder

17B West Ogden Ave., Westmont, IL 60559, (708) 203-8003, mikeswiss86@hotmail.com (also my PayPal address)

Note: Send all USPS packages and mail to: 692 Citadel Drive, Westmont, Illinois 60559


#146 MSwiss

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Posted 05 June 2017 - 11:06 PM

At least the members of USRA have an opportunity to vote and change things instead of being at the mercy of a "board of directors." Racers should be able to have a say in the rules since they are the ones paying to race and keep the hobby alive.


Nine racers just paid air fare from Japan to come race at RetroPalooza under a set of rules,they didn't get to vote on.


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Mike Swiss
 
Inventor of the Low CG guide flag 4/20/18
IRRA® Components Committee Chairman
Five-time USRA National Champion (two G7, one G27, two G7 Senior)
Two-time G7 World Champion (1988, 1990), eight G7 main appearances
Eight-time G7 King track single lap world record holder

17B West Ogden Ave., Westmont, IL 60559, (708) 203-8003, mikeswiss86@hotmail.com (also my PayPal address)

Note: Send all USPS packages and mail to: 692 Citadel Drive, Westmont, Illinois 60559


#147 gc4895

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Posted 05 June 2017 - 11:10 PM

I think that's called the tyranny of the majority rule. It's an ugly and often violent system. It's why, as a reminder, we enjoy a republic. Not exactly the same as a board of directors, but you get the idea.

 

Board of directors beats mob rule. I'm just sayin'.


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#148 Half Fast

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Posted 05 June 2017 - 11:18 PM

At least the members of USRA have an opportunity to vote and change things instead of being at the mercy of a "board of directors." Racers should be able to have a say in the rules since they are the ones paying to race and keep the hobby alive. I would like to see regional USRA racing again.

 
Compare the 192 entries (in five classes) for RetroPalooza for 2017 to the (edit-138) total entries (edit-in nine classes) of the 2017 USRA D2 Nats!
 
Looks like the racers voted with their entry fees!
 
Cheers,


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#149 Racer36

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Posted 06 June 2017 - 05:13 AM

It's pretty obvious that the IRRA® rule set works. 192 entries can't be wrong. Now if we could get the same group of guys to write a set of flexi and wing car rules...


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#150 Cheater

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Posted 06 June 2017 - 06:50 AM

Kevin,
 
The problems with the USRA structure are these:
 
1) Racers virtually always vote to benefit only themselves and their own racing. There's little or no concern for the raceways, the industry, or the overall hobby, not to mention the other racers.
 
2) In any organization, slots or otherwise, the best results occur when there are clear goals and a vision for the future, a consensus as to where the organization is heading with actions being undertaken to achieve those goals. The USRA leadership over the past few decades has not demonstrated any significant leadership in this regard.
 
3) In organized slot racing, rules stability should be a prime directive and again, the USRA has not been very effective in either understanding that concept or adhering to it.
 
4) A critical issue in almost everything in life is communication and the USRA has historically not acted as if this is an important factor. Don't forget that communication is a two-way street; leadership has to communicate with the membership and the membership needs to have a clear and effective channel of communication with the leadership. Again, the USRA has done poorly in this regard.
 
5) The USRA has shown for many years that recognizing and archiving the accomplishments of racers who excel at USRA racing is not much of a concern. Anyone know who won the Intl-15 class at the Nats in 1990 or where to find that information?
 
5) Not sure how many racers realize how small the USRA membership is. When I twice volunteered (I was not asked to do it) to count the USRA online vote a decade or so ago ago (because no elected official was willing to take on the task), the membership number was roughly 235-240 people worldwide (and there was a surprising number of non-US members) and a significant percentage of them did not vote. I also note that the site of next year's D2 Nats was determined by exactly 38 total votes. So to consider the USRA to be a "racer run" organization is misguided. At these numbers, the vote can be unfairly influenced and IMO this has happened in the past, especially regarding the sites for future Nats events.
 
Racer36, your nice comment regarding the the IRRA® rules sorta misses the point. The success of that organization is not based solely on the rules that define the types of slot cars raced, but IMO on the overall functioning of the organization. Yes, the specific car rules are important to an extent, but the overall functioning of the organization is the more important factor. In a successful organization, just like in an internal combustion engine, all functional aspects have to be optimized: fueling, induction and exhaust, timing, ignition, etc., to achieve a well-running and powerful result. The USRA for far too long has been more akin to a one-cylinder hit-and-miss engine that misfires more often than not.
 
In my opinion, of course...


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Gregory Wells

Never forget that first place goes to the racer with the MOST laps, not the racer with the FASTEST lap






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