31 replies to this topic

[Dennis David]

I read recently that all 4 members of Team Russkit were students at Cal State, Long Beach. Anyone else have anything to add about their personal lives?

[chaparrAL]

 When I moved to AZ I had a job interview with Rick Durkee.  He owns or owned a high end dental lab in Paradise Valley.  Big bucks back in the day before offshore competition and the insurance industries crashed the fees. He may have sold out and retired by now. I hope so. The good days are long gone.

 He was held in very high esteem in the industry and featured in articles in trade magazines.

 It is a shame I was there on a real bad day for him, learning he was about to be divorced. It was actually a bit unpleasant. I was to replace someone who wanted out. I quickly perceived why. Lot of pressure.

 Our meeting was brief and impersonal . He clearly had 10 pounds of **** to go in a 5 pound bag and little time. So I did not bring up slot car racing at all hoping to run into him again in a happier time. That never happened.

 I took a job I could ride my bycycle to instead of driving 30 miles. That was before they got the freeways done.

 

[Dennis David]

So Durkee wen into Dentistry, Morrissey went into RC?

[chaparrAL]

Yep and Sandy Gross makes speakers. Expensive ones. 

[tonyp]

Sandy used to sold company a few years ago.


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[Dennis David]

What about the other Team Russkit members?

[Howie Ursaner]

Sandy has new speaker company called Golden Ear Technologies that is doing very well. Doug Henline went on to build Go Karts.

[Eddie Fleming]

Howie do you remember the brand name of the Karts Doug built?

[Dennis David]

Ok, I'll make it easy. What did Ron Quintana and Len Vucci do after their Team Russkit years?

[Keith Tanaka]

Here's a link to Doug Henline's company, DWT:

 

http://dwtracing.com...e-of-champions/

 

 

Keith

[Eddie Fleming]

Here's a link to Doug Henline's company, DWT:

 

http://dwtracing.com...e-of-champions/

 

 

Keith

Very interesting Thanks Keith.

[Dennis David]

Ok but im Looking at the original Russkit Team

[tonyp]

Mike Morrissey went to work for associated and designed their first 1/8th gas car which revolutionized the sport. He then built his own car the Taurus. He won a couple national championships in R/C then disappeared.


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[don.siegel]

He did pop up on here about 15 years ago, posted a few times, then disappeared. Maybe try a search... 

Don 

[Bill from NH]

I thought he had also shown up at a BPR retro race about 5 or 6 years ago. I believe there was a photo or two of him from this time posted on here.

[Dennis David]

Thats like Manfred von Brauchitsch showing up at the Mercedes Benz factory. What do you say to a driver from the last century?

[Half Fast]

 What do you say to a driver from the last century?

 

Hello, most of the guys in Retro East!

 

Cheers

[tonyp]

Mike was the reason I started to scratch build after seeing that first Rod & Custom Road race article. Before that we just played with slot cars.


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[Dennis David]

Ok, I'll make it easy. What did Ron Quintana and Len Vucci do after their Team Russkit years? Did they end up on a deserted island or join the foreign legion?

[Samiam]

Do a people search or contact them on Fakebook. If they have passed, contact friends and family. Or hire an ex MI-6 agent.

[Dennis David]

My mistake, I thought Slotblog was the fountain of all knowledge. LOL

[Howie Ursaner]

Howie do you remember the brand name of the Karts Doug built?

Doug Henline started producing Proline Karts in the early 80's. They won like 60 National Championships. I bought one from him for my friend Shane new back then.He went on to start Douglas Wheels afterwards. 

[TSR]

Ron Quintana is in AZ and will be a guest at the LASCM Grand Opening sometimes in the first quarter of 2018.

Len Vucci went into motorcycle journalism, then had a divorce, slept in his car for a while, then recovered and worked in a photo lab in Costa Mesa for a while. But I have had no contact with him for several years.
Len donated to me, and I donated to the LASCM, what is believed to be the only surviving Team Russkit original clothing, the pale blue polyester jacket, complete with shirt, tie and pants, as well as the only known survivor of a Team Russkit racing box with all its contents.

Mike Morrissey is part of an architectural company right down the street from Bryan Warmack's shop.

All surviving Team Russkit members as well as a select number of former slot car racing "stars", will receive an invite for the grand opening. Fistfights can them resume where they left off.
 

[Dennis David]

Thanks Philippe, what did Ron do after leaving Russkit?

[TSR]

I don't remember.