30 replies to this topic

[Alchemist]

I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area in the early 60's, during the advent of commercial slot car tracks for me.

 

So many tracks to visit in the Richmond District of SF where I lived, but my most memorable and favorite was the San Francisco Modelcar Raceways, located at Ocean Beach.

 

 

Here is the actual track log - please note the tracks were not called by any name other than color!

 

 

I did visit other cities to drive my slot cars in the late 60's, early 70's like Oakland, and San Jose.

 

The farthest I traveled and had the opportunity to drive slot cars (not intentionally though,  because I was there with my mother on vacation, visiting relatives and happened across a slot car shop) was at the Ginza shopping area of Tokyo.  That was exciting!

 

"Hakuhinkan Toys Park" opened in 1982 and has a great track!  Located in the Ginza area of Tokyo.  I'd like to visit that place!

https://www.youtube....h?v=GppVDrARjSE

 

How far have you traveled and had the opportunity to run your slot cars please?

 

I'd enjoy hearing about your slot car experiences - whether commercial track/home track - abroad or local area,  that always brings you joy and excitement remembering that experience.

 

If you have pictures to share with your experiences - that would be wonderful to view.

 

Please share your wonderful memories!

 

And while we're at it - what song was most memorable for you while driving your slot cars?

 

Mine was the Beach Boys "California Girls" - I love that song!! LOL

 

Thank you so much!

 

Ernie

[Tom Eatherly]

Mid '60's to '70 at Speed & Sport in Lynwood, Ca. Those were some fun times. Got chances to race/practice with some mighty talented guys then. Mike & Bill Steube[Jr.], Terry Schmid, Tore[John] Anderson, Mike Kondor, John Cukras, Charlie Nelson, just so many racers back in the day. Once S&S got the old tracks out and brought in a King, I believe from Don's Raceway in Downey and built a great Riverside track, they really attracted a lot of racers from all over for the big West coast events. I did ok there, but, not when the big guns came calling. Fun tho. Still race with some of those fellas at BPR. Well, that's my memories.

[Phil Hackett]

Revell Raceway on La Tiera Blvd, near LAX airport (not the one on Woodman in Van Nuys).

 

It had 6 tracks (they had taken over a closed grocery store... ThriftyMart for those in SoCal old enough to remember). The tracks were a Revell Grand Prix (220+), Revell Laguna Seca (maybe longer), a Revell Monaco (this was the local favorite to race on... about 180 feet long), an American Red (called the Imperial), an American Orange (Monarch) and an American Black (Regal). There was so much room. The tracks weren't bunched together and there were gates that separated the spectator areas from the driver areas.

 

From the outside you could see what was going on because Revell kept the floor-to-ceiling windows facing La Tiera (lots of traffic). There was also an enormous parking lot in back (probably parking for 200 cars...easy).

 

The racing program was very un-USRA when I started racing. The management discouraged the fast guys by having transformer power (like the American Model Racing power supplies) and not allowing glue to be applied to the track. The tracks were clean and well maintained....

 

It was good times.... I didn't race or travel around until 2 years after Revell closed (1970) when I was told about the track on the Redondo Beach Pier.... Thunder Thumb! Things had radically changed in those 2 years and I started racing again and have been involved with slot cars since.

[MSwiss]

Ernie,

If you are wondering why this thread has had fairly light response, it's probably because there has already been a 14 page, 332 post, thread, on almost the exact subject matter.

 

http://slotblog.net/...-race-as-a-kid/

[Mark Wampler]

Ernie,

If you are wondering why this thread has had fairly light response, it's probably because there has already been a 14 page, 332 post, thread, on almost the exact subject matter.

 

http://slotblog.net/...-race-as-a-kid/

 

Except that thread was dated nearly 10 years ago...

[Mark Wampler]

Long Beach, Dec 1964, 8th grade.  The track was in Whittier.  Something happened.  A seed was planted.  It was meant to be a lifelong passion.

[MSwiss]

 

Except that thread was dated nearly 10 years ago...

Yes,and there has been posts as recent as a few months ago.

 

Regardless, all the info is pertinent.

 

IOW, where I raced as a kid, hasn't changed in 10 years.

[MattD]

The last post on the thread Mike mentioned was just 2 months ago.    Where we raced as kids has not changed int he last 40 years!!!

[Mark Wampler]

Where we raced as kids doesn't exist anymore.  If you were a kid of the 60's...so what universe are these racers in?

[Mark Wampler]

One of the longest running tracks was Pismo Raceways,  1963 -1988.   Foster's  1989 - Present. 

[Alchemist]

Thanks you gentleman for taking the time to post.

 

I realized after I started this thread, that there was probably a thread similar to this but, as stated, started 10 years ago - though some recent posts had been made.

 

I was hoping that some of the "younger" new members might offer their "more recent" experiences, perhaps from the 80's or more recent times.

 

I thought it would be fun thread, especially for those that may have missed that "Where did you race as a kid" thread.

 

Thanks for letting me know Mike - it is appreciated.

 

Thanks again gentleman for sharing those memories!

 

Ernie

[gatormark]

In the 70,s Miami Crown Hobby. My Dad tok me to see Steve McQueen in LeMans. That was it,hooked. We did have interest in racing via hydroplanes at Miami Marine Stadium but that movie got me started as a boy. I raced HO scale as my dad couldn't afford the big scale stuff.

[MattD]

I don't think there is such a thing as "younger racers".

[Dave Crevie]

I also raced at a couple of Revell tracks in the LA area. Don't remember which ones. Also the track I think Mark referred to. I had

an aunt and uncle that lived at 15502 E. Fernview, pretty close to the track. My cousin took me to so many tracks each summer

I was out there, no way to remember them all. 

[Roy Lievanos]

Santa Ana Raceway is where I started (SAR). I went to Jr High School with the owners sons which was across the street. Great owners and friends along with meeting a great group of racers in the 80's is why I still race today.
In the 80's raced with my son and still pit crew wife and daughter at Westminster Raceway, Charlies Raceway, Valley Raceway, Redline Raceway, Monaco Raceway were the local tracks.

[NY Nick]

I never raced when I was a kid only ran my cars at the tracks, Daytona raceway on AVE U in Brooklyn NY about 1966.

[John C Martin]

I sat down one day ..figured up 110 raceways I’ve raced at since 1964 ..lots and lots of great memories ...

[MSwiss]

J.C.,
I might be able to beat that with raceways that Jerry Kulich owned. Lol

[Dave Buchholz]

Buffalo NY in the sixties.

Grells Hobbies was in Williamsville. 4 American tracks, black yellow orange and bumpy red king

Brighton Raceway in Tonawanda, am American blue king. Can't recall a second track.

West Seneca had a Hillclimb above a roller rink.

Those are the ones I remember. There was also one on Military Rd in the 80's but by then I had moved away.

[NSwanberg]

[Mad Mark]

when I was at my grandparents house I would always look at my dads old Cox BRM in his homemade slot box as a kid. in 1997 or 98 when I was 9 years old was when my Dad first took my to uncle kals underground raceway. Walking down the stairs to the basement and seeing the big track with the huge bank and the place was filled. only one little display cabinet at that time and I vividly remember a carbon fiber effect with Batman logo paint job wingcar on display in a clear box on top.

wish I snagged some of the polaroids they would take of the podium finishers. good times.

[Phil Smith]

I visited my first slot car in the early '60s. Tiger Raceway (I think) in Dallas, TX. I was 6-7- years old and only went ~ 10 times and never raced. That was enough to plant the seed though. Funny how you never get over some things from your childhood. Like - long pause - well it turns out it doesn't make you go blind after all!

[axman]

One of the first commercial tracks I ever raced on is Hornsby Raceway, located in an outer suburb of Sydney Australia. I went there on the weekends in 1966, and it's still going today. Must be one of the longest continually open raceways in the world. The tracks and owners have changed, but we still race there on 2 really good tracks, a !55 "grandstand" and an 8 lane flat track. 

[stoo23]

Ha ha Yes Kim,.. I was just 'referring' to it in another 'thread' on here,..

It was Opened in late 1963 !! and was then known as "Waitara Raceway",.. (the Suburb it is actually In), Now called "Hornsby Slot Cars" I guess partly as More people probably know and have heard of Hornsby, than Waitara it being the next suburb just up the road,..

[axman]

Ha ha Yes Kim,.. I was just 'referring' to it in another 'thread' on here,..

It was Opened in late 1963 !! and was then known as "Waitara Raceway",.. (the Suburb it is actually In), Now called "Hornsby Slot Cars" I guess partly as More people probably know and have heard of Hornsby, than Waitara it being the next suburb just up the road,..

Pretty good Stoo.. that's 56 years of continuous operation. And it's still the premier race centre in NSW