33 replies to this topic

[Clyde Romero]

I get asked frequently why I still race slot cars by friends of mine who did it when they were kids. I started in 1963 in NYC racing at Polk Hobbies, Cobra Raceway, Buzz-A-Rama, Roosevelt Raceway, and many other tracks in the NYC area. Most of them know what I did for a living and they seem puzzled.
 
So over a drink I told him that as we get older (I am 70, going to be 71 in Aug) we tend to lose motor skills and hand eye coordination. It's just a factor of getting older.
 
I told him that I know of no other hobby that will challenge your hand eye coordination motor skill set on a daily basis like slot car racing where you can't get hurt.
 
In my previous life I was an airline captain for a major airline so flying kept that skillset up to speed. Landing at night in the rain will challenge your hand eye coordination especially in a crosswind.
 
I flew helicopters in Vietnam (see picture) which takes an extraordinary amount of hand eye coordination to fly.
 

 
I also flew fighters, which required you to perform air-to-air refueling. This is one of the most challenging maneuvers that you must be able to do day or night! At times in the clouds!  
 

 
To say the least, hand-eye coordination is of the utmost issue doing this, and, yes, it can be a little scary
 
The only other hobby that, to me at least, challenges your hand-eye coordination to the max is motorcycle racing, and I used to do that as well. I sold all my race bikes when I turned 69.
 

 
Once again, this can get you seriously injured, but not racing slot cars
 
So, for me it was an easy choice. I want to maintain my motor skill set which has been with me for a long time and have fun at the same time!
 
Clyde

[MattD]

You have my respect. I just do it to have fun with friends.

[gmpower]

Nice post!!!

[Rodger Niznik]

I also dig the "hand/eye" coordination that's required for racing slot cars. Keeps you sharp.

 

You're a TRUE AMERICAN HERO!

Clyde, you have my respect.

 

All the best to you.

[Pablo]

[DOCinCanton]

I had the honor and privilege to meet and talk to Clyde at the last R4. He is a very impressive person. Hopefully, we will be able to get together at another big race soon, maybe the Sano.

 

As we get older, some of us are concerned about our eye/hand coordination. That is why I race slot cars today at age 71. But also, I love the competition and a love building my own chassis and going to the local track to test them out. Slot car racing is awesome.

[Brian Czeiner]

Phantoms. 

[Clyde Romero]

Thanks, Doc. I always enjoy your company. You, Jersey John, and the rest of us old guys racing Retro makes it for me!

You're the best squadron mates anyone could have anywhere. I always look forward to meeting up and racing with you.

See you soon, Boss.

[Clyde Romero]

Thank you for the kind words, Roger. 

It was an honor and a privilege to serve. 
We weren’t the Greatest Generation but us Vietnam vets held up our part of the bargain.

Until then,

clyde

[Racer36]

I will echo the reasons Clyde gave for keeping a controller in hand as we get older, and I will certainly convey my respect to a guy I have come to call a friend. After a year old this lockdown business it was awesome to have a chat on the phone with Clyde a week or so ago.

if I can add to this, I keep racing as much for the fellowship as anything else. I’ve met some really nice people, and some real characters, in my travels racing slot cars in North America. Some of the friendships will far exceed my time in slot racing and I’m grateful for that. 
let’s hope we can get back to slot car normal soon!

[Clyde Romero]

I will echo the reasons Clyde gave for keeping a controller in hand as we get older, and I will certainly convey my respect to a guy I have come to call a friend. After a year old this lockdown business it was awesome to have a chat on the phone with Clyde a week or so ago.

if I can add to this, I keep racing as much for the fellowship as anything else. I’ve met some really nice people, and some real characters, in my travels racing slot cars in North America. Some of the friendships will far exceed my time in slot racing and I’m grateful for that. 
let’s hope we can get back to slot car normal soon!

Moose and squirrel my Canadian Friend thanks for the kind words.

it gentlemen like you Dan,Jersey,Doc and the others whose names escape me make it worth the drive to race slot cars and have laughs!

like I tell my friends who don’t race

where else can you hit someone with a car and they don’t call the police!

see you at the SANOS hopefully 

Clyde 

[glueside]

I see you brother!!!

[Howie Ursaner]

Awesome post Clyde! You are an inspiration to many! Slot car racing is lucky to have someone like you involved. Hope to see you around some racetrack this year when you show up in your Ferrari. 

[Clyde Romero]

Awesome post Clyde! You are an inspiration to many! Slot car racing is lucky to have someone like you involved. Hope to see you around some racetrack this year when you show up in your Ferrari. 

 

Howie, thanks for the kind words.

 

I know you don’t remember me racing against you at Cobra Raceway in the Bronx and Roosevelt Raceway in Queens back in the late '60s but I remember you

 

And, yes, you will see me at all the major Retro races this year. Promise.

 

Be safe my friend, until then...

 

clyde from the Bronx!

[Dave Crevie]

Thanks for your service, and that goes triple if you flew dust-off. A lot of seventy-plus guys on here. And a lot of vets. 

 

Love the sharks teeth on your bike, a nod to the Flying Tigers. 

 

Slot racing is the only activity I can still do that involves cars. I love the building. That I can do sitting at a table. 

[Clyde Romero]

Thanks for your service, and that goes triple if you flew dust-off. A lot of seventy-plus guys on here. And a lot of vets. 

 

Love the sharks teeth on your bike, a nod to the Flying Tigers. 

 

Slot racing is the only activity I can still do that involves cars. I love the building. That I can do sitting at a table

 

Thanks for the kind words

 

Didn't Fly Dust-Off covered many of them though on missions.

 

Our Phantoms in Vietnam had the sharks teeth on them as well.

[Cheater]

This link has been posted here at Slotblog before, but I suspect not many will have seen it.
 
In Vietnam, These Helicopter Scouts Saw Combat Up Close

[Half Fast]

Hey Clyde-

 

It was nice chatting with you at RetroPalooza.

 

I am now 70, when some asks me, "Hey, Bill, how much longer are you going to keep slot car racing?".I always answer "Until I can't."*

 

Cheers,

 

* This is also my answer to any "Hey, Bill, how much  longer are you going to..." questtion.

[Pappy]

I am now 70, when some asks me, "Hey, Bill, how much longer are you going to keep slot car racing?".I always answer "Until I can't."*

 

Toby Keith was golfing with Clint Eastwood. Clint told him he was going to be 88 years old on Monday. Toby then asked Clint what he was going to do. He said he was going to start filming another movie. Toby asked him how he keeps going and Clint said, "I don't let the old man in." So Toby wrote a song about it.
 

[penske]

Hi Clyde. Like you I started racing slot cars in 1963 or 64. Bought my first car from Polks and raced in several tracks in NYC. My home track was 1st Place in Astoria. I also worked at Roosevelt Raceway for a while. But in 1967 enlisted in the Navy and spent four years on a Destroyer DD 849. I certainly didn’t have the career you had. Thank you for your service. Some 45 years later I started racing again in Retro East. Raced with them for 5 years and Really enjoyed the racing and the guys. I agree with you about the eye/hand coordination is harder with age. Old eyes don’t see as good as they used to. But I like to think that us old boys can hold our own with anybody.

[Clyde Romero]

Hey Clyde-

 

It was nice chatting with you at RetroPalooza.

 

I am now 70, when some asks me, "Hey, Bill, how much longer are you going to keep slot car racing?".I always answer "Until I can't."*

 

Cheers,

 

* This is also my answer to any "Hey, Bill, how much  longer are you going to..." questtion.

Good to hear from you Bill

see you at retropalloza this June 

stay safe my friend 

until then 

it was great catching up with an senior New Yorker from back in the day!

[Clyde Romero]

Hi Clyde. Like you I started racing slot cars in 1963 or 64. Bought my first car from Polks and raced in several tracks in NYC. My home track was 1st Place in Astoria. I also worked at Roosevelt Raceway for a while. But in 1967 enlisted in the Navy and spent four years on a Destroyer DD 849. I certainly didn’t have the career you had. Thank you for your service. Some 45 years later I started racing again in Retro East. Raced with them for 5 years and Really enjoyed the racing and the guys. I agree with you about the eye/hand coordination is harder with age. Old eyes don’t see as good as they used to. But I like to think that us old boys can hold our own with anybody.

We most likely crossed paths especially if you worked at Roosevelt’s raceway 

don’t think I made it to that track in Astoria but I might have, there were so many track back then and the subway was .15cents remember!

and you could get bus transfers Free!

Rosevelt Raceway

that track was just down the street from my high school Aviation High and I raced there regularly 

thank you for your service, you were smart to join the Navy Vietnam was no fun!

Vietnam purged a lot of us from the ranks the hard way

You are lucky to have retro East wish I could get the guys down in my neck of the woods to race like you guys do, but we don’t have the population density that the northeast enjoys.

on another note did you ever race the track in REGO Park queens? And there was one at the end of the #7 subway line down stairs?

hope to put a name with a face if you make it retropalloza this June 

stay safe my friend, pull a trigger when you can, it’s loads of fun

 

clyde native New Yorker 

[penske]

Are you talking about Rego Raceway on wood haven blvd ? I’m sure I was there at some point. I just was looking at a old race report from Roosevelt. I won a race with Linda Dillard as my partner. Says we won by 20 laps, with Gunther Fass and Carlos Rogers coming in second. It also says that the team from Roosevelt which was , myself, Nuri Hernanclez, Al Sassano, Ken Vighi, and Charles Gators. The only people I Remember are Nuri who used to race at First Place in Astoria with me, is Linda. I remember linda and her car . She had a 60 something yellow impala, that we went on a few dates in. The good Ol days. Anyway seems “ the team “ was going down to Rego to make up for a bad outing we had there a few weeks prior.

[Clyde Romero]

Are you talking about Rego Raceway on wood haven blvd ? I’m sure I was there at some point. I just was looking at a old race report from Roosevelt. I won a race with Linda Dillard as my partner. Says we won by 20 laps, with Gunther Fass and Carlos Rogers coming in second. It also says that the team from Roosevelt which was , myself, Nuri Hernanclez, Al Sassano, Ken Vighi, and Charles Gators. The only people I Remember are Nuri who used to race at First Place in Astoria with me, is Linda. I remember linda and her car . She had a 60 something yellow impala, that we went on a few dates in. The good Ol days. Anyway seems “ the team “ was going down to Rego to make up for a bad outing we had there a few weeks prior.

Yes that’s the place 

I just remember the subway stop since that’s how I got there 

man that is like 50 plus years ago!

those were the days 

[alainprost22]

Speaking of Roosevelt Raceway ..  My brother and I, participated in a (maybe) 10 hour Enduro, held on the 300 foot (Indy) track.  I remember Howie and Bob Emott ran it, as well.  My brother and I, had trouble keeping our lights working.  We ran one (1) - Comet 26D mill, all 10 hours.  We were so naive, that we didn't even have a spare.  We were going to run another Roosevelt Raceway enduro, with Ziggy Hurano.  But, the night before the Enduro, someone decided to burn down the raceway.  Strangely enough, the showcase with all the Enduro cars, was untouched.

 

I'm fairly certain, that my brother and I, brushed shoulders with Clyde at Polks.  We were (usually) the first in line, every Saturday morning.  The one armed elevator man would wisk us up, to the fourth floor.  You'd place your name on a list, wait your turn, then drop a quarter into the lane timer.  We were fortunate to have run on the 4 lane track, then the eight lane track.  Howie and the boys, used to run on Thursday nights.  That was a long time ago ..