Sadly, the oldest, continuously runnng raceway in Australia, being "Hornsby Slot Cars," originally "Waitara Raceway," in the northern suburbs of Sydney in New South Wales, will close its doors and cease operation at the end of June. 
This is such a sad loss to the long history of Aussie slotting and to both the Australian and especially Sydney slotting scene.
It was opened at some time early to mid-1963 with two excellent, super smooth tracks... made by its original owner/operator Kevin Thurston.
The first and very challenging track, was a 'billiard table' smooth 10-lane flat track, (the usual competition track) and the later, a high-banked very fast eight-lane.
Kevin was a cabinet maker by profession, so took a personal degree of pride in the style and standard of construction of the tracks and both were easily the equal of any other tracks I have had the pleasure to race on.
I started 'playing' there, when around nine or 10, with a good school friend and eventually became more seriously interested as I got older and began racing in the local club events.
There was always a healthy turn-out of very helpful older club racers who helped me eventually build my first effective chassis for club and then state racing.
I was 'over the moon' to return home after my very first official serious race (for new younger racers), with a trophy (for third place), after even leading for a a few brackets till eventually my own home-wound 26D , cried enough... LOL.
Over the years, the owners have changed and sadly perhaps, the original tracks were sold/changed but were eventually replaced by two superbly-constructed tracks by Gary Johnson... fortunately.
It has to be suggested that with both the change of name to "HSC" and the arrival of Gary's new tracks, the centre began another healthy long history of events.
It has been a haven for many racers in all classes and styles of cars over the years, as for so long, as it was the only continuously running track in Australia. Obviously, there have been others that ran and have run for many years, but not nearly as long and not in the same venue.
Perhaps somewhat amazingly, the place still holds the fascination of a number of those that I met at my very first official state association race way back in 1970, who I still race with and against today.
My good friend and teammate, Mark Fox, I count as one of my few true lifelong friends whom I met on that fateful day way back.
In fact it is rather interesting that the current owner, James Colfax, was a fellow racer with Mark way back, when they both used to race at a track in the bowling centre in Rushcutters Bay in the city of Sydney, when teenagers.
Many of us have been trying to squeeze as much racing in leading up to the closing date, with a number of serious 'national' events to be held both for scale and wing cars towards the end of the month.
It must also be stated that whilst James has had some health issues over the last few years... the reason for the track's closing is because the whole building that the track, and a number of other similarly long-standing tenants have occupied, has been sold and is planned for demolition and re-development.
Perhaps, had James been younger/healthier and also Sydney's commercial rental prices been more realistic, the track may have survived...
Sadly... that is not the case and so... what has been a raceway that managed to become part of the very short list of continuously running raceways with such a long and wondrful history of fun, friendhip, cameraderie and always great racing... is finally coming to an end. 
It is like an era of Aussie slotting is ending... it will be seriously missed by many of us older 'original' and still racing buddies.
Its closing, will also leave Sydney without any real commercial 1/24 tracks that regularly hold serious race events, so its closing really is a serious blow to Sydney slotters, as well as those who have regularly travelled interstate for the many national events held over the recent years.
Sad, sad news indeed!!!
I have included a pic from the early '60s of the original owner Kevin and his partner Marge behind the always very well-stocked counter.
Anyone interested, can view and read many race reports, Retro, scale and wing cars via the following forums &and sites:
http://hornsbyslotcars.com.au/
http://forum.ascra.com.au/index.php
http://ausmcr.com/fo...nsby-slot-cars/
