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[Steve Adkins]

The New Golden Age of Womps
 
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There can be no dispute about it: we are in the midst of a remarkable resurrection of the red-headed stepchild of slot car racing, the lowly Womp.
 
Prior to 2017, Womps were a dead issue and what little Womp racing being done was at the club level or at scattered raceways, each with their own set of rules. Only four new old stock chassis were available, and none were actually still being produced. Bodies were limited to a handful, and most of these were 1/32 scale rather than bodies specifically made for Womp. Booking races was nearly impossible due to a lack of standardized rules.
 
Enter the American Womp Racing Association.
 
The AWRA was founded to establish a national set of rules for Womp racing to facilitate booking races coast to coast, and as a result, to make growth possible for the Womp segment of the slot car hobby.
 
The original AWRA rules featured two classes, Legends and Sportsman. The rules called for unbraced chassis. Those classes remain, and they are still unbraced. 
 
The first AWRA race was booked for Flashbacks Raceway in Snellville, Georgia, but before the race could be held, the raceway closed leaving no venue for the event. Eddie Cordle, the owner of Cordle Model Speedway in Marietta, Georgia, saved the day when he stepped in to host the race, So, on March 4, 2017, the first AWRA race was held. 
 
Five years later, there are eight AWRA classes with nearly 20 AWRA legal chassis, more than 50 bodies to choose from and better gears and motors. The result has been a dramatic increase in speed. In fact, not only are the modern Womps the fastest Womps ever, they are nearly as fast as flexi cars on some tracks. 
 
While the cost of slot car racing has increased across the board, Womps have remained the most affordable class of slot car racing, while retaining a casual atmosphere seldom found outside of the odd local racing program.
 
Make no mistake, Womps are still the proverbial red-headed stepchild of the slot car community. They have been called a joke, quirky, and worse, and they wear those descriptions as a badge of honor. In a sense, the AWRA has crashed the party and has refused to leave, and much to the horror of some, they are growing and influencing the hobby. 
 
The AWRA rules, as well as the organization's general approach, may appear to be contradictory, arbitrary, and illogical, but there is a method to the seeming madness there. To understand the AWRA, you must go back to the beginning and ask "why?" a lot. 
 
Here are some frequently asked AWRA questions answered.
 
Q) The Sportsman class is arguably the fastest AWRA class, yet bracing is not allowed in this class. Why is this?
A) The AWRA was designed to appeal to the casual racer, and therefore, it was also intended to be beginner friendly. The Sportsman and Legends classes were the two original classes, mainly due to the lack of available bodies of other types. The Legends and Sportsman are still among the most popular AWRA classes. Six additional distinct classes have been added, all allowing bracing, but the Sportsman and Legends classes have remained as they were in 2017 to accommodate new racers as entry-level classes. This also allows manufacturers and retailers to offer inexpensive and competitive AWRA legal cars and kits. 
 
Q) Is there really an AWRA rules committee?
A) Yes. The committee, sometimes referred to as the staff, is made up of manufacturers, racers, retailers, and raceway owners. The names of the committee members have never been published for a simple reason. Racers, retailers, track owners, and manufacturers often try to lobby committee members for special consideration. And yes, that is a potential problem.
 
Q) Is there really an AWRA test facility?
A) Actually, there are two. One is for testing and approving bodies; the other is for testing and approving motors and chassis. Bodies are tested for fit and thickness. All bodies must be pulled from minimum .010” stock, but .015” is recommended by the AWRA. Spoilers are measured for area and angle. The wheelbase and width of the body are measured as well. Bodies are then race-tested at as many as six raceways against bodies of the same class. 
The AWRA will not approve a dominant body. This helps keep the cost low for the racer, the raceways, and the manufacturers.
 
Motors and chassis are tested at another facility. Chassis are weighed, measured, and inspected for compatibility. 
Motors are checked for RPM, ohms, and amp draw. The AWRA only allows sealed bushing motors to keep tampering at bay and costs in line. The motor/chassis inspector is a machinist by trade.
 
Q) Why aren't all of the old Parma and Champion bodies legal?
A) While some AWRA-legal bodies are backpours of older out-of-production bodies, all of the latest bodies, even those based on older designs, are modified to meet AWRA standards. Some have been widened, some have been narrowed, and some have had their wheelbase adjusted to fit a standard Womp chassis. All are remastered to add or enhance detail.
 
The old bodies were hand-carved and often not symmetrical. The modern bodies are 3D-printed. They look and perform better, and the difference is dramatic. For instance, the AWRA GT-1 bodies are wider than their counterparts of old. They are more aerodynamic and the wheels are tucked under the fenders, eliminating the "thingie" look. A side-by-side comparison of new vs. old will verify that the two are not the same.
 
Q) The AWRA flyers are unique, to say the least. Who makes them?
A) The flyers, which have been called "one part pop art, one part cultural satire, and one part Mad Magazine" are the product of the AWRA art department. The art department consists of AWRA founder Steve Adkins, his wife, Karen, and their granddaughters, Hanna and Amiyah. The awards plaques and TQ badges are also done in-house. The AWRA flyers have had  big influence on the hobby, as well as the stickers and other promotional materials.
 
Q) Can I get an AWRA race at my track?
A) Absolutely. You can contact the AWRA on their Facebook page, by email at awrainfo@yahoo.com, or by calling Steve Adkins direct at (839) 356-0078.There is no out of pocket charge to the raceway for an AWRA event. 
 
Q) So, what's next? 
A) Expect the speeds to increase, an increased selection of high quality parts, new manufacturers, expansion into new areas of the country, and general growth. 
 
The ‘Golden Age’ of WOMPS was the 1980s, according to most racers, but the 1980s were 40 years ago and the Womps of that era simply could not compete with today's Womps. Attitudes toward to the Womps are changing, and as attitudes change, further growth will result, and hopefully, an influx of new racers. 
 
Say what you will, but the Womps are here to stay and they are most definitely not your father’s Womp.

[Steve Adkins]

The AWRA will begin its sixth year of operations in 2022, and we will mark that accomplishment by holding our first Womp Nationals event at The Slot Car Track in Kannapolis, North Carolina.

Races will be held in five classes, Stock Car, Legends, Sportsman, Dirt Late Model, and Grand Prix to be run on three tracks. 
 

[MattD]

I was told that one of the top finishers in the last weekends organized race threw his plaque in the garbage. Sounds like great sportsmanship.

 

I wonder how we keep this behavior out of slot racing. It's a shame to work so hard for a nice series and fun racing and see people not appreciate the hard work of organizing races and setting up fair rules.

[MG Brown]

We know that it was found in the garbage but not who put it there. The racer that won the award claims it was never given to him.