Topic: Slot Car Racing History in Portland Area

As most of you know I am a little obsessed when it comes to our slot car racing history. Although I have been an avid collector of slot cars, parts, and memorabilia for over 30 years, I very rarely run across items that include any general memorabilia from any of the commercial tracks that were around in the 1960s. One of my prized pieces is the Model Car Racer Newspaper given to me by Kirk Smith. I have already posted some of the articles from that newspaper elsewhere in this Forum.

Which brings me to my latest acquisition. Thanks to a lead from Zack Morgan I was able to purchase a slot car box from a gentleman in McMinneville. This is not the first old slot car box I've purchased (by far), but this particular box included some old award plaques from some of the 1960s commercial slot car tracks that were in our area. As strange as it may seem it is very rare to find slot car boxes that have any of the old plaques in them from our area.

Here's the box complete with hippy flowers (that part was somewhat disappointing).
http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5158his.jpg

On the lid is the original racer/owner's name and I assume the name of the racing team he was part of.
http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5157his.jpg

On the underside of the lid are these great award plaques.
http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5156his.jpg

Re: Slot Car Racing History in Portland Area

Of the plaques secured to the lid, the Hollywood Modelcar Speedway plaque is nearest and dearest to my heart. When I was old enough (13), and allowed to ride my bicycle greater distances, this is the shop I rode my bike to. I never raced there, but it was an awesome place to run a car around or just go and watch!

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5154his.jpg

I had heard about Uptown Racen Hausen from some older racing friends. It was located in downtown Portland on Burnside at approximately NW 23rd.

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5152his.jpg

These plaques I know nothing about.

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5151his.jpg

Re: Slot Car Racing History in Portland Area

These plates I am not sure about, but I remember my uncle taking me to a commercial slot car track close to his apartment on North Lombard Street in Portland. I was about 9 or 10 years old at the time, so the date looks about right.

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5148his.jpg

This small but very cool sticker is on the front of one of the box's drawers. Definitely a rare piece!

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5145his.jpg

Re: Slot Car Racing History in Portland Area

After getting this box home I got the urge to look through the old Racer Newspaper to see if I could find this box owners name somewhere in there. I had no luck in that regard, but I did dig up some other stuff.

This was an article about the first Northwest Model Car Racing Association Invitational Race.
http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5122his.jpg

Check out this information regarding attendance!
http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5140his.jpg

And look who finished 9th in the Semi. Our own "Gearloose"!
http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5141his.jpg

After looking a little closer I found Gary Tipton's name listed at 50th under the Elimination Heats results.
http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5142his.jpg

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5143his.jpg

Re: Slot Car Racing History in Portland Area

This is the copy of the Model Car Racer Magazine I have.
http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5107his.jpg

Unfortunately the sticker on the top of the race box I acquired did not survive fully intact.
http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5111his.jpg

But on the flip down front of the box is this sticker in good shape.
http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5112his.jpg

Re: Slot Car Racing History in Portland Area

Flipping through the Racer Newspaper I found Lee Dundas' name listed.
http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5113his.jpg

Here's an article Lee wrote for the newspaper.
http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5114his.jpg

Lee Dundas was listed as a contributing editor.
http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5115his.jpg

Re: Slot Car Racing History in Portland Area

So here's the part I really like. Ads posted in the newspaper for commercial tracks that were located in Portland and the surrounding areas!

This is another raceway I had been to as a kid.
http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5116his.jpg

And look who's name shows up under an article about Parkrose Model Car Speedway, Rippin' Ridin' Raceway's Al Christensen.
http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5138his.jpg

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5117his.jpg

Re: Slot Car Racing History in Portland Area

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5118his.jpg

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5119his.jpg

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5123his.jpg

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5124his.jpg

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5125his.jpg

Re: Slot Car Racing History in Portland Area

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5126his.jpg

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5127his.jpg

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5128his.jpg

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5129his.jpg

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5130his.jpg

Re: Slot Car Racing History in Portland Area

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5131his.jpg

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5132his.jpg

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5133his.jpg

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5134his.jpg

Re: Slot Car Racing History in Portland Area

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5135his.jpg

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5136his.jpg

I remember going here when I was older, 14 or 15 and then again after I was old enough to drive. By then the tracks were not being used and just had go karts sitting on them.
http://www.naste.org/members/bill/IMG_5137his.jpg

Re: Slot Car Racing History in Portland Area

amazing history. sad also to think so many of those tracks ended up at the land fill or the burn pile.

The secondnidator

Re: Slot Car Racing History in Portland Area

Jerry Palfenier, that name sounds familiar.  Probably met Homer Wooden and I can assure you I raced with Phil Pfau from the Salem area.  He was the first guy I saw race that if he wasn't on the money he'd just pull his controller, grab his car, and head home.

And I remember some of the tracks we raced at back then.  McMinnville had a tricky track - for me - and I liked the Uptown Shopping Center in NW Portland and Petite Carts where I smoked a motor but kept the car slowly moving making just enough laps that we wound up pretty good for a 4-man team race as other teams developed problems.  And there was the Hollywood Speedway on Sandy Blvd. that had the Mr. Fast Championship each year.  I won a Concourse trophy there one year.  And St. Helens also chipped in with the Formula Libre Raceway.  The first day it opened I stood in line to get track time.  My slot - 7:30 that night!  The place was packed.  Ah, the 60's...  We didn't know much yet but we sure had fun.

Yep, it's coming back to me, I may have bought Homer's slot box when he gave it up.  I think I spent $20 and had to have him drive me to Scappoose so I could get the money from my dad.  Whoa.

So I had a school buddy that knew the owners of the track in St. Helens - Bill and Carol Heilers - so he took me in there before they were opened and I had my one 1:24 scale car - a GarVic!  There was no power setup yet so he stuck my car on the track, touched two wires to the tape and off it went.  He didn't reduce the power soon enough and it went down the back straight at full power and off the big bank into the air.  As fortune had it, the car was fine.  Next time I was there it was opening day and we got to use real controllers.  For me - a brown COX with the plunger.

To be a 60's kid was a special time.  We had it pretty good.

http://www.naste.org/members/monte/monte-was-a-racer.jpg

Dave Sukau was a pretty fun guy at the track, he stopped soon after this picture, bought a stock car and took to the local dirt track circuit.

"Big Smooth"

Re: Slot Car Racing History in Portland Area

Thanks for the write up Monte! Great stuff!

Oh and, Jerry Palfenier is "Gearloose" with the PASER Club!

Re: Slot Car Racing History in Portland Area

I call photo shop!!!!!  Monte was never that young

The secondnidator

Re: Slot Car Racing History in Portland Area

Why he hasn’t changed a bit ;-)

Race cars are neither beautiful nor ugly. They become beautiful when they win.

Re: Slot Car Racing History in Portland Area

Glad you picked up the box Bill! Even though the flowers aren't my style it "dates" the box very well with the plaques which is cool.

Amazing to think that at one time there was enough people slot racing to keep that many tracks going! People need to get back to "real" hobbies.

Zack

Re: Slot Car Racing History in Portland Area

Why thank you Rico.

That reminds me, I have something for you, we should get together one of these days.

"Big Smooth"

Re: Slot Car Racing History in Portland Area

kidvolt wrote:

Why thank you Rico.

That reminds me, I have something for you, we should get together one of these days.

I’m free most nights

Race cars are neither beautiful nor ugly. They become beautiful when they win.

20 (edited by Over 50 Al May 25, 2021 10:36 am)

Re: Slot Car Racing History in Portland Area

Very cool post Bill. I saw Don Allen's name on the results for the First NWMCRA Invitational. I raced with him we were teammates on some races. Like Zack said there were a lot tracks, the were popping up everywhere. Problem was too many, there were not enough racers to support them all. Many of them including Parkrose folded in a short time. Too bad !!

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/ALcard.jpeg

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Re: Slot Car Racing History in Portland Area

reek455 wrote:
kidvolt wrote:

Why thank you Rico.

That reminds me, I have something for you, we should get together one of these days.

I’m free most nights

Your still married  so that not true by a long shot..

The secondnidator

Re: Slot Car Racing History in Portland Area

docdoom wrote:
reek455 wrote:
kidvolt wrote:

Why thank you Rico.

That reminds me, I have something for you, we should get together one of these days.

I’m free most nights

Your still married  so that not true by a long shot..

I’ll drag her along kicking and screaming.

Race cars are neither beautiful nor ugly. They become beautiful when they win.

Re: Slot Car Racing History in Portland Area

Cool card Al. 

Might be fun to drive around to the locations of these former tracks.  The addresses should still exist.

"Big Smooth"

Re: Slot Car Racing History in Portland Area

That would make for a very cool rally Monte!!!

Re: Slot Car Racing History in Portland Area

Very interesting history. I didn't move to Portland 'till late in '68. Moved from Rapid City, SD. Even as small as Rapid City was compared to Portland, they still had two huge commercial tracks. I never raced at either one, but I remember them. I do remember Petite Karts though. By the time a buddy of mine was interested in getting back into slot cars ( in the '70's ) there were no tracks left. We went to a bicycle shop to buy some slot car parts, I believe it was in N. Portland and asked if there was any slot racing around and he mentioned Dundas. We drove to the Dundas track in Willsonville, watched the race ( I remember Gearloose ) but we thought it was too far away to race. Years later while at Slot Car Central, ( who was closing down ) Greg Vergis come over to where I was playing with a slot car and I was invited by him to a track in Willsonville, I was shocked that it was the same track in the barn that I visited years before. That is how I got involved with PACER/OSCAR.