Matt, that sounds like a good plan for the shop. Next time you're over let's talk!
1,051 June 29, 2021 3:44 pm
Re: MONDAY OT (Open Track) (140 replies, posted in InSlot's Checkered Flag Raceway)
1,052 June 29, 2021 11:23 am
Re: MONDAY OT (Open Track) (140 replies, posted in InSlot's Checkered Flag Raceway)
Matt, I was having trouble finding a hose kit to fit this unit. The exhaust host for the unit is 5.5" which is an oddball. Most are 5" or 6". The factory replacement hose kits are out of stock with no know restock date. I ordered a 6" universal kit and I'll just make it work.
There is a place for a drain hose for condensate, but of course I do not have the associated fittings to make that work either (buying used is not always such a good deal!). Once I get the exhaust hose connected I'll try it out and see how long it will run before it has to be drained. If that is an issue I'm sure I can jury-rig something there too!
1,053 June 29, 2021 6:39 am
Re: MONDAY OT (Open Track) (140 replies, posted in InSlot's Checkered Flag Raceway)
Basements are AWESOME! I've had two houses with basements and loved them both for those basements! The perfect place for a slot car track! The temperature rarely varies at all, all year long!
1,054 June 28, 2021 9:19 pm
Re: MONDAY OT (Open Track) (140 replies, posted in InSlot's Checkered Flag Raceway)
I hear ya Mitch and I'm with you buddy! I didn't even like the walk across the deck to the shop let alone actually going anywhere! I know I wouldn't have gone anywhere to run slot cars!
Good news is I'm really pleased with how cool it stayed in the shop even without air conditioning! Downstairs and track side it never got above 83 degrees, even after two days above 105! Upstairs it got up to 95 degrees just before it started cooling down this evening. But even upstairs at 95 is still 20 degrees below today's high temperature!
So I have a portable AC unit I bought used for the upstairs. Problem is it did not come with the exhaust ducting, which I thought was no big deal. Well, color me wrong on that! I thought I could use dryer duct parts and components to complete the install. WRONG! Dryer duct is 4 inch and the AC unit uses a 5.5 inch flexible duct. Try finding that.......what I found out today was, you can find 4 inch and 5 inch but that's it. So today I ordered the parts I need to get the AC unit up and running for the upstairs. After all it is only June.............we may have some more hot weather before racing season!
1,055 June 28, 2021 7:52 pm
Re: MONDAY OT (Open Track) (140 replies, posted in InSlot's Checkered Flag Raceway)
I surely don't blame you or any one else Doc! I wandered out there a couple times today but didn't stay in the shop long. The shop wasn't too bad but the house with the AC was MUCH cooler!!!
1,056 June 24, 2021 8:19 am
Re: Summer 4.5 Flexi NASCAR Race (19 replies, posted in Springwater Raceway)
I'm planning on it Bob!
1,057 June 23, 2021 11:49 am
Topic: Local Tacoma Racer Dan Parris Passed Away (0 replies, posted in NASTE)
We are sad to announce one of our friends in the Tacoma area has passed away. Dan Parris passed away from cancer. Our thoughts go out to his family, and to our friends and racers in the Tacoma area.
1,058 June 22, 2021 12:44 pm
Re: MONDAY OT (Open Track) (140 replies, posted in InSlot's Checkered Flag Raceway)
I'd take another 3 weeks if it were me!
1,059 June 22, 2021 7:40 am
Re: MONDAY OT (Open Track) (140 replies, posted in InSlot's Checkered Flag Raceway)
MAN IT WAS HOT YESTERDAY!
I wasn't expecting much of a turnout for open track Monday because of the heat forecast. I decided to keep the shop closed up until racers showed up. There were never more than two racers plus me at a time, so the overhead door was never opened to remove my Triumph and create additional pit space. Bob N. and Jeff showed up early in the afternoon, and then later in the early evening Bart and Matt made it by. By not opening the shop up it stayed pretty cool inside! In fact everyone commented on how cool it was inside. It was cool up until around 7:00PM when we shut down.
1,060 June 18, 2021 7:17 am
Re: NASTE 2021 Point Series Championship - Results & Standings (35 replies, posted in NASTE)
NASTE 2021 Point Series Championship Race No.5 @ Rippin' Ridin' Raceway June 17, 2021
Race Results - Carrera DTM Class:
1 Al 67.6 Laps - 5 points.
2 Rico 67.0 - 4 pts.
3 Jeff 63.7 - 3 pts.
4 Mitch 62.1 - 2 pts.
5 Greg 58.9 - 1 pt.
Current Standings for the 2021 NASTE Point Series Championship After 5 Races:
1st Al - 22 points.
2nd Daniel - 20 pts.
3rd Rico - 16 pts.
4th Zack - 13 pts.
5th Mitch - 6 pts.
6th - tie Tom - 4 pts.
6th - tie Greg - 4 pts.
8th Jeff - 3 pts.
9th Chris - 1 pt.
1,061 June 18, 2021 6:58 am
Re: NASTE Odd Thursday Night Racing Rules & Current Thread (2,166 replies, posted in NASTE)
Race results from June 17th 2021
1,062 June 15, 2021 9:22 am
Re: MONDAY OT (Open Track) (140 replies, posted in InSlot's Checkered Flag Raceway)
We will always save a spot for you Rico! I think you have some of the worst luck of anyone I know!
1,063 June 15, 2021 7:23 am
Re: MONDAY OT (Open Track) (140 replies, posted in InSlot's Checkered Flag Raceway)
Monday open track update:
Opening the doors at 1:00PM seems to be working pretty well. By 2:00 three or four people had already made it by. By 3 or 3:30 all the lanes of the track were full. Around that time a couple racers took off but they were quickly replaced by people arriving in the 4 to 5:00 hour.
There were lots of different types of cars on the track at any given time. Everything from modified late model 1/32 RTR cars and Parma I32s to vintage 1/24 and Parma Flexis. Doc had some of his 1/32 NASTE spec cars running some really good lap times! John Gill brought out a few Parma I32 cars that were really sweet! Around 6:00 or so there were enough racers on hand that the decision was made to set up a short lap race. John Gill set up the SRT race program for a 50 lap race. It took a couple tries but after sorting it out it looked like some of these impromptu races might be a fun addition to the day's activities.
All said it seemed like everyone had a good time. We had a couple new drivers on the track as well as some veterans. We closed the doors at 9:30PM after a really good B.S. session. For you folks planning to come up next Monday, be sure to throw a Flexi type car in your box. If you have an old Flexi and the tires are shot, I have pairs of older tires that are still good enough for practice! We will play around with having another lap count type race or two whenever there are enough racers on site, and the desire is there. If you don't have a Flexi there will be some loaners available.
Thanks to all that made it by. I had a good time!
1,064 June 14, 2021 9:28 am
Re: NWTS 2022 schedule. (4 replies, posted in Northwest True Scale Racers)
I believe the dates and times are correct on the calendar Bob.
1,065 June 13, 2021 10:53 am
Re: MONDAY OT (Open Track) (140 replies, posted in InSlot's Checkered Flag Raceway)
This morning I added a bunch of new and some used 1/32 parts to the piles of stuff set aside at the track for sale.
1,066 June 12, 2021 5:41 am
Re: MONDAY OT (Open Track) (140 replies, posted in InSlot's Checkered Flag Raceway)
Thanks Doc, I didn't know that!
1,067 June 11, 2021 6:05 pm
Re: MONDAY OT (Open Track) (140 replies, posted in InSlot's Checkered Flag Raceway)
Yes, I've been there. There's Hobby Lobby Lobby in the Vancouver Mall and Hobby Town by Home Depot off Padden Parkway. Those were two hobby retail stores I've thought about as well as the one on N.E. St. Johns.
1,068 June 11, 2021 5:55 pm
Re: Projects: Done/Not So Done (258 replies, posted in Rapid Raceway)
I can live with that! Been called much worse!
1,069 June 11, 2021 2:51 pm
Re: MONDAY OT (Open Track) (140 replies, posted in InSlot's Checkered Flag Raceway)
I spent some time in the "wrecking yard" today. As I mentioned in my previous post I plan to have some "stuff" available for purchase at Monday's track day. So far I have some Flexi type chassis and some Womp chassis. There is everything from bare chassis to rollers, and even a couple RTRs. Prices will vary, depending upon condition and how complete they are. Figure $2 to $15 for Flexi's and Womps. I will also have clear bodies, new, used, and some factory painted. The clear bodies will go for $1 to $10, and I also have a bunch of used bodies for free. I will be digging out more stuff before Monday.
I am thinking about doing some advertising for the track here in Vancouver. Maybe some flyers in a couple of the hobby shops up here, or maybe even a Craigslist ad. Inslot's Checkered Flag is well suited to Flexi type cars, as well as Womps. I think if I promote some Flexi and Womp racing along with the current club classes (NWTS, OSCAR, NASTE) there might be some Vancouver area folks that used to race that may join us. If not the Flexis and Womps would at least make for some cheap fun once in awhile!
1,070 June 11, 2021 2:37 pm
Re: Projects: Done/Not So Done (258 replies, posted in Rapid Raceway)
For some unknown reason my cars seem to get wider as they enter the turns!
1,071 June 8, 2021 2:10 pm
Re: MONDAY OT (Open Track) (140 replies, posted in InSlot's Checkered Flag Raceway)
Cool, we'll be here!
1,072 June 8, 2021 7:54 am
Re: MONDAY OT (Open Track) (140 replies, posted in InSlot's Checkered Flag Raceway)
Yesterday was the first open track day, and although not many people attended I saw quite a few different types of cars making some laps. First to show up was Doc. He ran some of his NASTE spec 1/32 cars. What became evident right off the bat was the need to get the car's guide flags lowered. With the recessed braid on ICFR versus the copper tape tracks most cars are set up for, there definitely was not enough guide flag extending into the slot, and not good enough electrical contact on the pickup braid. Other than that all the cars Doc ran seemed to perform well with many cars running under the 6 second mark.
Mitch came by with some of his Northwest True Scale cars. Since the track was built primarily for 1/24 cars Mitch's cars did not suffer from any of the issues the 1/32 cars experienced. Bart showed up shortly after and unloaded some NWTS cars as well. He put down some serious laps with his Early Modified and Can Am cars. John arrived with a box full of OSCAR spec cars. He got in some good practice laps with three of his Clubman cars.
There was just a little discussion in regards to what the Monday track days should look like. The decision was to keep it casual and not have a structured race schedule. One thought was a casual race could be "scheduled" by the racers in attendance for the next Monday. The attending racers would determine what class would be raced. The doors would still open at 1:00 PM, and the race would "tentatively" start around 5:00 PM or 6:00 pm. I would post the plan for the next Monday here, and add the details to the schedule on the NASTE Calendar.
There was also some talk of racing some Flexi type cars. The OSCAR racers in Bend race these types of cars and Bob Nak has been working to promote this class around here. In Bend they race 4 1/2 inch wheelbase cars and they are a lot of fun.
So before next Monday I am going to make an attempt to get some of the parts I have, as well as some "used" Flexi cars put out on display and for sale. I will have new parts for 1/32 cars used in NASTE spec races, as well as used and some new parts for current 1/24 cars and vintage cars. This gentlemen is this week's mission! I will keep you posted here as to how it is going!
1,073 June 4, 2021 4:07 pm
Re: NASTE 2021 Point Series Championship - Results & Standings (35 replies, posted in NASTE)
NASTE 2021 Point Series Championship Race No.4 @ Rippin' Ridin' Raceway June 3, 2021
Race Results - LMP Class:
1 Zack 83.9 Laps - 5 points.
2 Daniel 83.8 - 4 pts.
3 Al 79.7 - 3 pts.
4 Rico 78.5 - 2 pts.
5 Chris 74.7 - 1 pt.
Current Standings for the 2021 NASTE Point Series Championship After 4 Races:
1st Daniel - 20 pts.
2nd Al - 17 points.
3rd Zack - 13 pts.
4th Rico - 12 pts.
5th - tie Tom - 4 pts.
5th - tie Mitch - 4 pts.
7th Greg - 3 pts.
8th Chris - 1 pt.
1,074 June 4, 2021 3:51 pm
Re: NASTE Odd Thursday Night Racing Rules & Current Thread (2,166 replies, posted in NASTE)
Race results from the June 3rd, 2021 races:
1,075 May 31, 2021 10:41 am
Re: NASTE Odd Thursday Night Racing Rules & Current Thread (2,166 replies, posted in NASTE)
I don't see any need to "remove" any of the classes. If they are not raced that's fine, but at some point in the future there may be a desire to fire up an old class again. For example since I now have a track that accommodate 1/24 cars I will probably bring back some of the "old" NASTE classes for 1/24 cars. I had to do some searching but, I found the old rules from when NASTE was first established. At that time we were racing all 1/24 scale cars. Finding the old rules saves me from writing new ones! As a rule NASTE has never thrown out old rules. They were either updated or if a particular class was not being raced the rules for that class were just "inactive". If there's interest I could put together a full list of rules, listing them on two separate sheets one for active and one for inactive. I would update the lists each season so everyone knew which classes were being raced and which weren't.