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I really liked the videos!

Due to events over the last couple of years my attention to and participation in slot car racing has changed. Some of you may have noticed this change as evidenced by my less than frequent visits to the tracks, and the lack of equipment and preparation to race. I thought I’d try to post up some words to try and let you all know what’s going on with me, and no I’m not sick.

To me throughout my life, slot cars have best the best hobby I’ve ever been involved with. Other things have come and gone. Gone mostly due to cost, time constraints, logistics, and just plain effort required to stay involved. Involvement in the hobby of slot cars offers so much diversity within the hobby; it is easy to stay interested in some aspect of slot cars. Whether it is collecting, painting, building, or racing, it is all there within the hobby of slot cars. Through the years I have occupied my time in all of those areas, and in most all of the different scales of slot cars, HO, 1/32, and 1/24.

My infatuation with slot cars first started in the early sixties with my first 1/32 Gilbert “home set” I received as a Christmas present. The following Christmas I received an HO Aurora Thunderjet set which really lit the fire! Collecting slot cars started in the early sixties with that first home set, and the serious club racing started much later in the early eighties. I have collected, played with, and raced HO slot cars at the club level, all with some level of success.

In the mid-sixties I was introduced to 1/24 slot cars while visiting a friend of my father’s. The introduction led me to investigating the commercial tracks popular at the time. Unfortunately I could not afford these magnificent machines and did not have the resources to get involved in racing at the commercial venues. The 1/24 cars were always on my mind as something I missed out on.

Fast forward to the late nineties, and the formation of NASTE. We actually started out racing 1/24 cars on a very short three lane track. We then moved into racing HO, and from there onto 1/32. I have enjoyed the 1/32 scale cars immensely. In many ways the 1/32 scale aspect of the hobby is very similar to HO, especially in respect to collecting and building.

Which brings me to where I am currently. I have had some limited success in terms of racing 1/32 cars, but the 1/24 scale cars are still outside my skill level. I have never been very good at building or racing 1/24 cars. Success with these cars has always eluded me. I feel I am now at a place and in a time where I have the tools and desire to try and up my game. It’s not a New Years resolution or anything, but I have a desire to switch my attention to, and put forth some effort into racing in 1/24 scale. I plan to still attend some HO and 1/32 races, but my main focus will be on 1/24. As you all know I can still be reached using the usual methods, and I’m sure you will still see me here in the Forum.

NASTE 2020 Point Series Championship Race No.6 @ Rippin' Ridin' Raceway January 9, 2020

Race Results - Classic Sports Car Div.I:

1 Al  68.0 Laps - 12 points
2 Daniel   67.7 - 11 pts.
3 Zack   67.0  - 10 pts.
4 Rico   64.4 - 9 pts.
5 Jeff   63.7 - 8 pts.
6 Mitch 63.3 - 7 pts.
7 Tom  62.8 - 6 pts.
8 Greg   61.0 - 5 pts.
9 Stan  59.0 - 4 pt.
10 Burns 58.9 - 3 pts.
11 Chris 56.3 - 2 pts.
12 Joe 51.4 - 1 pt.

Current Standings for the 2020 NASTE Point Series Championship After 6 Races:

1st Zack - 49 points
2nd Daniel - 47 pts.
3rd Al - 44 pts.
4th Rico - 30 pts.
5th Mitch - 18 pts.
6th Jeff - 16 pts.
7th Greg - 15 pts.
8th Monte  - 13 pts.
9th Tom - 9 pts.
10th Chris - 7 pts.
11th Bryan D. - 6 pts.
12th tie Fernando - 4 pts.
12th tie Stan - 4 pts.
14th Burns - 3 pts.
15th tie Bill - 2 pts.
15th tie Tim Gijio - 2 pts.
17th tie Mark - 1 pt.
17th tie Joe - 1 pt.

Final results from the first round of the Columbia Gorge Porsche 962 Championship held at Springwater Raceway on January 4, 2020 (thanks for the photo Zack!):

Howie's Porsche 962

Mitch

Gearloose

Al

Bill

WOW! What a race! That was SO mun fun! Thanks to Bob for hosting this event! The track was AWESOME, and so were all the cars that competed!

Practice before the race

Cars were tech'd then impounded

Here's Bob's entry

Here's a list of a few I came up with Doc:

Jaguar XK120
Porsche 356
Ferrari 250 TR
Ferrari 166
Ferrari 166m
Jaguar D Type
Corvette
Jaguar C Type
Mercedes SLR
Mercedes 300 SL
AC Ace
MGA
Austin Healey 100
Porsche 550
Thunderbird
Kellison

This is something we used to do with the 1/24 brass cars in years past. The old dark grey colored "Cox" gears were nylon and usually not true. Heating the gear up with a lighter as you spun the rear axle usually helped straighten the gear out and improve the overall mesh. I don't think it's an issue anymore with the pink Parma gears and I've never heard of it being done with Slot.it 1/32 gears. I think improved materials and modern machining have moved us beyond those extreme measures.

Me too Smooth,....I'm still workin' on my cars for LAST season!

That's two votes for just outlawing Ford GT40s from Classic Sports Cars Div.I.

The only reason I brought this up was because I get asked a lot by newer racers what a good car would be for the Classic SC Div.I. Well the quickest and simplest car to prepare for that class has always been the Slot.it Ford GT40.....AND I still have some for sale (although there are very few left). Well before replying it came to me that we may have excluded them from the class. But since I can't remember sh*t anymore, I thought I would re-read the rules to make sure. The only thing I could find in the rules related to a cut off date for year of manufacture, 1964. So I did some research and found the first Ford GT40s were produced in 1964. Hence my old guy confusion and the inability to remember details. What all this does indicate (other than the fact I don't remember sh*t) is that our rules need to be more specific as to whether the Ford GT40 is legal or not. However, and in my defense, I believe the 1964 date was quoted to me as a cut off date that WOULD exclude the Ford GT40. This may be an indicator that I am not the only old guy that can't remember sh*t!

Very good point Doc. I'll wait to make the change effective next season if no one has any other objections.