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.
