• wb0s
  • wb0s
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  • Registered: June 16, 2008
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Topic: Columbia River Scale Drag Racing Association is Back Up & Running!

Columbia River Drag Racing Assoc. has successfully moved their drag strip from its previous location in Vancouver to a new location in Oregon City. Ron Schiel built a new facility within the walls of his huge shop to house the scale 1/4 mile dragstrip. Bart and I were lucky enough to receive an invitation to tour the new set up.

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/RonS_IMG_2212.jpg

Ron and members of the CRDRA built the room the track now sits in. It is a very nice space with all the amenities you could ask for! The track is positioned in the room with the starting line at one end of the room. At this end the room is ten feet wide. At the far end (finish line) the room expands to twenty feet in width. Within the twenty feet by approximately thirty feet of room at the finish line, there is plenty of pit space with tables and chairs. Also on the "pit area" end of the room is a full restroom and kitchen. The kitchen is equipped with a hot dog cooker, refridgerator, sink, and a microwave oven. Also on one wall of the pits is the parts department. Ron and the guys have created a fantastic place to race!

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/RonS_IMG_2261.jpg

The track uses Trackmate for the timing system. Trackmate controls the race programming from the starting grid and line-up to the christmas tree. The amount of data this system captures is incredible! There are monitors located through the space to keep racers up to speed on the race progress.
http://www.naste.org/members/bill/RonS_IMG_2162.jpg

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/RonS_IMG_2163.jpg

The parts department is well stocked!
http://www.naste.org/members/bill/RonS_IMG_2166.jpg

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2 Reply by wb0s

  • wb0s
  • wb0s
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Re: Columbia River Scale Drag Racing Association is Back Up & Running!

Bart and I being dedicated road racers with the knowledge of a couple tracks that may need to be relocated, intitiated a conversation regarding room needed to move said tracks to. Ron responded by pointing up and saying; "there's a ceiling". He than pointed out that; "where there's a ceiling, there's a floor". I asked how big this space was. Ron matter of factly responded; "the floor is the same size as the ceiling!". Well....That makes sense!


This is what the ceiling looked like from the floor side! The height is somewhat limited at the joists but, Bart and I both cleared just fine, which in our opinion made the space perfect for a track! Opinions may vary depending on your ride height!
http://www.naste.org/members/bill/RonS_IMG_2170.jpg

All of you slot car enthusiasts that have no interest in real cars (are there any?) can quit reading now. The rest of our tour included Ron's big shop where the drag strip room is located, the engine shop and the fabrication shop. Yes, they were separate buildings on Ron's property.

Along with Ron's motor home and double decker enclosed car trailer, 41 foot motor home, and Bob Glidden's ex-pro stock car, is this way cool full fender '32 Ford five window waiting its turn in the Fab shop for completion. This is an all steel car that Ron drove home before he started the rebuild over 30 years ago!
http://www.naste.org/members/bill/RonS_IMG_2171.jpg

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3 Reply by wb0s

  • wb0s
  • wb0s
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Re: Columbia River Scale Drag Racing Association is Back Up & Running!

Moving across the driveway/parking lot and into the next shop we saw where Ron builds his motors. My first thought was Bart was going to have a stroke! There were engines and high performance parts everywhere you looked!
http://www.naste.org/members/bill/RonS_IMG_2178.jpg

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/RonS_IMG_2180.jpg

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/RonS_IMG_2181.jpg

In a separate room from most of the engines and parts sits Ron race car. This tube framed fiberglass bodied beauty looks really fast! The chassis is certified for 6 second runs!
http://www.naste.org/members/bill/RonS_IMG_2199.jpg

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4 Reply by wb0s

  • wb0s
  • wb0s
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  • From: Vancouver, Washington
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Re: Columbia River Scale Drag Racing Association is Back Up & Running!

If you pay close attention you'll realize Ron has quite a sense of humor!
http://www.naste.org/members/bill/RonS_IMG_2198.jpg

This is his "racing office".
http://www.naste.org/members/bill/RonS_IMG_2195.jpg

Lastly Bart and I were led over to the fabrication shop which was currently housing an under construction Henry J.
http://www.naste.org/members/bill/RonS_IMG_2203.jpg

Ron's portion of this build started out as some realitively simple interior sheet metal work. But, after the owner found out he did not fit in the car, Ron's work took on a more major role! The initial interior sheet metal was ripped out and the process started over. The roll cage had to be extended, which led to the chassis outside frame rails being extended, and most all of the roll cage tubes being rebuilt!
http://www.naste.org/members/bill/RonS_IMG_2206.jpg

A BIG thanks to Ron for not only giving us a tour of his facility and letting us try out the dragstrip, but for giving us so much information about slot car drag racing and drag racing REAL cars!
http://www.naste.org/members/bill/RonS_IMG_2211.jpg

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