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Post by gonegonzo on Apr 10, 2011 3:43:55 GMT -7
 Fellow HO drag racers , Some of you might find this post out of question and un-realistic . Still , some of you might be thinking the same thing that I am. This might be the post that starts the ball roling to bring our hobby ( HO SLOT CAR RACING ) out of the dark ages and into the MAINSTREAM . I say dark ages as our hobby , and even the other segments of slot car racing , is usually hit and miss with tracks opening and closing at a high rate . I also race T-Jets and that part of the hobby is also somewhat underground . I will admit with the advent of AW's drag track that some might become aware that our hobby exhists . The home/garage circuits aren't that bad an idea as commmercial slot car tracks are a tuff buisiness to make money enough to support it . That's another story so we son't go there and complicate things furthur . Now I'm going to hit a nerve to a lot of our ranks but it's not intended to . That is Proxy Racing . Being involved in other areas of slot car racing , I cannot connect with the idea of Proxy Racing . I do understand the principal and the reason some choose to do it but I haven't the least bit of spark to become involved in it . Those that do and enjoy it , I understand that as well . That's one area of our hobby that this post would fix if we genearted enough interest . Being a very poor communicator I'm probably already in hot water with a lot of you so i'll get to the point now . I'd like to se our hobby turn from proxy racing to Local and Regional races with at least one National race a year . The outline following is only an example how to do this . If it appeals to you , add your input but I'd like to see us as a group improve the hobby in this area . 1. The first step would be finding local area interest . People in your own town that would enjoy this hobby . There are drag race enthusiasts in every town . If they find that they can drag race affordably , I think that some ( not all ) would get involved in the hobby . Local races could be held in members garages , basements and the local Hot Rod cruises in the area . We will move on to Regional and National events later . 2. Set up a class structure . Just comming back into the hobby a few years back , maybe there are classes that are inplace that I'm not aware of . I will say that this is the area that should be set up to keep the hobby affordable for everyone including the kid saving his lunch money for building HO Race Cars . 3. Meet regularly to race . Invite potetial racers to watch and participate . Have some loner cars lying around to loan them a car . Get you local 1=1 speed shop and hobby shop involved in sponcoring the races . 4. OK , as to the regional racing , you'll need to be connected to other area racers in your state . Arrange a State wide race . Make it open so that ajoining state compertitors can attend as well . The idea here is to gain momentum and interest in the hobby . These State races could be held seasonal 4 times a year would be a realsitic target . 5. Having local and regional races organized and running in tune should lead to a NATIONAL RACE . This race could be held at a different location each time to share the burden of traveling within the ranks . It could also be held in the off season of 1=1 racing so those competinhg in 1=1 racing can attend . There are a lot of 1=1 racers that play with toy cars too . I've said all I can think of to get ideas rolling here . It would be interesting to know how many are in tune with this idea ? How many would be instrumental in getting a plan going ? If you see our hobby beig here for years to come , why not bring it to Mainstream ? Thx , Gonzo
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Post by nosubfor3 on Apr 10, 2011 5:13:21 GMT -7
Around my area in the country the only commercial hobby store is Hobby Town. The owner of that is big into plastic models and R.C cars. There are a few smaller hobby shops which follow the same path. We do have a commercial 1/24 ,1/32 scale race track but the owner is losing business on a daily business. No drag strip all road courses. He is not interested in setting up any HO scale courses or drag strip because all his cliental are big scale slot car racers. Also he has said younger people today do not show interest in how things work. They would much rather have someone trouble shoot things rather than ask questions and fix and tune themselves. It is too bad because he has an old bowling alley for a shop. Plenty of room for whatever. Then you toss in the price of fuel and wa-la instant death to the hobby. This is why I enjoy proxy racing. It keeps my skills and interest alive. I feel like a car owner who cannot get to every race track but can still race. Just my 2 cents.
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Post by gonegonzo on Apr 10, 2011 7:10:56 GMT -7
Hi NoSub ,
I wasn't down on Proxy Racing for those that choose it . My point is that if there was an oulet (home track) for the hobby , the need to proxy race would just be another option. I did say that it's not for me but that's me .I enjoy the one on one --- head to head competition .
What you say about the hobby shops is true I know . Slotcars in general is a hard business to make a go at . You do have to diversify and promote it 100% .
We do have a commercial track close and I have to say that recently I've been noticing a younger crowd in attendence . It's like all hobbies , not for everyone . However , they're people out there that doesn't know what a slotcar is .
Do you have a track at home ?
Do you heve people drag race with you ?
Thx for the reply .
Gonzo
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Post by sjracer on Apr 10, 2011 7:44:04 GMT -7
I constantly ponder the idea. I'd rather race head up and have achance to adjust my own car but I do like the proxy circuit. It's a challenge I don't have room to set up my track and timing system at home. Now as far as mainstream/having it grow I feel we need to hook up with an organization and/or education system. Let me explain what I am talking about
1) What if the Boy Scouts ran slot cars instead of a Pine Wood Derby? Whay if we could hook up with one of the local organizations Elks, Masons, a fraternity,a sorority or what ever and bring our stuff tracks and timing system perhaps loaners or a few cheap cars in exchange we coul get use of their building free of charge for an event we can host. Surely, some of those same people would be there and want to see other car and perhaps even go to mom's house and dig through the basement to find their old stuff and bring it.
2) When I was in highschool the students who took mechanical engineering would make racers out of balsa wood powered by a co2 cartridge, what if they used ran slot cars I doubt if one is extremely more expensive than the next. Every school seems to have science fair. Our current technology is outstanding, could they not be a learning tool.
3) What about the constant town celebrations that pop up, this town day and that town day. Couldn't a few of us in the same area get togehter a rent a cheap space, usr an AW drag strip and have loaners. Heck you could even have videos of a real ho drag racing eevent?
To me the question is do slot cars become irrelevant because we don't have a venue or because we out grow it?
Just my $0.02
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Post by gonegonzo on Apr 10, 2011 9:42:07 GMT -7
SJ , That's exactly what I'm talking about . Ironically you mentioned the Boy Scouts . This past week a fellow worker was helping his Grandson build a Pine Wood Derby car . It's not a new notion of mine but I did think of it once again . My friend had a Boy Scout troop at one time and we talked about the same thing that you mentioned . I even took my portable T-Jets track to one of his meetings for the boys to run on . While the Cub Scouts race Pine Wood Derbies , why not have the Boy Scouts run Slot Cars . Yes , I was a Boy scout back in the 1960's . Opps , told my age . You hit the mark on the many many festivals in everytown U.S.A.. What a great idea you have there . Also , many of those festivals have a car show included in the activities . As far as slot cars loosing popularity ! I'd have to say that it's a lack of venue . I've been racing them since 1962 . Since the hobby died after the Hey Day (1960's) I always had a track at home so I could continue on with the hobby .I still enjoy racing them and having also raced 1=1 cars . I still find the rush in slot cars that goes along with the competition . Can you imagine this thing catching on ?? It being a norm to see a portable drag strip or other slotcar track at the car cruises. With it every cruiser and hot rodder would build a miniture car of their liking . Then, they would carry it with them to the car shows they attend . Why ? Because they know that there will be a portable track there . They wouldn't want to miss that Grudge/Match Race with their buddies . All this is not to mention setting up at your local dragstrip as well . maybe if approached , the drag strip management would sponsor an HO Drag Race as a promotion of their own 1=1 track . I can also see someone there with an old 46 Dodge panel truck or other unique hauler that carries their portable to the events . And again , that's another story . I can see this all being possible . With a little promotion put forth by all of us, we can make HO Drag Racing more well known . Thx for the input. Gonzo |
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Post by charley on Apr 10, 2011 9:47:15 GMT -7
Well, as a 1/24 racer also, let me say that they do exactly what everyone is posting. They have "local" races on weekends, then "sponsored" races about 3 months apart, with maybe one or two "BIG" races to follow. Personally, being new to the HO cars, I LOVE the "proxy races". Even though I don't have a timing system, nor do I know the difference between a T-Jet and a JL chassis, I have the AW MagnaTraction's figured out, I still love the chalange of the sport. There are a few people here that have helped me to get as far as I have, and that I am deeply grateful for. ( you know exactly who you are, SKR , KDogg ).
Anyway, my point is, yes I prefer the "feel" of being there, but due to lack of tracks, the Proxy Race is fine with me.
Did any of this make sense?
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L_Brown
Pro Stock
Larry Brown - North Texas
Posts: 347
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Post by L_Brown on Apr 10, 2011 10:10:36 GMT -7
This is a good post with a lot of good ideas. A few years back at the world of wheels car show (Autorama). There was a guy who had a 24th scale drag strip set up. He had the cars there to use. The thingthat did not work was he was charging to race,
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Post by slotcar58 on Apr 10, 2011 10:36:02 GMT -7
Just invite people to race on your drag strip to race. I hosted the FL HOPRA race yesterday, and the nine people who attended, raced IROC drag racing on my new AW drag strip, that I finished on Tuesday. Try inviting cub scout and boy scout troops over. I've done this over the years for my HO slotcar track and the kids and I have had a blast!
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Post by sjracer on Apr 10, 2011 13:57:34 GMT -7
Slotcar that only works if you have the space, I don't but I have everything else including the Trackmate Pro 3000 with the optional 18 volt power board, I need an affordable venue in which to host. While discussing the issue with Ninjatek I think the lowest price place we've seen right now is around $350. That's a little to pricey you'd need several racers to coever the cost if it were only $100- $150 I wouldn't worry about losing $50 or so. This is the reason I say do a free one with the AW track and in exchange get the venue for free.
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Post by scottman2007 on Apr 10, 2011 17:09:21 GMT -7
gonegonzo,i hear your to a point the reason why i race with guys on Proxy races, i live in a small house and dont have the room, and no hobby stores within 3 hours that run HO..so all of us who like HO drag racing have to settle for proxy racing..But here is my take on it,....I think Proxy racing is really a whole diffrernt hobby in itself as to going some where and running your cars on your own,to me its really almost two differeent hobbies and the Bond that you have with all the racers on here is really great,and the antisipation of the event brings a whole experience as to racing your car yourself,and I just love it.do i wish i could race some where near my house sure it would be fun,but until you try Proxy racing you are missing out,and the guys aon here that run these different Proxy races do just such a bang up job.as far as maintstream for HO,its getting there in the apst three years or so our events have been in magazines TWICE,and the latest was in Car Craft magazine and another one was in scale auto magazine,Let me just say sign up for this next event and just see what you think, with they way they do the coverage to best appearing car and all the fun hype before you ship out your cars,,Trust me i did it once hear and i have been hooked ever since..Just my input.
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Post by gonegonzo on Apr 10, 2011 18:21:39 GMT -7
I hope nobody takes my post the wromg way . I'm not bashing the Proxy Racers at all . Also , I don't think it's two different hobbies either .
What I am saying is that with some innovative promoting , this hobby would no longer have to rely solely on proxy racing .
I too am limited on space and all of my tracks are portable . After the race , the recroom (wreck room) is returned to it's domesticated state and the tracks back in storage .
Gonzo
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Post by Joe65SkylarkGS on Apr 10, 2011 20:35:19 GMT -7
I don't think you ruffled any feathers Gonzo. We just read it and take what you can from it.
This upcoming proxy will be my first and I can't tell you how excited I am because I followed the last one and I thought it was just the coolest thing besides racing the cars ourselves.
BTW did you see some of the lights the drivers were cutting? I don't think I could have done half as well as they did. It made the racing more even.
So Gonzo, you don't have to love every aspect of slot car racing but why not give it all a try at some point or another?
I too am looking into running an event or 3 a year locally to try and stir up more interest. I got a track but no timing system yet. It will come, or if anyone has any leads on a good timing sytem reasonabley affordable, please let me know.
Good post.
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Post by scottman2007 on Apr 10, 2011 21:10:10 GMT -7
I hear what your saying Gonzo and trust me it is alot different i think running my own cars verses proxy racing,trust me i have done it both ways,i used to drag race 1/24th scale cars,and its is different, i know when my cars go to a track the best possiable drivers will cut the best lights,racing my won cars i have to cut my own light and doing that which adds pressure,But i hear where you are coming from,try to get our hobby out to the masses,like i stated before ,we have had two of our events in magazines,and to be honest its also just by word of mouth and telling everyone you can.still at that people have to build the tracks,i wont say a persons name but a person on here built a awsome track,but only lets his close friends run on it,its at his house so maybe thats why,but to me spending a ton of money on a track and then just let 4 or 5 people (friends ) run on it is a waste.and aniother thing that helps is having more people to make rims ,make bodies,decals and as well as having AW having chassis to run.and i think right now HO is on the rise,and AW is bringing more drag cars out this year as well as a few more drag strip sets,so that always help,if everyon on here has facebook,do what i do ill post pictures of my cars and stuff.but as far as people opening a HO hobby store with a track,unlikely you will do enough business to stay open,There was an HO track here in indiana,that had Two HO tracks as well as an HO drag strip,and they closed last year due to low attendence. another hobby store i RC race at here in indianapolis got rid of there HO track about three ago and this past year got rid of their 1/24 scale Oval and Drag strip.I think one reason is for sure that Slot car racing is kinda not as popular but at the same time getting more popular on the collecting end..but another main reason for the decline of slot car racing is that Remote Controlled cars are getting smaller and smaller so people figure wow a remote controlled car thats a 1/18 scale or a 1/20th scale 1/43rd scale,can be raced indoors on tracks,so people figure well you have to control a RC car more than just a pulling a trigger on a slot car track,and since their are getting so small people are hoping over from slot cars to RC cars, i mean right now Kyosho has High performance RC cars that are 1/43 scale,and they are High tech as the big RC cars,guess what they will fit in anybodys slot car case,so people are switching over,and iam not just guessing about all of this, i too race RC cars and places i have been running i see more and more slot car guys now racing RC,but in closing people like AW having a website and offering products is great. along with other places to buy parts,now we need to get a few people that are making awsome drag bodies to get their websites and get their products to the masses as well.
Just my two cents guys,and what i have seen.
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Post by nosubfor3 on Apr 11, 2011 15:31:59 GMT -7
Gonzo I did not take your post as a negative against proxy racing. I would love to race my own car. What I was trying to say is in my area there is really no interest in slots as much as other parts of the country. Yes I do have a Maxx Traxx drag strip and a Track Mate budget timing system with an adjustable power source. We had a couple of us racing but unfortunately there were too many personality conflicts. I would love to host a race but again I have no one to help. At least you have opened up many eyes as to how to promote the hobby. Great post you got going.
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Post by cturner1215 on Apr 13, 2011 8:23:01 GMT -7
I will be doing my first proxy race on the next race and i honestly think its a different hobby almost and i havent even had my first race yet. i like the fact that you can worry just about your car. i cant really say much though since this is my first slot car hobby all of my other hobbies have been RC but looking forward to the upcoming race!
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