[BEEJAY7]

I really wasn't going to contribute to this topic as my "Golden era" was pretty ordinary compared to the amazing exploits of some of the great racers on here, but Russell did ask…….

I first got involved in Scalextric at about ten years of age with a basic figure of eight track, I do remember among my cars I had a Vanwall, Ferrari "sharknose", D Type Jag and a Porsche. I really wish I had kept those cars.

Like all boys I lost interest and other hobbies took over and then girls and football came along, (come to think of it they still do!). I guess it was round about 68 that I was looking in the local Hobby shop window when I saw a small advert for a Slot racing club, so I told a friend of mine about it and we both went along to one of their Wednesday night sessions. I couldn't believe the cars these guys were running, so different from what I was used to.

We both joined the Club after a while, (can you believe there was a waiting list!), and we were introduced to Club Racing. To cut a long story short we joined the ECRA, slowly learnt to build our own cars and got into racing. Our Club ran an annual championship in four classes with each race night dedicated to one particular class so you had twelve rounds per class each season. These classes were 1/32 F1, 1/32 Sports/GT, 1/32 Saloon and 1/24 Sports GT. All chassis were homebuilt apart from the 1/24ths and motors generally Group 20's with Group 7's or other exotica in the 1/24ths.

I think my greatest result in racing was to win an ECRA open meeting, on our track and I once won a 4-hour endurance race with my friend. Not a lot really.

We had a great time and meet some nice people, but this all came to an end in the seventies, when things got so expensive that people started dropping out of the hobby. I gave up at this stage and got involved in the 1:1 Classic car restoration scene ( which is even more expensive), and after brief dabbles with HO and a Home set in the 80's didn't really start getting interested until 3 years ago.

Mostly now I just collect and build my own cars, I don't race, mainly because where I live there are no Clubs, but I am going to build my own layout this year.

I'm looking forward to Pheonix and I really enjoy this Forum.

A pretty ordinary story of a very average driver, which I'm sure, is shared by many of you.

Regards

Alan

 

[BEEJAY7]

Mr. P

Really would like to hear your story.......

Regards

Alan

 

[BEEJAY7]

Great read David, and nice knitwear by the way.

Regards

Alan

 

[BEEJAY7]

This is Great Stuff Guys, I can't add anything but I do remember Laurie Cranshaw he came to one of our ECRA South Western opens once.

Regards

Alan

PS Russell I love that grid, are these the shells that Chas Keeling at SCD still sells?.

 

[BEEJAY7]

Thanks Russell, very comprehensive list, and very impressive car.

It is the early ones I'm after. I'm afraid the later ones do not appeal at all.

Mr P I'm with you 100% on this issue, As I'm currently having a verbal battle with my Local Club to try and persude them to look at other forms of Racing apart from their Wing cars. I have no objection to them racing their choice of slot car but I would just like people to recognise other forms of racing. Their current membership is 4 which is a little lower than the 30 or so who used to attend at the end of the Sixties!. If it carries on like this the Club will close.

It really shouldn't be too hard to co-exist....should it?

Regards

Alan

 

[BEEJAY7]

My Local track is 120 foot four lane routed. Very, very fast.

No one is asking the existing members to give up their class nights, all I want to try and do is arrange for scale racing on another evening.

Their response...... "There is no demand for scalex racing in this area".

There are no other tracks anywhere else in the area, so my next closest Club would be Oxford or even Pheonix, (approx 100 miles).

I give up.

Regards

Alan

 

[BEEJAY7]

Hi John, what a refreshing attitude you do have!. There has to be room for all types of racing, including Wing, Retro and scale.

Contrary to my last post on this subject, (Obviously a bad day!), I will try again to see what can be done at Bath, In fact I think I'll go and have it out with them on Wednesday night, the official race night.

The problem with the track as it currently constructed is that you really need to fit foam rears and deep slot Guides on RTR cars to make them run any decent times, and that tends to put off potential newcomers to the Scale side of the hobby who just want to run cars "out of the box".

Thanks for your comments.

Regards

Alan