11th-Jul-20, 11:31 AM
I dabbled in slot racing in the late 60's early 70's and was a regular Saturday morning visitor to the Model Racing and Drag Centre in Westcliff to pay for an hours track time. After MDRC closed I was an occasional visitor to Wonderland and helped Reg Chapman revive Estuary Equipe for a short time but I was never able to afford a competitive car so when Estuary Equipe closed I packed up.
In 1988 I opened my own model shop in Southend and was involved in a failed attempt to rescue the Tottenham King track from dereliction at Wonderland following which George Land at Parma put me in touch with Neil Simmons, the son of Laurie Simmons who had owned MRDC and had also built the original Wonderland Blue and Yellow tracks.
Neil had been operating tracks at several Butlins camps but in the late 80's Butlins decided to discontinue the slot tracks and Neil had an AMF Queen which we planned to set up to run a club in a former mess hall in Shoebury barracks.
Neil got a job where he worked long hours and I moved my shop to Brands Hatch which meant neither of us had any spare time and although we moved part of the AMF Queen to Shoebury we eventually abandoned the venture leaving several track sections in Shoebury as Neil could no longer store them.
For almost 20 years I forgot about slot racing again until I saw a posting on another forum which incorrectly stated that I had abandoned an AMF track at an army base in Kent. I posted a correction on the forum and got a message from well known slot car builder David Lawson, who I had worked with in the 70's, saying that Southend Slot Racing club was based 10 mins drive from my home and he suggested I go along one night.
I turned up expecting to spectate but was given a loaned car and controller and was informed that I had 10 mins to practice before the first race. I have been racing again for about 5 years now in both modern hard body and vintage club nights.
I have competed in Double Trouble at Rockingham, several CSCRA events and last years Policar GP at Gaydon. My performances haven't exactly set the slotcar world alight but I enjoy competing and building cars and hope to continue for a long time yet.
If any club racer out there has been dubious about entering events outside of their own club but doesn't feel that they are good enough please take the plunge. I have been made very welcome at vintage. Policar and CSCRA events although I usually land up battling for last or near last with a few other regular competitors. No one will expect you to be the best racer in the world but they will appreciate you turning up to support their events.
In 1988 I opened my own model shop in Southend and was involved in a failed attempt to rescue the Tottenham King track from dereliction at Wonderland following which George Land at Parma put me in touch with Neil Simmons, the son of Laurie Simmons who had owned MRDC and had also built the original Wonderland Blue and Yellow tracks.
Neil had been operating tracks at several Butlins camps but in the late 80's Butlins decided to discontinue the slot tracks and Neil had an AMF Queen which we planned to set up to run a club in a former mess hall in Shoebury barracks.
Neil got a job where he worked long hours and I moved my shop to Brands Hatch which meant neither of us had any spare time and although we moved part of the AMF Queen to Shoebury we eventually abandoned the venture leaving several track sections in Shoebury as Neil could no longer store them.
For almost 20 years I forgot about slot racing again until I saw a posting on another forum which incorrectly stated that I had abandoned an AMF track at an army base in Kent. I posted a correction on the forum and got a message from well known slot car builder David Lawson, who I had worked with in the 70's, saying that Southend Slot Racing club was based 10 mins drive from my home and he suggested I go along one night.
I turned up expecting to spectate but was given a loaned car and controller and was informed that I had 10 mins to practice before the first race. I have been racing again for about 5 years now in both modern hard body and vintage club nights.
I have competed in Double Trouble at Rockingham, several CSCRA events and last years Policar GP at Gaydon. My performances haven't exactly set the slotcar world alight but I enjoy competing and building cars and hope to continue for a long time yet.
If any club racer out there has been dubious about entering events outside of their own club but doesn't feel that they are good enough please take the plunge. I have been made very welcome at vintage. Policar and CSCRA events although I usually land up battling for last or near last with a few other regular competitors. No one will expect you to be the best racer in the world but they will appreciate you turning up to support their events.
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