Dallas Slot Cars

Results April 25 & 26, 2009

Lots of exciting racing at Dallas Slot Cars. Attendance was down today. We know there are lots of fun things to do on the weekends but please don’t forget to come play with us. I asked 2 visitors to help marshal the first race and gave them free track time in return. Thanks Neil and Ellis for your help.

First race of the day was on the D6. It was only the second race for Flexi Nascar on the D6. Mac and Glen battled back and forth for the lead. While Paul and Dean battled with mechanical issues. In the end, it was Glen’s win and 2 New Track Records. One for Total Laps and the other for TQ.

1st Glen Blanchard 247 laps New Track Record (old record 244) TQ 3.927 New Track Record (old record 3.93) High Heat 43 orange fast lap 3.94
2nd Mac 242 high heat 42 white fast lap 3.99 green
3rd Paul Watts 197 laps 37 white fast lap 4.00 green
4th Dean Wolfe 189 laps 37 orange fast lap 4.08 orange

Next race was Flexi Can Am. This car/body handles like a dream. Paul sat out this race to help me marshal. Bill Frost had a rocket car for 4 heats running 2 tenths faster than the rest of the field. But in the 5th heat the rear tightened up and then it was slower than the entire field. Jay won this race finishing only 1 lap off the record. (We could almost hear Gary Risk’s sigh of relief)

Everyone chased Bill the first 4 heats. Glen chased Jay for the 2nd half of the race. Bill Chased Jay and Glen the last 4 heats. Mac didn’t chase anyone with the doggie motor he had in.

1st Jay Howard 329 Fast lap 4.163 purple
2nd Glen Blanchard 322 Fast lap 4.17 blue
3rd Bill Frost 318 Fast lap 4.164 yellow
4th Mac 302 laps fast lap 4.27 blue

The last race of the day was more like a circus Flexi GTP race. No entry fee and no race prize money. I was the only marshall. But they had a great time dogging each other. Great practice for driving deep into the turns while trying to stay in the slot.

Its not really fair to say how they placed. They were laughing, I was marshaling and they were trying to drive.

1st Glen Blanchard 256 laps
2nd Mac 241 laps
3rd David Watkins 239 laps
4th Paul Watts 216 laps
5th Jay Howard 205 laps

Thanks to everyone for coming to play with us. I know everyone has lots of choices for weekend entertainment. Don’t forget the Texas series is in Dallas next weekend. It looks like we’ll have a great turnout.
2nd

The last photo is the Britsih car show on Sunday Morning at the lake.

Results April 18, 2009

It was a fun day of racing at Dallas Slot Cars. Jay was missing today. He was in Austin, attending his niece’s wedding. Gary Dean brought a friend of his, William. William was more of a watcher than a racer but he enjoyed himself.

We welcomed Bill and his son Blaze to the track for the first time. As with every weekend, Bill was our customer that came in saying “I haven’t seen a slot car in 20 yrs”. They watched and learned and even helped marshal the first race. I’m sure they will be back for more fun.

First race of the day was Flexi Can Am on the D6. Wow these cars handle fantastic. It was the first time this class ran on the D6. There were all new track records to be set. Mac took 2 of the new records and Glen took the other 2.

1st Mac 254 laps Most laps in a heat 44 green BOTH NEW TRACK RECORDS
2nd Glen Blanchard 247 TQ 3.87 Fast lap 3.89 BOTH NEW TRACK RECORDS
3rd Gary Dean 236
4th George Steuben 198
5th Dean Wolfe 194

Next race of the day, was 32nd Wing, also on the D6. These cars are really really fun. Jerry Hall came in at the last moment so Gary lent him a car so he could play too.

Dean Wolfe, using a car from his past, ran a non winged body. (until he can get his new wing body mounted)

This race was the Mac show. If it weren’t for Gary Dean TQ’ing, Mac would have taken all 4 Track Records. But it was an impressive double win for Mac today.

1st Mac 249 laps Fast lap 4.008 High Heat 43 Green ALL NEW TRACK RECORDS
2nd Gary Dean 244 laps TQ 4.002 NEW TRACK RECORD
3rd Glen Blanchard 234
4th Dean Wolfe 206
5th George Steuben 197
6th Jerry Hall 193 (gear issues)

The last race was Flexi Nascar. This was a tight one between Jerry and Glen. They tossed the lead back and forth to the very end. Mac had a motor quit. No warning signs, no smoke, no slow down…it just died. George had a number of issues in the first heat. He blew half the rubber off a tire. Soon after that was repair, his lead wire came unsolder. It was the start of several less than stellar heats for George but as soon as Willie got the bugs out…he was fast.

Among technical issues we had a few physical issues too. Willie burned his thumb with the iron. Mac stabbed himself with the xacto. But diehards that they are….they carried on.

1st Glen Blanchard 309 fast lap 4.28
2nd Jerry Hall 308 TQ 4.29 fast lap 4.38
3rd Mac 266 fast lap 4.39
4th George Steuben 201 fast lap 4.50

Thanks to everyone for coming to play today. It was lots of fun with lots of laughs. It was a little quiet with no Jay there. I’m sure he will make up for it on Sunday.

April 10 & 11, 2009

Sorry for the late posting of the race reports and photos. The Howard clan went out of town for Easter.

Saturday was a fun, fast day of racing at Dallas Slot Cars. We had tons of visitors. Some new to the sport, some familiar faces, some faces from the past. We had lots of laughs and lots of racing.

First race of the day was Wing Flexi. We welcomed Dean Wolfe, a weekly Flexi Nascar racer, to this class. It was a great race for testing new equipment, trying new motor/chassis/body combination etc etc which is exactly what a warm up race is for. Everybody had some sort of technical issue during the race. Some less minor than others. I’d say more body reinforcement was the lesson everyone learned during this race.

1st Glen Blanchard 380 laps TQ 3.43 (couldn’t quite catch the record)
2nd Jay Howard 371 laps (couldn’t catch Glen)
3rd Mac 370 laps (couldn’t catch Jay)
4th George Steuben 368 laps (learning red & black)
5th Dean Wolfe 317 (With his newly purchased chassis, he will be faster next time)

Next race of the day was TSRA GTP. (Just a reminder because I’m having people confuse the 2 DIFFERENT GTP classes we run. 1) Flexi GTP is run with a flexi chassis with a Falcon motor. 2) TSRA GTP which is run with a totally different chassis and hand built motor.)

All 5 of these racers are racing in the Texas Series so it was a fantastic opportunity to test, tune, thrash and crash. Unfortunately for Bill, he lost a motor in the 3rd heat so it was left to the other 4 racers to battle it out.
Laurie Watkins has become a girl force in this class and she’s not afraid to show ‘em. I’m sure it wasn’t intentional when she nerfed husband David in the lead on???!!!

David led wire to wire this race with Glen nipping at his heels the entire race. Laurie chased mac down to get 3rd. Wild Bill blew up a motor but better then than May 2nd. However, Bill TQ’d surprising everyone with a 3.344

1st David Watkins 364 laps
2nd Glen Blanchard 357 laps
3rd Laurie Watkins 333 laps
4th Mac 325 laps
5th Bill Frost 201 laps TQ 3.344

Next race was TSRA Boxstock. This is a fast, fun class to race. (I’m a bit biased)

We welcomed San Antonio racers Reuben & Reuben Hernandez. They were eager to learn about our different classes of racing. Being accustomed to crash & bun races, the younger Reuben was very happy to know he would be racing for 3 min. He drove an amazing race. No doubt he’s mastered his skills from the crash & burn format.

We also welcomed back Mark Brown. We haven’t seen him in several weeks while he has been racing in his native California.

Willie ran 1 1/2 heats but pulled out (while in the lead) to help marshal. Lack of marshals was a problem this race. I had also intended to race (as this is my favorite class and my only opportunity to race) but Mac & I were the only marshals. I gave Jay my car to race since I needed to marshal and run the race. Thanks too, to Reuben’s father Reuben for lending a hand at marshaling. He did a great job considering he isn’t familiar with marshaling.

1st Jay Howard 485 laps (unbelievable!) TQ 2.46 (unbelievable!) AND with my car!!
2nd Mark Brown 444 laps (with no practice time at all!)
3rd Reuben Hernandez 416 laps (great race come back soon!)
4th David Watkins 369 laps (sorry for all the track calls David)
5th Willie Stanglin 98 laps (sorry Willie for not getting to race but thanks for helping)

I’ve had several people email and PM asking about the marshaling issues. We were frustrated. Wing racers don’t get an opportunity to race very often. As you all know it can be costly, the more classes you run. So it was very disappointing not to have any marshals so the race could go quickly and smoothly. Wing cars and track calls don’t mix well. Not only is it hard on the racers but hard on the motors. Sorry guys.

But we did have a great day of racing in preparation for the Texas Series May 2nd & 3rd. We look forward to a big event.

We had another set of visitors. Neil Taylor, son Ellis and daughter Olivia, stayed the entire day. Playing & practicing on both tracks. Neil hasn’t raced since TNT closed in Mesquite. No doubt he will be back behind the racing throttle soon with both his kids showing him how to do it!

Thanks everyone for playing with us this past weekend. Don’t forget about the IROC race Sunday April 19.

Results April 7, 2009

A beautiful warm spring day, lots of big car racing going on in DFW and we still managed to get in some racing at Dallas Slot Cars.
First race of the day was Flexi Indy on the D6. As always, this is a fun class on a fun track which makes for lots of laughs….not to mention crashes and flips.
(I left the race report at the track sorry)

1st Mac
2nd Paul Watts
3rd Jay Howard
4th Willie (using the loaner car)
5th Steve Moore

2nd race of the day was the new class. 32nd wing! and oh boy how much fun we had. This little car is so smooth and easy to drive, everyone will love it. These were all new track records to be added to the board.
It was a battle between Mac, Paul and Jay….But it was Mac’s name that would go on the board for the win.
George Steuben had gear troubles in 2 heats but once that was repaired his car was a rocket. George ran the fastest lap of the race to put his name on the board.

Steve Moore, in his first visit to Dallas Slot Cars had a great race. Once he’s learned the track he will be on the podium.
Willie and I both raced but we were all laughing so much we couldn’t concentrate. (well that’s my excuse)
These cars drive like a dream and I know almost everyone has them in the slot box at home. Dust them off and come play.

1st Mac 205 laps TQ 4.27 High Heat 27 Blue ALL NEW TRACK RECORDS
2nd Paul Watts 197 laps
3rd Jay Howard 189 laps
4th George Steuben 174 laps fast lap 4.34 NEW TRACK RECORD
5th Shontel Howard 164 laps
6th Steve Moore 145 laps
7th Willie Stanglin 99 laps

Well it was at this point in the day when it turned unusual. My mom called to say that Hannah had fallen off the bench at McDonalds backwards hitting her head on the concrete floor. Crying of a severe headache with no bump appearing, I took her to the emergency room. 5 hrs and a cat scan later revealed no problems.

But in my absence, the racing proceeded. Next race was Flexi GTP.
Jerry Hall brought and out of town friend of his, Roger. Roger having never seen a slot car before ran in his first race. He did fantastic.

1st Jerry Hall 205 laps fast lap 4.11
2nd Jay Howard 184 fast lap 4.28
3rd Roger ?? 166 laps fast lap 4.56
4th Willie Stanglin 160 laps fast lap 4.45