1/24th Commercial Tracks In Sydney & Beyond

[bov]

Hi Gang,

 

I'm trying to clear my muddled memory - so please indulge me as I try to recreate my slot racing history..

 

In doing so I hope you can help fill in some blanks and confirm my recollections, and the destiny of some of these tracks...

 

Ok - so sometime probably in '73 - '74 I started out at a track in Waldron Rd Chester Hill - apart from a slot car track it was also a bicycle shop. The track had dramatic rises and falls - parts of it were called 'Death Valley', 'Angels Roll" etc...

 

FF to '78 - '79, and my 2nd encounter with slots - this time at Yagoona Straightaways (?) - owner Jim (?) champion Gp 16's, Mura 27's etc - Jim made a lot of "Ice cream Cone replica chassis" - modelled after an existing successful design for Gp 20 racing...

 

Which I took to G&D Raceways at Parramatta - upstairs on Church St - I still remember the stairs... anywho Geoff & Daphne had 3 tracks - a Hillclimb, a Flat Track and a very nice banked roadcourse (?) with donut and bank etc - I raced there for many years - Gp 20, Gp 27, Open and 36D sedan...

 

With other people from there, I visited other tracks around Sydney and beyond:

 

Martin D had a track at Waitara, the banks used to be hard on guides - I believe the centre is still there, but the tracks have changed...

 

We went on a epic journey to Caringbah - this track was huge and had lots of power - I think it was an American design - I really like to know more about this one - we're up to 1980 by now, if that helps...

 

I ventured up to Newcastle occasionally - there was a track towards the centre of town (but the name of the suburb escapes me), I walso raced one or twice at Glendale, I think it was ( I think the building was white.....)

 

Then we hit the 'big time' - flying to Melbourne to race at Thomastown on the King Track - we wnt down there 3 - 4 times over a 2 year period - also visiting a track on Sydney Rd Coburg IIRC...

 

In '83 - '84 I helped Dave M move the track from Blacktown to Seven Hills to create GT Raceways (named after his kids Glenn & Tracey..)

 

Later on the King from Thomastown moved to Fairfield NSW - I saw the Dawn Trading Race there in '86 - '87

 

I remember racing once or twice at a track at the back or Phoenix Plaza Liverpool (Gp 12?) - and I think this track has since moved to Ingleburn?

 

 

So - does much of this seem credible? Have many of these tracks survived? Can anyone confirm much of this and give any more information?

 

I appreciate your time - thanks.

[slotbaker]

I remember racing once or twice at a track at the back or Phoenix Plaza Liverpool (Gp 12?) - and I think this track has since moved to Ingleburn?

I don't remember the setup when it was at the plaza (only went there once), but Ric moved the main track and converted another to an oval that was located at Prestons (Hoxton Park Rd), and was known as Liverpool Checkered Flag.

 

Ric unfortunately had to close down in March 05, when the landlord decided he wanted to sell the premises. Ric tried to buy the place, but couldn't arrange finance in time.

 

All the stuff was sold to locals, and the main track re-sold a while ago, and last we knew six months ago, is now stored somewhere in Melbourne.

 

The track at Ingleburn is noway related to the Liverpool setup.

[slots]

All correct except for one little detail. All bar Waitara and Ingleburn are GONE! Geoff closed up Parramatta about 10 years ago when Daph died. That place was thier lives and without Daph, Geoff just couldn't be there. Caringbah went to Sydney City Slot Cars and got replaced with a King track. However, due to developrs, John had to sell up and those tracks went to Melbourne and Brisbane I think. Chester Hill and Yagoona went at least 20 years ago, Newcastle burnt down, Fairfield went broke, Seven Hills went broke and Charlie took over Waitara and replaced the old track with what's there now. I think that's th lot so I hope this helps the failing memory.

[Terry]

While we are on the subject of old tracks from days gone by...............and this will make me feel older than I feel right now!

 

I started racing back in '63 at Fairfield Police Boys Club at Cabramatta,my local toy and hobby store man was a member of a little club and suggested I have a go(with my VIP "Club Special"),that track stayed alive till the late 60's as it was also used by the Police Boys,from there I raced at Granville,just near the station upstairs,I also ran at Fairfield above the Fred Ward dance studios in Nelson Street,and also at John Street Cabramatta,Chester Hill and Yagoona,plus a few runs at Enfield Bowling Alley,I met Geoff and Daph when they were at Phillip Street Parramatta,before going round the corner to Church Street,those bloody stairs!

 

I dropped out of slots when I discovered something far more elusive(you know what I mean),got drafted in '68,got sent overseas and bugger me a slot car track run by the Salvos in Vietnam!

 

Its always good to go back and recall those days,lots of fun and plenty of good times,today is no different,lots of good times and lucky enough to still be able to enjoy good racing and,just as importantly,with good friends.

 

I'll go and take my afternoon nap now.

 

Terry

Edited December 29, 2007 by terry

[Terry]

Sorry,but I'm getting a little of subject here,but......mentioning that VIP Club Special reminds me of a funny incident,the VIP was an alright runner at The police boys track,a very twisty hill climb circuit,MRRC 4 wheel drive Mercs were the car to have at this track,the VIP was alright but not in that class,but ok for a new boy.

 

As a young lad I attended tech one day a week in Sydney and there were a few commercial tracks in the city,one being in Pitt Street,just down from the Mandarin Club,so,me being a "club racer" took my Club Special along for a run,no chatty hire cars for me,no sir,I had my own VIP Club Special!

 

The hire cars were running "can" motors and my little open style motor didn't see which way the hire cars went!I was gutted,so much so that I couldn't wait to get to my hobby shop and see what he had in a similar style(motor wise),He showed me the latest from the states,a 1/32 Cox Ford GT.

 

I never used the club special again.

 

Terry

[slotbaker]

Good one Terry. Have you still got that VIP Special? Maybe show a pic in another thread if you have. :chainsaw:

 

With all these tracks mentioned, can anyone remember each one's layout?

Might be interesting to see how the old tracks were. How about making a sketch of them if you can.

 

[bov]

Thanks for the replies, gents - good to know the memory is not completely gone...

 

I can sketch out out Chester Hill, Yagoona, G&D's main track in my mind (wouldn't have a clue how to post them here..) - but I'd be really keen to see a drawing of the Caringbah / Sydney City track.

 

We all know what a King looks like.....

 

I wonder what happened to G&D's tracks?

 

I may yet follow up on your suggestion, Steve - thanks!

[Terry]

Tony,from what I heard Geoff put a chain saw through the main track.

 

I know the story going around at the time was that those stairs were so difficult that the chain saw was the only option.

 

Steve,sadly like a lot of us the old cars have gone,my parents thought that while I was away doing Nasho they would "clean out" my room,which included my slotcars.

 

I never did understand that.

 

Terry

[MOPARGREG]

Hi guys,

 

I remember about 15 years or more ago there was a track at long jetty on the central coast on The Entrance Rd. I cant remember much about it but what I remember it was a pretty large track. At the back of the slot car track there was a surf board maker. I think now there is a hot rod shop in the building where the track was. Does anyone remember it.

cheers

Greg

[slots]

The story about the chain saw isn't true according to sources. It's still in storage somewhere but I know it needed a bit of work to get it running properly again.

[Plucka]

The Track at Ingleburn was bought from Newcastle (cant recall where ) about 17 years ago and the track was lengthened and correct me if i am wrong is the 2nd longest running Track behind Hornsby.

 

What about Fiarfield, St Marys and Penrith.

 

Kings park had a king and if i am mistaken is still in storage.

 

Not sure what happened to the track at Budgiewoi.

 

Plucka

[slotbaker]

.... correct me if i am wrong is the 2nd longest running Track behind Hornsby.

That is probably true as far as commercial centres go.

 

The 6 lane track at Luddenham SSME was built in 1967, and was one of 2 used in a centre at Woy Woy on the NSW central coast.

When the centre closed in early 70's, the big track was sold to SSME, and the smaller track went to Boy's Town at Engadine but has since disappeared.

 

So, is the Luddenham track the oldest routed track still in use in Australia?

:chainsaw:

[Terry]

one of the guys who races at Area3 was a regular at the one on The Entrance Rd,I'll ask him where it finished up.Doug and Josie may know what happened to Fairfield,Wayne Bramble was running that place for a while,also there was the Narellan track that Denis ran,I think that closed in the mid 90's,and I think there was a track that Gary Johnson was involved with out at penrith??

 

It wouldn't suprise me if the Budgewoi track was still there,all locked up,no one running it.I'll ask one of the old Budgewoi crowd who run at Area3.

 

Bruce Neismith will know what happened to the tracks at Parra,I'm overdue to ring him so I'll ring him tonight.

 

Terry

[Plucka]

Ahh and i forgot campbelltown, Eddie was the owners name.

 

Wayne Bramble moved to the US for a period but is now back racing, could possibly see him at the Australia Day Classic.

[Terry]

The real story on Parra was that geoff had 3 tracks,the main big track a flat track, and a hillclimb which was at the front of the building overlooking Church St,that had gone some time before Daph passed away.

 

The flat track originally came from Crows Nest,one of the first centres in Sydney,it was sold and finished up either in Leichhardt or Annandale,Bruce thinks Johnson Street(??).

 

The big track was not sold and as Geoff needed to get out of the place it was decided to cut the thing up with saws and a chain saw,Bruce had this passed onto him by the people who actually cut the track up.

 

Not sure where the other tracks are now,but the one from Crows Nest is interesting as it must have been one of the 1st commercial tracks.

 

Terry

Edited December 30, 2007 by terry

[slotbaker]

Anyone remember any of these?

LaPerouse, 4 (maybe 6) lane flat Scalextric, gradually converted to routed. (The first track I went to around 1964)

Hillsdale, mainly flat track, with one bank.

Coogee Beach, ??

Rushcutter Bowl, flat track.

Green Valley, ??

Alexandria, flat track. (Supposed to have the longest straight in Australia at the time, 1966)

Rockdale Southside Plaza, flat track.

Ramsgate, ??

 

Terry, that track you went to in Pitt St, was it down stairs? I remember going there one time and couldn't get a go. It was that busy.

[slots]

So the big track is in storage or not? The Newcastle track that got moved must have been the Charlestown track. The one at Broadmedow did burn as I went up a week after it happened and found the ashes. Broadmedow originally came from St Marys. The guy that had it there did a great job of the scenery but had no idea how to maintain it as he used to use Mr Sheen to clean it and wouldn't let any one goo it up so you could get traction. Like driving on greased glass.

 

Penrith just vanished after Gary sold out vowying not to build again even though he still does, and don't forget Jamisontown either.

Edited December 30, 2007 by slots

[Terry]

Stu,from what Bruce has told me,its been cut up,finished,gone.Ah,but memories do you remember Gary Bell?Then,as mad as a cut snake,a colourful character,Jacko,Daphs' favourite(??),and the donut,where if you came off your car finished up in the garbage bin!Not to forget a trip to the toilet was one where you stood at the door,took a long deep breath and hopefully got the job done before you next needed to inhale.

 

Steve,the Pitt street was downstairs, Across the road from Funland(I think)which was huge in the R&R days.

I know its hard to beleive,but you would turn up at a track for a run and there would be so many there,you had to take a ticket and wait your turn,sometimes you would wait up to an hour,and then only get 15 minutes!

 

Then queue up and start again.

 

Mad times.

 

Some may know Gary Johnson,some may not,I'm sure Gary has a love hate relationship with slot cars,but when Gary is involved,there is no one better,Track builder extroadinaire,designer of,what I beleive to be the best track system going,if only it was updated from the Amiga 500 system!fast and competitive racer at all levels,and a very handy car builder,pity we don't see more of Garys' handiwork more often.

 

Stu,I'm sure the owner of the Hobby store was almost releived to see the old Broadmeadow building burn down,it forced him to a much smaller premises near the new Westfields at Kotara,and he seems to be doing very nicely,no track however,but nice shop.

 

Terry

Edited December 30, 2007 by terry

[Bigfela]

Is Gary Johnson the guy who built the tracks at The Pump?

Can anyone elaborate on this?

[Plucka]

No.

 

Thats Gary Calleija (or spelling to that effect lol)

 

Gary Johnson Lives in QLD and ventures to Hornsby or Melbourne for the wing car events (he actually won from what i believe his first major wing car title ar Rockhampton in QLD this year).

 

He has been spending alot of time in melbourne helping Peter set up his king track in the hope it will go from fast to freaking fast for the 2008 Nationals.

 

In regards to his system, i feel it was one of the best but with the time it has and could take to see his windows based version (talk of it being ready late 08) other windows based products have come along that in my eyes are better and cheaper for example the Track mate system which gets updated almost weekly (but thats all my opinion).

 

Ahh another track was Thiroull (spelling) down south that used to be owned by Ted.

 

Nowra was another track i had been to once that also closed down many years ago.

Edited December 31, 2007 by Plucka

[numbers]

Seven Hills Was sold by Dave to a bloke called Chris, and then the track went broke.

Dave ended up retaining the tracks, which sat in his dad's garage for many years (in pieces).

I think about ten years ago, a couple of blokes acquired thetracks from Dave, but when they realised they didn't have the space to set them up, the tracks went to the tip .

 

I must know you Bov - Dad & i helped Dave move the track from above the old post office to station rd??

Did you operate a back-hoe??

 

There was also a track for a very short period in the back of a video store at prospect that had some wicked banking. I think it went broke also, but that was a fairly compact 8 lane comp track (no idea who built it, but it was a custom job to fit the tight space. It would be a goog track for someone wanting an 8 lane comp track in minimal space - IF you can find it!!!!

[bov]

Well, the move for Dave I was involved in was from Blacktown to upstairs somewhere in Seven Hills - we were carrying parts of track in my Panel Van....

 

Did GT move later?

[kalbfellp]

The last I time I heard from Dennis Pernell he still had the two tracks from Narellan stored in a container where he worked!

The King had been on loan to some club but had been returned.

 

Phil

[Chaparral]

I don't suppose any of you blokes would remember a Tamworth track back in the late 60's it was a couple of doors down from Joe Faulkinmyers's Music Shop in Bridge Street - and upstairs. A 6 laner from memory (professional build) so probably a standard supply back in those days. I remember the Cox Cucaracha 1/24th was the quickest car around that track at the time - my Cox Chaparral 2C 1/24th wasnt that much slower and they ran a 12 Hour race one year - cool - I was just a teen at that stage all caught up in Jack Brabhams triumphs o/s and Jim Halls cars in the Can Am and earning enough pocket money to purchase my first copy of Automobile Year 1965. Bloody motor sport!!!

[slots]

Stu,from what Bruce has told me,its been cut up,finished,gone.Ah,but memories do you remember Gary Bell?Then,as mad as a cut snake,a colourful character,Jacko,Daphs' favourite(??),and the donut,where if you came off your car finished up in the garbage bin!Not to forget a trip to the toilet was one where you stood at the door,took a long deep breath and hopefully got the job done before you next needed to inhale.

 

 

Do I remember these 2???????? How can you forget them?????? Gary used to run wing cars if I remember correctly and Jacko was like me, didn't care if he won, ran last or lost the car completely! Jacko actually helped me introduce Group 10 Womps to Parra after he saw them running on Peter Carrol's track at Hornsby where Charlie is now. He had some of the fastest s16d womps around when he came to Hornsby and couldn't believe how quick ours were until he found out what we were doing. Pete opened up the rules to a point where you couldn't cheat and to be competetive you had to BUILD the damn thing rather than throw a lot of money at it. Had to do things like advance the timing on the arm as they only sold 25 degree arms in those days and shunted brushes and Koford hoods, Mura stinger arms, Mura cans, Champion yellow dot magnets cracked and re-glued together to make quad magnets as the only quads were cobalt which actually didn't fit in the rules what little rules there were. Pete also wouldn't re-work motors for people, just initial build and set-up. Damn, they were good days! :nice: