Probably the most well known and longest standing Slot Car Raceway in the history of San Diego was the big and super-fast 220 Engleman track located in Downtown San Diego at the Armed Services YMCA. It opened around 1966 and continued to operate into the 1980's. It was originally known as the "International Raceway Center", but the name was changed around 1971 to "San Diego Model Raceway" when it was taken over by the late Rene' Romero. Rene' was a wonderful and friendly guy who was the ultimate hobbist (slot racing, RC cars, photography and more) and was also a great track owner who kept this raceway going for quite a long time. Some of the So Cal slot racers who "back in the day" called this track home include: Art Tarver, Dennis "Foamy" Hill, Leroy Vega, Bob Johannes, Tim Bunch, G Morgan, Jaime, and many many others.  |
| Vintage Engleman Track at the San Diego YMCA |
Sunday, January 11, 1970
International Slot Car Raceway at the Armed Services YMCA - Downtown San Diego
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Good lord does that bring back memories! I raced there for years. The second I saw the picture I knew that was home. The original banking was destroyed in a fire and the replacement was so rough that we ran the track backwards. You had to be careful not to come off under the bridge that way. I don't recall D.Morgan but the others were friends as well as competitors.
ReplyDeleteBob (buzard) Thurman
My Brother use to go there in the Early 70's his name was Hector Cuadras and Rick, T
ReplyDeleteHector? Didn't he work at the hardware store?
ReplyDeleteThe Hector that worked at the hardware store?
ReplyDeleteLee Vega
ReplyDeleteBob Thurman...where are you heres my numbers call me....619-962-7633...those we the greatest of days my friend!
~L
Whas up Leroy? This is Gary Morgan. Rennie actually got me into HO racing about a year before he pasted. This is my blog. The only guys that I've seen from the old days at the Y are Dennis "Foamy" Hill who's in L.A., and Tim Bunch who races HO with us in Scripps Ranch and is still racing 24th at the flat track in El Cajon. Let me know if you want to do some racing, I'll hook you up with some cars that you won't even believe. Check out the some of the HO activity on the blog. The fast HO classes that we race in LA are faster than anything we use to run at the Y. I'm at hoparts@cox.net.
ReplyDeleteI'll try again, can't seem to post.
ReplyDeleteI used to hang with Tim Bunch a lot. I adopted his rocker front end on my chassis. I found Doug Flemming on a site for his go kart business. Saw a picture of Foamy and Stork at the Buena Park track web site. Leroy used to hang out at Arcade Record Store as well as at the Y.
robert.thurman1949@att.net
In my teens, my friends (Dave and Stephen Palmer) and I went there in the mid to late 70's. I didn't do much competitive racing... I didn't have the money to put together cars fast enough to compete with the adults, but had lots of fun none the less. I'm sorry to hear that Rene passed away. He was a real nice guy. I remember he took a small group of us one evening to race at a track in Tijuana.
ReplyDeleteEric Wright
hi eric its tom cataldo i went to tijuana to race with rene and i think you was there to
Deleteracing down there it was ok been a long time eric
cataldotj@gmail.com
Raced there in the late 70's. Unfortunately, from Chicago to New York down to Florida I could never find tracks that had the power those tracks had. After watching my group 20's and unlimited's crawl down the track, I gave up the hobby.
ReplyDeleteRaced there in the 70's with my brother buzzards. It was a blast prepping for local races then heading up to LA for Western States and USRA Nats. Those were really good times! Things sure are different now. Sub 2 second times on a King track... unbelievable!
ReplyDeleteTom Sneden
tsneden@gmail.com
i race at san diego raceway when rene own bob johannes was a good when it closed at ymca they try save old but landed in a land in el cajon that track will be miss some bug name slot car from l.a. came down to race too...
ReplyDeletetom cataldo san diego ,ca slot car racer 1962 to 1980
Raced there when I was in the Navy. Those guys were fast! I thought I knew slot cars. I would take windings out of a motor, these guys would wind their own motors. There are a ton of little tricks l learned. It was a blast.l bought the chapions car in 1979or80 I don't really remember.Anyways the motor was burned out and the brass chassis needed some soldering.I shipped out soon after Still have 3 1/32 scale and ten tyco 1/64scale ho.And a ton of tyco 1/64 track.Im 64 and can't wait to put this track to good use! Maybe I could offer running it at our local Y 😎🏁 plcg
ReplyDeleteWow. I remember my dad’s track in Westminster, CA. I raced against Foamy there….that was after my years in 1/12 and 1/10th R/C days.
ReplyDelete