JW's Steve McQueen #20 GULF PORSCHE 917K...

McQueen's  LeMans ride in HO Scale

Gary Cleverley - R.I.P.

It is with great sadness that I write this post.  I recently learned that Gary Cleverley passed away on December 10, 2011 which was his 59th birthday.  Gary was a one of a kind guy who lived life at a speed that most of us can only imagine.  To his friends he was a wild and crazy fun guy who love to go fast!   

Gary was a pioneer in the San Diego County slot car racing scene.  He first had "LeMan's Raceway" (photos here), a big 24th scale commercial raceway in the Vista/San Marcos area.  Later, in 1993 he introduce everyone in San Diego County to serious HO magnet racing when he opened "HO Racing and Hobbies" (see video below) in Sorrento Valley.  He brought in 3 custom Bucktrax from Scale Auto in Seattle, installed an HO dragstrip on one wall, and taught many of us the nuances of real HO slot racing.  Gary C. was friendly and helpful to his customers, and fun and generous to his friends. 



Cleverley's Prowler

He was always laughing and joking about something, and he always had a cool fast car including a couple of Plymouth/Chrysler Powlers.  After he got out of slot racing he became a very active member of The Prowler Owners Association (a lot more info here) .   Gary Cleverley will be missed.

.

The Latest in HO Slot Cars: New DRAGSTERS from Auto World

These 4 Auto World Top Fuel Dragsters have just hit the market.  These four-gear chassis - dual-Neo Traction magnet Top Fuel Racers, along with other recent AW drag cars (Funny Cars and Pro Stocks) are some of the most exciting HO slot cars to be released in a very long time, and will likely spawn an all new racing class and at least a few new after-market drag racing parts. 

Race Results: Results: SCHOR 2011 Race #9

Eddie "Break's his Duck" at takes NEO on

The Riverside

Morgan is dominant in Modified

Ben smokes the field in Super Stock

Dan is the fastest man in Pro Hardbody

................................................

The weather was perfect, the track was fast, and in spite of missing a lot of the regular SCHOR racers, the turn-out at Eddie's was still large and produced a day of great racing.  We held a total of 6 events, and even had an amateur race in Super Stock.  

The day started with Amateur (Rookie) Hardbody and that race was dominated by little Ryan Schartau a new young racer who's so short he has to stand on a milk crate to see the whole track.  Ryan drove his hardbody car like a pro and dominted the field for a wire to wire win in his first SCHOR race.    

Next up was Pro Hardbody:  Dan Cronin carried over his winning ways from last month's race to end up way out in front in the combined scoring for the two pro hardbody semis.

We moved on to Amateur Super Stock where Darrin Angelo just ran off from the rest of the field to clitch his first big win in SCHOR.

There were 14 entries in Pro Super Stock and it proved to be a serious fight just getting though the semis into the main.  Then the main turned out to be a hard fought battle between Morris, Dan, and All-Pro SCHOR racer. Ben "The Viper" Vasquez.  When the dust settle, once again it was Ben who emerged victorious.

We had a healthy and very fast field of 12 entries in Modified, where Gary Morgan showed everybody that he could not be caught with his G3R/T+ Hybrid car.  Ben was second running a fast Slottech, and Rick "Mr. T-Jet" Jocham was a solid 3rd with his Wizzard Storm.

11 entries in NEO meant there would be hard fought battles and durabilty struggles just to get through the semis and on to the main event.  When all of the dust settled at the end. There standing on the top step of the NEO podium for the First Time in his SCHOR career was no other than Eddie "The Snake" Torres!! Yes, Ed finally as the Europeans say: "Broke his Duck" in NEO and won it all.  Ben pushed him hard ending up second, and Rick had some smokin' early laps driving a fast Cronin prepared T1 to third.

The Results:      

CLICK FOR COMPLETE RACE RESULTS

JW's NISSAN R89C "YHP" WSC...

Another hit from Jim Williams 





RACE REMINDER: SCHOR 2011 RACE #9 is next up...

The weather in So Cal is showing signs of cooling off, but it usually gets hot at least one more time (Santa Ana winds) before we resign ourselves to real shoes and long sleeves. And things are already heating back up in the HO Slot racing scene in So Cal because it's October and that means FAST & FURIOUS RACING ON THE RIVERSIDE BUCKTRAX. Yep, we'll be back at it again at Eddie's a little more than a week from now. As many racers know, the Riverside is the fastest HO Slot track that we have in So Cal (maybe in the world), producing times in the Neo class that are as low as 1.4 seconds per lap over a 65 foot Road Course  (not a Drag Strip).


Vintage NEO Racing on Riverside "1994"

This is the place to let it all hang out!. The races are fun and fast in all classes and Eddie always lays out the "HO red carpet" (okay, the soft gray track mats) welcoming slot racers from far and wide. If you're lookin' for braggin' rights, then these are the kind of classic HO races you want to win. So break out your good stuff and let's get crackin'.

Saturday October 15th 

SCHOR 2011 - Race #9

Eddie Torre's RIVERSIDE RACEWAY 

(6'X18' Ultra-Fast Custom Bucktrax)

NEO, MODIFIED, SUPER STOCK, HARDBODY

11665 Treviso Way Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91701 (909) 944-7509

HO Slot Racing on the Hammer: Pro Hard bodies...

Here's a quick peek at a little action on Mike Low's new "HAMMER" 
This track is fast and fun to drive

Race Results: SCHOR 2011 Race #8

DAN CRONIN PUTS "THE HAMMER" DOWN

Wins Pro Modified and 1st Annual Race of Champions

MORRIS Wins Pro Super Stock

MIKE LOW Takes Pro Hard-body

DARREN dominates in Amateur Hard-body
............................................

We didn't see as many SCHOR racers as we had expected at Mike's first race, but those who came witness a lot of firsts and "new beginnings" in SCHOR.  1) This was the very first race on Mike Low's sweet, brand new, and very fast custom track that he calls "The Hammer".  2)  Mike also held the very 1st Annual "Race of Champions", which required drivers to run two different spec cars (a Super Stock, and a Hardbody) during the race.  3) One our newer SCHOR members, Dan "The Ace" Cronin more than showed up at Mike's, he made a strong showing in most of the racing and winning his first SCHOR races in both Pro Modified and the Race of Champions.

4) Morris won his first Pro Race with a super fast Super Stock G3R car.

5) Mike Low massaged his Life-Like Porsche to the very first win for that brand in Pro Hard body.

6) Darren got the gears right in his SRT and out ran the field in Amateur Hard body for his first win.

............................................

Results:

(Click for complete results)

Saturday September 17, 2011 is HAMMER TIME!

This is the very first race on "The Hammer", so in addition to our regular SCHOR race program that will feature Hardbody, Super Stock and Modified cars.  Mike will be holding a very special 

"Race Of Champions"

 And the winner of this ROC gets to take home the above trophy.  

SCHOR 2011 FALL RACE SCHEDULE

The SCHOR 2011 Fall Race Season is finally set.   Starting in September (next month) and running through November we will be racing on 3 fast and smooth continous rail tracks at Mike's, Eddie's, and Eric's.  We will kick-off this little end of the year season on the all new and oh so fast "Hammer" HillClimb" Track.  This is Mike Low's brand new custom track that he designed and commissioned the Dunlap/Brittain duo to build.  Mike said "The Hammer is ready to Rock and Roll"! And...to make it even easier to for racers to dial-in new set-ups, Mike is opening up for an old fashion SCHOR Practice Session on Thursday evening September 1st.

"The Hammer"

Special Practice Session 
Thursday evening - September 1st at 6 pm 

Race -  Saturday September 17th 

SCHOR 2011 - Race #8

Mike Low's "HAMMER" HILLCLIMB

(5'X15' Fast, Smooth Custom Dunlap)

MODIFIED, SUPER STOCK, HARDBODY-MOD

935 Nolden Street Los Angeles, CA 90042 (323) 717-8045  

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Saturday October 15th 

SCHOR 2011 - Race #9

Eddie Torre's RIVERSIDE RACEWAY 

(6'X18' Ultra-Fast Custom Bucktrax)

NEO, MODIFIED, SUPER STOCK, HARDBODY

11665 Treviso Way Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91701 (909) 944-7509

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Saturday November 19th

SCHOR 2011 - Race #10

Eric Roos' UNLIMITED RACEWAY

(4X16 Bucktrax, Velocity Dome)

NEO, MODIFIED, SUPER STOCK, HARDBODY-MOD
321 N. Sweet Ave. Fullerton, CA 92833 (714) 738-3802

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JW's TARGET RILEY LEXUS Daytona Prototype

A sweet DPT from Jim Williams

Fall Season Warm up Race at Dan's

Here in So Cal, it appears that we've gone from a racing drought to a deluge of races in just a few months.  SCHOR will be starting back up this September in Los Angeles, and Dan Cronin is getting the racing going big-time at the CSR in Escondido.  Dan will be hosting a serious race on his all new Scorpion "Stinger" track this coming August 27th.  There will be fast and furious racing in 5 classes including  Tyco 10 volt, Tyco Modified along with 3 SCHOR classes: Hardbody, Super Stock, and Modified.

"The Stinger"

Track will open at 8 am, Racing starts around Noon.

Saturday August 27th
FALL SEASON - WARM UP RACE
Dan Cronin's CSR Raceway
(4x14 Custom - Scorpion "Stinger")
  MODIFIED, SUPER STOCK, HARDBODY, TYCO 10V & MOD

327 Brotherton Square  Escondido, CA 92025 (760) 580-7533


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The KSR: Our HO Racing dream has come true!

It started out as So Cal gossip, then it became a rumor, and it is now a fact that our HO Slot Car Racing dream has come true!

The World Famous KATZ-SPA-RING is now up and running in Southern California.  At 33 feet long by 10 feet wide it is one of the largest HO Slot car tracks ever built.  And considering the high level of craftmanship, realism, and detail, it is most likely the GREATEST HO SLOT CAR TRACK IN THE WORLD.   Lucky us, cause this wonder of a slot track is now located only 30 miles north of San Diego in the town of Escondido, CA.

"Click photo to enlarge"

Yep, Brad Bowman and some fellow HO racers put in a ton of hard work to move this amazing track 500 miles, reassemble it, and bring it back to life! 

And now the for the VERY BEST NEWS:  Brad is hosting the first race on the KSR at it's new home this coming Saturday August 6, 2011.

Some of you may not know the cool and amazing, yet sad story behind the Katz-Spa-Ring. If you don't you may want to check out this video below. (The original copy of this video was taken off You Tube due to some kind of legal B.S..  But this copy is from Japan, so I guess they can't sue em over there!)

RACING THIS SATURDAY

"Run what you brung", but nothing faster than a Super Stock.
Track opens at 10 AM - Mickey's IROC races start around 2 PM

AUGUST 6, 2011

BRAD BOWMAN'S

KATZ-SPA-RING

1028 Gamble Lane, Escondido, CA
"click for map"



"Click photo to enlarge"



Jim Williams: SCHOR's "Mister Concours"

Aston Martin LMP LeMans



SCHOR is fortunate to count a lot of very talented racers on it's roster.  Not only are there a lot of good drivers and racers, but over the years there have been a number of members who have made significant contributions to the overall HO racing scene, and there have also been some seriously talented individuals  In this case I am referring to Jim "Mr. Concours" Williams.  Jim is a fast and serious HO slot racer who is almost always in contention for the win, but his true claim to fame are his talents when it comes to taking a clear lexan body and adding decals, paint and a good airbrush. 



Jim is all about the details

We don't call him "Mr Coucours" for nothin'.  Jim is a multi National Concours Champion.  He has won numerous national awards at HOPRA, UFHORA, HOPAC, and SCHOR Championships.  We here at SCHOR are very proud to have such a talented artist on our crew.  So in an effort to spruce up this blog a bit, there will a number of future postings of Jim's work, so that the rest of the Slot car world can get a glimpse of some of the amazing "Slot Car Art" that we see at every SCHOR race.   Cheers to Mr. Coucours!  

Audi R8 LeMans



 

So Cal HO Slot Racing is back on Track/s...

HO track drought ends...

Well it actually never really left!  So... after a brief shortage of places to race HO in Southern California.  I am officially announcing here and now that the So Cal HO Track racing drought is officially over!  Yep, and that's because we now have yet ANOTHER brand new track in So Cal, and this one is definitely for SCHOR type magnet racing.  New SCHOR racer Dan Cronin has stepped up to the plate with this brand new awesome version of a classic HO Scorpion track that he calls "The Stinger".  This sweet and fast 4'x14' four lane number is the most recent product of the dynamic HO track creation duo of Scott Dunlap and Ty Brittain

"The Stinger"

Racing starts at the end of this month! 

And to kick off the racing on the "Stinger" in style

Saturday July 30th

Dan is having a track-opening and barbeque 

 Track will be available to play on starting at 10 am,
and Dan will start grilling at 1 pm.
Everybody's welcome to drop by and check it out.

  
Dan Cronin's CSR Raceway
(4x14 Custom - Scorpion "Stinger")

327 Brotherton Square  Escondido, CA 92025

Results: SCHOR 2011 Race #6

 OSCAR WINS PRO HARDBODY!



KING "O" HB II 

..........................................................................



Albert           Lenny           Darren          Morris

 Morris Wins again in Rookie Hardbody

Rookie Hardbody Line up

..........................................................................


Bill Katata edges out Ben in Super Stock

Morgan dominates Pro Modified and wins the

NEO "Match Race" with Ben

..........................................................................

The turn out of racers at Eric's wasn't all that large, but the racing and the fun was real big. 

Pro Hardbody:

I'd have to say that the biggest news of the day was Oscar, the "Big O", aka "BugMan", has now accended to the throne and is also know as "The King of Hardbody".  Yep, that's right!  Oscar took an amazingly sweet - John Cukras prepared Mega G, and completely "Kicked Butt" on the entire Pro Hard body field, including the previous reigning hard body monarch, "King Nelson HB I".  It was an awesome sight to see, as Oscar thrust his fist into the air at the end of the final heat. 

Amateur ("Rookie") Hardbody:

We had a complete field of 4 rookie racers so we were able to hold a separate hb race.  After 4 heats of some solid racing, Weldon Morris took over and won the race.  But this was not before he was seriously challenged by new racer Darren Angelo up until his Tomy SRT had gear problems.  Albert Vasquez
and "Lenny Kravitz" Pincus rocked the house and closed close out the field.

SCHOR Super Stock:

The Super Stock Main was definitely the best race of the day featuring four very fast super stock cars.  It was decided at the very end when Morris crashed out and Bill Katata surprised the entire room by zipping past both Morris and Ben in the last 15 seconds to win by a half lap.

SCHOR Pro-Modified:

Morgan was fastest and won the Pro Modified main.  He was running his slick little G3R/T+ Hybrid car.  It was fast, hooked up, and pretty much untouchable.  Ben was followed in second

NEO:

Since there were only 2 entrants for NEO we had a "Match Race".  It was between the two NEO heavyweights Ben and Morgan.  These guys tend to trade places back and forth at the front of most SCHOR NEO races so it was only fitting.   This time Morgan got the win. 

A great and fun Saturday of racing on the fast and fabulous Velocity Dome Bucktrax.  A very big thanks from all of us racers to Eric and his family for their great hospitality.

..........................................................................

Results:

..........................................................................



SCHOR's "Motley Crew"

Katz Spa Ring (Giant HO Slot Car Track) ... The Original KSR Video

Some of you may not know the cool and amazing, yet sad story behind the Katz-Spa-Ring.

Unfortunately, the original copy of this video was taken off "You Tube" due to some kind of politics or legal B.S. But this copy is from Japan, so I guess they can't sue 'em over there!

Click here for another post (with video) about the Katz Spa Ring

A Brand New Track for SCHOR Racing...

Mike Low's new HO Hillclimb

About a month ago I sent out a email to SCHOR racers and mentioned that there were possibly new tracks on the horizon that we might race on soon.  Well that prospect is quickly becoming a reality, because SCHOR racer and HO track builder Scott Dunlap (with the help of San Diego CAD man -Ty Brittain) is now producing some great HO tracks with layouts that accommodate SCHOR style magnet racing.  This  latest one is actually the second track that Scott has made for veteran SCHOR racer Mike Low.  This very clever 70 foot long, 4 lane, 5'x15' HO "Hillclimb" track will soon find it's place on SCHOR's racing calendar, and we'll soon be running Modified, Super Stock, and Hardbody on this bad boy.  A big thanks to Mike and Scott for giving us all something really cool to look forward to.

NEXT SCHOR RACE: is June 18th in Fullerton, CA

That's right Slot Heads, we'll be back at it in June.  SCHOR 2011 RACE #6 will be at Eric Roos' place in Fullerton on Saturday June 18th.  The super fast and super smooth Velocity Dome Bucktrax will be all ready to Rock and Roll.  We'll be racing Rookie Hardbody, Pro Hardbody, Super Stock, Modified, and NEO classes. So start workin' and get those cars ready for some classic super fast and furious SCHOR  slot racing

Vintage SCHOR News: 1997 SPRING NATIONALS...

  


 

Results: SCHOR 2011 Race #5

SCHOR 2011 Race #5 scheduled for May 21st was cancelled

There are no race results.

Results: SCHOR 2011 Race #4...

THE HEADLINES:

A great turn out of new racers with 

5 different race winners and 

4 new race records!

An Escondido Sweep in "Rookie Hardbody"

John Cronin is fastest in Rookie HB

SCHOR Race this Saturday - Track opens 7 AM, Racing starts at Noon!



"Click to enlarge"





Next up: SCHOR 2011 Race #4 on the RIVERSIDE...

Well it's looking like that time of year again!  It's that fun time when HO Slot racers far and wide come together and pay homage to the great "RIVERSIDE BUCKTRAX".

The Riverside was one of the very first BUCKTRAX ever made.  After spending time in Seattle, DelMar, and San Diego, it was moved to it's latest and most permanent home in Rancho Cucamonga, CA which puts it only 25 miles from the site of it's namesake.  The long-gone but never forgotten, RIR - "Riverside International Raceway"

There's something about the layout of the Riverside that most racers love. It's smooth, ultra fast, and has a rhythm that is addicting to most slot racers. It also is known to produce some amazing races that almost rival it's namesake. You may have noticed that the layout has been duplicated in HO tracks many times over. Apparently it's the same way with the real Riverside track, as they almost built a replica of the original RIR race course in Merced, CA a couple of years back.



The real RIR course layout


And all of this is to say...

"THE NEXT SCHOR RACE IS ON THE RIVERSIDE"

Saturday April 23rd 

SCHOR 2011 - Race #4

Eddie Torre's RIVERSIDE RACEWAY
(6'X18' Ultra-Fast Custom Bucktrax)
NEO, MODIFIED, SUPER STOCK, HARDBODY-MOD
11665 Treviso Way Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91701 

See you there!

The latest 24th scale Slot Car from John Cukras...

Cukra's -  McLaren Can Am  for D3

John Cukras and I were exchanging emails a few days ago, and right after we completed our discussions about HO slot cars he sent me these cool photos of his latest 24th scale creation that he built last Thursday.

Results: SCHOR 2011 Race #3

THE HEADLINES:

"Too Fass" takes Two 

(Hardbody and Super Stock)

Jim Williams dominates Modified

Mark "Downtown BAH" Brown

scores his first Modified podium
and reveals his true identity...

Mark "Treinta Cinco" Brown

The threat of rain and the rescheduling of an NHRA event probably had something to do with it, but SCHORs first 2011 race in Southern California saw a lighter turn-out than usual.  However, the racing was still  just as fast and just as much fun as it always is.  

Arizona HO Racing - Modifieds at the Glenn

There's ANOTHER new Slot Track in So Cal...

Mike Low's  - "D Square"

Yes slot heads!  There is yet another brand new HO Slot car track in So Cal.  It's a 4x13 continuous-rail 3 laner with a couple of interesting "wrinkles" (look closely).  It's called the "D Square", and this sweet little track is owned by SCHOR racer Mike Low.  Just about anyone who's been on the So Cal HO racing scene for a while knows Mike.  Back in the mid-nineties he was the owner of the fast and famous APEX Raceway in Torrance, CA  that hosted the SCHOR SPRING-NATS and many other cool races.  Mike also created and sponsored "The Apex Cup", which was an annual race that brought together So Cal's fastest HO racers for a big shoot-out.  Mike faded from the HO slot racing scene for several years, but he has now returned with renewed energy, and he recently commissioned SCHOR racer and HO track builder Scott Dunlap to produce this very cool track.  If it appears to be a bit similar to the IKEA track in San Diego that's because IKEAs owner Ty Brittain works closely with Dunlap to produce some amazing CAD based HO track designs, and Mike's new layout is the latest result of their successful collaboration.

Hot Wheels Video Racer-Recorder - Coming Soon...

Coming this fall: Mattel Hotwheels Race Car with Video Camera

Hmm...a it's a tiny camera that records and plays back video and fits into a 1/64th scale (slot?) car.  I just wonder where we'll see them next??

Next SCHOR Race...

                                                                                

Click to enlarge

 SATURDAY MARCH 19TH AT WILLIAMSVILLE - SAN PEDRO, CA