I'm just recovering from the best experience in HO slotcar racing. The Fray in Ferndale (Ca) is, by far, the place to go to meet, greet, race and schmooze with the best and brightest in the hobby.
I was traveling this year with Trek Lawler. We flew into Frisco on wednesday morning and made the drive up to Ferndale. This is the most picturesque drive I can think of. Beautifull scenery and awsome vistas, all the way up thru the Sonoma valley and wine country, up to the north coast.
Then it's into the tiny, victorian town of Ferndale Ca. I just love this place. I will retire there, It's that cool.
In town is the Humbold county fairgrounds and Bilotti Hall. This the the room were it all happens. We got there on Wednsaday afternoon and proceeded to tune and test. Three new routed tracks to learn, and setup for. At 7:00 pm the place shut down for the most part and we made the mad dash to the Eal River Brewery
http://www.eelriverbrewing.com/taproom-grill.html
All the shooters are there and they are NOT racing or tuning. This makes for a great time to pick brains and learn settup secrets. But first there is the beer and victuals to be consumed.
Then to the room for a frantic build in secret and a quick nap. The next morning we got to the hall early and tuned all day. The tracks are open all day for tuning and it is very unscripted. Just go to the track you want and run. Every team has a table for their pit, so everything is right there.
Friday was pretty much the same early 'till I had to qualify. This year the vote was for the Green table. A well established fray track. This is where the qualifiying and the inividual mains will be held. I did well qualifying and seeded into the d main.
After a few misques and some bad luck I failed to advance (they move up three)so a 14th place was gonna have to be good enough.
Saturday morning saw the place filled by 7:30 and at 8:00 The Fray was on. In this format, you are on a yteam and you meet another team at a predetermined table. If you only have five on your team, you race all day long. No waiting, no practice, no bullcrap. If you want to have a break, you put six on your team. I LOVE the format and it lends to great racing and great times.
At the end of the day, it was the team from Santa Cruz that won the day. This very cool for them, and it was really cool for Trek who got his first Fray win. My team finished sixth, and I ran well all day. A good showing all told.
http://www.thefrayinferndale.com/2011results.htm
If you have to choose one race a year to attend, you can't go wrong with this one.
Tim Leppert
AKA smalltime
I was traveling this year with Trek Lawler. We flew into Frisco on wednesday morning and made the drive up to Ferndale. This is the most picturesque drive I can think of. Beautifull scenery and awsome vistas, all the way up thru the Sonoma valley and wine country, up to the north coast.
Then it's into the tiny, victorian town of Ferndale Ca. I just love this place. I will retire there, It's that cool.
In town is the Humbold county fairgrounds and Bilotti Hall. This the the room were it all happens. We got there on Wednsaday afternoon and proceeded to tune and test. Three new routed tracks to learn, and setup for. At 7:00 pm the place shut down for the most part and we made the mad dash to the Eal River Brewery
http://www.eelriverbrewing.com/taproom-grill.html
All the shooters are there and they are NOT racing or tuning. This makes for a great time to pick brains and learn settup secrets. But first there is the beer and victuals to be consumed.
Then to the room for a frantic build in secret and a quick nap. The next morning we got to the hall early and tuned all day. The tracks are open all day for tuning and it is very unscripted. Just go to the track you want and run. Every team has a table for their pit, so everything is right there.
Friday was pretty much the same early 'till I had to qualify. This year the vote was for the Green table. A well established fray track. This is where the qualifiying and the inividual mains will be held. I did well qualifying and seeded into the d main.
After a few misques and some bad luck I failed to advance (they move up three)so a 14th place was gonna have to be good enough.
Saturday morning saw the place filled by 7:30 and at 8:00 The Fray was on. In this format, you are on a yteam and you meet another team at a predetermined table. If you only have five on your team, you race all day long. No waiting, no practice, no bullcrap. If you want to have a break, you put six on your team. I LOVE the format and it lends to great racing and great times.
At the end of the day, it was the team from Santa Cruz that won the day. This very cool for them, and it was really cool for Trek who got his first Fray win. My team finished sixth, and I ran well all day. A good showing all told.
http://www.thefrayinferndale.com/2011results.htm
If you have to choose one race a year to attend, you can't go wrong with this one.
Tim Leppert
AKA smalltime