Average Age

FireSale · 09-04-2018, 11:48 AM

Ha! If you think slot cars is for old folks, try model building. Wait, if you race slot cars you probably build models, too.

Funny note to this is that I (70) raced slots at a family owned toy store in the 60's and our biggest competitors as young teens were adults in their mid 40's.

There are enough 30-40 year olds in the sport to keep it going, but when you get to the S/SS ranks where raw engine/tuning savvy rules the winners tend to be the old wrench guys. Part of it is money. A young guy can put together a bracket car for Sportsman or Pro and still street it, so it has more use than a pure race car. To buy a ready to run Formula Firebird or build one from a shell takes more than a pinch out of the paycheck. You can do this with a '72 Comet or Mustang II, but the "low HP"/high challenge combos don't seem to appeal to the young folk.

The oldest S/SS racers out here in the Pacific Raceways area I can think of are Pete Kost (K/SA) in his 80's and Alan Falcone (GT/EA) in his 70's. Pete has driven Pro Stock and Alan is a former D6 champion. Both tough cookies.

09-04-2018, 11:48 AM	#2
FireSale VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Lakewood Washington Posts: 1,407 Likes: 29 Liked 237 Times in 126 Posts	Re: Average Age Ha! If you think slot cars is for old folks, try model building. Wait, if you race slot cars you probably build models, too. Funny note to this is that I (70) raced slots at a family owned toy store in the 60's and our biggest competitors as young teens were adults in their mid 40's. There are enough 30-40 year olds in the sport to keep it going, but when you get to the S/SS ranks where raw engine/tuning savvy rules the winners tend to be the old wrench guys. Part of it is money. A young guy can put together a bracket car for Sportsman or Pro and still street it, so it has more use than a pure race car. To buy a ready to run Formula Firebird or build one from a shell takes more than a pinch out of the paycheck. You can do this with a '72 Comet or Mustang II, but the "low HP"/high challenge combos don't seem to appeal to the young folk. The oldest S/SS racers out here in the Pacific Raceways area I can think of are Pete Kost (K/SA) in his 80's and Alan Falcone (GT/EA) in his 70's. Pete has driven Pro Stock and Alan is a former D6 champion. Both tough cookies. __________________ Dale Shearon 68 Mustang 6394 Last edited by FireSale; 09-04-2018 at 11:53 AM.