So what is the Fray? The Fray is a t-jet slot car race that started in 1997 as an invitational between California clubs. Since then it has grown to be one of the biggest races anywhere. I guess last year the ECHORRS Challenge boasted a larger turnout. The Fray this year is expecting over a hundred racers, that would put it back on top. We'll see. In my mind, I wish I could attend both races, as some do. I think a little rivalry is a good thing.
Having graduated from my alma mater at Chapel Hill long enough ago that you could drive from our house in Raleigh and park in front of the Bell Tower-I am occasionally reminded of their famous fight song:
I'm a Tar Heel Born;
I'm a Tar Heel Bred;
And when I die
I'm a Tar Heel dead.
Of course one can substitute the word "T-Jet" for "Tar Heel" to have a firmer grasp on things slot car, at least as I see it from my vantage point. Read more about The AFX Can-Am Pit Kit
From my onset into slot cars I never was much of a Ferrari fan. Not too sure as to why this was the case from fifty years forward, as my very first slot car in my twin and my Strombecker set was a 1958 Ferrari 250 V-12 pontoon fendered Tessa Rosa. Tim got the D-Type Jaguar, and I can perhaps more easily imagine Mike Hawthorn or Peter Collins hustling it around our track in a more spirited manner than say Luigi Musso, although a quite talented factory driver from Italy was not a household name at the time. If anything, even six year-olds into slot cars knew about the mystical Le Mans, and that both of these cars were there. Read more about Joe L and His Two Ferrari's: The Story of Three Ferrari 512M's
After I posted about the Champ Springs a couple of days ago; it dawned on me that some members, new to the site, may not know who "The Champ" is. Well the Champ is Henry Harnish, winner of the 1962 Ford-Aurora Grand National Championships. At 65 Henry is still active in racing today.(and still competitive)