More Info →Top Class Motor Racing in Manawatu

Description: This image was taken for a story that ran in The Manawatu Evening Standard on 28 June, 1963. "A new club in the district has recently been formed. Known as the Manawatu Miniature Car Racing Club, members enrolled to date exceed 30. A committee of six with Mr R. New as chairman and Mr. R. Carter as secretary will hold a demonstration meeting early next month. The first race meeting will be held later in the month with a full grand prix. Considerable interest has already been shown in the city in this growing sport and many local residents have built their own tracks of varying sizes. It is visualised by the club that eventually competition will be between centres which have already formed themselves into strong racing "stables" and competing against such strongholds as Christchurch with over 600 members. As opposed to other forms of miniature hobbies, car racing demands much concentration and a high degree of skill. The scale speed of some of the cars when racing down the straights is often in excess of 200 miles an hour. The actual speed on the track is approximately eight miles an hour, but the effect on the controller is that he, himself, is driving the car at fast speeds. The same principles used by the racing drivers must be used to maintain the car on the track and tail wagging and slides can be induced by clever control. Excessive speeds into the bends soon ends a winning chance. When a collision occurs the cars somersault and crash into barriers exactly the same as their full-scale counterparts. Everything connected with the new sport has been perfected to create an atmosphere of realism. All the well known racing cars of today are represented and the owner has a choice of which model he will race. Local enthusiasts have shown much ingenuity in modifications on their models. Rear axle changing and the fitting of different sized tyres changes the differential ratio and gives improved performances. Many of the Le Mans type of cars are fitted with lights and with floodlighting at the side of the tracks the atmosphere of night driving is realistic. A reporter when viewing the track was given the chance to demonstrate his skill and within seconds had careered off the track into the safety barrier, much to his chagrin. In other centres the sport has gained a secure footing and has appealed to groups of all ages. Last year in the United States a national championship was held with over 1,000,000 entries, the winner being an 11-year-old boy. Known in America as slot car racing, a large scale grand prix is held every week. Top line international racing drivers such as Stirling Moss and Jack Brabham have their own tracks and regularly race their own favourite models. Most of the tracks at present in use are of two lanes. Messrs R. New (right) and D. McNabb see here are at present working on a four-lane track which means that four controllers can operate their cars at the same time. The positions change from time to time to give each controller an equal advantage on the bends and narrow sections of the track. Each individual track is numbered so that if a car does overturn or crash the person standing nearest can replace it on its allotted space. The newly formed local club has plans to build a first-class track which would be in use on club nights so that those members who do not own their own track race their cars at a nominal charge.