History of Proxy races?

[mseitz]

I've recently entered several proxy races after about a 15 year layoff and was curious how the proxy series of multiple races got started. Bob Ward's race on Daytona West was the first reported proxy I remember where results were posted on the OWH in the late 90's (?). I participated in a Marconi proxy race in So. California that took place around 2003 and another F1 race in Utah, but after that I did nothing until a few seasons ago when I dabbled in the TransAm proxy. Those old events were all single event proxies.

My question: who started the series where cars were sent from location to location to be raced?

My compliments to whoever came up with the concept. It's gotten me back to building cars I would never have attempted.
Marcus Seitz

[ZackM]

This is an interesting topic. One I have thought about many times while organizing my recent proxies.

Zack

[Phil Kalbfell]

Great topic.
Single location Proxy races date back to the days of Rail cars.
OWH Daytona Proxy was my first Proxy Race and that prompted us to run the Tassie Tiger Proxy down here in 2000. I will have to look back thru my old files but I think in 2001 we ran on several tracks but still in the Hobart Area.
The World Proxy ( 2003) and Global Proxies (2006) followed with cars being shipped around the world for races.
The VRAA ( 2006) and Can Am (2007)Proxies have been around for many years, shipping cars around the US and Canada.
I will do some more research on dates.
I know that Russell Sheldon did document some history over on Slot Blog

[lance]

Wow, a post from Phil Kalbfell. I have not seen a post from him for a long time.

[Phil Kalbfell]

Been a lot going on in my Family life Lance, starting to get back on track.

[Austin]

The Race Across America was the frist traveling proxy, Back in the days of the black window scalextric nascars. Ken ( the site owner at the time ) and I started it when SCI was frist up and running. We had tracks all across the USA and so the name. Plastic tracks with alot of magnetic downforce. These cars took a beating as they were any thing goes cars. Slowly we added rules.

A few years later Carrera USA hear of the race and ask if we would enter only Carrera cars and they would give out free cars to the top 3 places, No cars were ever sent out and I felt little a bug that just got stepped on.

[Phil Kalbfell]

Austin do you know what year that was?

[Austin]

No but these were the carswe used that first time. Some if you know when these came out it as after that and before clear window cars.

[Phil Kalbfell]

Looks like it was either late 2003 or 2004 as you joined the Forum in August 2003.

[waaytoomuchintothis]

Its important to keep reminding people that shipping cars has the risk of heartbreak. Its not the same as buying used cars.

2003? Wow. Are we that old? I started lurking when HRW was fairly new. I don't really remember when I actually joined. Guys who joined back then and announced a baby's birth are getting ready to move them out in a year or so. More room for slot cars!

[Gascarnut]

I think the Carrera-only RAA was 2004, as the 2005 RAA was open to all kinds of cars. I entered this car, it was one of the first proxies I entered: