New Oval Racing slot car message board!

[Vintage 1/24]

Picked up an old "Scale Auto Magazine", a print magazine from 2005, and saw this one-page article on a new OVAL TRACK slot car message board:

Sounds very good – "not one bit of negativity . . . everything is good and the creativity is everywhere."

[mattb]

Have to check that out. Might be a great slot racing forum.

[Bill from NH]

I forgot who started HRW, but I think Harry took it over from someone else. Maybe someone named Ken??? Harry, please set things straight if this isn't true.

[HomeRacingWorld]

I remember this. Sure miss Bruce.,

Bill, HRW has always been me. I did assist Ken (original owner of SCI) and helped manage it when it first started. But I always had my own smaller site.

A bit of trivia: I wanted my site to focus on HOME racing. Not commercial. Old Weird Herald had that covered. My interest was in the home area.
As it happened, I was blessed to become friends with Frank at the old Slot Car World.
So I decided to call our site Home Racing World.
The slight amusing thing is that HRW are also my initials: Harry Roger Wise

Before my own site, I wrote reviews for other sites like OWH and Fantasy World Hobbies. As well as Scale Auto Racing News and Fine Scale Modeler.
My first "review" in the modern era (1996-on) was the first generation "black window" Scalextric NASCARS I believe. Did the first NINCO set review, Fly A1 Viper...etc.

The HRW site started in late 99. The first HRW forum was in 2000.

I feel older now

[mattb]

Frank is still missed today.

[Bill from NH]

Thanks for the clarification, Harry. I have no idea why I recall Ken. though I did read SCI & HRW both in the early days. If I remember right, Ken posted some unique ways to solve a situation. About this same time, there was a 3rd home racing oriented BBS too from Long Island, NY. I forget the name, but it had good content for a couple years before it folded.

[mattb]

When AOL first became available there was a hobby discussion group on it. One of the sub categories was "slot cars". A few of us around today got to know each other thru that forum. Either when they shut down the AOL boards or maybe slightly before We had a guy start a forum called "132 slots". I believe that was Dave England. Is that right Paul? That grew pretty good and for a couple years we had a great bunch of guys trading tips on how to keep 30 year old slot cars running when there were no new tires available or any of the nice parts we can get today, That forum kind of got taken over by a few guys that were legends in their own minds and were more interested in talking about 60's and 70's commercial racing. One of those guys then started his own forum and kind of killed the old 132 forum. Remnants of that forum are still around today. We have been lucky to have had some great forums where we all got to share our hobby and make so many friends.

HRW is the best forum for home racers and is a bunch of friends and not experts arguing about everything and trying to brag on themselves. Thanks for providing this forum, Harry.

[4424ever]

I remember deciding on my own I wanted to get back into slot cars back around 2001
Bought some sets to put together and started browsing the WWW. It didn’t take long to find SCI and HRW (among others) so I started reading the boards on both and HRW was hands down no questions asked the most helpful to me. At this time I was just lurking for a least a year. Then one night on the bay I came across a must have car I had from Christmas 65 but the seller absolutely refused to accept ANY bid from Canada. That’s the night I joined HRW and as a new member with 1 post I sent out an SOS for someone in the states to bid for me. Before the night was over Stev123 (the Lee Marvin of slot cars ) and Harry were on the phone with each other spending my money on the auction. I was told later that they went over my limit but we still lost out on that one. I will NEVER forget that and once again THANK YOU guys. Been a member ever since and have no desire or need to go anywhere else
HRW is the place to be
No slight on your post all info is helpful just stating my personal opinion

[HomeRacingWorld]

LOL I remember that! We were not gonna quit but them damn snipers!!

Yes, online history. From the very early days of 2400 baud modems, Tandy computers and BBS (Bulletin Board Systems).

As soon as the tools of communication were out there...so were we. Creating our own little slice of the web. Connecting with others across the globe.

My own personal thoughts on forums (aside from just local community, etc) were: "If it doesn't help anyone...what is the point?"

In my commercial days little or no help was offered. This applies to not only slot cars but the RC racing I was involved in at the time. The ones winning wanted to stay winning. I had seen more than my fair share of childish arguments and even outright fist fights. Over toys.

Now look today. So many examples I could give, so I'll just pick Proxies. I see almost all entrants in these races giving advice to help others be competitive. The smarter ones that REALLY care about our small hobby realize that helping those new to the fray are our future. Pass along the experience and knowledge you have to them, and then they in turn will do so when it is their time.

I tell most new folks what most of you already know: In my articles I am simply repeating what I learned from the ones who cared to share before me. Sure we might pick up new info with our models today compared to 30 years ago, but so much of it is very much the same.

I might have started a forum....but a forum/community is ONLY as good as the PEOPLE inside it. All of you who take the time to visit here and share the fun. That help others. THAT is what makes a good community. So you all can just pat yourselves on the back. You earned it

[ourwayband]

I remember when Harry started HRW....
We were on SCI with Ken and Harry was a big part of that site at the time..
HRW has been a blessing to all of us that enjoy are racin' cars...
It never was allowed for any one to being be put down just because we asked a question or such..
No question was stupid..
Politics and such were keep out of the deal,so there was always fun to be had..
Yes I do remember when HRW started,glad it has grown into the great site it is today!