The grid was cleared; No mechanics or pit crew, no svelte ladies in tight-fitting lycra, mirrored aviator glasses and high heels, no team managers or scrutineering officials...Just the cars and their pilots, engines at their high-pitched idle in those final moments before revs hit maximum and drivers released the clutch to feel that familiar bite and initial movement before blinding acceleration carried them to ultimate triumph.
That was a typical Friday evening in my household, I guess from the age of about seven or so. It was race weekend and the speed and thrills of car racing was all that mattered - Although, snacks mattered too of course. The catering crew, otherwise known as mum, had that element covered, so for my older brother and I it was all about racing glory!
We'd come home from school every Friday night and fly right into race weekend. Boxes of Scalextric track emerged and track design and engineering would commence. We'd build over-passes, banked track, long straight-away's and even had track-sections that crossed over, outside lane to in and in to out; Those chicanes were not for the feint of heart though - Only professionals need apply.
Depending on the overall design concept, and arguments, the construction-phase could take hours, however the catering crew always provided dinner around six-thirty...Then construction would recommence.
I grew up in a small rural town and we didn't have a lot. We weren't in poverty but money went to bills and the cost of living with little left over. It meant that most of our things were second-hand. I didn't know any different and considering back in the 1970's consumerism wasn't the plague it is now...Well, it was all good. We had what we had and enjoyed it, looked after it.
My brother and I would scour the local paper for second hand Scalextric tracks and cars then, with our pocket money, and some help from mum and dad, we'd purchase what we could, often negotiating with sellers. We were learning life-lessons of course, but it was all about race weekend at the time - Racing glory.
I recall one fortuitous Scalextric purchase that included a lap counter. Each time the slot car would cross it a little tab clicked over and it would add a lap to the counter. That added a better element as we didn't need to count laps down in our head. It was glorious!
Once set up we would race all weekend, like totally all weekend...Except for bed time, meal time and bath time. We'd make up all sorts of stories and events around our race weekends; Fastest lap, race-distances and who could crash the biggest among them. No, we didn't have a stop watch, we'd count, one, two, three, four, which would cause arguments of course but it was all good...Sometimes race weekend got heated.
Traditionally one uses a handheld trigger mechanism called a plunger to apply the power. A driver simply applies more or less pressure and wires would take the DC current from the controller to the two metal rails on the track making the car speed up or slow down. Two small strips of metal braid would transfer to power from the track to the small motor in the car itself. I know right? Even typing it here get's me excited!
My brother and I secured some train-control transformers though and adapted them instead. It was easier to apply greater control and because it was like a big round dial felt like a steering wheel! It's all about sensory experience...And Racing glory.
The household would need to pick their way around Scalextric track snaking around the house all weekend and on more than one occasion it tripped people up. I remember one evening when my dad fell right over because of it. He wasn't well-pleased. But you know, never once in my life did I hear my dad swear, literally not once. He just picked himself up, helped rebuild it and went off to paint his artworks with a smile.
Sunday night, the whole show would be packed up into boxes until next week and I'd snuggle into bed with dreams of future-glory in mind, dreams of motor racing triumph and track-design ideas...Until next week.
Sometimes, I wish I was still that little boy playing Scalextric, Lego's, bike-riding or finding trouble in that small town...I was innocent, fairly happy and I'd say, a good kid. But no, I'm a man now, with weighty man-style issues and there's no choice but to be the man who that kid became through a lifetime of experiences. A good man? Hmm, yeah I'd say so, but I guess some may challenge that. I'll accept that challenge however and maybe...We could do the challenge as a Scalextric race weekend? Leave it all out on the track. First over the line.
So, what toy's do y'all remember fondly? Did you have weekends spent obsessing over something like my race weekends above? I'd be happy to hear in the comments below.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind
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