Welcome to my slot car racing blog, an attempt to chronicle my experiences as a slot car racer based in Los Angeles, but racing slotcars wherever and whenever I can. Settle in, kick back and relax while I take you on a journey into the world of slot car racing.
This blog is not an attempt at reporting on races, but rather is my version of the events that I race at. I make no apology for my views, or how I see things, that’s just how it is, after all, this is my blog! and the slotcar races I am in.
I am Chris Radisich, originally from New Zealand, and I have been racing slotcars non-stop since 1970. In 1988 I attended my first race outside of New Zealand, the IMCA Worlds at Grand Raceway in Chicago, and since have raced in a number of countries and at all sorts of slot car events.
In 2001 I left New Zealand and moved to Los Angeles to live, and since have been racing in the SoCal USRA series, and have traveled all over the US racing at various events. At the 2003 USRA Slot Car Nats I was elected to the Scale Director position, and then at the 2003 Slotcar Wing Nats was elected as the National Director of the USRA (United Slot Racers Association). At the same time I also became the President of the International IMCA (International Model Car Association) organisation.
Some highlights of my long slot racing career include winning my home club championship, and multiple National Slot Car Championships in New Zealand against some really strong competition, including multi time ISRA World Champion Dave Gick. In 1989 Dave and I combined to finish third overall in the IMCA World Endurance Championship in Chicago against some of the best racers in the world, and we became the World C2 Endurance Champions in that same event. Since then my International highlights include making the main in both the IMCA Euronats and IMCA Model Car World Championships in Belgium in 2001, with a best finish of 4th, and a 3rd place in the 2002 IMCA Slotcar Group 12 World Championship, again in Belgium.
Highlights of my racing here in the US included a strong 2nd, ahead of Paul Gawronski in 24th Eurosport at the 2002 USSCA event at Rhonert Park in California, several 2nd and 3rd place finishes at the annual USRA Scale Nats, 7 wins (and several 2nds) out of 12 classes raced at the 2003 ISRA USA Nats at Mineral Ridge in Ohio, 3 wins at the annual Enduro de Chico held in Northern California, several SoCal USRA yearly championships, including back to back GT12 championships in 2005 and 2006, and now in 2007 my first class win at the USRA Scale Nats (GTP) and a strong 2nd place in the feature event, 24th Eurosport, 1 lap behind Greg Gilbert. During the 2006/2007 year I raceed in the NorCal Slot Racing Association series, with races held monthly on 7 NorCal tracks, with a season result of championships in all three classes I raced, 4" Stockcar, LMP and GT12. I also race wing cars, and finished 3rd in Group 12 at the 2005 USRA Wing Nats, and followed that up by making the main again in 2006, finishing 7th, and have also won the SoCal USRA yearly championship in both Group 12 and Sprayglue 12.
I will pretty much race any type of slotcar, anywhere, anytime, and have raced all scales including HO, 1/32 Scale and 1/24th Scale, including 1/32nd Home Set slotcars on plastic tracks, IMCA style Model Slot Cars, USRA type scale slot cars, Eurosport slotcarw, Wing Slot Cars, TSRF slotcars and even the new D3 scratchbuilt slotcars. If it moves and will run in a slot, I will race it.
Since 2002 I have raced as part of the Best O The West factory slotcar team, and in 2007 have linked up with International racer Brian Saunders, racing some of his BSP slotcar products.