As long as I've collected slot cars, I've never been to a slot car show...so I was keen to drive up toward Cleveland this past weekend to check out the Cleveland Slot Car Show. Organized by the Model Motoring Club, the show primarily features HO stuff - but there was plenty of eye candy for 1:32 fans like me, and I managed to pick up some nice cars at some nice prices.
I was surprised how many were in attendance, as the main parking lot at the Quality Inn was completely full. There was a large overflow lot on the south side of the hotel, and it was almost full as well. I paid my $5 admission fee (also gets you a raffle ticket) and entered the main hall, which was full of people carefully moving up and down the aisles, trying to keep out of each other's way and scrutinizing all the cool stuff that was for sale. Local retailer Bad L's Hobby had some nice 1:32 cars available, and I snatched up a 5th Scalextric Mini for my collection. I don't normally buy that type of car, but they are so much fun to drive that I have wanted to get one for every member of the family.
There was a dealer at the back of the hall that really caught my eye - with a big selection of classic Fly, Slot.It, Ninco, SCX and Scalextric cars - as well as some collector special editions and other odd-and-ends, like those over-scale Vanquish cars. Discounts on purchases of 2 were eagerly applied and a LOT of people were sorting through what was available. My last purchase was an orange Carrera Hemi Cuda, that though gently used, was about half the price you'd find for a similar car on eBay. Finally, that GTO I was given as a gift many years ago has something to race against!
As I left, I scanned the crowd and one thing was clearly evident: this hobby is aging, for sure. I'm certainly no young buck, but the vast majority of the people here were males between 55-70+ years old. In such close quarters, I reflected for a brief moment that it was probably a good place to catch a case of COVID...but not hearing an excess of coughing, hacking or other old man sounds, I happily carried on. When I got out to the parking lot, some guys had a grill set up behind their pickup and were looking over their purchases and cooking up some lunch, like they were in the Muny lot before a Browns game (without the drunkeness or fighting). All in all, it was a fun time and definitely worth the drive.
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