Scalextric 2017 NEWS

[slothead]

Harry - thanks for posting images of Jocko's Javelin with those sponsors. I found those images after my post but couldn't get them to load on my computer to do a follow up post. Although there aren't a lot of pictures of this car around, most show it with the sponsors I remember which would be the way I would love to see it for sentimental reasons. Who wouldn't love to have a model of a car driven by a local driver in the same livery you remember? The back of the car had 'Last Chance Saloon' as a sponsor - a place I took my wife to on our first date and were I also got to see BB King perform. I think the other livery makes for a better looking car, with less clunky decals. But yes, I'll be getting one as long as Saints is spelt correctly.

FYI - the Minnesota Fighting Saints were a World Hockey Association team from '72-'76, the closing years of Trans Am's golden years with major factory support. Jocko's Javelin was a former Mark Donohue car and this version was probably very near the end of the time it competed in Trans Am.

Kudos to Scalextric (and Pioneer?) for keeping the '60's & early '70's Trans Am cars coming. The fact so many releases, including Le Mans type cars, are from this era shows how much us 'old timers' with more disposable income are a vital part of the customer base. Of the nearly 100 slot cars (RTRs and creations) I own they are all from this era. I'm just not interested in anything newer than 1972. Kind of reminds me of how so many model railroad layouts depict things from the early and middle part of the last century. While you can't live in the past, thankfully in some ways it's a nice place to visit through our hobbies.

Slothead

[slothead]

I know this thread is about Scalextric's 2017 planned releases, from which many of us are finding things to look forward to. Thanks to Cincy Slots for posting it.

HRW is the only slot car site I participate at, and just saw the Javelin livery discussion from 2014 at Slot Car Illustrated. This is Jocko's Javelin as I remember it with local NY sponsors.


I think the livery from Scalextric's site is after Jocko sold it. Does this matter at all - no. But I guess I won't be able to get away with giving it to my wife as an anniversary gift in remembrance of our first date. What a coup that would be!

Today was the scheduled release date of the #6 Scalextric Javelin - I'm anxious to see when someone at HRW gets their hands on one and shares impressions. If I trusted release dates I'd have already ordered one.

Slothead

[dreinecke]

The initial release has been delayed until May as shown now on Scalextric's website.

As for the livery on the car - Slothead makes some good points but the problem with all vintage racecars is that they changed often after each race/panel repair/etc. In the case of the cars that remain today these are often "over-restored" or they pick a livery from a particular race(s) and hit the middle ground with it.

If Jocko's car is produced only with the livery as depicted in the concept art - I'll still get it as the car is a close enough match to the 1:1 version for me to say it is Jocko's car. And where else (unless you paint/decal it yourself) can you get it otherwise? I'm just thrilled Scalextric even thought to do this car since I love the paint scheme!

The fact that it was your first date with your wife is super cool. You took her to a T/A race and she married you! That is a fabulous story right there!

[crossovercrazy]

I believe that's a March 5 release date (Rest-of-World (i.e., logical) dating system).

Of course, those release dates seemed to be often made up, so who knows?

[slothead]

Javelins seem to be like Leprechauns - you've heard they are out there, even seen some images, but just can't seem to get your hands on one.

If nothing else we are a patient bunch, clinging to the hope our slot car visions will eventually materialize. Some of use are even still imaging Legend cars will be released by Pioneer one of these years.

To quote former Dallas QB Don Meredith from Monday night football years ago: "If If's and buts were candy and nuts we'd all have a Merry Christmas."

On another note - my wife-to-be was already a member of the Sports car Club of America when we met and had already attended races at Lime Rock Park and Watkins Glen. We both knew who Jocko (Chauncey) Maggiacomo was at that time. Scalextric uses quite a bit of poetic license at times in the way they create liveries and promote releases. When I saw a Javelin listed as Jocko's on the Scalextric site I was very excited for multiple reasons. This is a car I wanted to create for my Trans Am series and now I wouldn't have to. As best I can determine from extensive research the car as shown on their website was owned by Roy Woods Racing (RWR) and driven by Bill Collins in the early 70's. Why would they want to associate it with Jocko? Because he won the 1976 Trans Am championship with this car, same colors, but different sponsors - the ones I remember. The Trans Am series changed significantly after 1972 when the major manufactures (Ford and Chevy) and top drivers (Donohue, Gurney, Follmer, etc.) dropped out. Only AMC was providing backing for cars after 1972. The other Javelin listed as a 2017 release is the #1 red, white, and blue car also owned by RWR, and driven by George Follmer. This probably explains why the #63 has the livery being used - one stop shopping for permissions.

One again - does any of this matter to those that consider these to be toy cars, no. For those of us that collect scale vintage race cars as well as enjoy racing them, while we'd like more attention to details, it is what it is. As Harry might say - 'at speed you can't see the details, you're just having fun'.

Slothead

[HomeRacingWorld]

[slothead]

Harry - I did build 2 Javelins using RMS '68 resin bodies for my TA series. One painted red, white, and blue as a replica of this


The other is #33 for Bob Tullius. I was going to make replicas of the ones driven by Donohue, Follmer, and Jocko but decided to wait in hopes '70 - '72 Javelin body styles ever appeared. It will be nice having 5 Javelins in my series if all the promised releases actually materialize. If Pioneer ever makes Javelins I'll probably buy them too.

I also have a #8 RMS Firebird in the series, built to replicate this car


I got decals from Slotcars4U to replicate most TA cars before they closed, and before more of them became available as RTR cars. I was on my way to creating RMS versions of the Cougars Gurney, Tatum, Moffat, and Waco drove too before Scalextric decided to make them.

Slothead