Retro phenomenon slot car racing coming back to Gympie after 30 years
Typhoon Cues’ new purchase is thought to be just the second of its kind available in Australia, and is about a month off opening to the public.
Gympie
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Popular Gympie sporting goods store Typhoon Cues have announced they are bringing slot cars back to the region after a near-30 year absence.
Typhoon Cues owner Neil Turley announced this week the team had purchased a digital slot car racing track, marking a long-awaited return for the popular game after races used to be held at Bogart’s Formula Fun in the early 1990s.
Mr Turley said the new track became available at the right place and time, after the Typhoon team had long been in talks to buy one.
“I got hired from another parlour in town to come and help run the track at Bogart’s, and that was when I got hooked on racing,” he said.
“It was going quite well, we had race meets every week, marathon races, and it was going quite strong until the business cut the building in half to make a beachwear shop.
“It’s been 28 or 29 years I guess. We thought about it a little while ago, Dale (Adams) and I discussed finding one and going halves, Dale was one of the racers back then.
“We missed out on a track a long time ago … and then a friend of mine gave me a nudge a little while ago and this track was there at the right place at the right time.”
Mr Turley said the new track would provide a unique racing experience, and not just for Gympie but potentially nationwide.
“It’s what they call a digital track,” he said.
“To what we understand it’s the second of its kind in Australia. Most tracks are analog tracks and you stay in your lane in a race.
“In digital your controller is married to your car, there’s two lanes and six cars but you’ve got lane change ability so you can overtake your opponent.
“It’s also got simulated fuel burn and a pit stop, so you can have a 100-lap race with a mandatory two pit stops, the harder you drive your car the more fuel you burn and the longer you have to be in the pits to fill up.
“It gets pretty tactical.”
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Mr Turley said the team had “to get a lot of ducks in a row” before launching the track, but would potentially be open for everyone in about a month’s time.
The track will be open for both competitive race meets and general play, with cars available to purchase from the Typhoon shop.
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