Anderson playing host to national competition for model cars
ANDERSON, Ind. (AP) - They start with a push filling the air with the high-pitched whine of the two-cycle engines and then the cars are just a blur of color.
Model race cars that can reach speeds of more than 200 miles per hour are competing at the American Miniature Racing Car Association national meet this week in Anderson.
The Anderson track is one of only three operating in the United States with the others located in California and New York. The Anderson track, constructed in 1946, is located at Jackson Park off Raible Avenue. Anderson hosts the national competition every three years and in 1974 was the site of the international races.
Competitors from across America and one from Switzerland are aiming to set national and international records. The world record is 214.3 mph.
Racing against the clock will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Saturday. There is no admission fee.
Veteran racer and event organizer Phil McDonald has been involved since 1969. He started preparations for the national competition last November.
"My dad used to bring me down here to watch in the summer when I was 10 years old and the bug got me," he said. "It's an addiction, like any type of racing. You always try to go faster."
The record at the Anderson track is 204 mph with the cars running a quarter-mile in 4.5 seconds.
McDonald said his car's fastest speed has been 202 mph during a practice session.
He has raced in Europe, Australia and at all three tracks in the U.S.
The cars range in price from $1,500 to $8,000 with most designed and built by the competitors.
Paul Strobel of Zurich, Switzerland, competed at the Anderson track 10 years ago.
"Of course I marked it on my calendar. I always come to the American nationals to have friendships," he said.
Strobel started racing in 1984 and said there are thousands of tracks in Europe.
"Part of the challenge is building the cars," he said, noting his fastest obtained speed was 212 mph.
Anderson resident Mike Baldwin said he's the new guy on the block. He started racing three years ago.
"As a kid I used to come over here and I fly radio-controlled airplanes," he said. "Two years ago I decided to build an electric car."
Baldwin, a retired tool maker, spent a winter designing and building the car.
He said his best speed is 105 mph, but he hopes to run 112 mph this weekend.
Jim Okel traveled from the state of Washington to compete in Anderson at the national championships.
He started racing a decade ago and said he might be the last active racer in that state.
"It's a lot of fun, relatively simple, but you have to pay attention to the details," Okel said. "There used to be a lot of people that had race cars, but the nearest track is in California."
He travels to California once a month to compete.
Eight different classes will be competing in Anderson this week.
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Source: The (Anderson) Herald Bulletin, http://bit.ly/2bLa1AM
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Information from: The Herald Bulletin, http://www.theheraldbulletin.com