The Ford/Aurora -Grand Nationals....

[Ralphthe3rd]

Back in the Day.... 1962
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The 1962 National Winner, who won a Brand new 1:1 Ford Thunderbird, was Henry Harnish from New Jersey, seen here....2nd from left.

aurora 62 galaxie advert.JPG

And in 1963, this time using T-jets....on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson !
Johnny Carson.JPG

[RV Racing]

I really want to re-create the Aurora Grand National tracks for a club event. Steering wheel and thumb controllers mandatory, of course!

Thanks for posting these. I've searched for photos of the track layouts, but your '62 photo is the best I've seen.

Cheers,
Rick V.

[BIG E]

Henry Harnish has an EXACT replica of the track he qualified on in NJ back in '62. I raced on it when I was one of sixteen people invited to participate in a re-creation of that race May 21, 2006 at the slot car show in Parsippany, NJ. Both Henry and 1963 Grand National Champion Ron Colerick were honored guests at a party at Bob Beers' house in CT a few years ago. Ron was the youngest of all the Champions at age 12, and hadn't raced slot cars since the 1960's. I loaned him one of my T-Jet runners (a yellow '67 T-Bird with small slip on aj's silicone rears) and an 85 ohm Russkit controller I have set up for T-Jet racing, and within 20 minutes he was running right up with us on a good sized 4 lane Max Trax layout. This guy had never used anything but a steering wheel controller in his life! Henry was the oldest Champion at age 16 with his vibrator Ford Pickup racer, and he still has some FAST vibes today! Both of them won new Ford Thunderbirds - Henry a '62 Hardtop, and Ron a '63 Sports Roadster. Bob Beers owns that actual Sports Roadster today (as proven out by the VIN), and was invited to participate with the car at the annual Hemmings Concours at the Saratoga Automobile Museum in upstate NY a few weeks ago. Bob was able to get Sir Sterling Moss, who originally presented the keys to Ron back in '63, to sign the glove box door on the Thunderbird last year at Lime Rock Park.
The next day after the party at Bob's the festivities continued with Henry and Ron appearing at the slot car show (now it's the Super Bowl Sunday Slot Car Show) at the Huntington Hilton Hotel here on Long Island. We set up a table at the front of the ballroom between Bob and myself, and had both Champions shaking hands, taking photos with show attendees, signing books and AURORA memorabilia all day long. Both of the huge FORD AURORA Grand National trophies were also on display at the table. Henry still has his trophy, beautifully restored and in a display case at his home raceway. Bob, as you may have already guessed, is also the present owner of the trophy that Ron won in 1963.
You can see photos and more information about the Grand National competitions at <henryharnish.com>. There are two photos listed in the index, one of the scoreboard and one of all the drivers and their names listed at the NJ show the day of the '62 re-creation race, with the small track in the foreground. I'm standing to Henry's left holding my blue vibe T-Bird that I raced that day. He is back competitively racing today, mostly with several classes of T-Jet cars. If you can attend the May or November slot car show in Parsippany, NJ you will usually see Henry (we call him "Champ") walking around, gladly speaking to people about the hobby, and participating in the races that ECHORR holds there at each event.
Check out the site, there are lots of cool things to see and read about. Enjoy... Ernie :>)

PS - The track in the photo that Ralph the 3rd posted is the big one used for the 1962 finals. Man, nothing but 9 and 6 inch radius turns!

[dreinecke]

Great part of slot history!!!

[Ralphthe3rd]

ERNIE- Kudos to you my Friend, for sharing all those wonderful memories with is, including the stories and history behind the events and the people in them. I was hoping someone would add to this thread info- Exactly like you did -Ernie....and for that, I say Thank you for sharing :handgestures-thumbup:

[RV Racing]

I had the privilege to visit Bob Beers this summer and see his collection of T-jets and Aurora Grand National prize cars, trophies, and memorabilia . . . surely the holy shrine of HO slot car racing! And I've had the honor to race Henry Harnish at the Fray in Ferndale and The Quarrel, so I can say that I've been beaten by the best. Thanks for jogging my memory about Henry's website, I've just spent a pleasurable time there looking at his photos and reading his commentary. The images of Henry, his family, and Sir Stirling are remarkable, a real time machine. I would really have enjoyed the reenactment of the Aurora competition.

Thanks!
Rick V.