TOPIC:

In the 80's (maybe someone knows the exact years?) Norways Tamiya agent, Harald Lyche & co, arranged Tamiya Cup. This was a huge number of races all over Norway, with each winner earning a spot in the national final, held at their superb racetrack in Drammen. All expenses paid by the agent. Plane tickets, hotel etc. all included.

1986
Here is a video from the local Tamiya Cup 1986 in Troms

At the local Tamiya Cup in Troms

Great story!

I'll have to get a computer upgrade myself before I can watch videos that are on vimeo...
But I'll definitely view them when I get the chance!

The YouTube video is very cool. The music in the beginning sounds so 80s! Almost like a 'Beverly Hill Cops' pursuit!

Edou wrote:

The YouTube video is very cool. The music in the beginning sounds so 80s! Almost like a 'Beverly Hill Cops' pursuit!

More like german porn if you ask me

Actually, that video was made by a video production company, and sent to all Tamiya distributors in Norway, after the race. I'm not sure if it was sent to all participants as well, but at least I got a copy.

Great stuff, Tom!
Although I never attended any of the Tamiya races, it still bring back good memories from the 80's.

-Lars

One of the boys in the 1896 Troms

larbut wrote:

One of the boys in the 1896 Troms

HAHAHHAHA 1980's EURO-PORN sound track!
This brings back soo many good memories for me!

PETTER SOLBERG winning the r/c Tamiya race!
OMG the future WRC rally hero!
I guess I should of been a WRC champ too!
You Euro guys are very lucky sometimes.
But him being a kid drinking the BUBBLY......
We thought we had it good spraying Pepsi all over the winners was awesome.

The 1980's were some good times.....
But most everyone in the USA had moved on years before[the video is like 1987-88?] with wayyyy better tracks and USA made or maybe Kyosho R/C buggies.
SORRY I know we all collect and love Tamiya!
The truth is the Tamiya R/C buggies were junk to race with in even 1983....
Unless you had a $300 HOT TRICK or full house LOSI-RACE PREP Rough Rider/SRB.
Kyosho came out with the Scorpion. Then AYK buggies were light and fast.

Then -BOOM-....USA made RC10's ruled the tracks in 1984-up!
I could almost lap all the guys running Tamiya cars in 1985 with my RC10.
I had a Edinger can REEDY motor in mine...I won sooo many races with that cheater motor!
Very few kids were racing at the top level. Adults ruled the winners podiums.

My local hobbyshop track we built in the spring of 1985 looked alot like this.
I used to race there each weekend. This is a flat track style.
Then we all copied the better tracks from pics in California or wherever with huge berms on every corner and a general bowl shape natural MX course to the layout. Lots of whoop-d-doos and a few tabletops.
Just like real world motocross/ MX.
We had a whole state wide R/C buggy series in the hay-days of 1985-87.
I used to live for going to other tracks. And racing with all of the crazy guys that would show up.

The LOSI[Gil Losi sr and jr, ect] gang was like the first to do the bowl tracks in 1982-83 at the RANCH PITSTOP/ RACE PREP shop in Cali.
we finally had to make a TAMIYA -only- class for all of the Tamiya buggies to have a good chance at winning.
Then I got into parties, cars, MX, girls....and more girls....well the rest is history! lmao

Time to make Tamiya bring back some Tamiya-only vintage races!
Vintage motocross is huge all over the world, how about vintage R/C buggy races making a come back.
My local hobby shop even has a indoor Tamiya cup series with strict rules and very stock cars. Its a great time for all on a cold Saturday night.
THANKS for the video!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the story, Robracer! Excellent stuff!
You are correct, we have to admit Tamiya was not, "up there" when it came to race winning machines, but Tamiya do win on the "fun-for-the-crowds-meter"

-Lars