Happy New Year!

Races2U will be closing at 3pm Dec. 31st.  We will be open New Years Day, Jan 1, at 10 am.

 

Happy New Year!

Santa Claus is coming to Races2U...

…and instead of a sleigh, he’s in a slot car!


Come in and take a few laps on our miniature Winter Wonderland, complete with lights, snowmen, and reindeer. It’s still not too late to get that last minute gift, or to have a track around your tree Christmas morning. Races2U will be closing at 4pm on Christmas Eve. We will be open by appointment only on Christmas day, and will open at 10am daily from Dec 26 through Jan 2.

Santa Claus is coming to Races2U...

Carrera App Connect Video

We have these in stock for your Carrera Digital tracks! Click here to get yours now.

Carrera App Connect Video

Another "Success"ful Event

Races2U set up a track at a holiday party for Success Partners, publisher of Success Magazine, in Dallas, Texas. The Carrera Digital lighted cars were perfect for the ambient lighting, though it did make the photography a little challenging.

Another "Success"ful Event

Police Navidad

Pardon the bad pun.    The Carrera Lamborghini Huracan Police Car has arrived, just in time for Christmas!  This 1/32 scale digital slot car has working head and tail lights as well as flashing blue roof light.  Works great on any analog track as well as Carrera digital tracks.   Buy yours online here or come in to our store and pick one up to add to your collection.

Police Navidad

Happy Thanksgiving!

Our retail store is closed today to enjoy time with our friends and family.  Please come visit us Friday Nov 27th!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Now carrying LeMans Miniatures

Races2U is proud to add to its product line the highly detailed and finely crafted 1/32 scale collectible figurines from LeMans Miniatures.  These small but superbly crafted figures pay so much attention to detail that you can almost read the newspaper that the figure of Enzo Ferrari is holding.  You can see the expressions on the faces of each member of the Matra pit crew, and almost feel the whiskers on Henri Pescarolo’s beard.  This figurines are for the discriminating slot car track enthusiast who wants to add an unprecedented look of realism to their slot car track, or for the racing memorabilia collector who wants to own small pieces of history.  Check them all out here.

Now carrying LeMans Miniatures

Going out while staying at home

Races2U participates in so many trade shows all over the country, and it seems like we are on the road to places like Las Vegas or Orlando all the time. While not well-known for its trade shows, the Super-computing 15 trade show and conference was held right here in our hometown of Austin, Texas, and no travel required!  As one of the welcoming activities for the conference, our gracious sponsor DDN Storage rented out the top floor of Maggie Mae’s, a well-known Austin landmark for over 30 years. We set up a slot car track on the roof, and the weather was perfect to be outdoors racing slot cars under the stars, though our grid girls did get a bit chilly.  A warm heartfelt “Thank you” to all the great people at DDN and all their conference guests for including us in your visit to the Lone Star State, and we look forward to working with you all again!

 

Going out while staying at home

Ferrari Festival Video

Ferrari Festival Video

2015 Ferrari Festival

2015 marked the 10th year of the Ferrari Festival at Highland Village in Houston, Texas.  This is one of the largest gatherings of these unique and universally admired high-performance Italian sports cars on the planet, and the proceeds benefit the Texas Children’s Cancer Center.  This year saw the largest turnout ever, as well as the largest sum of money raised- over $50,000!  Races2U was proud to be a part of the festival, with our slot car track racing a half-dozen miniature Ferrari 458 cars in 20 lap races throughout the event.  Our assistants this year were a big hit as well, and the three lovely young women who were helping keep cars on the track were being photographed almost as much as the cars.  We hope you enjoy these photographs, and we look forward to being a part of the festival again next year.

2015 Ferrari Festival

Chris Kyle Frog Foundation Fundraiser

It is perhaps no coincidence, and a great pride and honor that on this Veteran’s Day, Races2U has been invited to participate in the American Sniper Shootout, a fundraiser for the Chris Kyle Frog Foundation.  Most Americans became familiar with the name Chris Kyle after the incredible success of the “American Sniper” movie.  As a Navy veteran and fellow Texan himself, Races2U owner Warren Peck has long been familiar with his story.  The foundation began in his honor, and The aim of the Chris Kyle Frog Foundation is to provide meaningful, interactive experiences to service members, first responders and their families, aimed at enriching their family relationships.   As a Navy veteran himself, Races2U founder Warren Peck understands the stresses and strain that military service can place on a family, with long separations, inconsistent and infrequent communication, constant worry, and post-traumatic stress just some of the difficulties.  This event will help raise money for this very worthy cause- helping our military and first-responders to achieve some normalcy in their anything but normal family lives.  We hope many of you will be able to attend this event, and even if you are unable, please consider making a donation to this very worthy cause.

Chris Kyle Frog Foundation Fundraiser

FFA Car Show at Vandergrift High School

Remember to Save the Date for VICTORY LANE AT VANDEGRIFT Car, Truck and Bike Show. November 14th from 10am – 2pm. We will have Nationally-Acclaimed Show Cars from Customs and Hot Rods of Andice on Display! The Future Farmers of America (FFA) of Vandergrift High School in North Austin are sponsoring this show to raise money for their program.  FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.  Warren Peck, the owner and founder of Races2U, has a daughter that is in FFA, and strongly supports this program.  Please show your support by entering your car in the show or just making a contribution to this program to help these hard working kids.

FFA Car Show at Vandergrift High School

Automotive Art

One of the great things about racing slot cars is we get to meet so many interesting people that love cars like we do.  One of these people is the very talented artist Shannon Fannin.  Although she paints many different subjects, her talent and passion really shine when she paints automobiles.  Her skill and attention to detail make her paintings virtually drive off the canvas, and would look as great in a living room or office as they would in a garage.  Check out her work at  http://www.shanfannin.com/ .  She is also available to do commissioned work, so if you drive an automotive masterpiece, let her put it on canvas for you.

Automotive Art

Lamborghini vs. Lamborghini

Green is definitely the color of envy! However, two particular shades of green- Mantis and Ithica, are particularly appealing. These are the colors of the new Lamborghini’s from Carrera and Scalextric, and they are both hot! We just received our shipment of Carrera Lamborghini Huracan cars, and we were so excited to put one on the track.  Here is a video of the Carrera Huracan vs. the Scalextric Aventador on our quarter-mile drag strip.  Both of these are now available for sale in our retail store or online.  Click here for the Huracan.  Click here for the Aventador.


 

Lamborghini vs. Lamborghini

Top alternative racing events

Top alternative racing events

With all of the excitement over the Formula One race in Austin, it seems like a good idea to have a look around to see what alternative racing events are out there. And no matter how unusual the event is, the concept is the same – the first person to cross the finish line wins.

Endurance challenges

Whilst many of us are somewhat resistant to the idea of a long-distance car journey, some drivers have tried to turn it into a sport. Most of us will be familiar with the French endurance race Le Mans, that tests the ability of drivers and engineers to be able to race around the circuit for a continuous 24 hours.

However, for those who like something a little more chaotic, then the parody race Le Mons has been providing hilarious entertainment across America for the past ten years. By encouraging drivers to take their most decrepit vehicle costing under $500 on the 24-hour circuit, the race organisers have ensured a good degree of unpredictability in this highly amusing event.

Alternative video games

Racing games are now seriously big business. The popular games series of Gran Turismo and The Need For Speed hav provided many hours of video game entertainment for race enthusiasts thanks to to their action-packed simulations of real driving challenges.

However, some video games prefer an alternative approach. Fans of driving around the wide open spaces of southern USA will get to recreate all of the thrills of a particularly banal journey thanks to the Desert Bus game that simulated an eight hour drive from Tucson, Arizona to Las Vegas in Nevada.

And whilst Street Cleaning Simulator is exactly as much fun as it sounds, any racing fan with a thirst for a little adrenaline would be much better served by a visit to the Betway site that features the latest coverage of all the best motor sports, and provides the perfect reminder for why we enjoy racing in the first place.

Vehicle innovation

For those who like the concept of multi-tasking, then we can highly recommend the sport of lawn mower racing. Not only will it provide you with the perfect opportunity to get one up on your neighbor with the slightly-too-perfect lawn, but it will also introduce you to other fans of immaculately-trimmed grass thanks to the US Lawn Mower Racing Association.

And anyone looking to revisit their childhood years in the racing environment, would be well-served by the concept of school bus racing. Just remember to make sure that there aren’t any real children in your vehicle.

Top alternative racing events

James Bond Spectre set from Scalextric*

*Mountainside not included, but we can build it for you! In-store and online soon!

James Bond Spectre set from Scalextric*

Outside food and drink- Adult beverages

We often hear the comment- “Too bad you don’t serve alcohol…” at Races2U.  It’s true, we don’t have a liquor license.  However, we do permit outside food and beverages, including the adult kind.  If you don’t want to pay $10 for a warm beer out in the rain waiting for a race, bring your own cooler and enjoy some refreshments of your choice.  While we don’t condone drinking and driving, drinking and slot car racing is acceptable in moderation.

 

Outside food and drink- Adult beverages

Lewis Hamilton F1 car selling out- Get yours now!

We began the weekend with a case of 24 new Carrera Lewis Hamilton Mercedes slot cars in stock.  It is now Saturday afternoon and we only have 8 of these cars left.  Much like the real thing, our Nico Rosberg cars are not far behind.  If you would like to purchase one of these cars before they are gone, come by the Races2U store in N. Austin soon.  At $39.99 after a 20% discount, these won’t last long.  Discount not available online- valid in-store only.

 

Lewis Hamilton F1 car selling out- Get yours now!

Bring in your F1 tickets and get 2 for 1 racing- TODAY ONLY!

Bring in your ticket stub from the F1 race today and two can race for the price of one.  Normally $12 per hour per person- today 2 for $12 or 4 for $24.

Bring in your F1 tickets and get 2 for 1 racing- TODAY ONLY!

It"s not raining on OUR Circuit of the Americas

Many people are disappointed that the weather here in Austin has put a damper on the US Grand Prix this weekend.  While we share that disappointment, the racing here at Races2U continues despite the wet weather outside.  Our track conditions are perfect for a little rainy-day racing.  If you can’t watch Lewis Hamilton or Sebastian Vettle on the real track, you can BE one of them on our track.  Bring in your F1 ticket stub for a free 20 laps on our mini-CotA.  Also, all our F1 cars are 20% off this week. Offer valid through Sunday, Oct 25th.  

 

It"s not raining on OUR Circuit of the Americas