When I was a kid, I had a couple of slot car sets along the way, and while I can’t remember what the brands were, I sure remember the TYCO commercials that used to run each and every Christmas season, always teasing some new kind of fast-paced action, sometimes with added flair like glow-in-the-dark or up-the-wall action. At some point, slot racing seemed to die off, but it’s never gone away – and in large part, I think it’s a marketing thing: new generations would get into it, if only they knew it was something that exists. In fact, when I take my girls to Bass Pro Shops during the holiday season, they always want to play with the big slot car track they have set-up. So what if you’re say, a bigger kid… one with a lot of money to spend? Neiman-Marcus is tapping into the wealthy slot enthusiasts in their 88th Annual Christmas Book, presenting a $300,000 slot track, hand-crafted by the folks at Michigan-based Slot Mods USA. Their tracks are so cool, I just had to show them here on THE ROCK FATHER…
Slot Mods USA is the latest in analog racing. It’s about bringing people together to race and have fun. Our goal is to deliver works of art and create a memorable racing experience for every single racer that runs our tracks.
Starting at $75,000 (plus shipping and installation), the 12- by 20-to-30-foot tracks take cues from many of the world’s legendary racetracks including Le Mans, Monaco, Mid-Ohio, Laguna Seca, Riverside, Road America and Watkins Glen, complete with elevation changes, banked corners, real aluminum Armco guardrails, signage, bridges, iconic buildings, foliage, and other unique elements. Period-correct slot cars, pit crews and grandstands, along with integrated in-track cameras that display the action on mini-screens, immerse slot-car enthusiasts into the on-track action.
The Slot Mods USA item in the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book, titled the “Slot Mods USA Ultimate Slot Car Raceway” and priced at $300,000, includes a re-creation of the buyer’s fantasy track along with an inaugural race night party co-hosted by racing legends such as Vic Elford and David Hobbs. Neiman Marcus is donating $3,500 to The Heart of Neiman Marcus Foundation, which supports youth arts education, for every Slot Mods USA Ultimate Slot Car Raceway purchased.
If you think all of that’s cool, check this out:
Funny thing I also recall from the late 80s is that Neiman-Marcus was also selling a radio-controlled blimp at one point. It was largely mylar, and I remember marveling at it in one of their stores. Fast-forward to 2014 and you can get something similar for under $50.
