Welcome Race Fans 2006 Fray

Every year T-Jet racing teams from around the country gather in the quaint Victorian style northern California dairy farming village of Ferndale for what has become the premiere event in T-Jet racing, The Fray in Ferndale.  The "Fray" has come to symbolize the ultimate in team competition with many clubs testing and tuning all year to send their best drivers to try and win the coveted "Cow" trophy.

The Aurora Thunderjet 500 was originally designed in the early 1960's and has remained the favorite class of slot cars for many due to its unique "pancake" armature and five gear design which requires both superior skill in building the car and the greatest ability to drive them. 

Over the years various modifications to the original T-Jet have turned these cars from childrens toys to highly refined and perfected race cars.  These days cottage industry supplies racers with modern bodies that look like the cars of today as well as hand made tires, gears, and specialized tools to tune these little machines to the precision more commonly associated with fine Swiss watches.  If you remember the T-Jets of your youth bouncing and skidding around plastic snap together race tracks you will be amazed with the performace that can be achieved today using the basic chassis parts and lots of precision measuring tools and carefull selection of only the best parts exploiting the variances and tolerances of the original manufacturing process.

Teams with racers from all over the USA arrive in Ferndale days in advance of the actual race to practice and renew friendships.  With Ferndale being a six hour drive north of San Francisco most racers spend more time driving the Redwood Highway to the event than they do flying into San Francisco.  Some teams are comprised of slot car celebrities who have been part of the hobby since the 60's.  Other teams are made up of newcomers to the hobby who have rediscovered the fun and excitement of racing miniature race cars in the most competetive atmosphere anywhere.