The Downhill Racing Events were extremely exciting this month. All three classes for February saw a bunch of upsets and even a crash in the Hot Wheels Stock Class.
The DRHWSC was the first racing event on the agenda with an almost full field of entries. Twenty-six Hot Wheels Die-Casts would battle until there would be only one. Tim Raley’s Purple Tail Dragger would demolish Jim Rakitsky’s Split Vision quickly in the Qualifying Round and beat Dwayne Immell’s 1967 Camaro decidedly in the Heat Round. In the Quarter Final, Tim’s luck would continue when he dusted off John Catron’s Speedbox without giving up a single run. Ultimately, Tim’s TD would be no match for Gavin Sleeth and his Side Splitter Funny Car. The Side Splitter didn’t make any friends breezing through the Qualifier against the Team Hot Wheels Buggy; another entry out of the Rakitsky Stable, and then chewing up the James Goolsbee sponsored Rigor Motor in the Heats Round.
In the lower section of the Bracket, Cole Raley was making an attempt to meet his dad, Tim, in the Final. Cole’s Silverado received a bye in the Qualifying Round and wouldn’t be tested much in the Heat Round by another Goolsbee entry, a Funny Side Up Funny Car, or even in the Quarter Finals where he beat one of his dad’s other entries, a Mustang Funny Car that seemed to be having some technical difficulties. Cole was stopped short, just like his father, in the Semi Finals by an entry from Nick Sickle. Nick’s last-minute entry, a Boulevard Bruiser, disappointed its completion, first winning in the Qualifier against Tim Raley’s Dairy Delivery, secondly, beating Jim Rakitsky’s F1 Racer in the Heats. Subsequently, the Bruiser would take two of three races against James Jr’s Daytona Charger before handing the Raley Silverado its defeat. The stage was set, Gavin’s Side Splitter Funny Car would take on the under-rated Sick Nick Boulevard Bruiser. Ultimately, the Boulevard Bruiser would take the win, a Hot Wheels Test Facility five pack and a berth into the Downhill Racing Run Whatch Brung Races.
Link to the Video for this class...
Downhill Racing Hot WHeels Stock Class Races Video
The C4 Crew has been trying to put together a race for pinks style of event for several months, and what better way to do that than a Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt race. This race has been in the works for several months, and it finally took place on Saturday after the DRHWSC Races. The races consisted of 13 Hot Wheels Treasure Hunts still in the blisters, and the winner took home all of their competitor’s entries. Cole Raley’s 16 Angels made it to the Semi Finals with a bye in the Qualifier and a win over Chris Taylor’s Nightburner, which was one of several diecasts that were mailed in for our events. The 16 Angels would eventually fall to Wayne Heede’s Pink Cadillac V-16. Wayne had the unfortunate luck to draw the second slot in the Qualifier which positioned his Cadi against James Fortenberry’s 1971 Mustang Funny Car. Luck, however, was on Wayne’s side as he cruised by the ’71 Mustang and then Mike Catron’s Subaru WRX Sti with FTEs in the Quarter Finals. Mr. Milton Fox’s Mazda RX-7 had the same fate as the 16 Angels after first dusting Tim Raley’s Hot Bird and Cole’s Nissan Skyline. The Fox Mazda fell to a Mustang Funny Car out of the Tim Raley’s Garage. The Mustang was pretty impressive, making short work of the James Goolsbee Bad to the Blade in the Qualifier and ironically enough another mailed in Mazda RX-7 entry from Chris Taylor. It really appeared that the Mustang would be the car to beat, but that’s why we race. Wayne’s Pink Cadillac V-16 dominated Tim’s Mustang and took top-prize all the T-hunts from this race. With such decisive victories in this race, Wayne decided to enter his Pink Cadi in the final race of the day… The Downhill Racing Run Whatcha’ Brung!
Follow this link to see footage of...
The Downhill Racing Treasure Hunt Challenge Class (Winner Takes All!)
The final event of the day and the most anticipated was the Downhill Racing Run Whatcha’ Brung Class. It doesn’t matter what make, model or brand of the vehicle as long as it fits on the track, in the starting gate and through the finish-line gate. There were 24 entries into this class, two winning entries from the previous events of the day and nine entries that were mailed in. Cameron Daly’s 1967 Johnny Lightning Camaro made tracks over the competition beating James Fortenberry’s Mod Lambo in the Qualifier. The Camaro took two in a row in the Heats Round over Chris Taylor’s Chrysler 300C, which lead on the drop until the Camaro seemed to find a second gear in the flat. It was almost a repeat performance for the Camaro in the Quarter Finals where it battled back down the flat section of the track to beat the Dwayne Immell Modified Horseplay. Smitty’s Dragstrip Donna put an end to the Camaro’s run at the winner’s circle. The Dragstrip Donna had a bye in the Qualifier and made short work of Tim Raley’s Cadillac V-16 in the Heats and Milton Fox’s F-150 in the Quarters before ruining the JL Camaro’s chance for the top spot in this class. James Fortenberry had two heavy weight F-150s in the field that met in the Semi Finals. The Silver version took out Nick Sickle’s Hot Wheels Stock Class Champ Boulevard Bruiser in the Qualifier, then squeaked by the mailed-in Way Sweet 16 of Chris Taylor in the Heats and final hammered past the 1969 Corvette of Mrs. Fox. James’ Pink F-150 had a difficult road to the Semis making his way by Smitty’s CC Madfast in the Qualifier, Cole Raley’s “Hershey” Ford Probe Funny Car, three-time champ of this event in the Heats, and, finally edging out Wendell Brown’s Mustang Funny Car in the Quarter Finals. The lighter Pink F-150 was able to beat its sibling in the Semi Finals taking two races in a row. This DRRWB final was set, Smitty’s Dragstrip Donna versus The Fortenberry F-150 in pink. In the finals, you have to win two races in a row to take the top spot, to be crowned champ and take home the prize. The first race went to the F-150 by a nose. The second race went to the Donna by a nose. The third race saw a repeat of the first… it looked like we were going to have a tie. The fourth race would decide it all. The F-150 was able to just slide past the Donna in the last inches of the track and win the Downhill Racing Run Whatcha Brung Division. James Fortenberry took home top honors and a brand new Hot Wheels Nine Pack. He will also be able to enter the Pink F-150 this year, without an entry fee, for any DRRWB event.
The heavy hitter of racing...
See the races here, The Run Whatcha Brung Class!
Congratulations to all of our winners and a big C4 Thank You for all of the participants. Also, a special thanks goes to all of our mailed-in entries. Hopefully, we will see more mailed-in entries at our upcoming events.
Copies of the brackets can be viewed here:
February 2014 - C4 Racing Brackets
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The Maryland Die-Cast Trade Show & Downhill Racing Events
