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| Where it Started |
| The Fray in Ferndale (History) started 12 years ago, and this years was just completed, but few really know it's more intimate details. One of those is how these tables actually got started. Why the "spaghetti" nature. Also, I want people to understand that we changed these tables 2-3 times a year. Takes about 8-10 hours to do that. So, below I am going to highlight a few of those tables, and give a little perspective. All Fray tracks are 6 lane. I have a video of us racing on some of these at this link CLICK HERE. Look closely at the bodies we were using, and note that the chassis were stock, except for the wheels and rubber, which were Tomy/Tyco rims, and Hiester slip-ons. |
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| That's the story, and some of the historical pictures from the times that preceded the Fray, and a little bit of Fray past, as well. Hope you enjoyed the ride. |
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| If you read the story above, this is the table I built after that first meeting with Rick. Took me a few months of scrounging to get all the pieces. A fellow named Ham in Dayton, OH, helped with a lot of it, but a gentleman from Clyde, OH, Steve Keegan was the most help. Still one of the best guys I ever met in the hobby. Track is from around 1988. |
| Through some ads, and a little exposure at a friends restaurant, I managed to accumulate quite a few people to race at Petaluma Raceway. Tommy Watts was one of those, and he was a total fiend for the hobby. This 2-lane, 85 foot, 4 level course was something he came up with. Fray-like, and shows the influence we had on people. Track from 1994 |
| When I finally got to Ferndale, this was one of the first tracks to which I bore witness. If you note the 3 overpasses, this feature was incorporated in the very first Fray Orange Table. Rick and I borrowed each others "features" for our layouts, and you would often see various ones used from time to time, and many in combination. circa 1989 |
| This track resided in my garage on Vista Lane. Most of Petaluma Raceway history is written there. I have to say that this was one of my all time favorites. If you look at the differences between Rick's style and mine, you will notice that I like sharp turns, followed by short straights. Rick always had a "smoother" style of building. |
| The overpass on this layout became a group favorite. Rick must have had a sadistic side working the day he thought up this track. Track from 1994 |
| This track was another to have 3 overpasses. For those familiar with the branch of mathematics called Topology, when applied to track building, it is important that one place an even number of overpasses, to make the lane lengths equal out. Of course there is more to it than that, as Brad Bowman has taught me, but that's another story, for another time. Track from 1992. |
| Many of you have groaned and moaned for one reason or other if you ever drove, practiced on, or even just stood near and looked at, THE Red Table. As Fray attendees of recent years know, the table has now been routed, by Brad Bowman. This is what it looked like when it was lock and joiner Track from 1999 |
| Remember how I mentioned "features". The original Fray Orange Table had the 3-overpass feature shown in an earlier track, above. The currant Orange at The Fray is nothing like this now, but personally, I really liked the way it was. |
| Some guys make it look good. This table is one of those, and it was a great race table. This was built by Bob Carpenter, who, until his move to Chicago, was a constant companion in the hobby. This was in his garage down the street from me. Notice that it had the overpass feature we liked from one of the tracks above. |
