Gigantic Motor Racing Multiplayer

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Potless
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Gigantic Motor Racing Multiplayer

Post by Potless »

Way back in the mid to late sixties, I can recall playing on a huge motor racing game, located in the Oasis Amusements in Great Yarmouth. It was the first thing you saw when entering the room (well, it was hard to miss!).

It was similar to the "Grand Prix" game, but much, much bigger. It must have been a good 15 feet in length, with at least fifteen racing cars of different makes and liveries careering round the (figure-8?) track. There were probably 20 playing stations positioned around the unit.

The overhead display showed the winner after each race among other things, and one thing that stuck in my head was the way the word "through" was spelt "thru" in the play instructions, which led me to believe that the machine was US made.

I also have a memory of seeing a few worn-out little rubber tyes scattered around the playfield, which had somehow flown off some of the cars - not surprising when you consider how many laps the little models completed in a day!

So, does anyone else remember this, and does anyone know the machine's name and maker?
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treefrog
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Re: Gigantic Motor Racing Multiplayer

Post by treefrog »

Nothing like this, possibly?
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Potless
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Re: Gigantic Motor Racing Multiplayer

Post by Potless »

The one I recall was fully enclosed under glass, and instead of steering wheels there were penny-playing stations, much like other larger gambling multiplayers.

That said, the game in the photos looks fantastic - I would have loved to have had a go on that!
pennymachines
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Re: Gigantic Motor Racing Multiplayer

Post by pennymachines »

The huge American Model Car Raceways, inc. game is featured in this Pathe newsreel:


Potless wrote: Tue May 18, 2021 10:05 pm It must have been a good 15 feet in length, with at least fifteen racing cars of different makes and liveries careering round the (figure-8?) track.
A figure-of-8 version called Formula One Racing can be seen in these newsreels, but they only have 5 cars. I think you may have misremembered the 15 car bit - that would require a very wide track!





The ones I recall playing had an oval track with 5 racing cars, dogs or horses. Whittaker Brothers made one called Le Mans.
Potless
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Re: Gigantic Motor Racing Multiplayer

Post by Potless »

I definitely remember "Le Mans" and "Grand Prix" games, and I am 100% sure about the monster we are talking about here.... I played on it many times, and its sheer size and number of cars racing at once were the big attraction (it was about three times the size of "Le Mans"). It was the only one of its kind in the Gt. Yarmouth arcades.
Potless
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Re: Gigantic Motor Racing Multiplayer

Post by Potless »

pennymachines wrote: Tue May 18, 2021 11:09 pm I think you may have misremembered the 15 car bit - that would require a very wide track!
Looking at the video featuring "Formula 1 Racing", maybe you are right about there only being 5 cars - the display on the topbox is as I remember it, so perhaps it just seemed that much bigger to a 10 year old! Certainly an impressive machine by anyone's standards. Many thanks for the information.
woody2
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Re: Gigantic Motor Racing Multiplayer

Post by woody2 »

It wasn't the large scalextric racing tracks was it? Butlins used to have them I think? had a dome cover !PUZZLED!
Potless
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Re: Gigantic Motor Racing Multiplayer

Post by Potless »

I think it was the Formula One Racing game; the track was not Scalextric style, but relied on a motor and chain (or cable?) system under the track.
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coppinpr
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Re: Gigantic Motor Racing Multiplayer

Post by coppinpr »

It wasn't the large Scalextric racing tracks, was it? Butlins used to have them I think? had a dome cover
I do remember the Scalextric machines at Butlins, but only vaguely. The dome covered ones appeared to be Scalextric sets converted to become a game similar to the "Le Mans", however several camps had "Scalextric rooms". The photos below are from Butlins Bognor; the room there had one large track and two smaller ones (I believe these two photos are in the public domain and not restricted).
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