Slots of Fun Speedway brings back nostalgia, slot car racing to Hanover

by Lyzz Jones
The Evening Sun

Nice write-up in The Evening Sun about Slots of Fun Speedway in Hanover, PA.

Don’t fall off.

Newcomers to slot car racing would do well to remember that piece of advice offered by Colton Harmon, owner of Slots of Fun Speedway, which is poised to bring the nostalgic hobby back to Hanover.

“There might be people that are a lot faster than you, and if they fall off, you can easily pass them,” Harmon said. “if you are fast and you fall off a lot, you’re not going to win. If you are just kind of slow and steady, you can still do pretty good.”

Area racing enthusiasts can try their hand at slot cars on two tracks: the hill climb track, which still appears in its 1980s condition, and the digital Carrera track, which can race up to six cars at once.

Harmon plans to offer three to four classes and different types of competitions. While full racing kits will be for sale, first-timers can rent track time and cars to get the feel of racing.

“I’ve seen a crazy amount of people stop in and they are interested, and it’s really cool to see that so many people want to support another local business,” said Aaron Conroy, Harmon’s friend and track technician.

Also in the works: running dirt-car bodies.

“We know a couple of the local names with (dirt-track) racing,” Harmon said. “When they find out about it, I think they’ll probably want to come here and run, as well.”

Slot car racing has been a family affair for Harmon and Conroy.

“My dad used to own a shop in Kansas. He owned it with my mom, and they had a track, and I’ve been involved with it ever since,” Harmon said.

Conroy remembers being “mesmerized as a kid” with slot car racing. His grandfather, Mike Brouse, bought him his first racing kit.

“Back in the early 70s, there was a slot car shop on Broadway. I worked there when I was 16, 17 years old,” Brouse said. “That’s what started it. Then there was nothing until (DT Hobbies) in the mall. We were into it big. We raced every class. It’s a lot of fun.”

Harmon aims to open by mid-January at the 130 Eisenhower Drive location.

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