CONTRIBUTOR: JAMIE RICHARDSON
Slot car racing is coming to downtown Kannapolis with the opening of The Slot Car Track Kannapolis on Saturday, January 28th!
🏎️ Randy and Shelley McAnulty previously operated slot car tracks in downtown Concord and Granite Quarry, but after COVID hit, decided to relocate. They have been waiting over a year for their new location to open and they say it’s been worth it.
- “Kannapolis is always busy and we can add to the entertainment value,” said Shelley. They also like being in the hometown of Dale Earnhardt because of their love of racing.
- Fun Fact: Slot car racing became a popular hobby in the 1960s, but it was way back in 1912 when the Lionel Corporation first created the original slot cars.
A Love for Racing from the Start
Randy has been involved in racing for 25 years and actually raced at Concord Speedway back in the day. His wife Shelley grew up in Kannapolis. Randy fell in love with slot racing the first time he went to a track and within six months he was running his own store.
- Randy builds the tracks himself and there will be three tracks available to race at the Kannapolis location.
What do I need to get started?
🏁 Guests can bring their own cars or can rent one for $12 for 30 minutes of racing. Have your own cars and a controller? Then you can practice all day for only $12! More important than the equipment, be sure to bring the entire family!
- “The Slot Car Track is a place where families can be together. Imagine three generations racing together. It’s a place to step away from the phones and the computers and just enjoy each other.”
All the Fixins’ for a Great Time
🎂 The Slot Track is the perfect venue to host a birthday party or bring a group! They have hosted group events for all ages including a senior group from a local church!
🛠️ Want to try your hand at building your own car? They have products available to help.
🍺 Pull up a chair to The Trackside Bar and enjoy a cold beer in between races.
City Council Member Ryan Dayvault Fully Approves!
👍 Dayvault is proud to have the McAnulty’s choose downtown Kannapolis for their business. “The McAnulty’s run a very family-oriented facility and it is a great way for kids to begin developing STEM skills and the arts as well…from building and maintaining the cars to designing and painting car bodies.”
- “I started racing them when I was 10 years old and have continued to enjoy it 27 years later,” he said.
“Dale Earnhardt won his first racing trophy racing at D&D (Dayvault & Duvall) Model Raceway in the Midway section of Kannapolis in the early 1960s…so this can help spark the interest in pursuing motorsports as a career. I wish Randy and Shelley all the best and look forward to spending time there each week!”
Visit the Slot Car Track at 101A West Avenue in downtown Kannapolis, NC, or learn more on their website or by following their Facebook page.
Planning to visit? Tell ’em Cabarrus Weekly sent ya!
