The Thunderjet 500 was introduced by Aurora in 1963 and quickly became a mass market toy phenomenon.  This popular club racing class pays homage to the original Thunderjet by keeping the one inch chassis width and allowing only a few aftermarket parts in the spirit of improving drivability and fun on the racetrack.

Super Stock T-jet – ECHORR and Fray Style

These cars are cutting edge modified Thunderjets which follow the two primary nationally recognized rules packages.  This is Thunderjet racing at the edge!

AFX Magna-Traction

The AFX cars represented the final development of the pancake motor platform by Aurora, with the Magna-Traction line introducing a bit of magnetic down force as an aid in handling.  These cars provided a significant performance increase over the earlier Thunderjet and are still a blast to drive and race.

Visit the Race Rules page for more info.

A Western Pennsylvania Slot Car Club Racing Series

Featuring four drag racing meets per season

Venue: South Lake Dragway

Featured Racing classes:
Factory Stock T-jet (HODRA Rules)
Factory Stock Inline (HODRA Rules)

Support Classes:
Bracket Class T-jet
JL T-jet

Format:
Heads up and bracket class formats. Single elimination ladder. Best 2 out of 3 match for each elimination.

Points system:
A season points system will be tabulated for each racing class.

Car Classes and Race Format

Factory Stock T-Jet

1. Stock Hard body – May be injection molded original, reproduction, or resin casting and must use the front and rear mounting posts and screws to secure the chassis. Wheel wells and mounting posts shall not be cut. Front and rear bumpers shall be intact if said body was originally equipped.
2. Chassis – Shall be standard Aurora ThunderJet 500 copper bottom original or New Model Motoring T + copper bottom. Slimline chassis/armature prohibited.
3. Pickup shoes shall be original styled copper stepped type. Re-bends or flats are prohibited.
4. Brushes – Shall be stock type flat copper carbon and can be X’d. No silver or silver crown type. J.B.’s Tunderbrushes, Wizzard or BSRT copper replacements are permitted.
5. Wheels and Tires – Stock thin chrome plated wheels and thin ribbed edge rubber tires (.075 in. / 1.90 mm).
6. Silicone tires of any type prohibited. Factory Stock Aurora, Model Motoring or R2 “ribbed” tires are permitted.
7. Aftermarket, “4 Dimple” and Tuff Ones and AFX type wide wheels prohibited.
8. Gearing shall be stock and this includes the 15 tooth crown
9. Motor – Stock gray pole or white pole. Green wire, gold wire, red wire or rainbow wire. OHM reading no less than 15.0 OHMS. Rewinds, de-winds, epoxying and balancing prohibited.
10. Magnets – Stock charcoal black, green/orange or green/white only. Magnets may be shimmed to prevent slop.
11. Magnets may not be swapped between Aurora chassis and New Model Motoring chassis or the JL/PM chassis, etc.
12. Chassis cuts prohibited.
13. Car must weigh no less than 18.0 grams.
(Sportsman Tree Start)

Factory Stock Inline

1. Body – Any factory hard body permitted. Must use original body and chassis mounts.
2. Chassis – Factory stock toy company produced inline, 1986 or newer as it came from the factory box or blister card. (Tomy/Aurora Super G+, Tyco/Mattel 440- X2/X3 and A.W.inline chassis only)
3. Pickups – Stock, no modifications.
4. Pickup Springs – Stock only, no aftermarket or flats.
5. Wheels and Tires – Stock type wheels and rubber only.
6. Motor – Stock type only what came with the chassis originally. Armature balancing prohibited. Epoxy, de-winds, re-winds, worked up or hot stock strictly prohibited. OHM reading no lower than 5.8 OHMS.
7. Gears – Factory only ratio. No changes permitted. Factory material only.
8. Magnets – All magnets must be stock as originally equipped with chassis. Changes and modifications prohibited.
9. Additional magnets prohibited.
10. Chassis front end extensions prohibited.
11. A box stock class w/o changes or modifications of any kind. All Wizzard, Slottech, BSRT, DeCosmo and hobbed chassis strictly prohibited.
12. Minimum weight 18.5 grams.
(Sportsman Tree Start)

Bracket Class T-jet

1. Open to all Aurora T-jet variations, Faller comparatives, Tyco S Series, Atlas, Lionel, Marx, Eldon, JL T-jet 500, American Line and similar sized cars.
2. Hard plastic/resin body must be held in place via two body screws, may be modified, and must contain a front windshield. All cars must have a drag strip appropriate body.
3. Any motor/chassis modification allowed provided it retains the original configuration of that chassis.
4. “Outlaw” style T-jets are not permitted.
5. Only true scale appearing and functioning (rolling surface) wheelie bars are allowed. Note: a wheelie bar may not be necessary for this class of racing.
6. Maximum width is 1.25.”
7. This is bracket racing so it is not necessary to spend a lot of time preparing cars. Just bring a few T-jets and prepare to have fun!

JL T-jet

1. Stock JL or AW T-jet with no chassis modifications.
2. Rear slip-on silicones permitted
3. Any pick-up T-jet style pick-up shoe permitted.
4. Drag strip appropriate JL/AW T-jet body.

Drag Racing Format

1. Heads up format: FS/TJ, FS/I, JL/TJ
Single elimination ladder. Best 2 out of 3 match for each elimination.
2. Bracket class format: Bracket class T-jet
Single elimination ladder. Best 2 out of 3 match for each elimination.
3. Racers may be able to enter more than one car for each event.
The goal will be to fill an 8 or 16 car elimination ladder.
4. Points system: A season points system will be tabulated for each racing class.

Check out 1/32nd scale racing with the Tri-City Road Racing Club on Monday evenings at A.B. Charles Hobby Shop. Contact Kevin Stevenson for details.