Slip's Showroom (.....of DOOOOOM!)

[Slipster17]

Those are all some great finds.

Y'know, the more that I think about it... why on earth was NASCAR in Japan? Especially a bunch of the West cars? Was there really that big of an interest?

Exhibition races in '96, '97 and '98. The idea was to bring together racers from a bunch of different countries/ regions/ racing disciplines. NASCAR was trying to branch out into other countries in the late 90s - Australia in particular with AUSCAR.

So - to focus on the 1997 event - they had some notable Winston Cup, Busch Series and Winston West drivers in the same field as some very well known Japanese drivers (Like the 'Drift King') and even Aussie Supercar champ Jim Richards for the pure enjoyment of it all.

And money..... I'm sure there was A SMIDGEN of money involved somewhere....

 

[Slipster17]

@Slipster17 You got this one?

DANG IT! It would be wonderful if the ass end wasn't torn off of Jeff Davis' #14 there. Lol.

No, I didn't have that one! I think I van just about read the Japanese characters on the side decals on David Green's car there. I knew the decals was for the union between CAT and Mitsubishi but I didn't know what the text was.

The last car out of the 30 entries that I really have no flipping clue about its various sponsors is the #67 of Scott Gaylord - seen here as the red car with the yellow spoiler. His normal Winston West ride for 1997 was still sponsored by Oliver Manufacturing (as this car is) but the paint scheme was completely different and none of the associated sponsors seem to be the same.

 

[Slipster17]

It's been a hot minute - how about an update on the Suzuka set? I have only 3 cars that have not been started yet - and a handful that I am trying to gather clearer images of do deduce contigs/ associate sponsors. The other 27 cars are in various stages of completion.

These two are the ones I am most proud of at the moment for having an actual Japanese speaker help me translate/ track down the correct sponsors and logos!

 

[MrDude68]

That #29 is a thing of beauty!

 

[Slipster17]

That #29 is a thing of beauty!

Thanks!

Imuraya is the primary sponsor there. The way my friend described it to me - they are a confectionary/ food company that make literally everything, lol. Sweets, treats, energy bars, frozen dinners... you name it! But the two products advertised here after the company name are Nikuman and Anman - which are "meat buns". I was told to imagine a dumpling crossed with an empanada - which actually sounds pretty tasty!

Tamiya - we should all know for their model kits and hobby supplies.

The 'GunBluster XTO' (not a typo - I kept calling it Gunblaster, lol) is both a Manga series and a line of small RC cars made by Tamiya and based off of vehicles from the Manga comic.

The yellow and red logo above Tamiya is CoroCoro Aniki - which was a publisher who produced several racing inspired Manga comics.

 

[Slipster17]

In addition to the #29 above, these were the other 3 Japanese drivers who competed in the 1997 race. The #23 is still a work in progress while I figure out the contig situation. And yes - the #02 is a '95 model T-bird!

 

[nascarfreak88]

Thanks!

Imuraya is the primary sponsor there. The way my friend described it to me - they are a confectionary/ food company that make literally everything, lol. Sweets, treats, energy bars, frozen dinners... you name it! But the two products advertised here after the company name are Nikuman and Anman - which are "meat buns". I was told to imagine a dumpling crossed with an empanada - which actually sounds pretty tasty!

Tamiya - we should all know for their model kits and hobby supplies.

The 'GunBluster XTO' (not a typo - I kept calling it Gunblaster, lol) is both a Manga series and a line of small RC cars made by Tamiya and based off of vehicles from the Manga comic.

The yellow and red logo above Tamiya is CoroCoro Aniki - which was a publisher who produced several racing inspired Manga comics.

What a stroke of luck you met someone Japanese who could translate! Makes this even awesomer.

Doing absolutely brilliant work as always. Have always yearned for Suzuka sets. Seeing them finally be made to the best quality makes my heart smile.

 

[Slipster17]

What a stroke of luck you met someone Japanese who could translate! Makes this even awesomer.

Doing absolutely brilliant work as always. Have always yearned for Suzuka sets. Seeing them finally be made to the best quality makes my heart smile.

This has not been an easy one - let me tell you! Pretty much every one of the paint schemes from the suzuka races are one-offs and material is on them is incredibly sparse. But it's been a fun treasure hunt for sure!

I MAY have struck a gold mine as far as pictures to finish up the remainder of the cars..... but we'll see how that plays out soon here!

 

[Rollo75]

RED BEAN BUN ALERT!

 

[Slipster17]

I stumbled into a Facebook group dedicated to the Winston West Series - and literally like 75% of the group member are actual drivers and crew! I have a gentleman who was the Crew Chief for John Kinder and the #08 at the 1997 Suzuka event assisting me with photos and decal identification right now on this one!

 

[Slipster17]

Well, turn of events. I am currently in possession of both John Kinder's and Sean Woodside's contact information and have been texting with both drivers since last night. Super nice guys. I think they are both just tickled that someone has an interest in their race cars from 20 years ago!

 

[Slipster17]

Garage pics from John Kinder at Suzuka

 

[Slipster17]

Promo material and rear logo shots from Sean Woodside

 

[Lastlap]

Awesome stuff @Slipster17

 

[Slipster17]

Well, turn of events. I am currently in possession of both John Kinder's and Sean Woodside's contact information and have been texting with both drivers since last night. Super nice guys. I think they are both just tickled that someone has an interest in their race cars from 20 years ago!

Larry Gunselman is on-board now as well!

 

[Majesticexpress]

Larry Gunselman is on-board now as well!

View attachment 109482

No way?! I’m starting on his car for the 96 set right now

 

[Slipster17]

No way?! I’m starting on his car for the 96 set right now

If you have any questions for him - let me know!

 

[Slipster17]

My recreation of John Kinder's #08 Monte Carlo as it ran in the 1997 Thunder Special at Suzuka.

A HUGE thanks to John Kinder himself and his crew chief Ken Dillard for their photos and description of various aspects of this car's design and sponsors. I may fixate too much on little details sometimes - but their help was invaluable in bringing this representation of the car to life!

 

[Majesticexpress]

If you have any questions for him - let me know!

If you can get any photos from him that would be amazing, he ran at Sonoma in 96

 

[Slipster17]

My recreation of Ron Hornaday's #45 Monte Carlo as it ran in the 1997 Thunder Special at Suzuka.

This vehicle spent it's life as a car fielded by Gary Smith in the Winston West series - with the sponsors of Tootsietoy and the Xtreme-J Stacking Game (who remembers playing JENGA?!?!). BMR Motorsports 'purchased' the car from Smith and had Hornaday drive it at Suzuka in 1997 while retaining the sponsorship and look from the regular '97 season.

HUGE thanks to Gary Smith for inundating me with pictures of every conceivable corner of this car as he ran it in 1997. Those angled numbers and weird logos were a treat to recreate!