Champ Car: New HO Scale Slot-Car Set Coming Soon

This marks the first time the current-era Champ Cars have been replicated in the HO scale.

Photo courtsey: Wikipedia.org

INDIANAPOLIS - Millions of fans around the world have grown up watching the Champ Car World Series, and now through a new partnership with AFX, those fans can bring the excitement of Champ Car racing into their own homes with a new HO Scale Champ Car slot-car set.

Champ Car has entered a multi-year licensing agreement with AFX, the leading brand of HO Scale slot cars in the hobby market, to produce race sets for the public beginning in 2007.

AFX, which is distributed by Racemasters, Inc. and produced by worldwide toy manufacturer Tomy, will produce four new cars and a full-size track set this year with the promise of more cars and sets to come in future years.

"I think everyone I knew, including myself, had AFX slot-car sets when I was growing up and I look forward to seeing what they can do with the Champ Cars of the present day," said Champ Car President Steve Johnson. "Even better will be watching our young fans play with the sets as they imagine driving like Sebastien Bourdais or Paul Tracy."

This marks the first time the current-era Champ Cars have been replicated in the HO scale.

The cars, which measure about three inches in length, are powered by electric motors and race around a track that has small slots for each lane.

A guide pin on the car follows the slot and they are kept on the track by the skill of the "driver", who changes speed with a hand held controller.

"We are all motorsports enthusiasts here at AFX and the Champ Car series is one of the most exciting in the world", said Steve Russell, Vice President of Marketing for Racemasters, "We are proud that Champ Car chose to let us bring them to HO scale."

The AFX brand was introduced in 1971 by Aurora Plastics and quickly became the market leader in HO scale slot racing.

Over the years AFX continued to drive the industry with innovations like Magna-Traction and Trigger-Finger controllers.

Today AFX is distributed by Racemasters, Inc. and produced by Tomy Corporation, and the commitment to quality and innovation remains paramount.

"The Tomy Group is very impressed with the new, global expansion plans for the CHAMP CAR World Series," said Alan Nowers, Business Analyst at Tomy Corporation, "and we share Racemasters' pride and excitement in partnering up with a brand that is fast-becoming a prominent global motorsports player."

The new AFX cars and set will be available in better hobby shops around the country and on the internet at www.champcarstuff.com as well as via Speedgear (www.speedgear.com) websites starting in July 2007.

Speedgear is Champ Car's exclusive merchandising and licensing partner.

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