A brief history of Redline Derby Racing

redlinederby Wednesday, 5/2/2018
Site manager

We hope you have fun at Redline Derby Racing. We've worked for more than a decade to promote diecast racing and introduce the hobby to people young and old. Your feedback is a critical part of our success. Please feel free to contact us with any suggestions, concerns or opinions you may have about our website, products, and services.

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Once upon a time…

Redline Derby Racing was born around 2007 when I started getting back into collecting Hot Wheels. But I didn't just want to put cars on the shelf, I wanted to get some use out of them. I had read a newspaper article about a group in Nebraska that started a Hot Wheels racing league at their local bar. It was the spark.

I made my first track and started racing my cars to see which one was the fastest. That was all good and fun, but I thought about how I could expand on this and the Redline Derby Racing Fantasy League was born. The Fantasy League was an online pick 'em game that had me doing all the racing at home, but site members had the ability to choose which cars got raced and pick which cars they thought would win. We were racing weekly, earning points, and handing out prizes. Life was good.

From there the web site grew to include articles, and eventually a community of fellow diecast racers sharing their stories and creations on a message board. That growth led to mail-in tournament racing with modified Hot Wheels. We helped organize mail-in tournaments across the country and gave them a platform to share the fun...and all this in addition to the regular, weekly Fantasy League races.

Over the years, the website has changed and and the Fantasy League had to go on hiatus, but the passion for racing has remained. And we continue to promote the hobby of diecast racing through articles, how-to guides, discussions and, of course, lots of racing. As we like to say, Redline Derby Racing is "Toy cars. Real racing."

But without the support of our hundreds of members, support staff, and partners, Redline Derby wouldn't be what it is today. Thanks to them and the diecast racing community at large, Redline Derby Racing continues to connect people who enjoy the hobby.

Personally, Redline Derby Racing is a project that was started on somewhat a whim and has endured well beyond all my expectations. I am very proud of it for bringing people together and sharing the fun of a toy we all love. So to everyone that has passed through these digital doors, I thank you.

Brian Vaughn
Owner, site manager

Oh...one last thing that I probably shouldn't mention. The "Redline" in the name doesn't refer to redline Hot Wheels. It's a reference to the redline on tachometers of real cars, ie, speed. Back then I had no idea what a Hot Wheels redline car was, it just turned on convenient and relevant to actual Hot Wheels. Lucky me.


Discussion

Man...I still feel like I missed the majority of the fun around here...but here's to the future of RLD and all the racing and comradery to come.


  • we’ll get this thing tuned up and roaring once again. — redlinederby
  • I have looked for the PM on this site to contact you, but haven't found it yet. — PoBoy_Racing
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ErickZepeda 9/22/20

I just read this article.. One year ago didn't had Hot Wheels on my mind.. now I am around 400 cars, and minly for races purposes.. Actually never thought I had the courage to create a youtube channel.. and am on it right now..

By reading this, I feel like I am living your past!! By knowing your community Its great to know I am not the only one!

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Peter_Bee 11/2/20

I have read this story before and thought it was a good idea to tell the story of RLD's origin. 

Reading it now, with my track ready for action in 2021, it sparked an idea for a series. Now I have a shot of motivation to get it done, and gives me a better idea of how to proceed. 

Thanks for the inspiration! 

Thank you for what you have done I'm so happy to be apart of this sport and getting to learn to many years of fun I'm now 50 years old and feel like I'm a kid agian # unclejoesspeedway

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