Crash Racers discontinued? What now?
So, it was brought to my attention that the venerable NASCAR Adventure Force Crash Racers has at last left the shelves of your big retailers, leaving only the secondary market from which to source either new or used sets, with $85 being the low end, according to some light research
Makes me feel bad for those looking to affordably enter this hobby OR expand existing tracks let alone if some tragedy means having to replace sections in a hurry to keep an event on schedule.
I guess keep scouring other brands for racing potential, and in a sustainable track ecosystem of product. Good luck everyone
EDIT: in the interest of clarity, pictured is the set in question. Other products exist from the manufacturer, but this popular set is the subject of discussion
Discussion
Still listed on Walmart.com: www.walmart.com/ip/NASCAR-Crash-Circuit-Short-Track-Speedway/592525264?
- Yeah this is the SHORT track, not the original. I dont have info whether this is compatible with other sets or how it performs in gravity racing — Chris_Hood
I have two leftover crash racers sets, but they're in kind of rough shape. Not great for helping a new track builder out
I was wondering why I had not seen them in stores lately. Thats a major bummer.
That BITES!! Thank God for Spoolheads!!
- No shade at all towards Russ, he's been hitting home runs from the beginning with that first generation 180 turn design. Undeniable quality, but still out of reach of those with small budgets. The vaccuum left for entry level road track is what has me worried — Chris_Hood
- Good point. Too bad the manufacturer isn’t interested in our sport to continue making them — G_ForceRacing
I have been thinking as of late to sell my 3 boxes. My plan was to add a road course onto my drag strip, but with my health and plenty of work to do on my drag strip with diarama and other things, it would be a long time time before I ever even think of adding the road course portion. Might be time to sell so others can still get them. I have been seeing these prices lately getting pretty high for these. Could be a good time to sell to another and use the money to help offset things needed for my drag strip.
I'm glad I bought 4 boxes when I saw them on sale (£20 each) in Smyths in the UK back in 2021. They stopped stocking them soon after and I haven't seen them anywhere else over here since then.
(different packaging without the Nascar branding in the UK though):
I have a bunch of old crash racers track and Spoolheads old style track. Now using Spoolheads 2.0 track and loving it. Spoolheads is definitely the way to go. You can start with orange two lane Hotwheels track and do Spoolheads open track and spend about the same (maybe a small amount more than crash racers) amount of money but get wayyyyy better quality. My opinion.
Interesting...maybe the license with NASCAR just expired? I could see it coming back without an IP and just be a generic race set. It's gotta be a high-profit item for the Walmarts of the world and such...but I guess if they don't sell, they don't sell.
A good opportunity for the small print shops, I guess.