Just the other day, I was talking to my wife, Mercedes, about how I used to have this Hot Wheels drag strip set. I’d race all of my Hot Wheels, Matchbox, Majorette, and other die-casts, and I knew which were the fastest. Through the magic of Google, I just found the set. Behold, the Hot Wheels Inside Track Drag Strip.
A Real Racetrack
Released in 1981, the Hot Wheels Inside Track Drag Strip was probably one of my favorite toys ever as a kid growing up in the 1980s. But it was far more than a toy—it was pure racing excitement.
This toy fed my burgeoning love of drag racing. My father even took me to the 1986 Quaker State Northstar Nationals at Brainerd International Speedway in Minnesota (my home state) at the ripe age of 8 as seen above.
The Inside Track Drag Strip—billed as “Sto & Go,” was a compact, portable drag strip. When collapsed, it was the size of a small toolbox. Open up the clamshell-style container, and one side had a garage with service bays, a lift, and even a spot called “dyno room.” There were even stickers for familiar brands like Pennzoil, Bell Helmets, Champion Spark Plugs, Valvoline, and others. The other half was the mechanized track.
How The Hot Wheels Inside Track Worked
The track consisted of plastic lanes, which, when not in use, rolled up into the drag strip’s tower building using a built-in hand crank. Pull the lanes out, and you had 7 ft. of track. At the end was a yellow gate with tabs that hung down. The first car to cross the finish line resulted in a checkered flag that’d drop to the winning side. You always knew who won.
To propel the cars down the track, you’d cock back a spring-loaded launcher; each side had its own. Both lanes had a launch button. This allowed for head starts or a holeshot for quick, ready-set-go reaction times. The cars would hurtle down the track until they reached the aforementioned finish. You can get an idea of what it was like in this video:
When it was time to stop racing, the track would be retracted by winding it back up into that tower using the hand crank. I loved it for the racing action. My mom loved it because it was small. Unlike some of the other Hot Wheels tracks with yards of orange plastic and gravity-defying loops, it could be put away quickly and effortlessly. Plus, it took up hardly any room.
Finding The Fastest Cars
I still remember some of my faster cars. A green Matchbox Mazda RX500 was a quick one, as was a black 1984 Pontiac Firebird with gold wheels. I even had some off-brand maroon Model T diecast with super skinny wheels that was really quick. This was likely because of the low rolling resistance.
The Hot Wheels with rubber tires—Real Riders—were never very quick. They had too much rolling resistance. (Not even the Shelby Cobra!) The weighty cars with moving parts, or semi trucks were also slow. But every single car that’d fit the track (and some that didn’t) had its pass down the racetrack to see if it was a top contender.
At some point in the mid-to-late 1980s, one of the launchers broke. I remember just hearing the launcher’s spring make a “boing” noise. It wasn’t fun just having one working lane. I was heartbroken. My upstairs hallway had been the location for Lilienthal Raceway, but its gates were to close forever.
Used Options Are Still Around
Now, 44 years after the Hot Wheels Inside Track debut, I finally found the name of the track. I also found some still exist for sale online. I have a fair collection of Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars. But, I also have a small house and don’t have the space for a big track. Maybe I’ll pick one of these up again. I found one in Abbotsford, BC at Treasure Valley Antiques & Collectibles as well as one on eBay.
One thing’s for sure: this racetrack only furthered my love of racing and helped solidify my gearhead future.