Track Owners Association, Inc. Featured Raceway
September 1999

Jim Hollabaugh's
DJ's Raceway
4105 East Harry @ Wichita Mall
Wichita, Kansas  67218
Phone: (316) 683-4499
Fax: (316) 942-9324
Email: NIRA@aol.com
Host of the 14th Annual "Turkey Nats"
If you need parts they're available at DJ's! Hasse King, Tri-Oval, sales area,
Hillclimb & Drag Strip on left wall
One of several Main Events held on new Hasse Nilsson King layout at DJ's Jim Hollabaugh with winners of the Gp-7 Main - Benny Justice, Marty Meltbarger, Alan Dodson
Concours winners from Gp-7 entrants Concours winners from Cobalt 12 entrants
Jim with winners of the Gp-27 Main Lineup of 16 Gp-7 entries for Main event

It’s a safe bet that almost everyone loves success stories. I know I do because they are such a refreshing breath of air in the midst of a constantly changing economy. Such is the case with our cover story this month.

We’re re-visiting former TOA Board Member JIM HOLLABAUGH at his new location. Actually, he’s in the same shopping mall on East Harry in Wichita, Kansas but next door in a larger space and sporting the last two tracks Hasse Nilsson built before his return to Sweden.

We had high hopes that you’d have this issue in September. Ah…the best laid plans of mice, men and publishers…such was unable to be the case and now we’ve had to combine the September and October issues into one to try to get back on schedule. Jim had sent us some pictures shortly after he had opened the new store but unfortunately they were too dark. Bless his heart…he hired a professional photographer and that’s how we ended up with the three good pictures of the store. There are also some shots of the first big wing car event on the new Hasse King but no names were furnished. We print them anyway, because the fellows in the shots know who they are.

DJ’s Raceway – now in it’s 15th year in Wichita – is a hot bed of activity year round and these folks really enjoy going fast – not only with wing cars, but dragsters and scale-appearing as well. Jim annually hosts drag events (see flyer on Sportsman Challenge Series) and his yearly Turkey NATS in November (see flyer in back) and has long been an active supporter and member of the Great Plains USRA.

We first met Jim and his lovely wife over a decade ago when they hosted the 1989 USRA National Championships. I personally felt this was one of the best ones I’d attended to that point. Now we understand that Jim has again applied to host the same event in 2001 or 2002. With his knowledge and ability, the USRA would be well advised to return to Wichita.

In addition to running a full-time raceway plus his own line of slot merchandise under the "DJ Products" banner, Jim is the owner of a wonderful roller rink and sponsors youth skaters who travel the world to compete. Naturally it’s extremely difficult to be in more than one place at a time, so his wife and daughter run the rink and do the teaching and choreography.

When DJ’s hosts an event the racers come from far and near because they know they’re going to be treated to some awesome competition under extremely pleasant conditions. Jim has more than ample pit space and the glue crew love his new track, power and LaneMaster Race Director system.

The new Hasse King is the standard design – ultra smooth but not a full punchbowl.

At Jim’s first glue race on the new King, it was Alan Dodson who cracked the "2" barrier with a TQ of 1.960 for first lane choice. We don’t have space here to list all the races and all the participants, but in the Open 7 Main event it was Marty Meltabarger taking the win, with Benny Justice 2nd, followed by Alan, then Les Wright, Michael Kisler*, Doug Gaut, Jay Horn and Aaron Dodson. Both Marty and Benny turned over 1000 laps with the other six in the 900’s.

  • Michael Kisler is the current director of the Great Plains USRA and also TOA member/owner of Slotcars International of Tulsa.

Once Hasse had finished the King, Jim asked what materials and how long it would take to build a new Daytona Tri-Oval. Hasse said "Oh, about two days" and gave Jim a list of stuff to buy. In two days the track was up and routed. Amazing! Not only is the 80’ layout very smooth, but four guys can take it apart in about an hour and a half. Jim plans to take it to car shows and other events and has promised us pictures to show how his continued efforts to promote slot car racing and the hobby will pay dividends to everyone.

Of course the very best news we could have received was getting to see Mr. Hollabaugh in person because we visited DJ’s the first weekend in October*. As most of you know from previous newsletters, Jim endured more surgery than any three people ought to be subjected to in a lifetime! First there was the heart bypasses. No sooner did he recover from that when he decided to buy a new ’99 Porsche for his surgeon when he went back in for more whacking. This time he stayed in the hospital for 28 days. So…naturally we are very happy to report that recovery is now complete. Jim looks like a shiny new penny and his new raceway is a ditto. He’s looking forward to seeing everyone at the 2000 TOA Convention in Cleveland.

We enjoyed our visit and look forward to going back to DJ’s in the future. Continued success, my friend!

- OldNSlo

15th DJ's Annual Turkey Nats/2nd Annual Manufacturer's Cup
14th Annual DJ's Turkey Nats Track Owners Association, Inc.
DJ's Performance Products
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