7.  NYC’s Last Car Racing Storefront: Buzz-a-Rama in Kensington, Brooklyn

Buzz-a-Rama Slot Car Raceway

The 1965 arcade, Buzz-a-Rama in Kensington, Brooklyn, is the the last remaining slot-car-racing storefront in the city. Back when Buzz Perri opened the arcade, the establishment was in good company with 14 other slot-car shops in Brooklyn and an additional 26 across the rest of the city. As technology grew more sophisticated, interest in racing physical model cars around a forever-fixed track waned among the majority of the populace.

However, those that stayed in the race have become almost cult-like fanatics of the game. In fact, slot racing just closed the registration for their 2017 world championship in Italy on June 30th, with the competition to begin in October. By the end of the registration period, the competition officially has entries from 160 drivers from 17 different countries. Italy took the lead with 25 participants followed by 21 in the United Kingdom and the United States and Latvia tying for third with 17 contestants each.

So if slot-car racing world champion sounds like a good plan to any New Yorkers, looks like Buzz-a-Rama is where they’ll have to head to get their practice in. There, they would be joined by a “small but loyal clientele,” who come to enjoy the five different tracks Buzz and his wife Dolores have to offer during their operating hours on Saturdays (with the summer months closed entirely).Â