HomeRoom Racing Cafe

HomeRoom Racing Café claims to have the largest and longest standing Carrera track in the country. It’s easy to believe – the track easily takes up two rooms. Most people you know probably aren’t slot car racing enthusiasts. But as you pass by this cafe and see that giant, looping racetrack through the window, your curiosity will get the better of you, whether you are a hobbyist or just someone on the look-out for new forms of entertainment.

HomeRoom Racing Café seems designed for friendly competitions as opposed to serious racing, with racers age 3 to 103 invited to test out the track. Racers are required to bring their own 1/24 scale replica cars or can purchase one at the café at a discount price. The cars must have a full body, chassis and cockpit, and four wheels that turn. Racers must follow the rules of the track, completing five qualifying laps without touching any other cars. Winners are determined by points, with 1st through 3rd place earning the most.

Sounds like a worthy alternative to bowling. If you’ve ever played with an electronic car in an open parking lot, then you know how much fun it can be and have some idea of the control you need, even when there are no obstacles in sight. Now imagine the patience it must take to maneuver a slot car around a narrow single track at top speed.

Along the HomeRoom Racing .34 mile course, your slot car will pass bands of warriors and pirates, a giant spider, Disney characters and Sesame Street characters, a dinosaur and rubber ducky or two, and some partying animated characters. The owners of this place have definitely put their own touch on the racetrack. You can reserve the space for $250 for a two-hour birthday party, or spend $5 at a time on three races. One issue is if you're bringing friends or throwing a party, there isn't much space around the track itself to observe the races.

HomeRoom Racing Café is in fact a café, serving fresh, homestyle Thai food in the connecting restaurant, with the addition of fruit smoothies. There’s definitely an interesting mix coming together in this family-owned and operated Park Street joint, but Alameda seems like a good spot for offering something completely unique.

HelloOakland tip: From 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesdays, enjoy unlimited racing for $10.

- by Renee M. Rutledge, San Francisco Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Renee M. Rutledge

Renee M. Rutledge currently writes articles on local travel and culture for Red Tricycle, Parents' Press, Oakland Magazine, and Alameda Magazine.