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Toy Town Speed Circuit (1975-1990s)
First written June 22, 2024The Speed Circuit (スピード サーキットン) is a downhill racing type toy made by Toy Town and first in 1975. The toy involves a plastic race track that spirals downwards around and through a lift hill with rubber belt lift that takes cars back up to the top of the hill to careen down again and again, with a variety of different vehicles over the years. These toys are similar to Tomy's Dead Heat games but were two lanes instead of four and were cheaper in construction.
Double Track Speed Circuit (ふくせんお空のヒコウキ) (1975)
The first Speed Circuit set was released in 1975 and had a yellow lift hill and four identically-tooled formula 1 cars. A Japanese example of this set can be seen here. This version of the set was exported by Toy Town as the Battery Operated Speed Circuit. An export example with a bilingual instruction sheet can be seen here.
New Speed Circuit (New お空のヒコウキ) (1970s)
The first rerelease of the Speed Circuit came in the later 1970s and featured four different cars, a Ferrari Dino RS, a Porsche Carrera RSR Turbo, a BWM 3.5CSL, and a Lotus Europa Special. These cars all have unique toolings.
Set contents
| Quantity |
Item |
Photo |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Cars |
 |
| 1 | Lift hill |
 |
| 1 | "A" Track |
 |
| 1 | "B" Track |
 |
| 1 | "C" Track |
 |
| 1 | "D" Track |
 |
| 1 | "E" Track |
 |
| 1 | Sign |
 |
| 1 | Starting gate |
 |
The four cars in this set are all unique toolings (as opposed to the formula 1 versions of the set) and have stickered details. They have two small metal rollers underneath with a metal strap to hold the sides of the car together so they do not fall out.
The lift hill in this set is made up of two plastic sides with a cardboard graphic that includes the cars in the set. Two rubber lift belts with protrusions to catch the cars lift the racers up to the top of the hill. At the base of the hill is a compartment for a single D battery and a power switch, with the motor and gearbox located at the top of the hill. A gear on the rear motor shaft runs against a clicking noisemaker and makes a rumbling noise when the toy is running.
The course is made up from several two-lane track pieces that clip into parts of the lift hill. Unlike some other downhill racing toys like Tomy's Dead Heat games there are no separate supports for the track, just the places where the track clips back into the lift.
At the top of the hill there is a sign post and a starting gate.
With the motor running, the cars can be lined up at the starting gate and released together. The cars race down the hill around and through the course to get back to the bottom of the hill and be lifted back up again. They pick up a nice amount of speed and the inside corners are quite sharp.
Double Speed Circuit (ダブルスピード サーキット) (early 1980s)
In the early 1980s the Speed Circuit was rereleased as the Double Speed Circuit (ダブルスピード サーキット) with a Lancia Stratos Turbo Racing and Lamborghini Countach LP500S replacing the Lotus and Ferrari. This set has a yellow lift hill with new car graphics.
Excite Circuit (エキサイトサーキット) (1983)
The Excite Circuit version of Speed Circuit was released by Toybox around 1983 and again changed the Lancia and Lamborghini to a Skyline Silhouette Formula 1 and Savanna RX Racing. This version added some additional outside guarding rails. This set can be seen here.
Rumbling Speed Circuit DX (爆走スピード サーキットンDX) (1980s)
Seemingly after the 1983 version of the set with updated track guards the four Formula 1 car set was rereleased with a new plastic race tower at the top of the hill. The lift hill in this set is red and the track is black. The rumbling in the name presumably refers to the "rumbling" noisemakers incorporated into the lift hill.
Speedy Highway (スピードルイウェイ) (1980s)
At some point Toybox released a city-themed Speedy Highway set with a fire truck, police car, taxi, and ambulance with blue track.
Rumbling Speed Circuit DX New Type (爆走スピード サーキットンDXニュータイプ) (1980s)
The Rumbling DX set was rereleased with a white lift hill and dark blue track.
Wild Offroad Racing (ワイルドオフロードレーシング) (1990s)
In seemingly the early 1990s an off-road version of the set was released with vehicles molded in multiple colors with decorative banners above the track. Can be seen here.
Highway Drive (ハイウェイドライプ) (1990s)
Rereleased Speedy Highway set with a fire truck, police car, taxi, and ambulance
Rumbling Speed Circuit DX Special (爆走スピード サーキットンDXスペシャル) (1990s)
As was done with some other Toy Town and Toybox toys, reissues of some sets were released in the 1990s. The Formula 1 type set was rereleased with updated cars produced from multiple colors of plastic. The lift hill is yellow and the race stand is red.