Some Frequently Asked Questions About Slot Car Drag Racing


        How much does it cost?

It depends on how much you want to spend and how fast you want to go (just like real racing). Cars for Bracket and Index racing can cost as little as $35 - $50, and are frequently available used. Class racing cars, as is the case with their full-sized kin, range from $100 on up. Sometimes, way up.

        Do I have to build my own car?

Not if you don't want to. New and used cars are frequently available from your local track, or can be built for you, If you're familiar with soldering, filing, and simple metal-cutting tools, there are complete chassis kits which greatly simplify the chassis building process. Motors can be purchased assembled, both new and used, or can be built up from components if you prefer.

        How much do motors cost?

Slot car drag motors range from $10-$12 up to $300. As with real drag motors, more modifications, torque, and r.p.m. escalate the cost. Many people happily and successfully Bracket race motors they've purchased used for as little as $5.

        What are the tracks like? How do they work?

The tracks are 1/25 scale versions of the real thing, either a scale 1/8th, 1000 foot, or 1/4 mile (for reference, a scale 1/4 mile track is standardized at 55 feet). The electronic timing systems found at most tracks can be easily programmed for a 3-light Bracket "tree" or a 2-light "Pro" or heads-up tree, and have large light displays for pre-staging and staging. A computer enters a random delay time before starting either light sequence.

Depending on the size and layout of the building or commercial space they are in, slot car drag strips may be free-standing or, most commonly, mounted along a wall of the building. They are usually approximately 18" wide, so they take up little space, and generally share space with other types of tracks.

The power for the car's electric motor is supplied by braid on either side of the slot, which is energized by a variable "controller" the driver utilizes. The cars can do burnouts, slow rollouts, or full-power passes (unlike some r.c. cars, however, they cannot back up).

        How fast do the cars go?

At a vast majority of tracks, speeds are recorded in real miles-per-hour by an electronic timing system, and are displayed, along with e.t., reaction time, and 60-foot time, on a visual display board. Speeds range from 25-30 mph for slower Bracket cars to over 120 mph for open Class cars. In scale speed, that's about 4 times the speed of sound!

        How quick are they?

Slower Bracket cars may run e.t.s between 2 and 3 seconds on a scale 1/4 mile, while the fastest cars are capable of making a pass in less than .440 of a second!

        How do they slow down and stop from those speeds?

All the cars, no matter what their speed, use the same method. Immediately after crossing the finish line, there is an electrical gap in the track braid; power is functionally removed as the car passes over the gap. The car then passes into the track's "shutdown" area (guided by the slot but now unpowered), where it runs through a length of tire adhesion "glue." The friction from the tires in the glue slows and stops the car. While this system may sound somewhat odd if you've never seen it work, it successfully stops those 120-mph cars in less than 20 or so feet. Remember: these cars only weigh from 50 to 150 or so grams, so the physics involved isn't all that astounding.

        Is it difficult for the beginner to get started?

Not at all! Just like real drag racing, it takes a little while to get used to the "christmas tree" starting light system. A little bit of practice will quickly get you going. It's simple enough that 5 and 6-year-old kids can successfully compete in Bracket racing - and win! And if your kids can do it, you probably can as well.

        What kind of cars can I race?

In Bracket racing, other that a few simple safety Rules, just about anything goes. Body styles and motors are unrestricted. Index racing (racing against a given pre-set minimum e.t.) Classes have some body style restrictions in some Indexes. Index and Class racing are run under a national set of Rules published by the Scale Drag Racing Association (SDRA). Class racing is broken down by body style and motor type. If you always, for example, wanted to race a '66 Mustang, a Dodge Avenger Pro Stock, or a Pontiac Firebird fuel funny car, you can finally do it - in 1/25 scale and at a price almost anyone can afford.

        Are there many different bodies available?

Almost too many to count! Many different manufacturers produce a huge selection of bodies, with somewhere between 400-600 different types available at any given time. Your local slot car track will probably have a selection of the more popular bodies available, and generally has catalogs that describe other bodies the track can order for you. Most are molded in a thin, clear, impact-resistant polycarbonate (frequently lexan) that must be painted from the inside, protecting the paint from handling, impact, and abrasion. Pre-painted bodies are available for those who don't wish to paint their own. There are also Classes for cars using various types and styles of plastic model kit bodies.

        Where do I start?

Start at your local track. You can find a useful Track Locator at the Slotside web site (make sure to double-check via phone, as some listings may be out of date), or you may refer to your local Yellow Pages, generally in the "Slot Car" or "Hobby" sections. Find out if and when the track has scheduled drag races, and show up simply as a spectator. Watch what goes on, how it works, and ask questions if you have them. You might be surprised; slot car drag racers are generally a friendly lot and eager to make new converts, so someone might loan you a car to race right there!

        Honest - Is it very difficult or frustrating for the beginner?

Honest? Less difficult or frustrating than almost any other hobby of its type. Cheaper by far and lots less complicated than r.c. car racing, model boats, or airplanes. It permits you to enjoy the hobby by yourself, if you choose, just "playing" with the car or cars in your free time. If you choose to compete (which most of us do) it allows and encourages you to compete at a level you feel comfortable with. You can probably afford more than one car, and, in most circumstances, can enter more than 1 car in most Bracket, Index, or Class Races (local Rules may vary, so check with your local track).

Compared to its road racing or oval track cousins, slot car drag racing is far less frustrating for the beginner. It is also far less abusive on the equipment, featuring far fewer crashes and destroyed cars. Yes, slot drag cars can and do crash for various reasons, but not nearly at the rate of their circuit kin. Many veteran slot car drag racers have cars they've raced for years, not days.

© 1998 UFIE f_eubel@juno.com


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