Making Your Own Car Race With Slot Cars

All around the world slot car racing has grown to be a popular hobby for lots of aficionados.  These small but fast toy cars run along slotted tracks where electric current flows to power the cars.  These slots are also where the metallic blade from the slot cars fit all the way to the slot bottom.  Various enthusiasts of slot cars hold racing contest but there are a few who dedicate their time and money to create scenic layouts, modeling roads and highways, and simulating urban and rural traffic.

Enthusiasts of slot cars that are new to the thing begin their collection with cars that are available commercially.  These standardized slot cars are made for improved performance on standard tracks.  Hobbyists of slot cars for years often do some modifications or assemble them from separate parts and customize them to incorporate distinct styling as well as aerodynamic attributes.

A lot of slot car hobbyists also get pleasure from modeling each of their cars after popular real car models such as those from Ford, Ferrari, and BMW.  Just like real cars, slot cars also have replaceable rubber tires and electric motors and chassis can also be modified to make them more faster and make them more stylish.  A slot car can reach speeds of up to 1800 rpm which is faster than any formula 1 racecar. 

A single-handed controller is what a slot car “driver” use to drive his slot car and the controller’s purpose is to control the voltage of the electric motor inside the car.  Slot car evolutions has for the most part been with the model cars and controllers but the only thing that has remained unchanged is the track.  New technology have allowed the creation of tracks which let slot cars change lanes or even share a single slot.  The challenge for slot car racers comes on the curved sections where correct regulation of electric current using the controller trigger is needed to prevent de-slotting or lose momentum that will cause the racer to lose.

Much like model trains, slot cars have the same idea in terms of arrangement.  Model train hobbyists and slot car hobbyists construct the range of their tracks, build sceneries which consist of trees and small structures.  The only variance is the variation of speed between model trains and slot cars and model trains is basically a solo operation while slot cars is designed for the enjoyment of racing between multiple persons.

In some instances, slot cars can also use other vehicle models such as motorcycles, trucks and other types of vehicles.  The most common and most popular slot car scales are 1:24, 1:32, and H0 which could either be 1:64 or 1:87. 

Most slot cars nowadays are fitted with traction magnets which allow cars to stay on their respective slots even on curves and high speeds.  The use of traction magnets on slot car races are not given much significance since plenty of slot car racers consider them not as enjoyable as those not including them.  Traction magnet-less slot cars have a tendency to drift and the likelihood of going off track gives slot car racers their excitement and thrill.