[Julian_Boolean]

I've competed in 1:1 Motorcycle drag racing and enjoyed it and was wondering what slot dragging was all about and where the enjoyment is, is it about getting a perfect run or all about building the perfect car.

Do you have a Xmas tree for starting, do you have to "drive" the car into stage?

I'm not looking to criticise, just curious about what people enjoy about it.

 

[Flange]

Yeah so am I , looks boring as hell to me

 

[cliffmanley]

QUOTE (Julian_Boolean @ 15 Dec 2011, 02:48) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I've competed in 1:1 Motorcycle drag racing and enjoyed it and was wondering what slot dragging was all about and where the enjoyment is, is it about getting a perfect run or all about building the perfect car.

Do you have a Xmas tree for starting, do you have to "drive" the car into stage?

I'm not looking to criticise, just curious about what people enjoy about it.

as with all things slot car related, there are MANY reasons for doing what we do.

I want to race cars in a class that allows me to be competitive with a bunch of other guys racing similar cars.

My strip will eventually (if I get the chance) have a timing system that is the equal of any 1:1 Quarter mile strip. Pre staging etc... and will include a Christmas Tree, a nice Gold one that looks like the Trophy you get at the end of a season...

It's about having a car that goes absolutely faster than any other car on the strip, and it's about Bracket racing, it's about Drag Racing and a lot of it is about setting up your car, just like the real thing...

Slot Drag Racing is no different to 1:1 you just can't sit in one... pity...

 

[300SLR]

QUOTE (Flange @ 14 Dec 2011, 16:52) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Yeah so am I , looks boring as hell to me
That's the reaction of a sizeable part of the population to slot racing.

People enjoy what they enjoy. If a guy really doesn't understand why your hobby excites you, all too often they won't understand the answer however you explain it to them.

 

[Steve D]

Hi Julian, that's quite a difficult question to answer really, and as suggested above I'm not going to try and justify why its great. I suppose it helps if you into all forms of motorsport and 1:1 drag racing is one of my favs. For a long while I did the roundy round thing, but once introduced to slot drags I found renewed interest at a different angle. I started with basic cars from the States and now build my own using various chassis kits etc. I've built my own track and I'm chuffed with it. I suppose if you were to use ordinary controllers you could have a stab at driving the car into stage. My controllers are basically an on-off switch (plunger really) and we place the cars in stage. We have a full computerised christmas tree with pre-stage and stage sensors, a speed trap and finish line sensors. The computer screen shows reaction time, ET and speed, together with win margin. As reaction time is measured, false starts result in a red light and win goes to other lane. Winning lane flashes on the tree. The system allows for bracket race with dial in, index and pro lights. Getting back to the original point, as with all racing you want to beat the others and your car and reaction are the key. Racing is fast 50mph + over 42 foot of powered track and at under one second a run, you can have lots of goes. I find it quite addictive, as do many of the guys 'n' girls who come to the slot drag events. Further details on this forum or at My website

Cheers

Steve D

 

[slotnik]

I have had a go at a very basic level and have to agree with Steve that it is very addictive.

If you can't see the point may I perhaps suggest that have a go at upgrading a standard Scaley, SCX, Ninco etc and bring it down to the Swindon swap-meet in January. (assuming that the drag strip will be there)
Careful though it's not as simple as sticking the most powerful motor in the lightest car.

Big Kudos to the fastest Slotforum newby

 

[Julian_Boolean]

Interesting stuff, what scale cars do you race, what are the classes and I see you have a track at Chelmsford, do you ever race on weekends there, bizarrely I could probably do a weekday at Hoo as I sometimes have to go to the Isle of Grain for work.

 

[Steve D]

Hi Julian, I run both events and at present Chelmsford is on a Friday night and Hoo is on a Sunday afternoon, both once a month. We are mainly 1/24th scale, some peeps do use 1/32 Scalex type cars. We do not run classes at the events, they are mainly classed as Run'wot'ya brung, although we do ask that competitors try and match to their opponents car for a close race. I did hold a Bracket Racing event in July last year, which went down very well and created some very close racing. Most people use Parma or Pro Slot 16D motors, although my Son and I, and my mate Paul and his Son, have Super 16D, G12, G20 and strap/open motor'd cars as well. The next meet at Hoo, is provisonal (8th Jan) at present as hall owner is refurbing, next meet in Chelmsford is booked for 27th January.

Cheers

Steve D

 

[Schackel]

QUOTE (Julian_Boolean @ 14 Dec 2011, 17:48) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I'm not looking to criticise, just curious about what people enjoy about it.

QUOTE (Flange @ 14 Dec 2011, 17:52) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Yeah so am I , looks boring as hell to me

Well, since the basic principles - race as well as technical development - are indentical to 1:1 it seems you don´t know "what people enjoy about it" and "it looks boring as hell..." - in 1:1 as well, - using your words

Independently from that - when a really fast and powerful 1/24th scale slot drag car has already reached the end of the track, your 1:1 car hasn´t even left the starting point yet. Heard about REAL speed ? If not, try a slot drag car and you feel WHAT "boring" is...

Roland

 

[Flange]

Real drag racing doesn't really appeal to me but I wouldn't call it boring with the jet engines and ridiculous speeds , drivers do actually have a lot of skill to keep the cars true and straight letting the speed on to get the best possible time , slot drag racing Is just a piece of plastic or metal going down a track at the press of a button very little skill required there ....

And it's over in like a second ... Yawn would rather just throw the car across the room at a foam block ...

 

[Steve D]

Well said Roland

Each to their own Flange

Happy Christmas

Steve D

 

[Osku]

Yeah, sure Slot Drag Racing is only about pushing the button...
The only thing boring in Slot Drag Racing is the flange of nay-sayers around us

-Osku

 

[marctownsend]

I think Flange is best ignored on grounds of stupidity, probably thinks Top Gear is factual.

Julian I've been to one of Steves events and can't reccomend them enough, his strip is very impressive. You know that car we all have that's overpowered, take it with you.....and be ready to get blown away.

The lesser spotted FLBT drag strip will indeed be at the Swindon swapmeet, anyone is welcome to run anything they want on it or use rental cars.
Slightly lower tech than Steves it is still a full 1/32 1/4 mile has a 'soft' christmas tree and pc based timing. See you all there.

 

[Flange]

From what I've seen no One had really said what's good about it other than.... It's fast :S

 

[Ember]

At a guess Flange, I'd say the same "good" is in slot drags as in slot circuit racing or even slot rallying for that matter. The buzz is in beating the other bloke. Pitting your ingenuity and building skills against another contender. Being the fastest. It's not really that hard to understand. Only the field on which the game is played is different, the most basic principle to all racing is the same.

Plus if one wishes to look at it in the most basic manner, which it seems you do, all slot racing comes down to simply pressing a button. Where's the fun in that?

 

[Flange]

Quite frankly if I'm racing on a certain circuit track I like to think it is a lot more skill than just pressing a button but this just isn't , oh well I'm sure I will never know

Winning and the racing part is great but it lasts about a second so you get about 10 seconds or whatever of racing if you do a meeting ... :S

 

[slotdragster]

So basically, you want to know why you are not interested in slot drag racing?

You must be really bored to ask that question, but not by slot drag racing... yawn...
Maybe you should start working on your slot cars, then, go build some chassis, motors, bodies,...

PS: Please, don't ever take up slot drag racing, you'll get really bored by losing and we'll get bored by beating you.

 

[Schackel]

QUOTE (Flange @ 22 Dec 2011, 02:02) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>.........slot drag racing Is just a piece of plastic or metal going down a track at the press of a button very little skill required there ....

And it's over in like a second ... Yawn would rather just throw the car across the room at a foam block ...

1. It seems you have tried it once and it was too fast for your reaction.......
1a. It seems you haven´t tried it yet and and judge about something you don´t know at all.

3. Real drag racing is "...just a piece of plastic and metal going down a track at the press of a gas pedal very little skill required here..."

And it's over in like a few seconds - what a HUGE difference.....

4. Yawn would rather go for a walk than watching sth. as slow as 1:1 drag racing...........

QUOTE (Flange)Quite frankly if I'm racing on a certain circuit track I like to think it is a lot more skill than just pressing a button but this just isn't , oh well I'm sure I will never know

Winning and the racing part is great but it lasts about a second so you get about 10 seconds or whatever of racing if you do a meeting ... :S

I forgot one thing - how much more boring must it be to run around a certain circuit track and be amongst the last ones, the losers again and again for hours instead of having the next thrilling chance after a few minutes or seconds....

Thanks for your words which made it so easy to me to answer....

Roland

 

[Steve D]

Flange, have you ever raced on a Slot Drag strip?

 

[Osku]

I bet he hasn't.
Otherwise he wouldn't be disrespecting our sport so easily.

I've been Dragracing these lil things for the last 11 years, racing our Championship races including big car shows too (American Car Show in Helsinki, and Hot Rod & Rock Show in Tampere. Both of them have had a spot for our track since 2001) In every big show we had someone telling us "That's so easy" or "I could put a brand XYW motor on that and beat you all" or "All you need is good reactions" Blah Blah Blah...
No-one of those bigmouths ever took the 20 € bet I proposed:
"You can use my G12 car, you can use every tool and every liquid that's in my box. You can study the car as long as you wish. You can practise as long as you wish. I bet 20€ that you still cannot beat my ET's today."

OK, enough of my miserable life.
To my eyes, Flange is just another troll and the best we can do is to ignore him. Just like Marctownsend said earlier.
If Flange really wants to know some answers, he might have nicer way to approach all this.

Have a Merry Christmas anyway !

Regards,
Osku