The differences between club and home racers

1604 Views 15 Replies 14 Participants Last post by RMMseven, Aug 27, 2004

moped rider

Discussion Starter · Aug 23, 2004

RMMSEVEN quotes in another thread:-

QUOTE There are some subtle and not so subtle differences between club and home racers. The author and the replys to this post should understand those differences but obviously do not.

Clearly I do not understand the differences so it may be an idea if those who do understand the differences enlighten those who don't!

Moped

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slik

· #2 · Aug 23, 2004 (Edited by Moderator)

3

Hey there!

Interesting question but surely it would depend on the person and the club? Nothing is black and white in this world after all.

For example Farnham is, IMO, a very laid back club and I go not so much for the racing, which I am not very good at, but more so the social aspect. Meeting with good friends that share the same obsession is always good. Or sad depending on your point of view.

Now don't get me wrong, I do enjoy the racing, very much, but it is not all about the racing for me. Okay maybe when we are running the Fly GTs it is but we haven't run these for a very long time (14 months?)

, Mr Chairman this smiley is for you

Ok back to my point as I am going rather OT, am I really a club racer? Yes I race at a club but do 'club racers' have a paticular menatality that makes them thus? How about if Little Jonny and Dad go along a couple of times every few months because their local club has a really big straight that is great fun, are they club racers?

Something to think about maybe?

Cheers,

Julian.

P.S. As a funny aside and OT, again, I just recieved a call from Gaugemaster as I was writing this, who spent the first 30 seconds explaining who they were and then asked if I still wanted to keep my order open for the Fly A301 (I think) Viper that I have had with them for over two years

Actually I think I should get the first one produced for being so patient huh? Btw I said yes which he seemd to find rather strange as he didn't know if it was ever going to actually be produced. Aaron do you have any further info from your Fly contacts please?

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mtucker666

· #3 · Aug 23, 2004

What's the difference - club racers go to a club whereas home racers do not!

Once you are in a club it might change your view on how much setting up a car needs to make it competitive and thus I presume most club goers are tinkerers whereas not all home racers would be.

Matt

bastumannen

· #4 · Aug 23, 2004

4

Hmm, I tinkered a lot long before I ever visited any club. I only race with my friends at home or at their places, but we're forced to tinker a lot (not that we mind

), because we don't like magnet racing, and all RTR cars of today are made to run with mags, i.e. runs like carp without them. Not many clubs around here, and the ones I've heard of all race magnet cars. What does that make me?

. Just in it to have fun really, but I still like the cars to perform well. I don't care so much for outright speed (standard s-cans are fine), but more for driveability and good handling. I'm sick of most cars makers having sloppy brass or plastic bushings for the axles, when you see some that can make it work, Slot.It and Spirit for example. Don't get me started on the outrageously bad Fly stub axles, come on there Fly! There's no worse way of fitting front wheels to a slot car, seriously! And they've done it for years!!!

Toby, the tinkering home racer

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James - Junior Racer

· #5 · Aug 23, 2004

2

I race at a club, two reasons why:

1. I enjoy the social aspect.
2. I can't have a 5 lane 115ft track at home.

Maybe, club racers just want more???

Depends on your personal preferences really.

Is it me, or have we had enough of this type of topic?

James

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slot-tech

· #6 · Aug 23, 2004

hey moped,
the difference is that those that can do, and those that cant talk about it
jim.

G

· #7 · Aug 23, 2004

Jim, and those that are really talented build rail tracks!!!

RR

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Fergy

· #8 · Aug 23, 2004 (Edited by Moderator)

2

Personally, I don't understand why people are always trying to draw clear lines within our hobby - "club/home", "mag/non-mag", "vintage/current".... drawing lines is a negative practice that fractures a tiny hobby into even smaller niche areas.

And the lines people try to draw are ridiculously inaccurate. Especially when they base those lines on assumptions or some arbitrary measurements (like number of times per year that one goes to a club!).

I scratchbuild cars and run them on a routed track. In my basement. Alone or with my son. Or, as I am now, build them for proxy racing. So am I a "home racer"? I guess I am! I run RTR cars too, but don't own any plastic track! I also raced commercial semi-pro in the 60's, and club raced for 20+ years. What am I? I'm a slot racer. Period. End of labelling.

Please.... stop trying to subdivide a tiny hobby and slap clear-cut labels on those involved. It's highly inaccurate and very counter-productive.

Good grief.... who stuck the soap box under my feet!

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Harry Porsche

· #9 · Aug 23, 2004

Amen Fergy! I agree division is a negative. I would go furthe to say that division is THE major source of discontent in the world. Tear down the wall!

Cheers!

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mac p

· #10 · Aug 23, 2004

9

NO COMMENT mac p

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Tropi

· #11 · Aug 23, 2004

I overlap and I'm with Fergy on the labels creating divison statement.

alfetta

· #12 · Aug 23, 2004

Division? It's what makes this Forum. The diverse opinions of the contributors.
Alfetta

Tropi

· #13 · Aug 23, 2004

Agreed!
But it's the perverse opinions that worry me!
You know, the opinions that are professed for the sole purpose of creating argument and divison, rather than intelligent and positive discussion.
Some people, not being much good at anything else, choose to specialise in this activity.

bump

· #14 · Aug 23, 2004

Moped, to answer your question, like anything else with slot-cars, its just a matter of degrees. Club racing = greater degree of car preparation, magnet racing = greater degree of downforce, etc.

A club race car should have a bit more preparation time spent on it than the average home race car. A home race car is tuned to match another car you have, a club racer is tuned to finish first before falling apart. You know that Moped, look how much time you spent on the Net and in your workshop getting ready for that Phoenix race, and all those replies you and I and that blasted security dog posted over at SCI about it. I bet you don't put that much effort into a car you run just on your home track.

I'm surprised that people see lines and divisions here, to me is just different aspects of the hobby and they're not mutually exclusive.

Cheers
bump

Scott B

· #15 · Aug 24, 2004

Club racing about freinds and first past the post. Home racing about fantasy and fun.

RMMseven

· #16 · Aug 27, 2004

Bump and Ecurie Ecosse thanks for answering the question.

Club and home racer may not be the best terms to use. But there are groups that race slot cars for competition with the "win at all costs" type of attitude. It is not really accurate and maybe even unfair to think that all clubs and club racers are like this. I also do NOT want to say that all home racers are casual in their approach and attitude to racing slot cars.

There is a big difference between a group that gets togther for competition, one that gets togther for more social reasons and someone who may only set up a track for two weeks a year.

There are some slot cars that I have found to be fast and great for all groups as box stock racers; the Tyco (now Mattel) 440-X2 HO cars, Ninco F-1 cars, Carrera 1/32 scale Dodge Daytona & Plymouth Superbirds, Any Artin 1/32 scale car and Scalextric NASCARs.

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