[HarrisonTX]

I went to My local track after finding one finally in my 4 year seach, last night
Heres a pic.

Some of those guys had the wing bodies, and were doing like 3.00 laps.
The had the trigger all the way down, the whole time! I was doing 6.0-7.0 laps with a couple of nascar guys. We were neck and neck the whole time! It was great, i learned that its all about the turns. What is the fun in just holding down the trigger. Where is the skill. With my slower car, i was bumpin the guys off the track, and having a great time cause i actaully have to drive it.
I dont mean to offen anyone, by talking bad about there stlye of racing, I just want to understand it. Thanks guys
Harry

 

[McLaren]

It's like racing with magnets... only more expensive...

Cool track, I presume American?

McLaren

 

[Harry Porsche]

Just another flavor of racing. Try it once and see if its as simple as it looks. I recall a good "rush" while racing one many years ago. Had to use the throttle judiciously not just held down. Nice place, that. Got any more pix and info?
Cheers!

 

[HarrisonTX]

Yes its in America. Is racing big in other countries?
ITs $7 for all day with your own stuff. What prices do yall pay?
Check my post in the classifieds section.

 

[Difflock]

QUOTE (HarrisonTX @ 21 Aug 2004, 23:26)Yes its in America. Is racing big in other countries?

Nice one

Ahem... sorry Harry. Just that Slotforum is not American in origin and so you may be able to judge that racing is indeed big in other countries, especially Spain!
At my local club (Slot Tech) it is £12 per year membership and £3 per night to race (they're open 3 nights per week).

Damn!! Those hot rods/pro street drag racers look sweet

Anyway, enjoy SF

Mark.

 

[HarrisonTX]

Wow, i never would have guessed.
i will stay here of coarse, but do yall know of a good american slot forum?

 

[Cslotracer1]

www.slotcarillustrated.com
a good forum there.

 

[Xlot]

BTW, the first track in your pictures is called a Blue King - fond memories for anybody who was racing in the sixties - the current lap record is below 1.6 s

Where is yours located ?

Ciao
Beppe

 

[HarrisonTX]

Mines located in Fort Worth texas.

 

[derekaluk]

1.6 seconds!!!!!!!

Alan

 

[Da Vols]

That 1.6 is amazing...heck, you can't move one's mouse through a lap on the picture that fast!!! When a slot car covers that much ground in so little time, the skill is is in the building not the driving...

 

[Russell Sheldon]

The world record on a King 155 back in 1969 was set by Chris Vitucci with a 4.81 second lap. In 1973 our own Philippe de Lespinay (Dr Pea) set the record at Crash & Burn Raceway with a time of 3.65 seconds.

The current world record is 1.548 seconds, set by Jari Porttinen from Finland at the Finnish Nats on March 14, 2004.

For the USRA to recognize a world record, the maximum track voltage allowed is 16 volts.

You need to have pretty fast reflexes to drive at this speed!

With kind regards,

Russell

 

[Da Vols]

One Mississippi...Two Missi

Russell - I apologize for my lack of knowkedge as I did not mean to slight the talents of the drivers of these type slot cars...keen eyesight and quick reflexes, not to mention a "mind" that can continually do that speed lap after lap...amazing...simply amazing!!! I get addled after doing some laps with my Scalextric TA's...and that's only 36 feet of track at just under 3 seconds...

 

[sagaris]

Yeah there is no fun in holding the trigger fully down all the way throughout the race, its stupid. Exactly how can you gain or lose positions by a race like that?

 

[Xlot]

I wouldn't be so dismissive of wing racers - although they definitely are with respect to plasticars. In Rome, there still is a track, but very few tenderfeet venture in that cave

I understand that driving skill is still a factor, it's just different. For instance, you don't even think of nerfing at those speeds. Also, while it's true that you can go around at 100% throttle, it's actually quicker to ease off in some places

 

[ProfFate]

Hi

Kings and Kings... The pic of THIS king is not like the king that Russell describes with PdL doing 3.85s on. On the original king, after the bank at the end of the straight, the next corner was called "Deadman" as it was flat. The "finger" originally, only had a 5deg. ban, and the other turns were flat.

This particular track has been "swooped". Not as bad as some I have seen. And THAT affects wether they are turning 1.58 or no! As far as I know, on an old school Stock King, no one has run under 2.25.

The thing is, Post 60s Kings, even without the swooping are signicantly faster now than then. I kept a selection of my cars all through my racing, and they have recorded faster times on seemingly stock tracks. Build qualty, surfaces are better as well.

If they can just hold it down, they are too slow! For you plastic guys it is not unlike driving a high magnet car. That is, if you can, you constantly do LITTLE adjustments constantly to keep the maget over the rail. Sideways is slow. With wing cars, you do something very similar. In this case you WATCH the airdams themselves. For flutter and lift. And constantly adjust for optimum airflow. Ironically, if you can keep the cars straight with the dams strait down, over the track, it is faster. But requires constant adjustment.

The other part that is disturbing is that if you drop too much, the dams lift and you FLY! Again, sort of like what happens when the magnet gets off the rail, it seems to go all at once and very hard.

Fate

 

[LSIntegra94]

Thanks for explaining all of that Prof. Fate. I'm not knoking anyone. But, if you think driving a magnet or wing car at speed is as simple as holding down the trigger you're just simply wrong. And, if you have driven one by holding down the trigger the car set-up was way out.

 

[Fergy]

I agree with LSIntegra. I did 1/24 wing cars and also the HO pocket-rocket magnet scene. It is NOT easier to drive those cars.... it is just totally different. A different mindset and skillset is required. One of the beautiful things about slot car racing is that virtually anyone can find a niche that suits their own particular view of what the hobby should be about. Regardless of your choice, no one is wrong.

 

[HarrisonTX]

There was like 3 of them doing it. they had the trigger down the whole time, and were runninr 2.6-3.0 on the blue king. They were just stiggin there watching there time.
I guess i just like slower cars, that you actaully have to drive more.

 

[Fergy]

QUOTE I guess i just like slower cars, that you actaully have to drive more.

Precisely why I'm now in 1/32!