The Best Slot Car Track

The average person has probably heard of “slot cars” at some point in their life; while most may not know exactly what it is, slot car racing has been around since the 1930’s.There is a significant segment of the hobbyist population that races slot cars in competitions, and while popularity may have risen and dropped several times over the past eighty years, there is still a core group of enthusiasts who race these small-scale vehicles. Slot cars are considered to be “classic” and oftentimes, worth a good amount of money. Many collectables are often modeled after real-life vehicles, making them very valuable. Just as vehicles change shape and size over time, slot cars often imitate vehicles of their respective time period.

A slot car is a miniature scaled automobile that is powered by a small electric motor. Scales include: 1/28, 1/24, 1/32, 1/42 and 1/64 or HO. The cars are raced on a track that has a groove for each vehicle lane, and the slot car has a small pin or blade that extends from the bottom and into the groove. The contacts for the electricity are picked up by the swiveling blade, or “guide flag” on the slot car, which provides the power to run around the track. The vehicle is controlled by a hand-held speed controller that filters in the voltage amount; the more that the trigger is pressed, the faster the car can go. The two types of controllers that are used are called analog and electric controllers. Analog slot car controllers allow the car to accelerate by distributing the desired amount of voltage to the car. Electronic controllers, unlike analog controllers, do not use the variable resistance method for power delivery, but instead use an electronic circuit to dispense the correct amount of voltage to the car. Because electric controllers offer improved control and the ability to command a wide array of cars, this type of controller is most recommended for a beginner.
What are the main parts of a slot car?

· Body/Shell – The top of the slot car is molded and scaled to a real vehicle. The shape actually does not influence the car’s performance, as it would for a real car. Instead, the mass and distribution of the weight affects the car’s performance.

Best Slot Car Track For Beginners

The slot car has a motor attached to the guide, which is connected to the car’s chassis.The rails prevent the slot car from coming off the track, regardless of the speed you’re driving it. You use a controller to control the speed of the car. Best Slot Car Tracks. There are 16 different track packs, bundles, and plan books to download here at Slot Track Pro. Some of the best slot car tracks can be found for Scalextric, Carrera, and other brands of tracks. This past December they were download almost 1,100 times. Slot cars are held by a slot in the tracks. They receive electric power through sliding contacts. As the player, sorry, the DRIVER your job is to control the speed of the slot car so that it runs as fast as possible, without “deslotting” in curves and corners (i.e. Being forced off the track). COLOR TREE Electric R/C Slot Car Race Track Set Boy Kids Toy with 2 High Speed Racing Cars, 2 Controllers, 360-Degree Loops, Working Lights,14ft 4.2 out of 5 stars 56 $49.99 - $82.99. These Slot Car Tracks Are Functional Works of Art. A long way from what you built as a kid. For David Beattie, the distance between despair and euphoria can be measured in linear feet.

· Interior – The interior often features a real driver and imitates the interior of the real, life-size vehicle. The driver and interior are typically modeled just below window height to allow more room for the motor. It is usually clipped or glued to the body shell.

· Chassis – The bottom part of the car is called the chassis, which is often one piece but can be made with a separate motor pod section. This piece attaches all of the other parts.

What Are The Best Slot Car Tracks

· Motor – The electric motor is what powers the slot car, placed at the front, middle, or rear of the car. It can be in-line, sideways, or at an angle. Like a real car, small gears transmit the power from the motor to the axle.

· Axle – The axle is the steel rod in which the wheels are attached to.

· Guide or Guide Flag – This is a plastic fin with the ability to pivot, which sits on the slot of the track and holds the braids.

· Braids – Copper metal contacts or copper braids provide power to the car by making contact with the rails on the track. It’s important that these are adjusted correctly for optimal car performance.

· Magnet – Front and rear magnets provide force to keep the car on the track.

· Chip – This refers to the circuit board which interprets signals on the track and operating the motor for digital cars. Some conventional cars have a chip to control the lights, but many do not have a chip at all.

What are slot car racetracks made out of?
Slot cars include a variety of other features and parts and differ depending on when the car was made and the maker. The majority of the slot car racetracks used for home races are made from molded plastic snap-together track sections. This allows the racer to reconfigure their track at will. The tracks used for competition are often hand-built; the guide slots for the vehicles are routed into a type of sheet material, generally either medium-density fiberboard or chipboard. Voltage supplied to the track by the power supply is typically between 12 to 18 volts and 1 or 2 amps.

What types of slot cars are best for beginners?
Cars of the 1/32 scale are most recommended for beginners, as they are very durable and are actually the most common size among hobbyists. The cars with very strong magnets are good for beginners initially, but may limit the development of driving skills. As racing skills develop further, the magnets are needed less and less and you may find you need to update your slot car as your skills progress.

What types of racetracks are best for beginners?
A simple track plan allows one to learn how to drive properly and enjoy the hobby. Sometimes an oval of track is best so that beginners can learn the fundamentals of accelerating, braking and controlling speed in the corners. A more elaborate and challenging track can be then enjoyed after some skill has been developed. Unfortunately, many sets do not have a good track layout for beginners. The beauty of plastic track is that you can configure a simple oval first, practice and then expand the layout with the balance of the track to make a more challenging circuit.

The Best Slot Car Race Tracks

Clubs are a perfect way to get more involved in the hobby. Whether it’s a few people getting together informally to share tips and run their cars for fun, or large clubs that are a little more serious, joining a club will allow you to get the most out of slot car racing. Major competitions do exist on large tracks in commercial raceways, but these are typically for 1/24 scale cars, which require more sophisticated cars and equipment.

Slot car racing is a wonderfully diverse hobby that can stay with you for a lifetime and can be shared by generations of enthusiasts. Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned pro, there is always something new to keep you in high gear!

Lynne Bernhard

There are a number of brands and track systems commercially available, often collectively referred to as 'plexi' track, alluding to the plastic construction and modular desifgn. Carrera, Scalextric and Policar have a comprehensive range of slot car tracks for sale that allow owners to customize their circuits with special track sections, points and lane-changing curves for building more interesting and challenging courses. Learn about the features of their 1:24, 1:32, and 1:43 scale tracks below.

CARRERA 1:24 SCALE TRACK

Carrera has carved out a unique niche in the slot car market with their line of 1:24 scale slot car tracks. Carrera offers the widest tracks in 124 scale (7.79'/198mm wide) that enable racing both 1:24 and 1:32 scale cars. Carrera slot car track has solid supports to ensure stability and does not vibrate due to the rigid (ABS) synthetic material, a new bolt system and a stable track system. Track pieces are built with stainless U-profiles using Nirosta high-grade steel, which promotes good electrical connections and prevents rust/corrosion in harsh environments (damp basements, Garages, etc) and areas where humidity and temperature changes are present. The slot car track sets feature standard curves that come in 60º sections, so you only need three pieces to make 180º. 30º curves are also available if you want to make your circuit turn at a right angle. Carrera also offers a range of curves with a wider radii to make circuits with up to eight lanes, as they fit outside the standard curves. Banked curves are also available and track borders, which are useful at the curves as they allow the back of the cars to slide out at the bends. Special track pieces for lane switching and squeezing can be used in both analog and digital circuits. It is important to note that Carrera circuits can take up more space than other systems due to the wide track.

CARRERA 1:43 SCALE TRACK

The Carrera GO!!! 1:43 scale analog track is proportionally narrower (4-1/2' wide) and the sections are shorter than 1:24 scale track. Carrera's 1:43 scale track is very durable and offers easy assembly and disassembly with adjustable height supports. Choose LEB Hobbies for a variety of Carrera slot car tracks for sale!

SCALEXTRIC 1:32 SCALE TRACK

Who Makes The Best Slot Car Track

Scalextric track is the most versatile and space-efficient 1:32 scale track system. The extensive Sport track range includes curves in four different radii (including banked turns in radii 2 and 3) and straight sections in four different lengths, crossroads, raised crossovers and leaps, giving you an immense number of layout options. Scalextric also offers a full selection of track borders and barriers. The 1:32 slot car track is made of a durable, medium-hard plastic and a medium smooth surface, with 3.03' (77mm) lane spacing . The resilient material stands up well to frequent assembly and disassembly and features an easy-to-connect, push-fit connection. Browse our collection of new Scalextric cars for sale online today.

Who Makes The Best Slot Car Tracks For Adults

POLICAR 1:32 SCALE TRACK

Policar introduces innovative solutions for a completely new track system. The track is in hard plastic, with a textured surface to guarantee excellent grip even without traction magnets. Rust resistant steel rails provide good conductivity. Lane spacing is 3.54' / 90mm. Borders are wider than competing tracks, measuring 2.36' / 60mm in width, with a triple guardrail as well as a simpler ribbon type one. All curve assembly pieces are interchangeable -- any constant radius 90° turn can always be replaced with any contant radius 90° turn, regardless of whether you're using R1, R2, R3 or R4 pieces!