Slot Car Racing

In the world of car racing, loads and loads of format were invented and patronized but the love and appreciation that formula one got, stole all the limelight away. This incongruity, can be said, was brought by the attention that it got and overall the money that was pumped into this format. Surprisingly yet interestingly, one format that was able to gain importance alongside formula one racing was the slot car racing, which is even quantified by the escalating numbers of fans that this format have across the globe.

But, what is this slot car racing? It is a competitive racing which is done with the help of powered miniature vehicles which are directed all along the track by slots or grooves placed in the racing tracks. Usually, slot cars are actual automobiles but some enthusiasts use commercially available slot cars that are modified just according to the requirements of a slot car racing.

Though at once it might seem to you that the racing format is easy as you just need to guide the car on slots but actually it is more than that. Here, the drivers are required to control an electric motor, usually of low voltage, with the help of a hand held controller. Each cars taking power from the metal strips runs on separate lanes and have their own guide slot. However, the challenge comes in slot car racing when the drivers take curves at high speed; if not taken properly the car might loose grip and skid off the track. To avoid this mishap, nowadays, traction magnets are used to provide the much needed down force.

Moreover, for serious slot car racing competition three common slot car scales are used: 1:24, 1:32 and HO (which generally vary from 1:76 to 1:87 but nowadays 1:64 has become a standard for this scale). Though the scale designation of HO varies and with it the size of the car but the width of the racing track approximately remains the same. Besides, another form of scale which is gaining popularity and generally marketed these days is 1:43 as they have very low space requirement and at the same time very much affordable.

Usually, the voltage provided to the tracks varies with the designated scales. It is 18.5 to 19 volts for HO racing, 12 to 16 volts for 1:32 racing and a bit different for the 1:24 racing as 14 volts are used for qualifying rounds and 12 volts during the race. To pull off this task of voltage supply to tracks, either electronically regulated power supplies or lead-acid batteries are used.

The popularity of slot car racing has reached to such an extent that every country has its own slot car racing competitions and to regulate that, a separate association. However, International Slot Racing Association has been formed to look after the international championships and slot car racing activities.

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