27th-Mar-22, 10:59 AM
Competitive Formats, Timing & Penalties – some common themes to consider
This is the last post for this introduction to SlotNav – just a few pointers and things to think about when you go into Rally Master mode….
There’s such a rich variety of real-life navigational events to find inspiration from – including any number of classic rallies, modern day 12-Car club events, Targas (a mix of navigational and ‘special’ tests), themed regularity events or an all-night endurance road rallies. This framework could even be adapted (with signs rather than a navigator) for low-speed car-control disciplines like Autocross, Autotests, Autosolos and Gymkhanas. Plus there’s loads of scope to create your own unique events – go with whatever grabs your imagination.
Each format will be different – as will the regulations for the cars – but there will be some common themes for the Rally Master to think about…
Running the stage. It’s probably best if only one car is on track at one time – although digital does lend itself to multi-car racing... Ideally, each crew shouldn’t be watching the action until their turn with that route – if only to avoid learning the order of the Stop Boxes and time controls. If more than one route is being used at an event, then all the crews can be assigned them randomly – and no-one really knows what’s going on, so watching the other crews is less of an issue.
Classes / crew gradings. Beginners, Novices, Semi-Experts and Experts are some of the terms you’ll see on road rallies. On many events, crews of all skill levels take the same route – with the complexity of the navigational puzzle increasing for the Novices and Experts. That’s easy to replicate – but possibly more appropriate to a slot car track is a shorter route for beginners, with more experienced crews running a longer, more complex route and Experts getting the most difficult navigation to interpret.
Receiving the navigation. For basic directions – including Tulips and Herringbones – the navigator is given a sheet of instructions immediately before they start the route. For more complex navigations, some preparation time is probably best... with only a couple of seconds between each junction, there’s no time to plot on the move! However, that Stop Box pause is an opportunity that could be used.
Timing. In grass-roots navigational events, cars are almost always timed manually with synchronised digital watches held by marshals at time controls. For most navigational formats, it is also vitally important the navigator keeps a close eye on the time. A simple, practical approach for a SlotNav event is to have a large digital timer (with minutes and seconds) that both the Rally Master and crew can see clearly. I use the ‘Countdown: Big Clock & Timer’ app on my iPad and will be timing road routes to the second.
Penalties. Depending on the event you’re trying to replicate, you’ll probably want to be adding either time or awarding ‘fails’ to penalise navigational errors, poor time-keeping (early or late), technical infringements or unacceptable behaviour such as cheating. The criteria for different penalties should always be made clear beforehand in the event regulations.
Results. How the result is determined differs from event to event – but it’s usually a combination of time and penalties (added time or a tally of ‘fails’). Many navigational rallies award a prize for a clean run (no penalties) – and the winner will usually be the crew with the least fails, rather than the fastest time. The choice is yours – a SlotNav rally decided on overall time – plus extra seconds for any penalties – is simple and works perfectly well. Here's one example from real-life, that Hampshire 12-Car rally again...
Resources. There’s so much out there – in books, on websites and especially from the clubs that organise navigational events. However, it’s very clear that there are as many different formats as there are events! That’s why this SlotNav framework is just that – a framework from which you can build your own events and innovative formats. The crux of SlotNav is the slot track junction – the digital lane changer – and the ‘turn / don’t turn’ choice that is the basis of any navigation.
I’m looking forward to using the SlotNav framework – starting with event formats based on real-life 12-Car and night rallies... but my imagination is taking me down other paths too...
This is based on a spoof Google map I found online of Trumpton, Chigley and Camberwick Green. And yes, a Google map would make a perfectly good basis for a SlotNav event. A regularity event for classic road and rally cars of the 1950s and 60s feels about right, with several different routes around the Trumptonshire countryside and through the town. After all, the aim of a regularity event is: ‘Never too quickly, never too slowly’.
An event I’d love to pay homage to is a late-50s / early 60s RAC Rally – just before the big shift into Forestry Commission special stages. There were a few ‘tests’ – including forest stages and the Rest and Be Thankful hill climb, plus Gymkhanas at the various seaside towns the rally finished at. The amazing Rally Maps website (www.rally-maps.com) has an archive of thousands of rallies – mostly modern stage events – and includes approximate routes, the positions of time controls and details of tests or special stages. The RAC archive starts in 1960, which will do…
Along the way, there’s certainly a lot to learn – especially about using the SlotNav framework in a competitive setting. It should be a fun and fascinating ride.
Whatever your navigational motorsport passions, I hope this SlotNav framework can give you the opportunity to enjoy them in 1:32 scale. I’m looking forward to seeing people get creative with imaginative formats, layouts, navigations and scenic cues. Don’t hesitate to ask questions and make suggestions.
And if you want a format that’s more ‘off-the-peg’ for your club or racing group, I’ll be very happy to come up with something and help make it happen. Just get in touch. I'm planning a club-night format on the south coast this summer and I will be sharing details of that here at SlotRacer.
This is the last post for this introduction to SlotNav – just a few pointers and things to think about when you go into Rally Master mode….
There’s such a rich variety of real-life navigational events to find inspiration from – including any number of classic rallies, modern day 12-Car club events, Targas (a mix of navigational and ‘special’ tests), themed regularity events or an all-night endurance road rallies. This framework could even be adapted (with signs rather than a navigator) for low-speed car-control disciplines like Autocross, Autotests, Autosolos and Gymkhanas. Plus there’s loads of scope to create your own unique events – go with whatever grabs your imagination.
Each format will be different – as will the regulations for the cars – but there will be some common themes for the Rally Master to think about…
Running the stage. It’s probably best if only one car is on track at one time – although digital does lend itself to multi-car racing... Ideally, each crew shouldn’t be watching the action until their turn with that route – if only to avoid learning the order of the Stop Boxes and time controls. If more than one route is being used at an event, then all the crews can be assigned them randomly – and no-one really knows what’s going on, so watching the other crews is less of an issue.
Classes / crew gradings. Beginners, Novices, Semi-Experts and Experts are some of the terms you’ll see on road rallies. On many events, crews of all skill levels take the same route – with the complexity of the navigational puzzle increasing for the Novices and Experts. That’s easy to replicate – but possibly more appropriate to a slot car track is a shorter route for beginners, with more experienced crews running a longer, more complex route and Experts getting the most difficult navigation to interpret.
Receiving the navigation. For basic directions – including Tulips and Herringbones – the navigator is given a sheet of instructions immediately before they start the route. For more complex navigations, some preparation time is probably best... with only a couple of seconds between each junction, there’s no time to plot on the move! However, that Stop Box pause is an opportunity that could be used.
Timing. In grass-roots navigational events, cars are almost always timed manually with synchronised digital watches held by marshals at time controls. For most navigational formats, it is also vitally important the navigator keeps a close eye on the time. A simple, practical approach for a SlotNav event is to have a large digital timer (with minutes and seconds) that both the Rally Master and crew can see clearly. I use the ‘Countdown: Big Clock & Timer’ app on my iPad and will be timing road routes to the second.
Penalties. Depending on the event you’re trying to replicate, you’ll probably want to be adding either time or awarding ‘fails’ to penalise navigational errors, poor time-keeping (early or late), technical infringements or unacceptable behaviour such as cheating. The criteria for different penalties should always be made clear beforehand in the event regulations.
Results. How the result is determined differs from event to event – but it’s usually a combination of time and penalties (added time or a tally of ‘fails’). Many navigational rallies award a prize for a clean run (no penalties) – and the winner will usually be the crew with the least fails, rather than the fastest time. The choice is yours – a SlotNav rally decided on overall time – plus extra seconds for any penalties – is simple and works perfectly well. Here's one example from real-life, that Hampshire 12-Car rally again...
Resources. There’s so much out there – in books, on websites and especially from the clubs that organise navigational events. However, it’s very clear that there are as many different formats as there are events! That’s why this SlotNav framework is just that – a framework from which you can build your own events and innovative formats. The crux of SlotNav is the slot track junction – the digital lane changer – and the ‘turn / don’t turn’ choice that is the basis of any navigation.
I’m looking forward to using the SlotNav framework – starting with event formats based on real-life 12-Car and night rallies... but my imagination is taking me down other paths too...
This is based on a spoof Google map I found online of Trumpton, Chigley and Camberwick Green. And yes, a Google map would make a perfectly good basis for a SlotNav event. A regularity event for classic road and rally cars of the 1950s and 60s feels about right, with several different routes around the Trumptonshire countryside and through the town. After all, the aim of a regularity event is: ‘Never too quickly, never too slowly’.
An event I’d love to pay homage to is a late-50s / early 60s RAC Rally – just before the big shift into Forestry Commission special stages. There were a few ‘tests’ – including forest stages and the Rest and Be Thankful hill climb, plus Gymkhanas at the various seaside towns the rally finished at. The amazing Rally Maps website (www.rally-maps.com) has an archive of thousands of rallies – mostly modern stage events – and includes approximate routes, the positions of time controls and details of tests or special stages. The RAC archive starts in 1960, which will do…
Along the way, there’s certainly a lot to learn – especially about using the SlotNav framework in a competitive setting. It should be a fun and fascinating ride.
Whatever your navigational motorsport passions, I hope this SlotNav framework can give you the opportunity to enjoy them in 1:32 scale. I’m looking forward to seeing people get creative with imaginative formats, layouts, navigations and scenic cues. Don’t hesitate to ask questions and make suggestions.
And if you want a format that’s more ‘off-the-peg’ for your club or racing group, I’ll be very happy to come up with something and help make it happen. Just get in touch. I'm planning a club-night format on the south coast this summer and I will be sharing details of that here at SlotRacer.
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