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Toy Brands vs Professional Slot Racing Cars
#11

Most clubs race to rules, wing cars aren't going to be much use on a Raid track for example.

Life is like a box of Slot cars... Cool Drinkingcheers
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#12

I keep wondering about what slot 'racing' is supposed to mean. Racing has always seemed to me to be trying to beat the next guy......in the same class of car. I happen to like scale cars as I only race cars that represent something I like in full sized cars.

Within that limitation, yup, going as fast as possible is what it's all about.
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#13

(20th-Nov-21, 05:06 PM)Gordon Steadman Wrote:  I keep wondering about what slot 'racing' is supposed to mean. Racing has always seemed to me to be trying to beat the next guy......in the same class of car. I happen to like scale cars as I only race cars that represent something I like in full sized cars.

Within that limitation, yup, going as fast as possible is what it's all about.

A well balanced club has classes to cater for:

- the engineers AND the drivers 
- the speed crazed NSR Mosler brigade AND the the beautiful scale model drivers.
... and everything inbetween.

The hobby has space enough  for everyone.
Alan W
[+] 2 members Like Nonfractal's post
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#14

I've just watched Gary's video and really enjoyed it. Like his first one (Scalextric vs Carrera) the 20 minutes sailed past - and as I don't have much patience for woeful YouTube videos, that's high praise Bigsmile

Looking at Gary's two videos in context, I get the feeling they are aimed squarely at those thousands of newbies who've discovered (or rediscovered) Scalextric and slot cars over the past 18 months or so. In that respect, they really hit the spot - they are very thorough, honest and easy to follow. Gary says it how it is, but doesn't have an axe to grind - which is a nice antidote to some of the stuff I see on the forums and Facebook.

That audience is really important - lots of new blood into our hobby - and we could do with accessible information about what's available and how these 'other' brands  differ from standard Scalextric and Carrera models. My attempt at this was a series of posts over the summer on the Jadlam blog: https://blog.jadlamracingmodels.com/tag/...slot-cars/

The distinction between 'toy' and 'not-really-a-toy' is important beyond splitting hairs over what actually to call them. Gary uses 'professional', I use 'performance' - in HO racing the term 'hobby chassis' is used to distinguish them. The crucial thing is that they are different things and designed for different markets. One isn't inherently 'good' and one isn't inherently 'bad'. They are what they are designed to be. And, of course, beauty is always in the eye of the beholder.

There are many different ways of enjoying this wonderful hobby - my opinion is that they're all equally valid, albeit with one proviso: we're all having fun and no-one gets hurt. However, there's no doubt that a good number of newbies are experimenting with the 'professional' brands and Gary's video is a great help to understand what is in their hands. These would be useful resources to add to the SlotRacer's Manual, I reckon.

One thing that Gary didn't mention in this video was magnets - but he covered that well in the Scalextric vs Carrera episode (https://youtu.be/KeSlkPdjLqc). Most people starting out in the hobby will be happily using magnets in their Scalextric or Carrera cars - so it's not entirely helpful that some of the 'professional' brands fit them. Okay, the Slot.it cars have pretty weedy magnets, but those NSR ones are just bonkers!

Great stuff - and I'm looking forward to the next instalment  Thumbup
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#15

(20th-Nov-21, 06:09 PM)Nonfractal Wrote:  A well balanced club has classes to cater for:

- the engineers AND the drivers 
- the speed crazed NSR Mosler brigade AND the the beautiful scale model drivers.
... and everything inbetween.

The hobby has space enough  for everyone.
Alan W

Not easy to do but at the end of the day you're trying to please as many as possible so they keep coming back and paying the weekly subs so the rent gets paid and the club keeps going.

Life is like a box of Slot cars... Cool Drinkingcheers
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#16

(20th-Nov-21, 10:27 AM)autoavia Wrote:  Good video. Because Scalextric, Carrera, SCX etc are marketed as toys they have to comply with many safety standards that do not apply to brands targeting the adult hobby market.

Hi auto, thanks for watching

It’s not just the changeable bits but a significant portion of the “architecture” of a toy car that has various toy safety standards to thank for it’s design. You are quite right to point this out.

Regarding the DiSCA Sebring event, Exiles had the equal best if not the best driver pairing on the day, the other belonging to Quornstars who took the pole. Everyone else was mixed up for an event aimed towards inexperienced drivers. Exiles’ car was an existing club racer chipped for o2 and already had a bunch of tweaking so it’s not really an example I’d give as a Scalextric being well optimised. It’s a much better example of a Scalextric becoming competitive in the right hands, which most talented drivers and mechanics will be able to manage thanks to the 2015 design changes. Though, there are still a few more to make, if anyone from Margate is reading..

Mr M, try not to get too offended by linguistics. What would you call them?

They’re professionally designed. Never once did I say they were professionally raced.
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#17

(20th-Nov-21, 06:09 PM)Nonfractal Wrote:  
(20th-Nov-21, 05:06 PM)Gordon Steadman Wrote:  I keep wondering about what slot 'racing' is supposed to mean. Racing has always seemed to me to be trying to beat the next guy......in the same class of car. I happen to like scale cars as I only race cars that represent something I like in full sized cars.

Within that limitation, yup, going as fast as possible is what it's all about.

A well balanced club has classes to cater for:

- the engineers AND the drivers 
- the speed crazed NSR Mosler brigade AND the the beautiful scale model drivers.
... and everything inbetween.

The hobby has space enough  for everyone.
Alan W

I'm not sure I'd call NSR Mosler drivers 'speed crazed'. Yes they are quite quick but not as quick as a good Mura motored 60's car on spongies or even urethanes (yes I've tried both type of car - I still run the Muras and they destroy Thunderslot cars on my wooden track and handily beat the NSR)

Speed crazed is wing cars Bigsmile
[+] 1 member Likes Gordon Steadman's post
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#18

Not offended in the slightest by the use of "professional", Gary. It actually raised a smile. :-)

I guess you consider the "Toy brands" to be designed by amateurs then.
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#19

They’re designed by toymakers!
[+] 2 members Like LMP's post
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#20

Professional toy makers though? Rofl Rofl Rofl Rofl
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