Digest 52

The 2020 SlotRacer Festive Awards

A fanfare of trumpets please, and a drum roll too…

Introducing the very best, the most prestigious and most traditional end of year awards from SlotRacer.Online. Gushing acceptance speeches will be the order of the day as these most sought after awards are handed out to the most deserving recipients.

Entries have been limited to forum threads started during the current calendar year, and all decisions are final, though discussion is obviously more than welcome.

So, without further ado, let’s crack on and get some awards handed out…

Best track of the year

There was a wonderful variety of tracks to choose from this year, but a four lane routed scenic track just managed to take the top prize for 2020.

1. Woodland Trace Raceway – by Fast Co
2. Palmer Divide Raceways – by Dreinecke
3. My Scalextric Digital layout – by keiths

With honourable mentions to A new track build by Dazee, Johnno’s Shenanigans Raceway, The ultimate hillclimb an NSCC exhibition track, Wolf Creek Speedway by DRW-FJ40, Routed Raceway by Gpa113, and Goodwood/Targa Florio (update) by GT Sprite.

Best looking ready to run model

It was an almost impossible task to pick out the best car with so many great models being released over the course of the year. But it did feel like the year of the Lancias with so many being released, so it seems apt that the Delta took the top accolade.

1. SRC Lancia Delta S4 – Martini – Toivonen-Cresto Monte Carlo Rally | Four new liveries!
2. Auto World Baja Broncos
3. MMK 1933 Alfa Romeo Le Mans Winner

With honourable mentions for the SCX Lancia Fulvia, NSR Porsche 917k #19 Gulf – 24h Le Mans 1971, Fly Hesketh 308 – James Hunt & Alan Jones and Harald Ertl & Guy Edwards, Scalextric Aston Martin Vantage GT3, Policar Ferrari 412P – Spa 1967, RevoSlot Porsche 911 GT1 Le Mans 1996 twin pack and Fly Porsche 908/2 Targa Florio 1969

Best new kits

1. Edwardian Racers – by George Turner Models
2. PCS Mazda MX-5 MK1 – by Pendle Slot Racing
3. BRM Transporter – by Pre Wing

We must also mention the 1935 Fiat Balilla Berlinetta Kit by George Turner Models

Best slot racing

Obviously racing has been somewhat curtailed by current circumstances, but the proxy races really came to the fore this year. The winner though, was a real endurance race, squeezed in before the first lockdown.

1. SRC Porsche 914 Six-Hour Race at Nascot Wood
2. Worthing HO Drag Proxy Various threads covering the series so far
3. Wye Valley Proxy Slot Rally 2020.

Best Scratch Builds

It’s always such a pleasure to see scratch built cars on the forum, and we’ve had a fine selection on show this year.

1. Ferrari 312 – by David Mitcham
2. Maserati Streamliner – by Gordon Steadman
3. HO Vintage Boat Tail – by HWP

Honourable mentions also for the whole of Gordon’s I’m into bodies and Morris J Van threads, and David Mitcham’s Lotus 24 BRM – Jo Siffert & Maserati Tipo 65

Best Kit Bash

I don’t exactly know how to define the difference between a scratch build and a kit bash, especially since some of the builds below have scratch built chassis. But I wanted an excuse to show more builds, so I’ve made a separate kit bash category for bodies that are based on a kit.

1. K&B Lola t70 – by Chris Walker
2. Fiat Bartoletti – Team Maserati – by Anthony B
3. Targa Florio Corvette – by KensRedZed

Honourable mentions also to the 1959 Impala Sports Coupe & 1965 Pontiac GTO Stock-Car by KensRedZed, Chris Walker’s Strombecker McLaren M1B & Cox Dino Ferrari 1/24, and Tamar’s Sideways BMW M6 GT3 White kit

Best digital thread

1. Add-ons for C7042 Advanced 6 Car Powerbase
2. Which digital system in 2020 – The benefit of your experience
3. Slot.it Controller Options

Best slot car review

1. RacerSideways Group5 ZakSpeed Capri by Nonfractal
2. Pioneer Legends – by CMOTD
3. Team-Slot Lancia Delta HF 4WD – by Scuderia Turini

Honourable mentions for Nonfractal’s Racer Sideways Toyota Celica Rodenstock & NSR 86-89 Formula 1 reviews, Slot.It CA44a Mercedes 190E DTM & Scalextric C4146 Ford RS500 ‘Graham Goode’ by CMOTD, and ScaleAuto “Racing” Series 991 & ScaleAuto Home Series 991 from slotloco

Best slot car history

Very nearly a clean sweep for CMOTD in the history section, but his Old slot tracks never die thread just got pipped for 3rd place in a close decision.

• The history of the NSCC by CMOTD
• UK Slot Car Festival – 1 Genesis | 2 Green Shoots | 3 Full flower by CMOTD
• Scalextric World Championship at WHO Racing by woodcote

The Story so Far

Well that’s the essential core of our awards handed out. Now it’s time for a few extra bonus awards…

Best technical advice

1. Tyres
2. Motor performance testing explained
3. Baby, Don’t Fear the Router

Best handy hints

1. Body screw tips
2. Magnetic tape

Best rally team transporter

1. Scratch built Lancia Transporter – by Scuderia Turini
2. Avant Slot / Resinas Maralic Opel Team car, van & trailer

Best three wheeler

1. PCS Bond Bug Three-Wheeler Kit from Pendle Slot Racing
2. Del Boy’s Reliant Regal in the Scalextric 2020 Range Launch

Best Cadillac Eldorado

1. 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz by KensRedZed
2. Cadillac Eldorado Brougham – by slotloco

Best grid of the year

1. Coppa D’Oro from KensRedZed Bugatti thread
2. 60’s (ish) GP grid by Chris Walker

Ugliest ready to run model

Okay, it’s just an opinion, but…

1. Sideways Nissan Skyline Turbo Group 5
2. Scalextric Camaro IROC-Z Red

Best new part of the website

1. The Digest (well obviously)
2. The SlotRacer’s Manual
3. SlotCar Alley

The End

Well, there have been some keenly fought contests in this years competition, and no doubt some controversial decisions from the judges.

Actually there was only one judge, and that was me. If I’d thought of all this sooner, I would have opened it up to forum members’ suggestions, and votes, but perhaps we can do that next year.

I’m sure there are loads of things that I’ve missed out, or forgotten, but of course this is no more than a snapshot, a brief glimpse. If you want more, just head over to the forum and check it out for yourself.

For now, I’ll just wish everybody a Happy New Year, and leave you with the following thought…

Best Testimonial

We’ve been lucky enough to have quite a few positive comments about the SlotRacer.Online website, but I guess this one summed up some of what we are hoping to achieve on the site, so it made me feel very happy.

I have to say, what you guys have built here is undeniably awesome!! I’m totally loving the format of this website and have already spent many hours this past week perusing some of the vintage periodicals from the ’60s in the Library. So much great information on this site – history of slot car manufacturers, racing history, cutaway illustrations, event calendars… I haven’t even begun to explore the wealth of goodies you guys have amassed.

Steve

Many thanks Steve, and also to everybody who has joined the forum and helped us to make this website.