This article is about some slot car racing basics. This is not all inclusive, but, it should help beginners to get started and help refresh those of you that are experienced.
Keeping the car in the slot is probably the best thing you can do. Your saying "Really, That's a No Brainer", but it can be harder than you think. Ideally you would like to drive the car to it's limits on all parts of the track, until your skill set reaches that level, try driving just below the limit of the car and just try to keep the car in the slot. Think about it... every time you de-slot it will take 3 seconds or more to get the car back in the slot. This adds up over the length of the race. New racers will try to keep up with a faster car. A lot of times this will cause them to come off the track because they are driving beyond the limits of the car and/or themselves. They will eventually lose to the faster racer. At the same time they will also lose laps to other racers performing equally with them just because their competitors are staying on the track.
When practicing before the race, practice on all lanes. I find it particularly helpful to practice a little more on the inner lane because it helps me navigate the tighter turns. This practicing helps me to identify the challenging spots on the track as well as get a rhythm going. Also, during your practice, press yourself and your car. See how far you can drive your car into the corner also see how deep you can start your acceleration out of the corner. See if you can find a buddy and practice a few laps with them where each of you lead and trail the other to help get a feel for the track.
Match the controller up with car and track. You would like a smooth driving style around the track. Your goal is to have a smooth trigger finger especially in the curves. You should not have a twitchy trigger finger. If you have a twitch trigger finger you probably need a higher ohm controller. This smoothness will help you keep the car in the slot. For additional information on controllers check here.
Clean your tires between each heat. You can use a roll of masking tape pulled back to expose the adhesive side of the tape. Then take the car and roll the tires over the adhesive. This will clean the tires and help maintain the performance in the next heat.
Clean your pick-up shoes between each heat. This helps to maximize the flow of current from the track rail to the shoe. Some people use a cordless Dremel tool with a polishing wheel attached. If not that you can use an abrasive eraser, or you can use a 12,000 grit polishing cloth.
If you can master these basics, I think you will be surprised and happy with your racing results. :-)
When practicing before the race, practice on all lanes. I find it particularly helpful to practice a little more on the inner lane because it helps me navigate the tighter turns. This practicing helps me to identify the challenging spots on the track as well as get a rhythm going. Also, during your practice, press yourself and your car. See how far you can drive your car into the corner also see how deep you can start your acceleration out of the corner. See if you can find a buddy and practice a few laps with them where each of you lead and trail the other to help get a feel for the track.
Match the controller up with car and track. You would like a smooth driving style around the track. Your goal is to have a smooth trigger finger especially in the curves. You should not have a twitchy trigger finger. If you have a twitch trigger finger you probably need a higher ohm controller. This smoothness will help you keep the car in the slot. For additional information on controllers check here.
Clean your tires between each heat. You can use a roll of masking tape pulled back to expose the adhesive side of the tape. Then take the car and roll the tires over the adhesive. This will clean the tires and help maintain the performance in the next heat.
Clean your pick-up shoes between each heat. This helps to maximize the flow of current from the track rail to the shoe. Some people use a cordless Dremel tool with a polishing wheel attached. If not that you can use an abrasive eraser, or you can use a 12,000 grit polishing cloth.
If you can master these basics, I think you will be surprised and happy with your racing results. :-)