Finding The Best Slot Car For Your Needs

People who want to buy a slot car always find it difficult to choose between readymade and altered versions. The popularity of slot racing and the technological advancements in this field have considerably increased demand for the commercially available readymade ones. However, the motorized static models are still not completely extinct.

A great majority of these cars are used in slot racing because they have bodies specially designed and built for miniature racing. Generally, they have a low-voltage electric motor within the car and are controlled by a hand-held device that regulates the motor. In this setup, each car runs on a separate line with a dedicated guide slot.
The popular slot car scales are 1/24 scale and 1/32 scale. By this scale, 1 unit of length on the model is equal to 24 or 32 units on the actual car. There is one more size called HO scale. HO size is 1/87 scale to 1/64 scale. The size of HO scale cars often vary with the motor and mechanisms installed.

1/32 scale is the most popular size, as they are the favorite of home racers and they are suited to domestic race courses. They are also widely used in competitive commercial racing. 1/24 scale cars are for more serious racing done at commercial or club tracks. This scale is not very popular among home racers as these vehicles require a large course that needs to be properly operated. The majority of HO racing occurs on home turfs.

Modern slot car tracks are either plastic or routed wood. The former is made from molded plastic commercial track sections. Routed tracks are made from plywood, MDF, or polymer materials. Routed tracks are preferred for serious racers, as they provide a smooth and reliable surface.

The introduction of digital control systems has created significant changes in the racing arena. Digital control systems allow more than one car to run in the same lane, and also to change lanes. Although they are running on the same slot, digitally coded signals allow each car to respond only to its own controller, but this digital revolution of the industry is still in its early stages.