Car racing is one of the most exhilarating activities you can take part in but only if you know how to drive well. Instead of putting yourself in dangerous situations and spending lots of time learning how to drive like a proper racing driver, you can race slot cars. One manufacturer that has been making slot cars is Scalextric.
This British brand has been around since 1957 and ever since it has been a leader in the slot car racing industry. With 60-odd years under its belt, Scalextric offers a wide range of slot cars and tracks made to be enjoyed by both children and adults. If you’re into slot cars, then Scalextric is a great way to enter the world of racing slot cars.
Types of Scalextric Sets
Digital
What Scalextric offers is different categories of cars and tracks they call sets and each set is made to match the experience level of the user. For instance, if you decide to go for Scalextric digital sets then get ready to overtake and block other racers on the track. The tracks in Scalextric digital sets can have up to six cars and the hand throttles are able to switch lanes. You also get a button for breaking in order to get better control through corners which is why more experienced enthusiasts go for this type of set.
ARC
An ARC-enabled Scalextric kit is able to allow you to use the ARC app in order for better communication with the power base. This is what makes an ARC Scalextric set more versatile as it allows you to have different types of races from Grand Prix’s to endurance and time trial races. You get lap times and driver names on the app as well as “tire wear” and “pit stops”. You can use the track and cars without the app too.
Spark
When it comes to controlling the cars, you should go for a spark set. With this Scalextric kit, you get the ability to control the cars with either an IOS or Android-powered tablet or phone. This gives you better control over the car and the ability to create a user profile that suits your driving habits.
Scalextric Slot Car Scales
1:64
What most slot car manufacturers offered back in the day were 1:64 scale cars. These are known as HO cars as they are the smallest you can get which is still the case with Scalextric since they make them to this day.
1:32
If you want a more commonly scaled car then you should go for a 1:32 scale slot car. These Scalextric models look much better than 1:64 though as they have more space for decals and details providing a more accurate representation of the real-life model.
Types of Scalextric Tracks
Classic
A Scalextric track that you won’t find anymore was the classic. It was produced between the 60s and 90s and it was a tried-and-true system that had pieces such as a hump bridge, a long chicane, rough terrain, loop the loop, and crossover straights. These tracks are quite affordable too.
Sport
A sport track is made for more spirited driving as it offers dynamic braking which makes the car brake when you lift off the Scalextric throttle. You get better grip on this track as well as deeper slots and braids that are easy to change. The whole track is a lot easier to reassemble than a classic track but it doesn’t offer some of the aforementioned pieces.
Start
With a start track, you can enjoy learning the basics of slot car racing. Unfortunately, these tracks are not produced by Scalextric anymore but there are converter pieces that allow you to connect a sport and start track together. Don’t worry though, no matter the Scalextric car models you have, they are driveable on all of the above tracks including the start track.
Micro
Scalextric micro tracks are made for children as both the track slots and cars are smaller than the other tracks. The scale of the cars is as you’d expect, 1:64, which means they are 7.5 cm long, unlike other cars which are anywhere from 12.5 cm to 15 cm long.
Plastic vs Routed Tracks
You can get yourself both a plastic and a routed track with the former being more customisation as you can replace certain parts of the tack to make it more challenging or more beginner-friendly. Plastic tracks are also quite affordable and easy to use but this level of simplicity is where routed tracks excel.
A routed track is one that’s made of just a couple of sheets of chipboard, MDF or polymer. These tracks are made so that grooves cut into the base which makes the track have fewer imperfections and a lot smoother too. While you can’t change a routed track, it’s of much better quality and therefore more preferred when it comes to competitions.
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