SHOP SECTIONS

• New releases

• Gifts and gift guide

• Special offers

• Collectors' limited editions, gift sets and kits

• Scalextric Sets

• Scalextric Cars

• Digital chipping and repair service

• About Digital Plug Cars

• Scalextric "Start"

• Track and borders

• Scalextric Digital chips

• Scalextric Digital power and control

• Spares and consumables

• Performance parts

• Trackside race accessories

• Scenery

• Carrera, Slot-It and other brands

• Publications

• Micro Scalextric

• Scalextric Event Consultancy and Special Orders

• Shipping: standard, next day, and overseas

• Guide to car icons

• Guide to product availability

• Cheddar Scalextric Slot Car Centre - Home

• About slotcarcentre.co.uk

• About Digital Slot Car Racing

• The C7042 powerbase

• Scalextric en España / Videos

• Circuit Design

• Converting to Digital Scalextric

• Organising meetings

• Chipping saloon cars

• Chipping a single-seater

• Repairs, maintenance and tuning

• Service Sheets (to identify your car spares)

• Digital racecraft and rules

• Some SSD circuits

• Promotional videos

• Links and information

• On-line digital racing

• iPhone and iPod products

• Rural Racer

• Recycling your old Scalextric (WEEE)

Scalextric Mini Twin Pack C3128   £36.95   info... Scalextric 2012 Catalogue, Edition 53 C8175   £6.95   info... Scalextric McLaren MP4-12C Limited Edition Twin Pack C3171A   £74.95   info... Scalextric Mercedes GP 2011 (Rosberg) C3168   £32.95   info... Scalextric Mercedes GP 2011 (Schumacher) C3167   £32.95   info... Scalextric McLaren F1 2011 (Hamilton) C3165   £32.95   info... Scalextric McLaren F1 2011 (Button) C3166   £32.95   info... Scalextric Ford Escort Mk1 1969 C3212   £32.95   info... Scalextric Ford Lotus Cortina Mk1 1964 C3210   £32.95   info... Scalextric Jaguar XKR GT3 #78 C3181   £27.95   info... Scalextric Porsche 911 GT3 Cup "Apex" C3182   £28.95   info... Scalextric Ford GT40 no. 29 C3211   £32.95   info...

Digital racecraft Driving a tactical cat-and-mouse race is now very possible, because if you have track position at the front of the field, staying in first place all about keeping the other cars behind you, rather than chasing each other flat out and risking crashing. As long as you can second-guess at which lane-change opportunity someone will pull out from behind and try and overtake, you can either speed up a little to make them work harder or block the move by taking the lane change opportunity yourself! But, if you crash, remember that you don't have a lane all to yourself; you will just have to fight your way back through the field!

Following another car Closely following another car is often a good way to force an error. Just hassle your opponent for a few laps and they'll most likely lose it, somewhere. Also look for opportunities to change lanes early and take advantage of lapped traffic before they do. Remember to wave as you pass them whilst they are stuck behind the backmarker! Be careful not to brake too late while following, though, and punt the car ahead off the track, as you may be penalised.

Braking You can set each car to have button braking, dynamic braking, or both. Dynamic braking is similar to what you would be used to from traditional slot cars, except that lifting off the throttle slows the car down much more quickly than you might expect. For most racers the dynamic form of braking will be all you need. Or you can turn braking off altogether to re-live the pre-digital gradual slowing down experience. Braking using the button just cuts out the car's motor and is a more advanced way of slowing down, but can also be used to good effect when starting off; floor the throttle and hold the button, releasing the brake button then brings you up to speed instantly.

Dealing with crashes You need to be clear about how to handle this before you start a race. By far the best solution is to have a non-racing track marshal responsible for re-slotting cars. Then you just wait for a helping hand to put you back on track. Some clubs use a rule whereby if you de-slot but remain upright, you can be re-slotted, but if you roll or flip, you're out. Make sure the marshal knows in which direction to point the car (they will run either way) when re-slotting! The problem comes when everyone is actually driving and you have no track marshals. You then have three options: (a) Crash and burn. Crash and you're out. Either, your races might not last very long, or, it will help everyone to really concentrate on their driving and not do anything silly. (b) Self-marshalling. Put down your controller and re-slot your own car. Probably the fairest, but can lead to tangled controller leads and controllers draped across the track if you're not careful. (c) "Track calls". If you crash, use the track call facility of the 6-car powerbase to ensure everyone stops. Cars are re-slotted and then everyone re-starts together. This does mean that races can be somewhat punctuated with stops, but it limits the potential for damage caused by cars crashing into other stationary cars. These are broadly mirrored by the suggestions in the racing rules area of the Scalextric web site. If a lane is blocked, cars can still race but need to remember to pass by on the other lane. If you crash out and are not blocking the track it is possible you may never get re-slotted unless someone else blocks the track. You will need to agree a rule for misuse of the track call facility, such as placing the offender back at the start of the lap they were on.

Dealing with the rear-end "nerfer" Sometimes someone will try to progress through the field by nudging the car in front off the track at every opportunity. If you have a race controller, it may be possible to apply in-race penalties or pit lane drive throughs to people who use this tactic (i.e. a "no contact" rule). But it's extremely difficult to judge the strength of this sort of contact correctly time after time so you are not likely to be dealing with a "Dick Dastardly" sort who is using foul means to gain a victory. More probably the offender is a novice or inexperienced driver who is probably going to come last anyway. 90% of the time the "nerfed" car will end up across the track and if you have a 6 car powerbase, this will be an immediate "track call" situation which will prevent the culprit from gaining much from their indiscretion.

With the danger car out of your rear view mirror, when the race re-starts you can concentrate on catching it up again, and using the racecraft tactics described above (such as baulking it behind other cars) to get ahead or at least keep half a lap away from it. Unless they are waging a personal vendetta against you it's likely that someone else will be the victim next time - so that will work out in your favour. With 4 or 6 cars racing it's more likely to happen to someone else than to you - but as well as trying to grab and keep the lead, dealing with wayward competitors and not allowing yourself to get into a position where your race can be compromised by one of them, is all part of the fun. Additionally these kinds of tactics do not always pay off without the offending driver coming a cropper themselves. So whilst it is frustrating to be booted off track through no fault of your own, as they say "what goes around, comes around".

Pursuit racing This is good if you can't be bothered to keep putting cars back on track and you don't have anyone acting as track marshal. As soon as you fall a lap behind at the finish line, you are out of the race, and the system cuts your car's power (so you need to take your car off track quickly). It's a function on the 6-car powerbase. It focuses your mind on staying on the black stuff, because as soon as you go off, you will be lapped whilst you are stopped at the roadside!