Inside the thriving world of miniature motorsport

Last Christmas, Autosport Gave this author the opportunity to write about a much-loved hobby: ScalextricLittle did I know it would take me a year to race 1/32 scale slot cars competitively…

Following the publication of last year’s double issue, an email came in from reader Callum Norris suggesting that Autosport should take our hobby to the next level by joining Larkfield Slotcar Club in Kent. Challenge accepted.

It was a decision that opened the door to a world that perhaps few people realize exists. We’ve all probably set up a Scalextric set up and raced for fun at home, avoiding the coffee table or armchair in the living room, but racing on a giant six-lane track that fills a village hall, a Completely different concept. This is the world of competitive slot car racing and there are clubs all over the country that do it every week.

“It’s like bringing your PlayStation to life,” says Nick O’Gorman, president of the Larkfield Slotcar Club. “You can sit at home and play computer games, but if you want to go out and race people in real life, this is a relatively inexpensive way to do it.”

This is low-budget motorsport, albeit at 1/32 scale, with a level of detail and competitiveness that Autosport found from attending the club every Friday night outside of work commitments. It’s no longer just a case of setting up the track, putting the car in the slot and holding down the trigger on the controller.

Let’s start with the track. The Larkfield Slot Car Club, now in its 26th year of competition, runs a wooden, six-lane track that is wired into a PC that operates a live timing system down to thousandths of a second. Depending on the class of car racing, lap times range between four and seven seconds, which for a track that would fill a village hall provides some idea of ​​how fast these cars are travelling.

Drivers compete in six heats of three minutes each, racing in each lane for fairness. The total amount of laps collected from the six heats is compiled to determine the overall result. On average the winner usually completes 180-200 laps. The club also competes in the Interclub Series, which acts as a quasi-Kent County Championships and pits the area’s best racers against each other.

In addition to the six-lane track, the club also has a special rally stage which it uses on rally nights to test the abilities of racers driving a Ford Escort Mk 2, the latest Ford Puma Rally 1 or To test. Whatever takes your fancy.

“It’s completely different than anything you can do at home,” says O’Gorman. “The tracks are much bigger than whatever four lanes or six lanes you can build at home. You could never dream of running on something of this size as a child. “Adding some competition to it brings a different element.”

In one evening you can be racing everything from an Eric Bernard Larousse F1 car to a 1995 Manuel Reuter Opel Calibra DTM touring car.

The cars themselves are extremely tough pieces of kit designed with serious racing in mind. Scalextric is not often the brand of choice when it comes to this level of racing, with manufacturers such as NSR, Racer Sideways and Slot.it being the preferred weapons of choice priced in the region of £70-£80.

Racers spend hours carefully setting up their cars, which are completely customizable. Motors can be tuned and modified, gear ratios and axles can be changed and there are even different compounds of tires that can be selected to find extra thousandths of a second. For example, a simple ride height adjustment made on the 1977 Group 5 Porsche 935 that Autosport is racing gives a gain of about three tenths of a second per lap. It comes out at really good margins.

The club rotates through six classes: Formula 1, GT3, Group 5, Classic Sportscars, Touring Cars and Open GT, with two held each evening. For example, in one evening you could be racing from an Eric Bernard Larousse F1 car to a 1995 Manuel Reuter Opel Calibra DTM Touring Car.

“Compared to the things I bought as a kid, you never would have dreamed you could change motors, wheels, axles and all that stuff, which you can do now,” says O’Gorman. “They’re like mini radio-controlled cars – you can have different gearing, tires and wheels. It’s quite technical for a small model.”

Perhaps one of the variables that is most appealing to a novice is that, just like in real-world motorsport, every car runs differently and has to be driven differently to get the best results.

A lot of this comes down to the controllers, which are far more advanced than the point-and-squirt controllers that come with your standard set. Controllers can cost up to £300 but there is a reason for such a high price. They’re incredibly technological, including adjustable throttle sensitivity, braking and traction control. Yes, you read it right…

Managing the brakes and ensuring throttle sensitivity is properly set is vital to achieving lap times. The car will brake as soon as your finger lifts off the throttle. Depending on the driver’s set-up choice and the class of the car, cars can roll off the throttle into corners or stop suddenly.

The initial thought at first glance is, ‘How hard can this be?’ But as it turns out, very difficult. Mastering all of these variables takes time and requires an incredible amount of skill to be successful. It took this writer seven months to win a race and, as it stands, Autosport has managed a handful of podium finishes.

The racing is ridiculously close, with races often decided by fractions of seconds, which increases the adrenaline rush and excitement. Of course, there are inevitable accidents; Certainly this writer was a frequent red-faced criminal in the first handful of races. Slowly but surely the momentum is building as each night of racing is completed.

O’Gorman believes, “There’s a little bit of enthusiasm and a little bit of skill, and a little bit of luck.” “Beating people gives you a bit of a buzz. Accidents happen and people even have petty arguments about who took each other out. But when you pull together and win the race, it’s quite an accomplishment.”

Outside of the races, it has really become an activity to look forward to every Friday night. It’s not just about racing, it’s an opportunity to mingle with a group of like-minded individuals from all walks of life, young and old, to share the passion for slot cars and motorsport. It also provides a rare opportunity to step away from the real world for a few hours and concentrate the mind.

“Definitely (there’s a positive mental health aspect to it) and running it on a Friday night helps because you’ve done your week’s work and then you relax with some mates and have a few laughs, and It really prepares you for the weekend,” O’Gorman says.

“Everyone gets along with each other and we talk about motorsport because we are all interested in it. “We have members aged 17-70 and there aren’t really many hobbies that cover that age.”

So, if real-world motorsport is out of your price range and unattainable, we highly recommend taking up slot car racing to scratch that competitive itch.