Slot car racing is a widely held indoor hobby activity in countries in the western hemisphere. Slot cars are miniaturized vehicles that run along slotted tracks where power transmitted by electric current moves each car positioned on the track. Slot cars have metallic blades which fit to the bottom of these slots. The majority of slot car hobbyists perform races with other enthusiasts on more than one occasion but there are some individuals who focus their attention to construct scenic layouts, modeling roads and highways, and simulating urban and rural traffic.
Hobbyists of slot cars that are new to the idea begin with commercially-available cars that are made with normal specifications. Commercialy-made slot cars are made for better performance on standard tracks. Long-time enthusiasts habitually do some modifications or assemble them from individual pieces and have them custom-made to make them more lightweight and aerodynamic.
Customization of slot cars is also one of the most sought after activity besides racing them. Just like real cars, slot cars also have replaceable rubber tires and the modification of the framework and the motor is to make them more faster and make them more stylish. The highest speed of which slot cars can reach can be from 1000 to 1800 revolutions per minute (rpm).
Slot car drivers control their mini race-cars by operating a controller with just one hand and it’s purpose is to regulate the voltage of the car’s small electric motor. The evolution of slot car racing has essentially been with the handheld controller and the cars themselves but the only thing that has remained unchanged is the track. New technology have allowed the creation of tracks which let slot cars change lanes or even share a single slot. Slot car racers get their challenge on the curved sections where correct adjustment of electric current by way of the controller trigger is needed to avoid de-slotting or lose momentum that will be the losing factor for racers.
The other closest form of hobby to slot cars are model trains. Slot car and model train enthusiasts form the track range, make sceneries which include trees and miniature structures. The only disparity is the variation of speed between model trains and slot cars and slot cars are intended for group activity whereas model trains is more on solo operation.
In some occasions, slot cars can also use other vehicle models such as motorcycles, trucks and other types of vehicles. The most common and most popular slot car scales are 1:24, 1:32, and H0 which could either be 1:64 or 1:87.
The introduction of traction magnets have also made it easier for slot cars to turn corners without reducing that much speed without getting thrown out the track. Even with the added safety feature of traction magnets, some enthusiasts choose to race without them. Slot cars that doesn’t have traction magnets have a propensity to drift and the likelihood of going off track gives slot car racers their excitement and thrill.