11 replies to this topic

[Dave_12]

What is the difference between a banked King and a punchbowl King?

[Dominator]

Punchbowl is more of a slang term. As King tracks have evolved, the radius of the turns have gotten slightly longer and the striaghts slightly shorter to still maintain the overall length of 155'.

Most common examples are the kings currently set up at PJ Raceway, Piranha Speedway and Hobbies, and at Mid-America.

[John Luongo]

With some King track designs, a well set-up car may appear to be as fast through the turns as they are down the straights. Very popular track style.

[zipper]

Mid-America Slot Car Raceway is the fastest in the World, originally from Pilsen / Plzen, Czech Republic. Really a punch bowl - or PJ  Raceway, both  around 1.25 sec lap times on qualifying, meaning around 85 mph...

[Dominator]

Brad Friesner world record on the Pilsen track was 1.286 set about seven years ago. Two years ago at PJ Brad went 1.255.


The worlds will be held at PJ in May and I'm sure excitement is building to see if Brad can break his record again.

[Bill Seitz]

"Punchbowl" is really a term to describe any track that's predominantly "full-punch" - full throttle for all or most of the lap. I've seen the term applied to high-banked ovals both in slot cars and 1:1 as well as other tracks with modern wing cars.

[stoo23]

Dave, Wayne B's Gerding King he had built for Raceworld was very much a typical Newer style 'Punch-Bowl' King.

All Horsepower, ZERO driving.

 

Mind you, Retro's still required Some driving, almost everything else, including well setup Flexi's were 'Flat-Out'.

 

In a Group 'F' race there, not long before it closed, I was loaned a car and as there was absolutely Nothing that 'Holding the Controller' could do to make the car Faster, ... for a Joke, I used a Rubber Band on the Trigger for a couple of brackets, drank the remainder of my coffee and simply watched. 

 

Perhaps, needless to say,.. I never bothered purchasing a Group 'F',...

[Mark Onofri]

Kind of a drift but, Bruce McLaren and Dennis Hummel used to set up the Can-Am cars to go full throttle around the whole track. Truth is stranger than fiction.

[Martin]

Oh you would be drifting alright   But I find your statement..... 

"Kind of a drift but, Bruce McLaren and Dennis Hummel used to set up the Can-Am cars to go full throttle around the whole track. Truth is stranger than fiction".

 

Where did you hear this Mark ?    

[MSwiss]

Absolutely true.

 

Dennis Hummel picked up that habit from his penchant to speed to the local figurine store to buy the latest Lladro's.

 

Same with his alter ego, Denny Hulme. Lol

[Dave Crevie]

Mark; turn off your spell correct. 

 

Anyway, if you are talking real Can-Am cars, I wouldn't want to try lapping a track at the same speed all the way around. Not in a race, for sure. In slot cars, isn't that the goal in wing car racing? Being able to lap the track wide open?

 

I dunno. Sounds like a lot of brakin' and shiftin' going on. Embarrassing seeing a "Big Mac" get passed by the smaller, lighter CAII cars. 

 

https://youtu.be/COOw5yxovs0?si=nAUUs9LV5JmKMQ-2 

[Mark Onofri]

If I remember correctly it was in a English F-1 magazine. It's around here somewhere.
Glad you caught the little play on words Martin.