89 replies to this topic

[macman]

While womps may be cheap, ya get what you pay for ... I have worked in 4 or 5 raceways, & if I were to open my own track, I would not even stock the little peices of junk, except as bare chassis to cut up & make drag cars.

[PCH Parts Express]

Mike, a couple questions on your Womp rules if I may ask.

1.) Do you require the Deathstars to be sealed or do you allow blueprinted motors as long as the Chinese arms & magnets are used?

2.) The Parma Womp chassis have two sets of front axle holes. Do you specify which ones have to be used so wheelbases aren't stretched?

I like the rules you stated above. Racing under them should be a lot of fun, for young & old alike.

The rules have not been set in stone. But I was thinking that dead stock but allow the optional brass chassis and an optional tire.

[Guy Spaulding]

Don't know how much all this may apply to your situation, but here's what we had in '83, when we had a strong weekly series going.

A lot of kids and families attended this Sunday afternoon, weekly event. We ran a series, where the bodies were part of the challenge. Parma made some 25 different bodies for the Womp at the time. So, we split the bodies into categories, such as NASCAR, Sports Cars (mustangs and such) "Box Cars" (relatively top heavy bodies), and wing cars. Every week, we'd run a different body category. The "Superwomp" had been introduced, and was allowed. I was the only "advanced" racer in the class, and some complained, until they drove my car. I drove a Champion Thumper. I often podiumed, but that was acceptable, considering my handicap. I don't remember the motor rules very well, but I think we ran a basic Mura C-can with a "womp" arm. Wasps were not allowed. A rear brace and lead were allowed, and basic womps could bend their chassis to lower the center section. Stock type gears, guides, axles, fronts, etc. We even threw in a few points for weekly concourse. So the body played a big part, because some cars worked better with some bodies, and then changed with other bodies. We had a lot of fun, and that was all it's about!

But I had a secret weapon. My team mate had a girlfriend who would corner martial, and every time she leaned over the track...

[Bill from NH]

My team mate had a girlfriend who would corner martial, and every time she leaned over the track...

Guy, shouldn't that read,"... every time my car deslotted, she leaned over the track!"

[Guy Spaulding]

Guy, shouldn't that read,"... every time my car deslotted, she leaned over the track!"

LOL!

Naw! She was more a distraction for everyone else! How do you think I managed podium finishes against those Superwomps?

I got used to her, riding in my Austin Healey, flashing her BF on his scooter, and causing other car accidents!

[marc]

scott i still contend speed is the enemy for new guys your on the right path keep them completely stock for the new guys
gear ratio and no mods from box stock , except maybe a tire change over pick a big hub 8.40 size tire and make it a house rule put that tire on every rtr you sell along with two front to rear chassis brace rods made of 1/16 wire..and solder in the bushings before you sell one... and use mx weight of 130 grams so they can add lead..



now if you want have another class for all out war but have a starting point where no tricks are alowed so every body gets a fair shot and goes home happy .. we run them with kinda the same rules posted here and a new guy hasen't got a chance .........champion chassis that comes on a rtr car is the best one to use. parma steel and brass chassis are very prone to twisting one crash and your out !....

you find you will have a nice competive place for folks to start racing -------

[marc]

Don't know how much all this may apply to your situation, but here's what we had in '83, when we had a strong weekly series going.

A lot of kids and families attended this Sunday afternoon, weekly event. We ran a series, where the bodies were part of the challenge. Parma made some 25 different bodies for the Womp at the time. So, we split the bodies into categories, such as NASCAR, Sports Cars (mustangs and such) "Box Cars" (relatively top heavy bodies), and wing cars. Every week, we'd run a different body category. The "Superwomp" had been introduced, and was allowed. I was the only "advanced" racer in the class, and some complained, until they drove my car. I drove a Champion Thumper. I often podiumed, but that was acceptable, considering my handicap. I don't remember the motor rules very well, but I think we ran a basic Mura C-can with a "womp" arm. Wasps were not allowed. A rear brace and lead were allowed, and basic womps could bend their chassis to lower the center section. Stock type gears, guides, axles, fronts, etc. We even threw in a few points for weekly concourse. So the body played a big part, because some cars worked better with some bodies, and then changed with other bodies. We had a lot of fun, and that was all it's about!

But I had a secret weapon. My team mate had a girlfriend who would corner martial, and every time she leaned over the track...

thats a old jungle jim lebierman trick!!! i saw the car in the other lane back into the chrismas tree because
they were so distracted by jungle pams backing up antics ????????? lol !!

[Marty Stanley]

Scott,

There are just so many excellent suggestion here that I'm looking forward to eharing about what you ultimately implement.

I personally beileve that low end cars are the real way to get new folks into slot car racing. Hey, lots of us learned on cars so inferior to a Womp or an FCR runs, so I still believe the best way to go is the basic cars.

Hey, Parma has a good set of rules included with the FCR cars - it basically states you have to run the cars as they come out of the box. It does hold down the cost for the new racer.

Something else you might want to try is take rental controllers and hook them up to the track. They stay there for the duration of the race. This way, not only does every racers have to race on a different lane each heat but also use a different controller. I'd make all the controllers the same - like a Parma Turbo or even one of the Professor Motor models.

Mike has excellent suggestions on keeping everything stock. Let's be honest here, a new racer has enough 'learning curve' in front of them just learning how to run the car and keep it on the lane. Develop good driving skills and soon the racers will be looking to go faster. but since they have already bought the Womp car from you, spent money on entry fees and have also spent some track time dollars with you, you are creating a good group of customers.

I would imagine that if you grow the group by starting out with the same car - pure stock - all the same body type and just make it a FUN class, your racers will have a good time, you will grow interest in yoru business and bring people into your shop.

So, what type of track are you planning on running the races on?

BTW, the track owner of The Race Place in Holly Hill, Florida - one Greg Walker - is working with a local manufacturer to develop a new chassis to be used in his local Womp series. The track we race on is a 125 tri-oval with high banks on both ends that normally you can run fully punched, if the car is setup correctly. Some folks have not learned the way to set guide heights and have been going through one of those $9.95 Parma chassis on a regular basis. This new chassis is a composite that has been 'tested' by one of the regulars and it has held up quite nicely.

Here's a link to The Race Place here on Slotblog if you want to make contact.

[marc]

marty your right on the spot keep it stock as possible make it easy to get into without big expence and the track will make money selling parts and future cars to new people its a adicting hobby let them make thier own desisions on buying but first get them started happy not grumpy and embarassed. i believe in a stock womp program the only issue i see in a stock outta the box womp is tires the one on the car suck .

[PCH Parts Express]

[quote name='Marty Stanley' timestamp='1287756609' post='287842']
Scott,

So, what type of track are you planning on running the races on?



160' King Cobra

[flem1959]

Womps are a good idea for guys like Mark Wampler to run Breakout.
Womps are not a good idea for Slotcar Racers.

[Marty Stanley]

Scott,

So, what type of track are you planning on running the races on?



160' King Cobra

Scott,

Hey that should be fun!

The interesting thing is that we once raced 'modified' Womps on a very similar type of track.

How did we 'modify' our Womps you ask? Well we simply went to "High Dollar" motors by Parma and used the Parma Rotor Motor at a price of $13.99 and put a "Wing Body" on them. After all, aren't you supposed to race Wing Cars on a King Cobra?

The Parma Rotor Motor has a balanced S16D arm and the timing is adjustable. Not the can is not sealed, but that is how you take your racers 'to the next level' and let them learn even more.

Here's a photo of the car I raced in that event:

Stock Womp Chassis, Parma Super Rotor Motor and a body from Race Pace is all that's needed!

Just one more way of providing good clean and inexpensive fun!

[marc]

marty that car looks very familiar ????? was that the car that caused the pile up that killed several
spectators at a race a few years back ????????????????????????????

[MrWeiler]

Mike, a couple questions on your Womp rules if I may ask.

1.) Do you require the Deathstars to be sealed or do you allow blueprinted motors as long as the Chinese arms & magnets are used?

Not so far. As Rocky says less rules=better racing. On our track we have short straights and lots of twisty bits so more power just gets most people to crash more. If we had a King or a hillclimb this might be an issue, at NOMAD it's not so far. Also nobody has (so far) tried to build a real killer motor and take advantage of the rules. If someone does build a motor and starts stomping everyone else like a bad buncha grapes, we may revise this rule to require sealed motors. (I hope not 'cause it's kinda easy to do tech now and the racing goes faster without a 1/2 hour at the tech table)

2.) The Parma Womp chassis have two sets of front axle holes. Do you specify which ones have to be used so wheelbases aren't stretched?

While the wheelbase rule is not written down, with the bodies we spec, the wheels do have to line up with the fenders. If the racer puts the axle in the wrong hole they won't and the body would have to be butchered for the chassis to fit.

I like the rules you stated above. Racing under them should be a lot of fun, for young & old alike.

It is...fun and easy.

[MrWeiler]

Hey, Parma has a good set of rules included with the FCR cars - it basically states you have to run the cars as they come out of the box. It does hold down the cost for the new racer.

FCR cars can be fine EXCEPT let the racers glue or solder in the rear oilites. With the oilites loose the gears get wasted fast and someone who can "tweek" the chassis to remove the slop to improve the gear mesh would have a speed advantage over a newbee...JB weld it cheep.

[Marty Stanley]

marty that car looks very familiar ????? was that the car that caused the pile up that killed several
spectators at a race a few years back ????????????????????????????

Bill painted that body, but NO, there is not blood on it, nor has it ever been cleaned of blood!

I did get it to run a sub 4.0 second lap on the Cobra over in Leesburg!

That body later got mounted on a scratchbuilt "Wing Car" chassis. It was an inline drive configuration with a Group-12 motor in it. Even with a 7 tooth pinion, the day I ran it down at John's Slot Car Garage, it was scary fast!

Understand something Marc, I have a basic philosophy on slot cars . . . . there is NOTHING known to man as too much power!

If I had a Hemi and a Yugo, I'd build something very scary!

[marc]

marty : i thought i remembered a headline HORROR IN HOMOSASSA !! musta been confused sorry >>
sub 4.0 is faster very fast that would exceed my brain compasity by two eions .. i'd like to see womp wings
make a come back that would be a blast to run.. nothing exceed excess like mega excess !!

i'm all for more power infact i like double too much power >> this is coming from a guy accualy raced a hemi powered A/Gass
amc spirt with a stick shift trans !!>>>>>> !!! now thats crazy ........ after a couple of adventures i backed down to a small block chrysler that was easier on the fenders and doors ...

[MrWeiler]

But I had a secret weapon. My team mate had a girlfriend who would corner martial, and every time she leaned over the track...

I used to have my first wife wear something very low cut and marshall right across from the drivers panel....

[MrWeiler]

.. i'd like to see womp wings
make a come back that would be a blast to run..

Womp wings are a lotta fun on a fast track

[smithspeedway]

We race 7 divisions. 5 are Womp based. http://slotcarhotrod...eDivisions.html

We use mostly Slick 7 MiniBrutes. Our modified division has ProTrack Cheetah II, Slick 7, and a variety of Falcons including the Falcon 7. Running on a flat oval, the extra power doesn't always help.

[Ron Hershman]

In my opinion, I believe new racers should learn how to race with a Womp or FCR.

Hey that's what I started with..... if I can do it.....anyone can....LOL

and adictive

It all started with a Womp for me..... 30 years later.... still racing..... yep it was addictive and how I got started and "into" it and racing.

When you put a Contender or a Group 12 motor in a Womp, that's EVIL !!!!!

Try a Group 20....no air control and stock car bodies. WTF was we thinking????? LOL

[marc]

ron ; womps or fcr i agree thats where to start run and learn the old way you move up to faster stuff after you
learn the basic's with a slower evil to drive car... kinda like these kids learn go carts then ledgends then late models
to trucks and busch cars not baby carrage to cup car . my self i realy like running fcr and womps if you keep the tricks and modifactions outta them and run stone stock right outta the box tires ,gesrs , guide ,flag motor .non aero body ,
nothing fixed or replaced there a scream to run 8 cars on a short oval ... and the new guys can race and feel equal and competeive....

[pockets3113]

my grandson is 7 hes got 2 womps and runs em on the 155' kingleman here,yeah we hear a LOTTA hard wall shots in the deadman but hell hes havin a blast.me myself ive got a womp with a 16d motor thats actually more fun to run than the fricken wingcar that BLASTS off 3 second laps and if you remember to disconnect the brake lead off the controller you can roll thru the turns and get good punch down the straights with the brakes hooked up they tend to wanna swap ends when you drop the trigger.

[pockets3113]

my grandson is 7 hes got 2 womps and runs em on the 155' kingleman here,yeah we hear a LOTTA hard wall shots in the deadman but hell hes havin a blast.me myself ive got a womp with a 16d motor thats actually more fun to run than the fricken wingcar that BLASTS off 3 second laps and if you remember to disconnect the brake lead off the controller you can roll thru the turns and get good punch down the straights with the brakes hooked up they tend to wanna swap ends when you drop the trigger.

[pockets3113]

WHERE CAN I GET A WING BODY FOR MY WOMP??? i want one a those now that ive seen em.hehehe