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How can slot racing's visibility be raised?


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#76 Dennis David

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Posted 19 July 2015 - 08:53 PM

Time for every buck spend over the counter is a great idea. $1 = 1 min non-peak hours

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#77 Half Fast

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Posted 19 July 2015 - 09:08 PM

IMO, the only way to preserve what is left and get a few more interested is break-out racing. I know that the old guard hates to hear this, but it saved drag racing in the '60s. It is apparent that there is an elite 5% that really get good at what we do, but that leaves 95% that are not. That or those are the ones you need to retain. At least that way the 95%ers can't blame the equipment, just themselves. Will it change the winners circle, probably not much, but the appearance of having everything you need to win is there for everyone on the track.

 
Back in the early '90s Elmsford had a handicap system for weekly races that allowed new racers to be competitive with the more experienced.
 
It worked well and kept a new racer's interest.
 
Unfortunately I don't know what formula they used.
 
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#78 NSwanberg

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Posted 19 July 2015 - 10:57 PM

[quote]Consider the reliability of a Tonka truck or an HO scale locomotive as comparisons...both ends of a spectrum, both reliable, totally unlike the 1/24 slot car comparison: a Flexi with a tissue paper body and tires that have to be replaced if not used for a couple of weeks or an Open class wing car that needs rebuilding after five minutes.[/quote

 

JB at Downriver Speedway is running into this problem. People come back a month later after buying a JK LMP car and the tires are crispy. If you don't run them every week you end up having to replace them. Andy Smith, of Professor Motor fame, has long been an advocate that the glue needs to come out of 1/24 commercial slot car racing. His solution was to use silicone-coated sponge rubber tires. 

 

My own experience testing these tires at Hott Slotts (the former Slotcar Mania) is that on a Box 12 they give you 80% of the performance. Still fun and the tires get better as they wear. These tires performed nicely on JK Indy cars and the racing at Lightning Speedway was lots of fun with them.

 

I have only tried the silongies on a Retro Can-Am one time. Lets just say it needs more development. If these were the tires we had to use I think it would be much better for our hobby/sport. One of the problems with even experimenting with silongies is that you need a track devoid of glue and tire rubber to give them a fair evaluation. I had that at Lightning Speedway and Hott Slotts is still sticking to their glueless road course program. They do not have much 1/24 racing, however, the scale racers seem to like the track. The track does not have magnetic braid.

 

I think if customers could bring their car back a few weeks later and have it perform near the same level it did when they bought it that would do a lot to improve the perception of and exposure for 1/24 commercial racing.


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#79 Cheater

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Posted 19 July 2015 - 11:26 PM

I said years ago that the hobby needed a "bowling ball slot car", i.e. a car that could remain in one's car's trunk from week to week without needing work or maintenance between use. 

 

And there are a number of wise people who feel that it would be a very positive thing to eliminate glue from slot racing. I think they're correct.


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#80 Samiam

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Posted 20 July 2015 - 06:51 AM

At SAL customers are supplied with ziplock bags to put the entire car in. This helps preserve the tires between uses and makes the customer happy. Now they can tell their friends how great slot racing is.

 

If the customer is handy I'll show them how to remove the tires and put them in a tire tube.


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#81 MattD

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Posted 20 July 2015 - 08:10 AM

There is a big difference between the state of commercial racing and home basement racers. The home racers seem to be better off then they have been for years. The home racers can more easily bring younger people into their hobby. I'm sure some TV ads and exposure can help promote plastic/wood basement racers and broaden that slot racing.

The commercial racing scene is a different animal. The economic aspect of the "average" slot track probably doesn't leave much money for advertising. The guys that like commercial racing seem to mostly be a lot of us that raced in the '60s and '70s and have never been too far from it. It seems reaching those guys should be the target to help the business of slot car racing. That might be through any medium that targets old men! Not sure that there is much you can do to create a reliable core of young racers today. First they have to have easy access to the raceway like us millions of kids had in the '60s. They have to enjoy a hands on hobby and building stuff. The tracks we grew up with were loaded with kids buying track time to play, organized racing wasn't the main income producer. The track we have now makes it's bread and butter from organized racing. If all this sounds like I think the future of the commercial track is in doubt, that is what I think. I just don't think there is much hope that a retail raceway as we know it will survive into the next generation. What is left will probably be club racing in garages or shared buildings where old tracks might be setup. Doubt if this will be much different than tether cars, rail racing or other hobbies that are no longer popular.

I do think home racing will stay a viable hobby with enough manufacturers supporting it to keep it alive.

 

I wish it was different and that commercial tracks could flourish, but I just don't think there is much that can bring new people into the raceway. Older ex-racers, yes, a few newbies every now and then, yes, but not sufficient new people to create real growth. We just have to enjoy our hobby and be thankful we can still play with toy cars.

One question I have. Are there more commercial tracks apart and stored away then there are set up in commercial shops today? I figure there is, what do you guys think?


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#82 Eddie Fleming

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Posted 20 July 2015 - 04:45 PM

From what I see and hear, I think Greg has as much understanding of the situation as anyone.

 

As to his question I would suggest raceways in multi-use facilities. Shared space with another business that naturally brings in non-slot car people would expose new people to the hobby. Back in the '60s there was a raceway in the back part of the bowling alley in Atlanta. I don't know how many young people bowl these days, that may not be the ideal combo for today.

 

I agree with the bowling ball car concept, and little to no glue.

 

I keep seeing references to playing with toy cars. In the commercial raceway I see very few cars I would call toy cars. They are just slot cars. Only the Retro cars seem to be close to toy cars, and that is not an entry level. The 3D plastic car could fill that space maybe.


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#83 SlowBeas

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Posted 20 July 2015 - 05:55 PM

Two words:  bumper stickers!

 

Three words: "Ladies Drink Free"

 

Maybe not literally, but you have to bring people in the door to make it "visible" in the first place.

 

Maybe we're too focused on making the tracks and slot racing the main event for everyone. Make it a social environment first, a slot car racing environment second. Wouldn't it be fun to try a string of slot-themed bars/clubs?

 

After that... try the bumper stickers. :D


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#84 hiline2

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Posted 20 July 2015 - 06:08 PM

I keep seeing references to playing with toy cars. In the commercial raceway I see very few cars I would call toy cars. They are just slot cars. Only the Retro cars seem to be close to toy cars, and that is not an entry level. The 3D plastic car could fill that space maybe.

 

Go to any model railroad event and say" toy trains" and see how quickly your corrected!! :shok:


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#85 MSwiss

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Posted 20 July 2015 - 06:38 PM

That's the approach that that's been neglected.Paul Pfanner at Racer magazine is using this tagline: "Slot racing is real racing."The connection between model car racing and 1:1 racing has never been exploited properly.


The cars need easily installed, variable RPM, sound modules to mimic like real cars.


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#86 Samiam

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Posted 20 July 2015 - 06:42 PM

From what I see and hear, I think Greg has as much understanding of the situation as anyone.

 

As to his question I would suggest raceways in multi-use facilities. Shared space with another business that naturally brings in non-slot car people would expose new people to the hobby. Back in the '60s there was a raceway in the back part of the bowling alley in Atlanta. I don't know how many young people bowl these days, that may not be the ideal combo for today.

 

I agree with the bowling ball car concept, and little to no glue.

 

I keep seeing references to playing with toy cars. In the commercial raceway I see very few cars I would call toy cars. They are just slot cars. Only the Retro cars seem to be close to toy cars, and that is not an entry level. The 3D plastic car could fill that space maybe.

 

You mean a place like this?

 

 

I wouldn't think Retro cars could be toys. All are custom made from brass and wire. The plastic cars are more like toys. But we all got started playing with toy cars.


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#87 Eddie Fleming

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Posted 20 July 2015 - 07:04 PM

My wife was calling me to supper so the toy car comment was a bit incomplete.

 

Back in the day the cars were models of cars you could relate to. (Toy Car)

 

Today they are Slot cars with no connection to anything on the road or the track other than in some cases a name on the body. I do agree the toy car tag is a put down.

 

And no, the video clip was not just what I had in mind. But if it works for you go for it. :D  


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#88 jimht

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Posted 20 July 2015 - 07:14 PM

There's a difference between a Toy Car and a Bowling Ball Car... price.

 

Bowling Ball Cars are easy, I have sold hundreds of the one I developed years ago, but it has to be priced the same as a Flexi.

 

The Toy Car we need once again is the POS that was available in 1964 and decades later is being sold for ridiculous prices on eBay so it can be stored in the slot car museum...

 

What's needed are appealing cars so cheap that the customer just buys another when it breaks or collects them because he needs more.

Functional toys don't need to be expensive or incredibly reliable.

If 90% of those who buy toy/junk slot cars play and go away we'll still have the money and more potential "serious" customers.

The option of better/faster and more expensive is what we've developed from the '60s junk and is available enough already.

 

Look at the drone market that's suddenly popped up!

Already you can buy everything from dinky little toy junk to NASA quality.

Why? Because they all sell, that's why.


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#89 Eddie Fleming

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Posted 20 July 2015 - 07:48 PM

One of us missed the point of the bowling ball car.


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#90 Samiam

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Posted 20 July 2015 - 07:53 PM

Jack Rabbit Slim's is not a real restaurant but it shows what could be. In the '80s I helped a friend run a track that was set up in a huge indoor fun center. It had a batting range, Putt-Putt golf, and many other arcade games. And a full service food counter. Space was not a problem since it was a WWII aircraft hangar. It did expose lots of people to slots.


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#91 jimht

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Posted 20 July 2015 - 09:53 PM

One of us missed the point of the bowling ball car.

 

Must have been you.   :dash2: 

 

I've been selling my version of that car (designed for a 1/24 scale track) with a PC Board chassis and magnetic traction for years and it's well suited as a replacement for selling "race cars", but, it still uses expensive parts and a Lexan body... which means its price point is way beyond that of the Toy Car we need to sell (and which was purchased by umpteen participants during the '60s when it was being manufactured by Revell, Cox, AMT, Tamiya, etc).

 

An RC toy and a transmitter can be purchased for $15. That's what we compete against and a comparable slot car should cost no more.


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#92 NSwanberg

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Posted 21 July 2015 - 01:06 AM

Jack Rabbit Slim's is not a real restaurant but it shows what could be. In the 80s I helped a friend run a track that was set up in a huge  indoor fun center. It had a batting range,Putt-Putt golf,and many other arcade games. And a full service food counter. Space was not a problem since it was a WWII aircraft hangar. It did expose lots of people to slots.

 

What is needed is an aircraft hanger with a bowling alley in it that has a basement for a commercial slot car raceway.


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#93 idare2bdul

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Posted 22 July 2015 - 12:11 AM

Get a Mullah to declare slot racing to be against the will of Allah, that would work great, here in the South. A cartoon would be optional.


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#94 MrWeiler

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Posted 22 July 2015 - 12:52 AM

We need more commercial raceways. Why is RC so popular?  It's more expensive than sot cars and slower.  You don't need a track to practice your skills and test your equipment.  My next door neighbor is out in the evening and on weekends tuning and practicing with his RC car right in our court.  He only goes to a track if he wants to race in competition.  If your into HO slots you could make a fairly nice track on two pieces of 4x8 plywood to practice with, I'm not into HO.  It would easily cost over $1000 for a modest 4 lane 1/24 scale track that could be fitted into a garage or basement.  We don't have basements in my area because of the water table, but I have seen big tracks in basements.  What we really need is more commercial raceways.  If you were to compare how many tracks were around in the late 80s early 90s you'd find were down about 75%+ today compared to then.  Just so you'll know, no I will not open up another raceway.  I learned my lesson the first time.


All well and good ideas but you are talking about preaching to the alrady converted..those people are already inside a raceway. you need to reach the omes who don't know we exist.


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#95 hiline2

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Posted 22 July 2015 - 05:55 AM

Hey! We got "Battle Bots", why not "Battle Slots"! :good:


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#96 Steve Deiters

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Posted 22 July 2015 - 08:23 AM

Mike Swiss,

 

Your comment about 40% of the rental racers were repeat customers you had this weekend caught my eye. 

 

Do you think if you handed them a coupon for some time of discount on purchasing a car and/or a controller that could or would be a tipping for them to become more involved racers?  Would a coupon for first or second time renters to come back agan increase that 40% number up higher?  "Frequent flier" cards so after so many rental they get one "free".  Could it impact that 40% number to a higher level? Just curious.

 

Maybe we have a generation of racers (not unlike the 1/1 racers) where weekly races could be run by racers who race with rented cars and controllers. Hopefully the long term exposure will draw them in deeper. Any tracks do this now? If so let us know how it is working. The proverbial "bowling ball car" Cheater is talking about.  Racer shows up, gets handed a car and controller (bowling ball and bowling shoes if you will), and runs the race. Hands them back, goes home, and repeats the process the next week. Oh, I forgot to add.  Paying each step of the way.  Cash flow.  The lifeblood of a solt racing/hobby shop or any business for that matter.

 

I've always said that slot racing (as we knew it way back when and now) is 80% working on the cars and 20% racing. Probably more like 90%/10%.  If you don't like the larger percentage it just might not be the hobby for some people... as we knew it. Maybe things have changes and the track owner and hobby itself has to look through the prism differently.

 

I'm just thinking out loud here and it is not my intention to tell a track owner how to run their business. It's a tough business to make money with. I'm looking for conversation for a better slot racing hobby for all of us. Even those racers we don't know yet.


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#97 Fast Freddie

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Posted 22 July 2015 - 09:16 AM

I recently watched a segment on Real Sports where every child was given a trophy no matter how poorly they performed or how bad their team finished. Some even got a trophy just for signing up and not participating at all. 

 

When I first came back into slots the raceways would award ribbons for TQ (Black), Concours (Purple), and first to eighth place; first was blue. Series races would give box plaques and trophies instead of the ribbons. Some would also include "raceway bucks" good only at that raceway. 

 

I noticed that diminishing over the years except for the biggest races. In this day and age of "everyone's a winner" maybe some sort of an award could be handed out to newbies who can keep their rental car on the track for five laps. Just make sure that if you have a race they all get the same award so no one feels slighted.   


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#98 Cheater

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Posted 22 July 2015 - 09:53 AM

I've never seen a copy of it, but I'm pretty sure American Model Raceways, in their franchise operating manual, recommended specific ways of "entertaining" a raceway's customers. The ribbons were certainly a part of those recommendations, as was holding short impromptu races whenever so many people were on the track.

 

One of these days, I hope to be able to peruse one of those AMRC operating manuals.


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#99 Chris Dadds

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Posted 23 July 2015 - 07:56 AM

So I was at a meeting of the community hackerspace last night and heard a guy say the strangest thing.  He said he just didn't have anywhere at home to solder! He wanted to tinker and knew how to assemble electronics but didn't have room for it at home.  Then I remembered being in a couple of long lasting raceways where they leased pit space for the locals as well as had communal pit space.  It may not seem important to guys like me who think tools and building things are what life's about, but with the increasing financialization of our economy perhaps the number of people who want to slot race simply don't have the place to do the 90% of slot racing that isn't on the track and raceways need to expand pit facilities?


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#100 MSwiss

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Posted 23 July 2015 - 12:28 PM

Your comment about 40% of the rental racers were repeat customers you had this weekend caught my eye. 
 
Do you think if you handed them a coupon for some time of discount on purchasing a car and/or a controller that could or would be a tipping for them to become more involved racers?  Would a coupon for first or second time renters to come back agan increase that 40% number up higher?  "Frequent flier" cards so after so many rental they get one "free".  Could it impact that 40% number to a higher level? Just curious.

 

I don't really like to push people that don't want to make that big of a commitment. I let them move along at their own pace and if they want to buy their own stuff, terrific.

 

Slightly different than offering a discount to repeat renters, last Sunday, I agreed to a party where all seven or eight kids got to pick out their own car to race and got to keep it. I essentially sold the eight cars and am doing the party for free.
 

I've never seen a copy of it, but I'm pretty sure American Model Raceways, in their franchise operating manual, recommended specific ways of "entertaining" a raceway's customers. The ribbons were certainly a part of those recommendations, as was holding short impromptu races whenever so many people were on the track.
 
One of these days, I hope to be able to peruse one of those AMRC operating manuals.

 

I think I mentioned earlier I hold races for the renters whenever possible/practical.
It's pretty gratifying how strangers cheer each other on, congratulating, especially other kids when they do something of merit.
The ribbon deal is OK, but I prefer to award racers out of my snack area.
 

So I was at a meeting of the community hackerspace last night and heard a guy say the strangest thing.  He said he just didn't have anywhere at home to solder! He wanted to tinker and knew how to assemble electronics but didn't have room for it at home.  Then I remembered being in a couple of long lasting raceways where they leased pit space for the locals as well as had communal pit space.  It may not seem important to guys like me who think tools and building things are what life's about, but with the increasing financialization of our economy perhaps the number of people who want to slot race simply don't have the place to do the 90% of slot racing that isn't on the track and raceways need to expand pit facilities?

 

I certainly encourage racers to thrash at the raceway, and make all my tools available to them, N/C.


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Mike Swiss
 
Inventor of the Low CG guide flag 4/20/18
IRRA® Components Committee Chairman
Five-time USRA National Champion (two G7, one G27, two G7 Senior)
Two-time G7 World Champion (1988, 1990), eight G7 main appearances
Eight-time G7 King track single lap world record holder

17B West Ogden Ave., Westmont, IL 60559, (708) 203-8003, mikeswiss86@hotmail.com (also my PayPal address)

Note: Send all USPS packages and mail to: 692 Citadel Drive, Westmont, Illinois 60559






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