317 replies to this topic

[Pablo]

Steve M. I actually agree with some of your ideas in post # 98. I respect throwing a lot of ideas out there to see what sticks and what doesn't.

 

Two big things I do not agree with:

 

 

"Marketing via Facebook. THE BEST value for your buck in terms of targeted advertising hands down 100%. This should extend to Instagram. #slotcars #slotracing etc are out there and underutilized.  Set up an Instagram account and post it at the shop, super easy!  How many millions of people are on these platforms?"

 

If you are so keen on those forms of exposure, why are you posting this here on Slotblog? Kind of insulting to use one form of media to praise and promote another, isn't it? 

 

The use of the term "Boxstock" to promote a beginner class isn't correct. Boxstock is a wing class that uses built motors and lazer cut chassis. I understand your point, but use of that term is going to confuse people.

 

Just my 2 cents. Kudos for your enthusiasm 

[brucefl]

So lets stop griping and finally create and manufacture and sell en mass the commercicial track modeled after the modular home tracks just full scale size,in a durable light weight plastic easilly put together and taken apart ,then transport in your van or wagon to open spaces and have allthe races you want in a spur of the momentor in basements,and generator power and flea market tables for the pit.

 

now whats your objections?

 

its doable,just get haase to create the blueprint for prototype then injection mold mass produce.

 

with the modern materials it could weigh 50lbs.

[Pappy]

Go ahead, no one is stopping you.

[Revtor]

mSwiss, -Free advertising for you -SCORE! !  If you see him again maybe ask him about his youtube channel, how many subscribers etc ?

 

Raisin - I agree, the detailed cars are really cool, and verge into the world of collectables.  I know in HO there seem to be as many collectors as racers, especially of the older cars.  Its funny you mention drag cars, because lately I have bene itching to build a hardbody drag car, fully detailed.  Ive been building plastic models since forever, scratchbuilding and modelmaking is a big part of my love for racing these "model" cars!

 

Pablo, -  "Boxstock" was my way of describing an entry level class, where cars are run out of the box.  Not trying to confuse anyone.  Think of the old Parma beginner kit in a box, or a JK Flexi RTR car.  It could be whatever the venue owner decides to kit up.  

 

Regarding this forum/social media advertising, I am merely adding my ideas to this long running thread, not actually advertising a venue.  If and when a new venue opens near me I would of course mention it here where appropriate!  For discussions, forums win out every time in my book.  For advertising, FB/Insta/Twitter/Snapchat etc win out 100%.   FB is not a great place to house lots of info, discussions get lost, no easy way to access, etc...  If FB implemented a better mechanism for fostering discussions, it could be a great place for that...   A dedicated forum is the best way (i know of) to build a community of likeminded people online.  This Blog could be promoted on social media!!!  #slotblog

 

Bruce, -That's a novel idea.  I always like the idea of a portable track and it has been mentioned here a few times. At the right venue they can be a pretty good draw I'd imagine.  At the local HO swapmeet that runs twice a year, one of the local clubs brings a track and has cars to try out, and informal racing.  Then the club members hold a race with their cars.  It gives the show a bit of life and exposes the people who just wandered in a taste of what the hobby can be from the racing side of things.

Has there ever been any attempts at a 24th scale sectional track?  they sell 1/2" expanded PVC at HD.....  Give it a shot!

[Bill from NH]

In my opinion, Facebook & Instagram were mentioned beforehand in order to promote slotracing, not to promote themselves as an individual media. Everyone should know slotracing can use all the promoting it can get. If Facebook shouldn't be mentioned here, I ask, why does Slotblog have its own Facebook page? And the term "boxstock"  means more than just a particular USRA wing car class. Some raceways use it when referring to factory stock RTR cars in a JK, Champion, or Parma box & promote race programs for these cars. I've heard of one Washington raceway that went so far as to disqualified racers if they used other than stock Parma arm spacers in their motors.

[MattD]

This all sounds good.  Manufacturing an injection molded 1/24 track.    What price for the the tooling, then the molding, then the braid and wiring, then the transport to America, whatever tariffs are involved, transport in the states to somebody's warehouse.       Going to end up costing as much or more  as having somebody like G Gerding build you a 4 lane wood track of moderate size.  In sections of 8' or less.   

 

I can only guess but the cost to do the above and the profit margin needed at each stage, it would suddenly be, if not 10k, probably close to it.  Now you have a pretty expensive track  and they are setting in a warehouse waiting for buyers.      

 

I would still think that for a transportable track, a better deal might be standard Carrera track and maybe Carrera  just invests in tooling to make straight tracks 5-6 long and maybe 2 sizes of curves that might be a full 90 degrees.    You would have way fewer joints and lighter weight, and a good product for 1/24 cars.  All plug and play.   given all that there still wouldn't be many guys interesting in going to all that trouble to set up a track and then have only a minimal interest from the public.

 

There just is no way to turn the clock back to 1965 until somebody invents a time machine.

[Revtor]

For a transportable track, 1/32 may be the best overall.  Ability to get more track into a space, sectional to allow creative layouts, and lots and lots of cool detailed cars available to entice any and all gearheads and kids alike.  

 

Longer straightaways or custom sections can be routed by hand pretty easily and laid with 1/8 braid... ?

[Pappy]

It all sounds so simple but it takes a lot of money to do it, molds aren't cheap. After you build the track surface you also need something to sit it on or carry a bunch of legs that need to be taken off every time you move it. I know I wouldn't be willing to risk my money on such and endeavor even if I had any. 

[Matt Sheldon]

Showing up and racing is a novel idea.

[kvanpelt]

^^^^^^^^

[jimht]

Not to denigrate some worthwhile and oft repeated ideas, but...

 

The number of 1/24 scale slot car enthusiasts is directly proportional to the number of raceways.

 

More raceways = more racers, any ideas in that department?

[mgerbetz]

I think a template for a successful raceway would be helpful.

A sort of this works, that doesn't type of thing.
A business plan for a slot car raceway.

I believe many people come and go because there may be no plan. Not knowing what to expect. Or, not realistic expectations.

From How do I get people to come, race, stay, and keep coming back. To; What parts should I stock?

MG

[mreibman]

On the drive in to work this morning, I was thinking about this discussion.

 

2 things came to mind.

1) The cars that I see people (racers and newbies alike) gravitating towards are the ready-to-run cars in the showcase that have a decent paint job, look like a real car, and have decals on them that make them look like race cars. To this end, the 1/32 cars you can buy look a lot better, more detailed, etc... but they are designed for home tracks or smaller tracks. I suppose that the answer there is the lower power, smaller tracks and lower speed let you have less catastrophic wrecks that destroy the body.

2) There's no standardization.

Let me rant about standardization, because it drives me bonkers sometimes.

On a typical slot car, and for this discussion, it's ANY kind of 1/24 slot car, there are some items on it that are in English units of inches. But there are other parts that are measured in MM. Take a motor - the screws holding it together are #0-80, the endbell screws some combination of 0-80, 2-56, and/or 4-40. The armature diameter is measured in inches, but in decimal form to the thousandth. The axle has an English diamter (1/8" or 3/32") and the tires are in thousandths again. HOWEVER - the armature shaft is metric. The motor bearings (bushings) are metric. The axle bearings (bushings) are in inches again. If you go out of the country, the axles are metric (2mm/3mm/whatever).

This is like speaking Spanglish.

 

Don't get me started that we can't all wire our driver panels the same way (black-white-red anyone?) To the point that 3 tracks in the same raceway might not even be wired the same. How about they all have a power LED at each station? That's crazy talk!

 

So standardize: that's on the manufacturers, the track builders, and the track owners.

 

Make cars that look like cars. That's on everyone.

 

I'm no expert on these things to be sure.

 

Advertise. Market the products. We have manufacturers who do not have websites. We have products with no pictures on some of them that DO have websites. We have no way to identify things that we haven't seen. We're all backwards. EVERY PRODUCT EVERY MANUFACTURER MAKES TO SELL SHOULD HAVE A PHOTO AND A PART NUMBER TO GO WITH IT at the very least. And if some manufacturer doesn't like that statement, or doesn't have the technical capability to do it - CONTACT ME AND I WILL HELP YOU.

 

Why does apple sell so much stuff? It's not technologically superior to anything else. It's just marketed REALLY well.

 

Is this hobby going to survive? Somehow, yes. What's it going to do? No clue. If the tracks fold, I'm building (or paying someone to build) a track for my garage or basement - or I'll scale down to 1/32 or HO and do it myself.

 

We all have to work together, AND we have to get new blood or we die out. PERIOD.

[MattD]

When it all dies out, we will be gone, so will it really matter to us?   If you have family that likes it they can keep it alive or give it to one of your slot friends, but not one us will care when we are gone!

 

I like beating this dead horse!

[Phil Hackett]

Check out the body language. Soon after this event there's going to be an ultimatum.

 

When females start thinking slot cars are a great social gathering or events you might see *some* growth. More guys have left slot cars because of relationships that might be compromised than many realize.

 

[Pablo]

Good call, Phil. I see ladies are racing 1/1 trucks now. I like it 

[Bill from NH]

When it all dies out, we will be gone, ...

 

It died out here August, 2010. I've not gone anywhere yet.

[NSwanberg]

One time I asked my bleloved number 1 if she wanted to go to the slot car track with me, She replied, "I don't want to hang out with a bunch of old men yelling about track!"

 

I am trying to talk JB into doing a ladies only night on Monday nights. He needs to find a lady to run the event. I am still working out the dsetails but I think they will be low powered wing cars. In the metroplolitan Motor City area there are a lot of women engineers. Perhaps we could reach out to them though the Society of Women Engineers - Detroit.

 

http://www.swedetroit.org/

 

Does anybody know how to arrange off shore betting? Sounds like a dark web thing. People will bet on anything.

 

How about having bettors analyze 40 minutes of streamed practice of the racers before the race to include data such as best lap times and total laps on different lanes. Wagers then have 20 minutes between the end of practice and the start of the race to place their bets. Create a program that takes the bets and handicaps the racers creating a dynamic spread as the bets are placed. The spread is what made the NFL! Bets can be changed right up unti tlhe start of the race. The hostng raceway gets 5% of the handle.

 

Slots and Shots sounds like the name of a good slotcar raceway lounge combination.

 

I need to get more sleep.

[Pappy]

Slots and Shots sounds like the name of a good slotcar raceway lounge combination.

 

Slots and Sluts is a better one. It would be a raceway/whorehouse combination. A place where you could get 15 minutes on Red and/or 15 minutes on Rose. 

 

Just don't let the government run it, they couldn't even run the Mustang Ranch and make a profit. 

 

Everyone has their take on how to save slot car racing but no one is willing to put up the money, time and effort to try it. When I ran the Ohio Valley Retro series you always had the guys who would come to every race, bitch about something but never did anything to help with anything. You couldn't hardly get them to take their turn turn marshaling, forget them ever volunteering to do it.

[tonyp]

The solution is the banning of all video games.

[Revtor]

Check out the body language. Soon after this event there's going to be an ultimatum.

 

When females start thinking slot cars are a great social gathering or events you might see *some* growth. More guys have left slot cars because of relationships that might be compromised than many realize.

 

WhyNoYoungMenInSlotCars a.jpg

 

She heard "Lets go race cars"  not  "Sit here while I rebuild 8 motors"  He should have set her up with a good car and track time while he nerds out on the bench OR he should have done that at home!   ...hes got a lot to learn!!   

 

 

An all girls night or league or whatever is a good idea if you can get a willing enthusiastic female to lead that charge.  We have a girls in engineering club at my HS and its packed every Tuesday.  The interested younguns are out there!!!  

[NSwanberg]

 

Everyone has their take on how to save slot car racing but no one is willing to put up the money, time and effort to try it. When I ran the Ohio Valley Retro series you always had the guys who would come to every race, bitch about something but never did anything to help with anything. You couldn't hardly get them to take their turn turn marshaling, forget them ever volunteering to do it.

 

 

I try to be a good ambassadoor for slot car racing. I am finding that having a group F wing car at the ready for new peple to try lets them get the feel for running a slot car right away. Most of them do not figure out that the car can be punched all the way around the track for about 5 minutes.

 

Several people at Downriver will volunteer to marshal in races they are not in and that helps the program very much. Marshaling is a thankless job so show some appreciation for them. Especially those that volunteer.

 

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[Roy Lievanos]

I like the Chicagoland made Video Mike Swiss posted. Something like that should bring in new customers. Video Advertising should help. Seeing it is better than trying to explaining it. Us old timers can bring in friends or kids and let them try our cars but it seems difficult to get a new generation interested.
As far as women in slots I'm fortunate that my wife goes with me to the track during practice and races. She has been my "Pit Crew" since the 80's. Breaks in motors on the track while I tinker with other cars. Marshals when I'm dialing in turns and trying new ideas. I tell her she's a Nats winning Pit Crew Chief.
We always lunch or dinner afterwards.

[brucefl]

what about taking 8 lanes of home set track and bonding them together into the same size sections as commercial tracks along with retracktable permenent and retractable legs like some tables have,the weight is still miniscule and and space minimal to transport,and take gerding and create a middleman manufacturing operation(using track from scalexic or others) to sell pre ordered tracks sort of drop shipping for a great sales rep,for basements and garages,(facebook,twitter etc. will go viral with word of mouth,now thats what im takin about).

 

now we re back in business,the new home club track revolution i can smell the success,then actual commercial tracks would sprout up again strategically,like before with the home club H.O. racing and commercial tracks mixing with the club tracks,it could be billed as the home commercial track the next best thing to 1:1 racing,compared to H.O. it would feel like those large scale R/C planes,like H.O. Home set grownup.

[brucefl]

the commercial track would be a culmination of series races at home track for the ending of series,just like we did in the old days.