Old slot racer gone to the dark side…
(A case for Digital slot racing)
I have been racing 1/24 scale slot cars on big wooden tracks, on and off since late 1960’s.
I had come to the point where I looked in disdain on 1/32 scale plastic cars running on plastic tracks.
Digital racing in particular seemed something from a toy store. Not a real hobby.
Well, no more. I stand corrected!
Since Corona, 3 local clubs joined forces and now share the same location as one club under one roof.
First, some of my club mates invited me to go to Naples, Italy, and race 1/32 scale NSR cars in the 24-hour WRE.
A massive event with no less than 4 major, 30+ meter, 8-lane tracks. 32 teams of 150+ racers competing for 24 hours.
Long story short, I am amazed of the speed and quality of these little critters.
They are indeed made for real slot racing, and boy, do they also look pretty. (But still Analog racing)
Next, my club build a large, very nice, 4-lane, Policar racetrack, equipped with lane changes and setup for digital racing using the Slot.it oXigen system.
This allows for up to 20 cars to be running on the track at the same time.
Having build the track they then told me, oh, we are only going to race on lane-2 and 3!
Lane-1 and lane-4 are marshaling tracks. If you go off, your car is placed back on either lane-1 or 4.
Then when you get to the next merging point on the track, you are forced into one of the racing lanes, 2 or 3.
The track is purposely not in any figure-8 shape. This means that lane-2 is 60 cm shorter than lane-3.
In other words, if possible, you want to run on the faster lane-2.
Now, that is not always possible. If you come up from the back to another car, and you think you are faster, you need to find a way around.
That usual means shifting to lane-3, which is marginal slower. Question is if you are so much faster, that you can complete the overtake.
If you are brave, you might try the “Cobra maneuver”. Dropping into lane-1 before the large turn with 360 degrees left followed by 180 degrees right,
hoping that you can jump your competitor, before you are forced back to lane-2, half a track later. This is rarely successful, only a few have managed to do it.
I admit. I have been bitten. Digital racing at this level is wonderful.
First of all, we race!
Even though we employ lane changers, It, is nothing like running toy trains. Not at all.
It is not a case of running the shorter ideal line either. That is a misconception.
We do not change lanes unless we have to. It is a strategical decision. But if you do change lane, be prepared for the minute disruption of your racing while shifting lane,
and be prepared for negotiating the next corners at a different radius than last lap. You cannot rely on rhythm; you need to instantly adapt you’re driving.
This is why I have come to love digital racing so much.
Forget the toys, but don’t knock it until you have tried it on a professional level.
I am sure you will find it amazing.
