Luf's Targa Florio - Driving Television

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"Another Day" by Luke Toms

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About the RMSCC

The Rocky Mountain Slot Car Club (RMSCC) is a group of (primarily) Denver, Colorado 1/32 scale slotcar (slot car) racers. We come together to promote camaraderie and sportsmanship around the wonderful hobby of model car (slot car) racing! We encourage an atmosphere of competition and respect between our members, while always having fun! Please visit our discussion forum at http://forum.rmscc.org/ to get to know our members better!

The RMSCC was established in 2005 and is run and managed by Slot Car enthusiasts for Slot Car enthusiasts! Comprising of 7 (plus) tracks and a membership of 14 (and growing), we enjoy a variety of close and exciting racing, in which all skill levels are welcome!

Race events are held at different Slot Car tracks around Denver and not only do they provide great competition for all, but also offer a positive social atmosphere, with parties and BBQ's held from time to time. Racing events are usually held once per month on Saturday or Sunday, with a few special races from time to time. Test and Tune (TNT) nights are held often for to assist members wishing to learn the tips and techniques of tuning their cars and for all around relaxed racing with a company of friends.

For more information contact us by email at information@RMSCC.ORG

The Slotter's New Year's Party

We had a great time at the 2007 Slotter's New Year's Party

RMSCC Race #1 - 2007

Walter's Glen Plastic Iguana - 2007

The Boys of the RMSCC

A few of the guys after Race #1 of the 2008 Season!

Introduction to Slot Car Brands

From http://www.sportcraftcars.com/slotcar_buyers_guide.htm

Slot Car Buyer's Guide

People often inquire about differences, advantages and disadvantages of the various slot car manufacturers, so we dedicate this page to that subject. We will do our best to explain and define the characteristics of each slot car company. Which slot racing car is right for you?

Scalextric
The oldest of the slot car companies, Scalextric has been producing quality slot cars since the 1950’s. We believe that the modern 1/32 Scalextric slot cars offer the best value to performance and looks ratio. For under $48 Scalextric offers cars with excellent detail inside and out, earth shaking performance right out of the box, and many of them have working headlights. They also offer an economy line of scale race cars that look great and perform flawlessly for $19.95 - $29.95.

Fly

Fly, a Spanish company (not to be confused with Spanish Fly), has been around since 1996 and is largely responsible for the growth in the model slot car market as it stands today. Fly was the first company to introduce the extremely detailed (diecast quality) and extremely fast slot cars. In a single stroke Fly became the premier 1/32 scale slot car maker. Since then, other companies have caught up to Fly and Fly’s standards in performance and detail have lagged as their prices have gone up and up. Retail prices for 'new' Fly cars start at $64.95, however, we still carry a large variety of older Fly cars at a retail price under $50. Many 'out of production' Fly cars have become desirable collector items (check Ebay) and this trend continues to this day as older cars go 'out of stock'.

Carrera

Carrera is most noted for their track system, which is the favorite of many slot car enthusiasts. Their slot cars are a great value some costing under $35. They do not perform at a Scalextric level, and they tend to look a bit toy-like in overall appearance but they do have a quality all their own and are very fun in their own right. All Carrera 1/32 scale cars feature one adjustable magnet and their latest slot car model releases feature two! Carrera also produces 1/24 scale slot cars and 1/43 scale slot cars (which run just fine on ordinary size track).NincoAnother Spanish company, Ninco is also famous for its slot track system. Ninco takes pride in producing slot cars that are very "loose", thus delivering very realistic driving characteristics. The cars in their "Classic" line have no magnets and are a hoot to drive as they are very easy to slide out, or "drift" in the corners. Ninco is continually improving in the detail department and their latest releases are quite handsome. Their Formula 1 cars with front steering are very popular. Prices usually range from $42.95 to $59.95.

SCX

SCX is an independent offshoot of the Scalextric company, hence the name S-C-X. SCX was the first company to deliver the 4 wheel drive slot car, present in their rally car models. They also offer very realistic Formula One cars with front steering. At $39.95 - $55.95 SCX cars offer quite a value, and with proper tuning they can compete with the best of them. All SCX cars also feature an adjustable magnet.

Revell / Monogram

Anyone who raced slot cars in the 60’s will remember this brand name. Having re-entered the slot car market, Monogram is producing some of the most beautiful slot race cars available today. Focusing on vintage American endurance racing, their performance and detail just keep getting better and better. These cars have a very "old school" vibe and are reasonably priced at $44.95 - $53.95.

AUTOart

A premier maker of 1/18 diecast models, AUTOart has entered the slot car market with some stunning releases. AUTOart’s focus thus far has been on exotic street cars (Lamborghini Countach and Murciëlago), and WRC rally cars. Their cars are beautiful and feature working headlights, a steal at $35.95 - $44.95 . You won’t get Scalextric grade performance but with this much detail and at this price who’s complaining? Look for an expanding selection in the days to come. AUTOart also produces 1/24 scale slot cars.

Slot.It

From Italy, Slot It makes highly detailed 'ready to run' slot cars along with an assortment of upgrade parts of the highest quality. Their cars are built to be very tunable and upgradeable and in top form will no doubt be the fastest cars in your stable. They retail at $49.95.

In Summary, all of the slot cars offer up a great deal of fun and we recommend having at least one slot car from every company for you to compare and contrast. We also recommend buying similar cars in pairs (i.e. same basic car in different body and/or color schemes) as this will not give the advantage to one driver or the other. All brands of 1/32 slot car work on all brands of 1/32 scale track systems (Carrera, Scalextric, Ninco and SCX), plus they are very durable and require minimal maintenance.

So, let the fun begin.

For the Kids (and beginners) As the slot car hobby presents a great gift idea for children we do have some recommendations. There are several economy priced cars especially geared for the kids so that the dads don’t have to worry about their $65 Fly cars being wrecked by junior (or that annoying neighbor who likes to drive your cars harder than you'd like him to). These cars have minimal body extremities (wings, side mirrors, etc.) and that makes for an extra durable car in the event of a crash. These cars range in price from $25 to $35 (Scalextric and Carrera have many examples) and would make perfect stocking stuffers.A Word on MagnetsThe biggest difference between the slot cars of the 60’s and today’s slot race car is the addition of the magnet. In a slot car the magnet is the equivalent of what "downforce" is in a real racing car. Most all modern slot cars have at least one magnet mounted in the chassis to improve cornering capabilities. Some cars have weaker magnets and some stronger, and the stronger the magnet, the faster the cornering. Most magnets can be replaced to upgrade or downgrade in strength to suit driver taste and style, and as mentioned earlier some cars have adjustable magnets to increase or decrease "downforce".

At the RMSCC, magnets cover up a multitude of engineering flaws and takes much of the challenge out of racing, so we race 100% non magnet and it is a blast!

Happy Slotting!

Tuning Tips

Taken for the Phoenix Slot Car Group - http://www.phoenixslotcars.com

First the Inspection of the Rear End

First unscrew and remove the chassis from the body. Then remove both of the rear tyres. Hold the
Model up so you have a good view of the rear rims and axle. Rotate the axle at a steady rate and
look for any irregularities.

Things to look for and fix

Grab each rim, gently try and rotate each rim in opposite directions. This will pick any loose rims on the axle, if you find a loose rim, it will need to be glued. Also check the rims for defects,
especially for cracks in their hubs.( This also can be fixed with a Brass or Plastic sleeve over the
hub to prevent the crack from opening again) Now Check how well the bearings are seated in their holders, by gently moving the axle up and down and side to side. It’s no big deal if they move a little, in most cases they can be effectively glued with Super Glue. Check for any slop between the axle and bearings. Some of the Slot Car makers have oversized bearings; these may need to be addressed to achieve a tighter fitting bearing. If this is the case, Place a small amount of Super glue between the bushings and axle ( Where they meet ) then place the slotcar back onto the track and hold the car upright while keeping the wheels turning (With your Controller). After a short while the wheels will become nice and free again Now without any slop, Just add a little oil to the Bushing and your away and running.

Wheels are not True

If you find High and Low spots on the rims, then they will need to be sanded flat using your Slotcar Controller and some Sandpaper glued to a Wooden block. This is the best way to achieve a nice and true rim. vibrations should disappear once the rims is round and true. Now that the rims are true, Its time to place your Tyres back over the rims and start the sanding process all over again! After a little while you should notice no more Hopping. Finally you can now Carefully clip the axle back into the chassis. Add a little Super glue on top of the Bushers where they meet the plastic clips and to add a little oil to the rear gears.


The Track

Now testing your slotcar you will need to Accelerate down a long flat straight, looking for any Hopping at the rear end. If you find that your slotcar is still bouncing around, then the tyres are not sanded properly! Also you should note when cornering to check if the Car slides well and the tyres are not grabbing. To eliminate this you will have to round of the outer edge of each tyre by using some torn sandpaper and your fingers to achieve a rounded edge on the tyre wall.


The inspection of the Front End

You will need a setup board for this, (Or find an old DVD cover and cut a slot in it). Now the main aim is to check the ride height of the guide and front wheels (tyres). The easiest way to get the most of the guide into the slot is to sand down the tyres to the right diameter. Although on some cars, this can result in a lot of sanding. Another method is to place a copper sleave over the axle and to a set to a determined height. If your going to sand the tyres down, you will need an old rim mounted on a spare axle. Now insert the axle into the hand drill, Now place the tyre to be sanded onto the rim and place the wheel now onto the sanding block you have and sand to the determined height. You will only need to do this at a slow speed.

Checking the Guide

If you find that your guide is to loose, Then apply some glue to the edge of the Guide hole and wait until dry. Now find a drill bit with the correct size you need and hand twist the guide hole to remove the unwanted glue. Replace the guide and add a little oil.

Noisy Gearing

To get rid of that dreaded Noise, you will need some abrasive Toothpaste. Just smear some paste onto the gear, and run the Car for about 5 to 10 minutes while still applying the paste to gears. When you hear the Gears starting to Mesh without the noise, Then clean the paste from the gears, and then apply oil onto the gears.

Preparing the Body

What we like to do is to leave the Car bodies loose on the chassis. To do this Lightly sand or scrap with a hobby knife the outer areas of the body, where chassis touch. Also Lightly sand the outer chassis to where they meet the body. Now find a drill bit that is one size larger than the original hole in the chassis where you removed the screws from and hand drill the Holes larger. This will allow for the Screws to not bite onto the edge of the chassis Hole. This setup can improve handling greatly.


Preparing the Motor

There is not much we do here, Except to add a little oil to both ends where the shaft extrude from the can. Also add a little Super glue to the engine mountings to stop the Engine from shifting from side to side under Acceleration.

Braid

The braid should always be kept clean. Get yourself some WD40 and a clean rag, Now spray the WD40 onto the rag and wipe the braids clean. As you will see that by doing this your car will achieve a much better contact.

Cleaning the Tyres

We like TNT to clean tires along with some heavy duty cue tips

Presentation of your Racing Car

Alway try and keep all of your broken wings and mirrors that you have lost while racing, so they can be reglued for your next racing event. This way all cars will look like they should. ( not only this , but your cars will be worth more when selling in the Future )

Membership

Membership in the RMSCC is $20.00 per year. Additionally, $1 per race class will be collected at each race event. Acceptance of membership is subject to review by the RMSCC Board.

For additional information email us at information@rmscc.org

Classes That We Run

CLASSES

All races are Non-Magnet unless noted. All vehicles must have at least 3 race numbers (decals) unless they were presentation cars or test cars, sponsor decals, all wheels must have inserts unless they are a stylized wheel, i.e., NSRs

Box Stock - Slot cars must be stock, no performance upgrades, no manufacturer race RTR's allowed, all slot cars must have interior w/driver figure. No other modifications allowed so please don't ask.

Box Stock Plus - Same as above plus tire upgrades are allowed. No foam tires. Tire upgrades to rear tires only except for AWD rally slot cars. No other modifications allowed so please don't ask.

Limited - Same as above plus the following: F/R tire, F/R wheel, F/R axle, gear, guide upgrade.

Unlimited - Same as above plus motor changes allowed

Vintage - 1960 and older

Classic - 1961 - 1976

Contemporary - 1977 - 1996

Modern - 1997 - present

RULES

Non-Magnet - All slot car magnets must be removed (except for motor magnets of course).

Weight - 10 gram weight limit on outside bottom of chassis, no weight limit on inside of slot car. Weight cannot be visible from driver station or from above while car is on track.

Tires - Tires must be inside wheel wells or within spirit of 1:1 scale of the car it represents. All four wheels on track, the front tires must roll when pushed.

Basic Race Format - Track host will set a specific start time that will be adhered to. If you are late and you haven't made prior arrangements you will not run that race. There will be a minimum of 45 minutes practice time and practice time will end 15 minutes before the start of the race at which time all cars participating in the first race will be teched. Cars participating in the 2nd race will be teched prior to that race. There is no practice prior to the 2nd race.

Tech Inspection - All slot cars impounded in the tech paddock before and after each race. Drivers will deliver their cars to tech with the bodies removed for inspection. The cars, once teched, will remain in impound till the beginning of the race. Once the race is over drivers will return their cars back into impound. The Tech Director will release the cars back to the drivers at his discretion.

Main Event - Club decides 2 main races. 3 minute heats each (minimum).

Support Race - Race host decides what the support race will be.

Marshalls - At sanctioned RMSCC events everybody must rotate marshalling. When your heat is done you immediately rotate into the marshall position (unless you have a car issue that needs to be addressed between heats, then it is your responsibility to find a replacement marshall - then that issue must be brought to the attention of the Tech Director for his approval). Example: 4 lane track has four heats that means you marshall at least four heats. Details coordinated by race host and co-chairs.