A question from a soon to be racer

I'm in your boat, Spencer...I don't have many fancy tools. A Dremel is about as complicated as I get. Now I don't think "support" tools, like the wheel jig or stuff like that, is an issue because those are things anyone can really make...and that's the real DIYness of modding. Those are the things that I see and get excited about because I try to make similar tools for myself. But I'm not going to drop coin on heavy machinery.

I don't disagree with you at all...and that almost begs a bigger question - what does "getting into racing" mean?

Does that mean just getting organized with a track, accessories and a shelf full of cars? Or does that mean learning how to take apart a car and mod it to be fast?

I think you're correct that there should probably be more stock mail-in races. They will serve well as a way for new members to get their head around how a mail-in works, brackets, scoring, shipping, etc. From there, I think, there would grow an organic interest in custom racing and they can level up as they see fit. Some folks might want to become super modders, and others might just be happy picking cars off the shelf and sending them in.

Redline Derby Racing has grown quite a bit over the past 2 years or so, and I think you're highlighting a "problem" I've been thinking about a lot lately - how to grow and keep advanced members interested while at the same time having a low barrier to entry for new people. The nice part is, I think it's a problem we can solve somewhat easily, we just need to make a point to do it. I'll talk with Even Coordinator Chris to see what we can organize for the more novice racers. 

Thanks for the topic and your thoughts. Your observations are spot on.

I’ll say this. None of the above mentioned technology has won a race or a series here. New ideas are great and some can progress the racing in a positive way. I view them as building options, there is more than one way to skin a cat (not sure why you would do that but anyways…) The car that won the Sedan race, was a spare, untested, relatively stock chassis glued to a body. (some cars are just fast) The right mix of parts… FTE cars can have an advantage, but there are plenty of other wheels/axle combinations that are not nickel plated and proven winners. Traditional axle swap cars have won the majority if not all the races I have been involved with. Each car I build is a learning process…I hope they are getting better. I remember when I raced RC trucks, there were guys with the latest greatest stuff, full aluminum chassis, and the shiny parts and the stock trucks would whip up on them…why? Lighter, more flexible, less precise tuning gave those drivers and advantage. The stock trucks are set up for a wide range of tracks, etc. The stiff chassis and aftermarket stuff needed to be dialed in precisely and then you need to know how to drive it to the narrowed range of that tune up.

My concern with splitting up the racers to expert and beginner classes is. We are already a small segment, this just divides that segment further.

 Build, learn, race, repeat…

I've been lurking and reading for a few months and this is my first post.  I too have some of the same concerns you shared.  I can't wait to build a test track, get some cars ready, and mail them off to race but I'm not sure when I will be ready to do it. Until I'm ready I can't stop watching the posted racing videos with my son.  I was especially intrigued by the Stock "Racing for Pinks" event from a few months ago.  That seemed like a good entry level event for beginners.

I love the site and everyone seems very friendly and informative.  I hope to see you at the starting gate soon.

Josh (Happy Camper) Marr

Hi Spencer,

I'm the one responsible for most of the 'tinkering' that you mentioned. I'd it is mainly me trying to make consistant, fast cars...and to be able to make them from any car that is hanging on the pegs.

There are fast chassis out there...I like tge Chrysler 300 fte chassis as a base. '34 Ford chassis and Way2Fast chassis are also great to put under your car. But not all bodies will fit these chassis. A good example is the DB5 Aston Martin that I built for Keef921 in the Sedan race. That car is a very short-wheel-based car and it is very narrow. But, by using axle tubes, I was able to put fte wheels in it and widen the car to get it to run straighter.

But, also in the Sedan race, the UDC cars...'57 Chevys are very simple cars...tge #8 car has fte wheels and weight...the axles are not even glued in! And yet, it was a quick car.

And then, there is the car that just won Sedan race...Luke11's Galaxy. I put tgat car together in less than an hour. It has a Chrysler 300 chassis, with the axles glued in (using an axle jig), weight added and tge body glued on...that's it!

I guess what I'm saying is, there is no 'one correct way' to build fast cars. You will learn what works best for you...test your cars as you work on them. Sometimes fast cars just happen.

In showing the stuff that I am tinkering with, I am just showing different ways to approach building these cars. The most important thing is to have good spinning wheels on your car and to be sure tgat tgey run straight.

Does that make sense?

Chris

I started with 8 segments of track (4 for each lane) bought at Toys r Us and a pile of cars... you'll never know how your car will perform until its in an event. stock, mod, other...

And welcome all new racers, I'm excited to see all the new interest...can only get better.  

I will second TE's comments on tools...they're just that, tools. And if you don't understand what goes into making a car fast - the physics and mechanics - then all the tools in the world won't help. And I too have made custom cars that end up being slower than stocks. It's very trial-and-error and depends on the car and the track. That is half the fun.

However...

I don't want to discount the intimidation factor of races that are comprised of mostly veteran racers with lots of experience. I'm one of those people that won't compete in something if I think I'm completely out-skilled. If I saw someone entering a race with a car they built with big machines and CAD software, I probably wouldn't enter, because if you look like you know what you're doing, people think you do. I like bowling but I'm not going to spend my time/money entering a tournament against The Duke unless I think I'm ready. It's easy to say "it's just a friendly competition," but it's still a competition.

But also to TE's worry about spilting classes...I don't see the need for classes where we label a tournament as "Novice" or "Advanced" - I think that's a bad idea. We just make it a point to host some tournaments for limited modifications or even just stock cars, like Spencer mentioned. Those that want to enter will, and those that don't, won't. At this point in time, there are enough tournaments happening that there will be something for everyone, regardless of experience level. That's how it should be...we've just finally gotten to the point where we have lots of veteran racers and a good lot of new racers too. It's a good problem to have.

I do not disagree with any of you, however, I have been around racing most of my life from being on the Pit Crew for the 1973 Cup champion to go kart racing to low level NASCAR racing as a driver to owning 50% of a slot car track in Virginia.  Chris, while I agree that just the chassis that you are building might not be that much faster than a stock one look at it this way.  If you or a couple of friends of yours do really well in races using this chassis it might give the perception that the chassis gives a distinct advantage and remember sometimes perception becomes reality.  If this would happen some of the racers will find the need to purchase some from you, find a machine shop that will replicate it or enter races with the perception of being at a sizable disadvantage.  An entry level class could provide the ability to enter a class against very similar cars and also have the ability to send other cars to compete against the "Big Boys".  I have just painted my first car using the brass tubing axle mounts and using the wheels on the Current Racing cars.  I plan on attempting to get in touch with the person building the wheel jig and try to purchase one and from there I want to try some of the things you are doing with the possibility of a couple of things I have not seen on this site.

Thank you for your time and allowing a New Racer/Old Man a chance to vent.

Spencer (Mayberryman) Wilkinson

Welcome to all the new racers!  It's great to see new people on the board although I haven't been here half as long as many of the others.  Hopefully you guys will get the bug to start entering some races, be it modified or stock.  I like the idea of having some stock races.  I have lots of cars that I don't want to mod but would like to see how they do against others.  I thought it was fun sending in unopened cars and letting the chips fall where they may.  But, I also enjoy modding.  Hopefully one day I'll have a car that can win a series, although it may be quite some time.  Most of my mods can't touch a comparable fast stocker of mine.  It all depends on the amount of time you want to invest in building a car.  There's still no guarantee it will be fast whether you spent 30 minutes or 30 hours building it.  Quite honestly I don't have the time or desire to do all the little things some of the other guys do.  But I'm happy and satisfied with what I'm building (most of the time lol).  For me, that's the most important part.  So, I just keep tinkering at my pace and maybe someday I'll get lucky.  

Hell, I just like racing with these guys. I don't do so bad but a lotta guys in Nascar never won Daytona either. Hey, what Raceway did ya own? I owned "Majestic Raceway" in Brick NJ.

http://i1265.photobucket.com/albums/jj515/majestik9/img054_zps37691af1.jpg

Hi there Nightstalker8, I was part owner in a track called "FasTrax" for about four years when it was located in Mechanicsville, Va.  The Track was actually in operation for almost 16 years in four different locations in Virginia.  We had a 185' Engleman, a 72' Tri Oval and a scale 1,000 Drag Strip.  I am a life long slot racer (off and on) for over 50 years and still compete at an occasional race.  Being an owner opened my eyes to both sides of the business and eventually placed great stress on my enjoyment of the Hobby side of the business.  I guess I have always been interested in down hill racing since helping my son and others with pinewood cars when my son was a cub scout (He is now 42).  When I found this site I found what I see is my perfect mix as far as competition, people who want to compete, people who want to win and people who want to innovate, but most of all people who want to have fun and enjoy the company of others who have the same ideas.

That's awesome, Guys! I raced slots in the early '90's. The local hobby shop, Sussex County Hobbies, had a track for a while...it was good fun! I raced RC's before that!

I never got 'really' into it...we raced Group 12 cars mostly...they were fast enough for the track we were on. It was good fun! I used to enjoy picking my spots to pass...getting right on somebodies butt, and picking my spot to pounce!

I guess, that once you get a taste of racing and competition, it never really gets out of your system!

:)

I wish I had been exposed to "real" slot car racing when I was little. I had the cheap Tyco junk but then one time I went to a local hobby store, Tom Thumb, with my mom looking for train stuff and they had a big slot car track on site like the ones you guys are talking about. I was blown away...I was like "so this is real racing" - unfortunately, at 8-years-old it was just out of my reach. I have to say, the guys at the store that didn't weren't too keen on me hanging out and watching, so that didn't help either.

I have a hunch that I may revisit slot cars in the near future. I know they've come a LONG way in terms of technology and stuff so it's probably more up my alley at this point. But I'm guessing Hot Wheels racing is still *way* cheaper :)

And I can second the Pinewood Derby gateway drug for what we do here. I loved building the cars and watching them go...then once I saw that people do it with Hot Wheels, I knew it was the perfect blend of toys and tinkering. And when I tell people I race Hot Wheels, that's always the comparison I use and people get it. So thank you Pinewood Derby, ha!