Learning to drive slots again

[Mickey thumbs]

With my new track all done except for installing the Trackmate system, I‘ve been putting in some serious time with my stable of slot.it cars. My old style, dictated by early 60’s equipment- slow motors, rubber or foam tires, controllers w/o brakes- was “punch and slide.” The new equipment- 20,000 rpm motors,urethane tires and electronic controllers- mean you actually have to drive the cars to get around quickly. A very steep learning curve for an old guy! :lol:

[slothead]

And, individual cars can have their own 'personality', so you have to learn where the limits are for each of them. I was test driving cars the other day and when switching to a new one totally overshot it's normal shut down point on the back straight. I got that instant knot in my stomach as it seemed the car would crash and potentially leave the track and make a trip to the floor. But, even though it's rear end swung out more widely than ever in the next turn it continued on without incident. That suggests I can drive this car deeper into that corner than I've dared to try so far. Now I have to summons the courage to get more out of it than I thought possible.

I might need to add a fence behind the barrier around that corner to ensure taking a risk won't result in a disaster.

[HO RacePro]

Consider installing markers alongside your track, to use as braking points. Different colors can help you use the right one repeatedly.

Us old guys find millisecond timing challenging, but that is what's required to drive on the limit lap after lap. Markers can help with that.

Measured acceleration through and out of a corner is another skill that will improve lap times, and markers can help here as well. Once a car is in a corner, and established a drift, you can add power. Some cars will hook up incredibly well and take full power, or near it, going through the corner. Others will only allow a measured addition of power, applied smoothly. It is critical to exit the corner without fishtailing, so again a smooth application of power may be needed to launch properly onto the next straight.

Ed Bianchi