1/32 Jel Claws Rubber Racing Tires for SCX Nascar (2)(Front/Rear) Slot Car Part. We analyzed and compared 45 slot car sets sold for nearly 45 hours, and considered the opinions of 633 consumers. Following our last update, our favorite model is the Joysway Super 251 USB Power Slot Car Racing Set.However, if you don’t want to spend extra then we have another vast option for you is Joysway Super 251 USB Power Slot Car Racing Set. Well we've looked at the slot cars, and we've looked at the track. So now it's time to look at an easily overlooked, but vital component, the controller, or throttle. This is all you have to control your car, so making the right choice can make a big difference. Analogue Hand Controllers. Top 15 Best Slot Car Tracks in 2021 Reviews & Guides: 1. Hot Wheels Slot Car Track Pack. Hot Wheels collectors will definitely love this product because it can be an additional collection for them. This best slot car track from Hot Wheels is a 40 feet single-car tracks and connectors that you can connect together.
Update: With Christmas coming up, you may want to splurge on the most luxurious slot car racing sets on the market, so if you’re into that, click here for our latest post which delves into the best sets that money can buy. Otherwise, keep reading to find the reasonably priced best slot car set.
Slot car sets have been gaining tons of popularity again with the end of the holiday season. The innovation in new slot car racing has brought adults and kids alike back into the sport!
It does not matter whether you’re a kid or an adult. Regardless of age, a slot car set is an excellent toy for those who like cars and racing. Basically, you will have a miniature car that is electrically driven and will have to travel in a slot on a track. This is a great alternative to video games and is a cool old-school way to play with cars!
You just have to be a kid at heart to enjoy slot car racing. There are even slot car racing leagues for racing enthusiasts, divided into four categories— local, regional, national, and international organizations. You can partake in 1:24 and 1:32 scale racing competitions, HO racing organizations, and Formula-2000 racing in the United States. You can even register for slot racing competitions that occur globally. These competitions are open for all ages – kid, adult, or the elderly. If you’re not into competitive racing, you can race slot cars for fun. It’s always good to have an activity that you enjoy during your free hours, and driving slot cars can be yours.
Slot car racing is for people as young as age 8 and as old as age 80, and mastering it doesn’t require a lot of time and effort. Just pull the trigger and watch your car race around the track. Quick tips for you: the trigger controls the speed, increases speed on the straights, and decreases speed on the sharp corners. The only rule is to keep your slot car on the track and avoid crashing into other slot cars. What is it about slot cars that attract various age groups? Let’s take a closer look to find out.
Children love to control their slot car, and watching it go around the track gives immense joy. If you’re giving your child a slot car set, get them a track with intricate and realistic details and design. A race track that looks like a real track, landscape, or city will excite your kids again. Slot racing is an activity that has gotten parents’ approval. Since the only action is to squeeze and release the trigger, it’s a risk-free, safe, and entertaining activity that doesn’t involve any strenuous motion.
Young adults will love the competitive aspect of slot car racing. With a wide range of slot car sets to choose from, most modeled after real cars, teens like having more than one option. Racing slot cars encourage communication and teamwork between racers. It’s also a great bonding activity between parents and teens, allowing them to build a track for their slot cars.
Slot car racing is also popular among adults and the elderly. They can customize their slot cars and construct race tracks. The reason the elderly and even people with disabilities or injuries can play with slot cars is that they require minimal strength. Adults throw entire parties where people race slot cars against each other on the track.
From the quality of the track to the performance of the car, there are many characteristics worth noting to help you narrow down the options that are available. If you need help looking for the best slot car set, keep on reading and let us extend a helping hand.
At A Glance: Our Top Picks of Slot Car Sets
- Tracer Racers R/C High Speed Remote Control Super 8 Speedway Glow Track Set Our Top Pick
Our Top Picks for the Best Slot Car Set
QUICK OVERVIEW: Our Top Picks of Slot Car Sets
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Tracer Racers R/C High Speed Remote Control Super 8 Speedway Glow Track Set
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Carrera First Nintendo Mario Kart Slot race Track Set
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Best Slot Car Tracks
The options can be overwhelming, but this should not give you the reason to buy just any slot car set. As an intelligent buyer, you have to take the time to differentiate the possibilities. We hear you, and that is exactly the reason why we came up with this guide.
Tracer Racers R/C High Speed Remote Control Super 8 Speedway Glow Track Set
Every dollar spent will surely be worth it with this set! The track has a total length of 46 feet, which will make every race more exciting. On top of that, it also offers versatility as there are multiple different power settings that are available. Users can choose from beginner, intermediate, and expert, which means that it will take quite a while before someone can outgrow this toy. Cars are controller at a to-scale speed of 500 mph! Plus, there are unlimited laps in every race. It is also quick and easy to assemble! It comes with detailed instructions from the manufacturer.
Carrera GO!!! GT Contest Slot Car Race Track Set
Ideal for those who are aged eight and up, this is one of the most popular choices for a slot car set. It has a 1:43 scale, which adds up to the excitement of every race. The track has a total length of approximately 12 feet and the cars can reach a scale speed of up to 370 mph. It can be used by more than two players, which makes it a fun toy to play with. The long track featuring a hotspot junction can make you feel like a professional racer. The hotspot junction makes the entire racing experience even more intense. One wrong move can to your car colliding against each other, especially if you’re neck to neck with the other player’s slot car.
If you want your child to develop a passion and skill for racing slot car or if slot racing interests them, this slot car race set is perfect for them. Its controller has governors, which help young children learn and develop their slot car racing skills by driving the slot car at slower speeds around the race track. There are also expansion sets that are available for an endless way to race with this toy!
DMXSLOTS Exclusive Slot Car Racing Package
This is the perfect option for those who are looking for a more innovative option as it is able to overcome the limitations that are present in the traditional slot car sets. Among others, one of its revolutionary features is the lane-changing technology. With the rotating pin technology, which has been exclusively developed by the manufacturer of this toy, cars will be able to change lanes regardless of where they are in the track. In most models, you can do so only at a predetermined point. This set comes with a 12-foot track, including 12 curves and 12 straights.
HOMOFY Dinosaur Toys Slot Car Race Set
For a budget-friendly slot car set, this is one option that should be on your radar. With 142 pieces, this is the perfect way to make playtime more educational. With a Jurassic World theme, the track also includes vehicles, trees, and dinosaurs. Children can enjoy endless possibilities when it comes to how they will build their track. The toy parts are made of ABS plastic, which is eco-friendly and non-toxic, making it safe for kids. To provide buyers with peace of mind, it is a good thing that the manufacturer offers a 90-day warranty.
Carrera First Nintendo Mario Kart Slot race Track Set
Made for children who are aged three and up, this is another themed slot car set that is worth considering, especially for those who love Super Mario. It comes with a 7.87-foot track, as well as two cars that feature Mario and Yoshi. The track features eight turns and more than two players can play with this set. There are two electronic controls that are strategically positioned to provide kids with the freedom to have a hand on their race. The assembly and disassembly of the track will also be fairly simple, which can be easily done even by kids.
Carrera Evolution Speed Patrol Slot Car Race Set
Another product from Carrera, this set provides real racing action to its users! The cars have a scale of 1:32 while the track has a scale of 1:24. When assembled, the track has a total length of 24 feet. Meanwhile, the maximum scale speed of the cars is up to 370 mph, which makes it easy to actually feel the thrill in every race. Right out of the box, the kit is inclusive of everything that will be needed and the assembly can be completed even by kids. There are also two analog controllers that are included upon purchase. Meanwhile, the cars included are Lamborghini and Porsche 911 Polizei.
Scalextric James Bond Micro Slot Car Race Set
If you are searching for a slot car set that is ideal even for adults, this is definitely what you should pick. This will allow you to recreate the iconic James Bond car chases that you can see in the movies. It includes a classic and modern Aston Martini DBs, which is the perfect way to show off your elegant taste in cars. The set is inclusive of an approximately 12-foot race track that can be further expanded. It is also easy to assemble and has easy power controls, making it a great choice even for the little ones. The hand controllers feature a power selector, which allows you to adjust the car’s speed, hence making it ideal for beginners. If you’re up for the challenge, increase the car’s speed. This 3’9” by 2’3” race track is compatible with all HO 1:64 scale slot racing cars.
Scalextric ARC One American Classics Playset
From the same manufacturer as the product mentioned above, it is revolutionary in the sense that you can download a compatible app in your mobile phone, providing a one-of-a-kind way to control the car while on the track. This also allows users to unlock a host of new features. You can personalize every game by inputting the number of laps and the name of the driver, among other things. You can also easily monitor race stats and fuel usage through the app. The track has a total length of 16 feet and four inches. Meanwhile, users will be able to set it in three different layouts.
AGM Slot Car Set With Racing Assistant App
This product takes slot car racing to the next level because of the mobile app that is included, providing a new way to have the car controlled. The app can provide commentary as well as real-time data. Meanwhile, as for the track, it has a total length of 26 feet. There are three challenging layouts to add excitement to every race. The set comes with good-looking Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG cars, which are sure to make even adults drool. Lastly, there is an ergonomic control that is designed to run up to two cars.
Artin Super Loop Speedway
With this set, users will be able to enjoy up to 34 feet of track, which makes it one of the longest from the products that have been briefly reviewed in this guide. It comes with two Porsche 911 GTS RS cars, each with a scale of 1:43. The manufacturer has done an excellent job of creating miniature versions of Porsche 911 GTS RS cars, as they’re instantly recognizable. If you already have another track from this brand, you can add this track and extend it to 14” x 5.” With the slot car set, you receive an easy-to-understand user guide that shows you how to build the track. You can even change the shape of the track, making it a square if you want. You can easily assemble and disassemble the track to create new tracks to race the slot car each time. It’s a large track, making it perfect for homes with a room dedicated to racing slot cars. It has the loops and the turns that will add excitement to any race. There are also crossover tracks, as well as squeeze and lap counter tracks. The set includes two speed controllers.
How Does a Slot Car Work?
It was in the 1960s when the slot car toys have been popular. These days, even with the emergence of digital technologies, it still remains a popular toy of choice, especially for those who love racing. Basically, the tracks have grooves or channels, which are the slots. They are the ones that will guide the car as it turns and twists throughout the race. There are two metals that form a slot between the tracks. The cars are also equipped with magnets that will allow it to stay in place regardless of its speed.
The metal on the tracks is the one that provides the supply of electricity for the cars to run. There are hand-held remotes that are used by the racer to control the movement of the cars. For the driver, it is important to be smooth and consistent in the control. It is basically like playing a racing video game, except for the fact that there are actual cars and tracks that can be built.
Types of Slot Car Sets
Before you shop, it is important that you are familiar with the different types that are available. In this case, you will basically have two choices:
- Analog Slot Car: With this type, the number of lanes will determine how many cars will be able to race. Each lane will be able to power only a single car. Once the car is on the track, the rail will be powered once the trigger from the controller has been pulled. Analog slot cars are modeled after the conventional slot car racing system. Your electric-powered slot car travels around a plastic or wooden race track. The slot car has a motor attached to the guide, which is connected to the car’s chassis.The rails prevent the slot car from coming off the track, regardless of the speed you’re driving it. You use a controller to control the speed of the car. Each person races their analog slot car in one lane of the race track. At one time, only four slot cars can compete with each other. For these reasons, people separate the races into different heat. This allows drivers to use a different lane for each heat, hence giving every race equal advantage.This is an ideal choice for beginners and for those looking for a cheaper alternative.
- Digital Slot Car: If you want one that is more innovative, this is the type that you should choose. Each car comes with a digital chip and each lane is full-powered. They also have crossover sections, making the race more challenging. Digital slot car racing isn’t limited to the local race track. You can compete in slot car racing from a remote location via the internet. You can compare times, compete in real-time against other racers, and go on qualifying runs.Combining digital slot car racing with the internet makes the entire experience of racing slot cars even more surreal as if you’re partaking in a real race. However, there are drawbacks to digital slot car racing. Digital slot cars and tracks cost more than analog slot cars and tracks. If you switch to a digital race track, you’ll need to buy digital slot cars, as analog slot cars will not work on a digital race track.Moreover, you can’t race a digital slot car on a digital race track from another brand. You’ll have to buy digital slot cars from the same brand as your digital race track, hence limiting your options. Even though you can invest in several different digital slot car sets, doing so will not come cheap. It is more functional and is best suited for the more experienced users.
Making your choice
Need help picking a slot car set that can provide the best bang for the buck? Here are some of the most important factors you have to take into consideration:
- Cars: The car should not only be good-looking, but it should also have innovative features that make it worthy of a race. It should be fast and must be able to handle itself while on the track. Pay attention to the scale as well to determine what size is best for your needs. Some have Porsche and Mercedes Benz accessories to add to the fun of the race.
- Track: Aside from the car, the track is another important part of the race system. Take note of its length, as well as the number of twists and turns. The latter is important because it adds excitement to every race. It will also be good if you have the option to expand the tracks by buying compatible accessories.
- Battery: This is the source of power. If there are no batteries, the cars won’t move. See to it that the battery will last long and powerful enough to survive the race. Look for rechargeable batteries as they will be economical.
- User: This means that you will have to think about the age of the user before you buy a slot car set. Many models are good for those aged three and above. Those that are more complicated and expensive, however, are for older users. Meanwhile, because of its technical nature, slot car sets are recommended for children who are at least eight years old.
- Controller: You should also evaluate the remote that comes with the slot car set. It should have an ergonomic design to promote the highest level of comfort during its use.
- Ease of Use: The slot car should be as user-friendly as possible, especially if it is meant to be used by kids. Assembling and dissembling the track should be almost effortless for the user.
- App: In the case of the modern options for a slot car set, they come with a compatible app that you will have to download in your mobile phone. It provides a revolutionary way of controlling the car and a wealth of features.
Conclusion
In sum, the best slot car set will make a great addition to playtime. Even adults will enjoy such a toy. With too many options available, those mentioned above are some that should be a part of your list. Their premium construction will make races more exciting for the little ones.
If you get the hang of racing slot cars around the track, you can join a slot car racing league. You should start small by joining a local league before you make the leap to race slot cars regionally and then slowly make your way up to race nationally and internationally.
Slot car racing is not bound to a particular age range, so even if you don’t know whether this is something you’ll like or not, it never hurts to try. If you’re a beginner slot car racer, start with one of the slot car sets we mentioned here. After all, you don’t want to waste money on a set that turns out to be a dud. Whether you compete or not, just remember to always have fun. Happy racing from one slot car racer to another!
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Slot car racing is an exciting, interactive hobby for automobile fans and anyone who likes speed and competition. Slot cars make a great alternative to video games because they tap into similar skill sets—hand-eye coordination, risk-reward thinking, competition, manual dexterity—yet remain physical, i.e. hands-on, three-dimensional and face-to-face.
We carry two high quality slot car brands: Carrera, which tends to appeal to younger racers, and Scalextric Sport, which attracts an older audience and enthusiasts. In other words, Carrera is a little bit “toy,” while Scalextric is much more “hobby.” In this post, I’ll explain some of the features of each brand to help you make a better purchase.
Digital vs. analog
Both Carrera and Scalextric offer analog and digital formats. With an analog set—the sort that has been around for half a century—you can only race as many cars as you have lanes. Your controller adjusts the current sent to the track lane, which speeds up and slows down the car in that particular lane. With a digital setup, the controller is programmed to control the car itself. Digital sets have crossover sections that allow you to switch from lane to lane for passing, blocking, and overtaking. These tracks also support more cars, so that three or four (with some sets, up to six) people can race at the same time. I’ll come back to that a little later.
3 Questions to Help Decide What's Right for You
There are a few things to consider up front if you’re looking at a slot car set:
Best Slot Car Race
How old are your racers? I do not recommend slot-car racing for very young children. Ideally, a child should be eight or older, and certainly no younger than six or seven. Eight might even be pushing it for the more technical demands of an advanced Scalextric set.
You need a good deal of skill and finesse to navigate the track, especially around turns, and practice is absolutely necessary. You can’t simply haul back on the throttle and expect the cars to zoom around flawlessly. They will hop out of the slot and skitter away. Of course, that’s part of the fun. If there were no skill involved, you would get bored pretty quickly. For the most part, a child younger than 8 simply lacks the dexterity and coordination to grasp the finer points of adjusting speed to stay on track, and may not have the patience to put in the necessary practice.
Where will you put your track? The three-dimensional, hands-on, physicality of slot racing is great, but this does mean that you need space to dedicate to your layout. Even the smallest tracks are several feet across. You don’t want it in the middle of the living room where it will get stepped over—or on!—bumped, full of cookie crumbs and pet hair. The track pieces are generally pretty flexible and robust, and are designed to withstand a trodding or two, but they aren’t indestructible.
How often will you be racing? It's not a good idea to set up the track, race a few laps, and then pack it away again. The tracks are designed to be assembled and disassembled without too much effort, but only infrequently. Pulling track pieces apart is usually a little tougher than clipping them together, and can require a good deal of force. You want to make sure that you tug evenly so you don’t snap off the connector tabs that hold them together. Repeated assembly and disassembly will also eventually wear and loosen the connectors, when what you want is a snug fit.
Your best option is to set up the track in a place where it can be left out, ideally on a table or platform of some sort. Take it apart only when you want to add to or modify the layout.
Carrera
Carrera has two product lines: GO!!! (analog) and Digital 143. Both are 1:43 scale, so a little on the smaller side. Carrera GO!!! is a perfect starter line. With fun themes like Mario Kart, and Disney/Pixar’s Cars 3, and exciting “action” features like loops, jumps, elevated banks that run up walls, the tracks are ideal for children around eight years old. Sets and accessories are modestly priced, too.
Digital 143
Digital 143 is more advanced, and pricier. Digital cars, for instance, are about double the cost of analog. However, if this is the first track, starting with a digital set can be a good investment, because upgrading from analog to digital requires a bunch of new equipment, including a new powerbase, new cars, and some lane-changing track. The good news is that standard track pieces are universal, so the majority of a GO!!! setup will be ready to go should you decide to upgrade to Digital 143.
The benefit of Carrera’s digital sets is that it supports up to three cars at once and allows for lane switching. Lane changes are done by holding a button on the controller before reaching a special crossover track. For the Digital 143 line, Carrera makes crossover tracks red (or green on the MarioKart set) rather than black so you can identify them easily. Crossover tracks can be single (right-to-left, left-to-right), or double (“X”-shaped).
Scalextric
Our Scalextric sets are the better choice for hobbyists. Scalextric sets have bigger, more detailed cars (1:32 scale), some of which sport cool features like working lights and, in the case of James Bond’s Aston Martin from Goldfinger, ejector seats. They let you build bigger and more technically challenging track layouts, and offer bigger and better opportunities for customization and modification, especially with Scalextric’s digital sets.
There is even a dedicated community of Scalextric racing hobbyists, who conduct full-on tournament racing with rules and regulations. With this in mind, you’ll find that Scalextric tends toward more realism—you won’t find jumps and loops here—and more technical demands.
A Note on Track
Scalextric makes a wide range of track pieces to customize your layout. Straight tracks come in a number of lengths and formats. Some of the unique pieces that are available include starter grids, crossovers for making figure-eights, side-swipes for bumping other racers, and single-lane tracks to run alongside pit lanes. There are borders and guardrails that clip along the side of just about any piece of track to help prevent you from jumping the track. Because the track is flexible, you can give some height to your layouts with elevation supports, banked curve supports, and elevated crossovers.
There are numerous options for curves, from lazy wide turns to harrowing hairpins, crossovers and side-swipes, letting you add a ton of variety and challenge to your set.
The track selector wheel demonstrates the range of curves available. You can find lots of support atscalextric.com/uk-en/, including a download for a Track Designer to help build your layout. It’s also very easy to find online forums and communities to get ideas for customizing your setup.
Scalextric Digital
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One of the nice things about Scalextric is that the transition between analog and digital is pretty smooth. Upgrading an analog set will require a new power base, transformer, and some lane-changing track, but the cars are not hooked into one or the other exclusively. Analog cars will run on a digital set with a few button presses on the power base. Lane-changing will be disabled, obviously, but it’s nice to know that your old cars won’t be obsolete if you upgrade. You can do the opposite, too: a digital car will work on an analog set, should the need arise. Most of the analog cars we stock from Scalextric come “digital ready,” and can be upgraded to digital with the simple installation of a microchip. And yes, like Carrera, standard track is compatible between digital and analog; only lane-changing elements are exclusive to digital setups.
Most digital sets from Scalextric come with a power base that supports up to four cars, and can do a few neat tricks like set the cars to run either clockwise or counterclockwise. Stepping up to the Advanced Six-Car Power Base brings a ton of features, like the ability to program various racing modes, set speed caps on individual cars, set cars to reduce speed or even pause in the event that one racer jumps the track, and so on. As far as I’m concerned, however, the coolest feature is the ability to run ghost cars, so you have some competition even when you’re racing by yourself.
ARC systems (App Race Control)
The ARC ONE, ARC AIR and ARC PRO (for digital sets) are the latest additions to Scalextric’s product lineup, which takes advantage of hand-held smart devices to add a whole new dimension to slot racing as a hobby. Set up a Bluetooth-enabled device opposite the power base and use the free iOS or Android application to create and control races, track your statistics, manage and share your collection, and more.
Before you start, you can choose from several different types of races, including Quick Race, Practice, Grand Prix, Endurance, Tournament, Drag Race, Arcade and Pace Car, although not every race is available in all ARC systems. As you play, the app monitors just about anything you can think of, from lap times and lap counts, to speed and penalties. There are several cool additions to mix things up. Turning on fuel consumption, tire wear, or car damage, means that you have to keep an eye on the condition of your car and make a stop in the pits when necessary—or risk disqualification. There are even random “incidents” like engine blow-outs and punctured tires that can bring another measure of unpredictability and realism to the race. After the race, you get analytic breakdowns of your speed, start reaction times, fuel use, and so on, which you can post to Twitter or Facebook.
Finally, there is a “Garage” mode, in which you can catalogue the cars in your collection, save track layouts, and post photos. You can also log your track pieces and accessories and use the app to explore possible layout designs.
The ARC Systems each have their own exciting features.
ARC level ARC race control system
Auto World Hotwheels Pro Drag Racing Slot ...
- Hard-wired hand controllers
- Core app functionality
- Analogue system
- 2-car racing
Key features:
- Pit stops
- Post-race statistics
Mid-range ARC race control system
- 2.4Ghz wireless hand controllers
- Intermediate app functionality
- Analogue system
- 2-car racing
Key Features:
All of the features of ARC One plus:
- Wireless controllers (plus rumble)
- Variable race conditions
- Braking button
Premium ARC race control system
- 2.4GHZ wireless hand controllers
- advanced app funcitonality
- Digital system
- Multiple car racing (up to 6)
Key features:
All of the features of ARC AIR plus:
- Lane changing
- Multiple cars
- KERS boost