New Years Eve Oval Race [Race 6 of 20]

Oval Sprint Race - 3 minutes - Ghost Mode [overall speed and handling test]

Today's race is to test each car's overall speed and handling ability in the corners. The long straights will allow for the best tuned cars to maintain highest speed, while the 180º turns will test the setup and handling. The SCP-1 Controller is set on ghost mode. Each car's overall power will be independently setup based on the car's ability to make the fastest lap without coming off. Once the car's speed is set, the lap timing begins.

There were no special Team Orders: pod/body float, clean tires

Results:

Class A
Car            Laps           Offs            Points

#11 Gulf     62                0                   1   [5th]
#2 Alfa       63                0                   2   [4th]                      
#8 Shell      64                1                   4   [2nd]        

Class B

R18            64                0                    3   [3rd]                        
SC              65                0                    5   [1st]                          

[tie goes to the car that doesn't use magnets]


Surprise result today, as the Class B cars rose to the occasion and ran fast laps, inverting the order. I suspect this was due to the small track with 180º corners, and ghost mode not allowing for acceleration. The magnets were definitely an advantage in this situation. This race has saved Class B from being abandoned, and they will run out the rest of the season.

Neither Audi was tuned prior to the race, and had been sitting in the pit box the last two endurance races. But these results prove that Class B should stick around, at least for the shorter races of the season. The R18 has almost earned a place in Class A, but I'd need to remove the magnet for it to qualify, and I know that would have an effect on the car, essentially dooming it to failure. So it remains Class B.
The win for the Safety Car was an anomaly, although it gave it enough points to tie for the Class B series. The problem with the Safety Car is when it is raced manually: it gets very skittish and brakes hard. In ghost mode, depending on the track, it's an entirely different car. It runs smooth enough, so it handles these kinds of challenges well. It starts to chug through turns, though, so the less of those the better.

During the race, at around lap 40, the #8 Shell car came off the track. It had been threatening to do so for a number of laps, and had even successfully corrected itself a few times [I love that]. It was turning the fastest laps of all cars until the crash. In other words....it shoulda won. I considered re-running the race, as the rule was to get it going its fastest without going off, but since the car scored so well I decided to leave it.

I have no explanation other than magnets for the great Class B results.  Class A was competitively close, and it wasn't like I de-tuned them or anything. In fact, they're still pulling lap speeds that are in their season averages for the race. This is not the case with Class B, however, which has been consistently behind by a significant number of laps in the races prior to this.

Team Standings [Race 6 of 20]:

Car              Points              Total

Class A
#8 Shell         4                       21
#2 Alfa          2                       17
#11 Gulf        1                       18

Class B
R18                3                       7
Safety Car      5                       7

Race Notes and SCP-1 Controller: Honorable Mention

I don't mention the SCP-1 controller that I use that much, although I don't think I would enjoy this half as much without it. It's a fantastic piece of gear, and with all the different settings it allows, it's possible to dial in a car in a style you want. That's pretty special.

I was thinking of including significant controller adjustments in the race notes, especially if it changes performance of a race car. I might as well, especially when it pertains to maximum power and things like that. There will be a time when I get more track, and I'll want to use these races to help me transition more smoothly into a larger setup. It'll be good to know what my settings were.

If someone besides me ever reads this, and you're like me, and you started out with a Carrera kit and eventually got some good cars, I strongly urge you to consider a good controller, even if it's just for home racing. It really has improved enjoyment, not to mention precision and selection.


I really have to do something about Class B, or they are at risk of evaporating. There's clearly a difference in speed between the two classes/brands, and as time goes by, it gets harder and harder to pick up the Class B cars, especially for a ten-minute race. They aren't as fast, and aren't nearly as fun to drive. I've tuned them as best as I can without replacing parts, and priorities with parts purchases are elsewhere.
I'm considering running Class B in the next ten-minute race and setting a minimum lap requirement to qualify for participation in the rest of the season. They have to come within a few laps of the Class A cars under no power limit. If both pass, Class B stays alive. If one passes, it goes into a Provisional Class A, or a Class A*. It will be provisional because it will still have magnets.
The R18 might have a chance, but I don't think the Safety Car does. We'll see.

Class A Endurance Race #2 [Race 5 of 20]

Due to yesterday's close finish, another endurance race is being run today, this time on a more wide-open track. 10 minutes, no power limit.

The big corner [upper left] was the cause of all the offs. The rest of the track was very fast, and the cars handled it well.

Curves - 9
Straightaway length - 4 Carrera straights

All cars were cleaned, tuned and trued last night and are running in top condition. Grub screws have been added to the front end of the Alfa, giving it a bit more control. I also switched the spur gear around so the teeth are on the inside of the Gulf Ford.

Team orders are to run pod/body loose.

Here are the results:

Car                Laps             Offs                Points

#11 Gulf         187               1                        5
#8 Shell          184               0                        3              
#2 Alfa           184               2                        1              
                             

The offs hurt the Alfa. It was a bit looser than the other two cars, probably due to me getting used to the new front axle setup. Both times it came off was on the big corner and my fault. Regardless of it being a little loose, it was still fastest. I handled it gingerly in the big corner, and that definitely effected lap times.

The Shell car is getting smoother and smoother as time goes by. I suspect the chassis might have a warp in it, but it didn't show in this race. Not a tire out of line the entire time. I probably could have pushed it a bit more, however, as it was braking pretty hard.

I brought up the Minimum Speed % on the SCP-1 controller for the Gulf car, and it responded brilliantly. Absolutely floated through the corners and leapt down the straights. Even with the single off it was still posting fast laps. I found a few corners late into the race that I was able to pick up speed through that I couldn't with the other cars.

Team Standings [Race 5 of 20]:

Car             Points          Total  

#11 Gulf         5                17
#8 Shell          3                17
#2 Alfa           1                15

[Class B did not race]:

R18                 0                4
SC                   0                2

The standings changed a little, with the Alfa dropping into third based on the solid performance of the #8 Shell car. The Alfa has a bit of catching up to do....or should I say the driver of the Alfa has some work to do.

Slot.it Axle Blocks

Since taking the magnets out of the car, I was struggling with keeping the front wheels on the track. I first checked the braids, keeping them flush with the chassis so they couldn't spring the front end. Then I tried making an axle adjustment to get the wheels down, and discovered that the axle blocks inhibit the amount of downward movement to the axle and wheels.

So I removed them.

The #8 Ford front end after the axle blocks have been taken out. Upward movement is still the same and controlled by the grub screws on top of each side of the axle, while downward movement has improved, bringing the wheels back to the track.

I spoke with a few other people who agreed with me that the axle blocks weren't really needed, and in fact they sometimes caused problems due to binding.

The axle blocks. Small as can be. In fact, the first time I removed them was through a violent accident while taking the front axle assembly apart. They flew away and weren't located until the next day.

The Alfa is of slightly older construction and uses an oval-shaped insert to keep the axle in place. It has a limited upward movement, and when the blocks were taken out, the downward movement improved.

The Alfa front end. It has lower profile axle blocks, and the axle sits well in place without them. This is in the most downward position, which is not making any contact with anything.

This morning I was going back to the boxes the cars came in to retrieve an M2 wrench that is taped on the bottom. As I grabbed the wrench off the box for the #11 car, I noticed it contained two small grub screws. I put them into the Alfa's front end.

Taking out the axle blocks gave me just the right amount of room to bring the wheels down, and all three cars sit perfectly now, without magnets. Here's pics of the post-extraction:

Ultimately, I will be buying the necessary grub screws for the bottom of the axle. I'll have more adjustment possibilities with them than without them. However, I now have the movement that I wanted in the front and can live with it for the time being.

If you're reading this, I would suggest you try removing the axle blocks if you're having difficulty keeping your wheels on the track. Best slight improvement I've made so far. 

Class A Endurance Race [Race 4 of 20]

The next race on the docket is a short endurance race, consisting of 10-minute heats with unlimited top speed. Points will be distributed as follows:

1st - 5 points
2nd - 3 points
3rd - 1 point

The purpose of this point structure is to put pressure on me to drive a solid race with each car. Offs will definitely matter here, so the less offs the better.

New Class A rule: All Class A cars will be run from now on without axle blocks. If their performance suffers because of it, all cars will be evaluated and the rule looked at again. Due to the previous race's result, however, I feel that the removal of the axle blocks will be an improvement on the overall handling of the cars.

Results [Race 4 of 20 - 10 minute race - no ties - offs count against]:

Car                           Laps              Offs              Points
#8 Shell GT40          183                   0                   5
#2 Alfa                      180                   0                   3
#11 Gulf GT40          180                  2                   1                        
                                             

I ran the Alfa first and it performed flawlessly. Didn't set out of line once, and was running fast. I thought it would be the time to beat since it was the starter in the race and set such a blazing lap time.
The Gulf GT40 had a couple offs, which went against it in the points as it came in tied with the Alfa. Still tells me there's work to be done on the Alfa, but it's good to see the cars so competitive with each other.

I don't know what to say about the Shell GT40. Secretly I've wanted it to be the best, as it was the wounded puppy of the group when I got it, and was my primary inspiration for picking up these cars in the first place. It performed wonderfully. Fast, gliding nicely through turns, not to butt-heavy, yet still more solid feeling than the Alfa.

I'm surprised at how close the results were given the time and laps covered. I was expecting a bit more of a discrepancy. As a result the points given will be heartbreaking for the Gulf team that came up short, yet gives the #8 Shell car a boost in the standings.

Team Standings [4 of 20 races]

Car           Points             Total
#8 Shell       5                     14
#2 Alfa        3                     14
#11 Gulf      1                     12

Class A Invitational Unlimited [Race 3 of 20]

Late last night I was up and got to thinking about something: I've been struggling with getting the front wheels on the ground on the Slot.it cars, and had resigned myself to the fact that I'll have to replace the axle blocks with grub screws if I want to get the two to meet. Then it came to me: what if I just took the axle blocks out? They only seem to be restricting the downward movement of the suspension, and not the upward, as that is handled by grub screws from above.
As I was attempting to take the front axle assembly off, the wheel came off wildly, sending the two axle blocks flying into the unknown. I searched for awhile and then went to bed.

This morning I found the two blocks, but decided to run a race without them, which consisted of only the Class A [Slot.it] cars. Here are the team orders:

#11 Gulf Ford - pod/body float, axle blocks in
#8 Shell Ford - pod/body float, axle blocks out
#2 Alfa - pod/body float, axle blocks out

The decision to take the axle blocks out of the Alfa was based on the older suspension system, with the oval insert, and what would happen if that worked alone. It doesn't use a grub screw from the top, as there is a limited amount of travel the oval insert will allow.
All cars have the same basic construction: if you take out the axle blocks, there are two posts that act as supports. They also will keep the axle in line, yet give it a bit more travel. The wheels on the #8 and #2 touch the ground now, giving more support than previously. Prior to this I was able to slide a piece of paper between the front tires and the track, but now they're making contact.

The race is called "Unlimited" due to me setting the maximum speed on each car higher, depending on the car. I wanted to see how fast each car could go without a uniform top speed limitation.

Results - 3 minute heat:

Car          Laps       Offs   Points
#2             55            0         3
#11           52            0         2
#8             52            0         2

The Alfa's performance increased radically, from being consistently a few laps down in the races prior to now having a clear lead over the competition. The handling improved immensely, and is now more in line with the speed of the car. The shorter wheelbase has a lot to do with this, I suspect, as it just refuses to lose grip. There isn't any upward travel limitation being applied other than from the oval insert.

While the #8 and the #11 tied, it was still a victory for the #8 because it didn't go off. The handling problems it had before are gone now, and there's enough upward travel limitation keeping the wheels on the track. Neither car was skittish or biting in the turns.

Since the improvements for the two cars were so drastic, I have decided that it will be a Class A rule to take the axle blocks out of all of the cars. This should improve the #11 as well, which will start the next race without them.

As this was an invitational and only Class A participated, only they will score points for this round. This shouldn't matter, as Class B is on a two point system per race anyway, and shouldn't have an effect on the total outcome. If, for some reason, it looks like a Class B car is going to become a threat, the Class B part of this race will be run and counted.

Team Standings [after 3 of 20 races]:

Car         Points        Total
#2              3                11
#11            2                11
#8              2                 9

Class B [did not race]:
R18           0                 4
SafetyCar  0                 2


Next Race: Class A 10-minute endurance race.

Tuned Racers [Race 2 of 20]

Race Two started with a proper tuning of all the cars, with grease and oil added, and tires sanded. The track is fast and mostly outside turns, so it should be pretty even:

Team orders for this race:
#8 Ford GT40 Shell Team - no float
#11 Ford GT40 Gulf Team - pod float only
#2 Alfa Team - pod float only

Results:

Car               Laps      Offs

Class A [no magnets]

#2 Alfa           54          2

#11 Gulf         54          3 

#8 Shell          54          1

Class B [w/magnet]

R18                 50          0 

Safety Car       46          0

The Class A cars ended in a three-way tie after the race. Each car was fast, yet each had offs in the same area of the track; the 180º before the start. The #8 feels the fastest, and still has a bit of anger in it. Had it not come off it would have won. 

The Alfa was light and nimble, but I think I got a bit overzealous when racing it. All offs were driver error, as they almost always are.

A bit of a dogleg right. Cars struggled with the corner at the bottom of the photo due to it being at the end of the stretch.

Due to the tie, a tie breaker heat race for Class A would have to be run. Three minutes, winner take all. No additional points for the heat race; cars are scored based on their final standings. Here are the results from the tie-breaker heat race:

2nd heat/Finish

Car               Laps       Offs

Class A

#11 Ford         58           0 

#8 Ford           57           1
#2 Alfa           56           0

Class B

R18          [didn't race 2nd heat]
SC           [didn't race 2nd heat]

The #8 was on a tear. Had it not come off it would have surely won by a few laps, as it was already chasing down the #11 and it took me about a lap's time to re-slot it. I played it a little more conservatively driving the Alfa so that I could get a clean heat, but I think I was too careful. The Alfa really is quick and light as a feather, but it requires a bit of dexterity. One wrong finger twitch and that thing is over the fence. 

The Fords, on the other hand, feel stable and secure. The length is more than the Alfa, and that's probably got something to do with it.

In Class B, the Safety Car really needs to make a better showing. The next track will be more technical, which should slow down the R18 a bit. We'll see. The Slot.it cars, on the other hand, act like they have magnets in them when they don't.

Team Standings [after 2 of 20 races]

Car               Pts            Total

Class A
Gulf #11        5                  9
Alfa #2          3                  8
Shell #8         4                  7

Class B
R18                2                  4
SC                  1                  2

Looks like Class A is off to a good start, and keeping competitive with each other. Unlike Class B, there is no clear leader here yet. I still expect the Alfa to start performing faster than it has been. The stalwart #11 has not given me the slightest problem since I've taken it out of the box. Such a smooth running race car.

Slot.it Spur Gear Placement

I had the three Slot.it cars flipped on their backs and noticed something: one of the Fords had the spur gear set up with the teeth on the inside near the chassis, while one [GT40 #11] was set up with the teeth near the wheel.

I noticed that the spur gear was grinding against the chassis on the yellow Ford and the Alfa. It was suggested to put a space in between and leave the spur gear in that position. As a test I switched the two cars that were set up this way.  [Note: see the two light gray scratch marks on the underside of the chassis directly in front of the wheels? That's paint from my track from when the cars go over the edge in a turn, then correct themselves. Pretty cool. They haven't scraped any of the paint off the corner edges yet.

I don't have spacers yet, but I have a list of spare parts I'm collecting. Once I get the spacers I'll flip the spur gears back to teeth-inside and see if that changes anything. I've asked around and haven't got definitive word yet which way is optimal.

I have run the two cars, and they are indeed quieter now that they aren't rubbing against the chassis. Here's what one looks like now:

Here's the Alfa after switching the spur gear so the teeth are near the wheel. It's pretty much right on the edge of the pinion either way it is set up.

I'm going to leave them this way until I get the spacers. I'd rather they not rub and maybe not be ideally setup until I can get the parts to do it.

New Series [Race 1 of 20]

I worked out a new racing season and have just undergone the first race. Here were the rules:

3 minute solo heat
Manual-control racing
Restricted speed set via SCP-1 controller
5 point scoring system

Track: #1 Reverse

I decided that I didn't want to exclude my Carrera cars, so I've worked out two classes: Class A [no mag], Class B [mag]. Each Carrera car has only one magnet in it as opposed to two, both set in the middle position. This automatically separates brands by class, as there is just too much of a speed difference between Carrera and Slot.it to make it competitive straight across the board.
In order to make restricted speed work, I took the first Class A car and ran a few laps, setting the maximum speed to just allow the car to de-slot if I punched it. Once at that maximum power setting, all cars were required to race there. This would help put a limit on the Carrera cars, keeping them somewhat in line with overall lap times, and in theory competitive.
Manual-control was done by running a few laps with each car prior to starting the heat in order to familiarize myself with differences in car setups and responsiveness. Manual control also added the possibility of de-slotting during racing, which doesn't happen in a ghost-mode race.

Here are the results [3 minute heat]:

Order of finish.

Car             Laps      Offs

Alfa #2         61           1   saved itself on curve / nimble / the most pleasurable to drive

GT40 #11     60           1   traction improved with tire sanding / solid and quiet       

GT40 #8       58           3   smooth and fast / responding great to no mag / possibly fastest          

R18 eTron    56            0  not fast, but smooth / engine strength not enough      

Safety Car    50           1   hard braking created driving inconsistencies, slow lap times

First Race Class A Winner: #2 Alfa Romeo 

The Alfa is going to be hard to beat. It got out of the gate fast, and doesn't feel problematic at all in the way of handling with the magnets out. It's quick as can be, and always seems to have that extra bit of oomph when needed. Not only a fast car, but it hasn't even come close to its full potential yet. 

And just as I had suspected, it was much faster than the ghost mode race. It really has a lot to give and rarely comes off. The center of gravity on the Slot.it cars are so low that the cars will frequently save themselves is a tire comes off the track in the corners. That kind of move would send the Carrera cars spinning out. That's a bonus since I run without borders.

First Race Class A 3rd Place: #8 Shell Team Ford GT40

After the last race, I did extensive tuning and tweaking to the Shell #8 GT40. The axle was binding, causing a squeak. I cut a guide groove into each of the axle blocks to help stop the binding, and it did the trick. 

With the mags out, all of the Slot.it cars front wheels hover just over the track. This can only be fixed by replacing the axle blocks with grub screws, which I plan to do on each car. 

The #8 had sanded tires and body and pod float. I didn't add the pod float to the #11 as a team decision. The #8 was also the only car to have the improved axle blocks. While the #8 came off three times, it still was competitive, and likely would have won had it stayed on the track. It still made a respectable showing. All three offs were driver errors, but I wanted to stay true to the objectivity I'm trying to have with every car and not race favorites. 

First Race Class A 2nd Place: #11 Gulf Ford GT40

The #11 Gulf GT40 only got better with the improvements made to it. It hasn't given me any problems since taking it out of the box, and it responds to every tuning move. It's remarkably smooth, and now that the mags are out has an even better acceleration curve. It came off once, but otherwise handled very well. The #8, by comparison, is a bit wilder and more hyper. All three Slot.it cars are very competitive with each other. I suspect there won't be a clear winner, unless it's for reasons of car failure with one of the teams. 

The eTron R18 finished first in the B Class, blowing away the Safety Car by a large margin. I don't think the R18 could have done as well with the magnets out, as it's extremely butt-heavy. It could have used more power, however, since the one magnet held it on the track well enough for it not to be in any danger of de-slotting. Whether or not that still would have been enough to keep up with the Class A cars, I don't know, but I doubt it. The orange end bell motor in Slot.it cars is quite strong and more powerful than the generic Carrera motor. I don't expect the R18 to truly compete against them, but I'm going to try. 

I'm convinced the Safety Car is not running right. It's got such hard braking it almost feels like it's fighting against the motor. Like there's such a hard bind that it's locking up. But there isn't anything that's binding that I'm finding, so it must be the motor. Extraordinarily twitchy. But since I don't want the eTron to run away with the class championship, I'm going to try to get the Safety Car running better.

So, here are the team standings after one race:

Car               Pts           Total

Alfa               5                 5 [leader Class A]

Gulf #11        4                 4 

Shell #8         3                 3 

eTron             2                 2 [leader Class B]

Audi              1                 1

Each car will be checked, tuned and tested between races. Team orders will stand for each car to keep them separate. Team orders for each car are as follows:

Alfa            any setup
Shell #8      grooved axle blocks, pod and body float
Gulf #11     no axle block modification, no pod float, body float only
eTron          any setup
Audi           any setup

I think this racing plan is going to work. By splitting them into two classes, it makes the Carreras matter more, as they are a bigger threat with mags in against a no-mag car. It also makes me want to see if I can tune the Carreras to beat the Class A cars. Gives me something to push for with these cars as opposed to putting them in a drawer somewhere never to race again.
Team orders will work out well, and while there aren't many to start with, it's most there to keep a little separation in the two Fords. Just because I have two similar cars, it doesn't mean I have to tune them that way. In fact, it could be argued that I'd never get them truly even anyway.

Slot.it Tuning Discoveries

I had a day with no track time and decided to tune the cars. I started with truing the rear tires and removing the magnets. I'm going to try leaving them out and tuning to a no-magnet setup.

My first worry came after taking the magnets out and looking at the way the cars sat on the track. Each one had the front wheels slightly off the ground. Not sure I like that. The construction of the front axle suspension out of the box makes it difficult, if not impossible to lower the front wheels to the ground unless you replace the two plastic blocks supporting the axle with small grub screws.

The Slot.it EVO6 front end. The two grub screws on either side of the car will control the front-end height somewhat, but the two plastic blocks that support the axle limit the amount of control. Too much tightening of the screws and the axle binds, stopping the wheel rotation. It possible to replace the blocks with grub screws as well, which come up from underneath the chassis. Until then I've filed small guide grooves into the plastic blocks to help against binding and lower the wheels slightly.

I also loosened the pods, adding pod float to each car. This is different than body float, which was also added by loosening the two body screws. From how I understand it, body float will help the car through the corners by allowing for a little shift in weight, while pod float will give the motor and rear-end some independence from the chassis. It doesn't take much to make the car feel pretty loose while holding it in my hand, so I can imagine it's a bit more fragile on the track, but I might be wrong about that. We'll find out tomorrow.
The idea with racing without magnets is that the speeds are slower, the cars tend to act more realistically in the curves as they're relying primarily on tire traction, and if there's a crash, it's mostly a low-trajectory spinout and not so much a flying bullet disaster. When magnet cars go around the track, they can go at a faster speed, but have a breaking point: once you no longer have magnetic traction [if you're too fast through a curve, for example], the magnet will eventually lose contact with the rails, and the car's momentum can cause violent, damaging crashes.
So, in theory, taking the magnets out of the car might just make it last longer.

Ultimately I want to run all my cars without magnets, so I'll be trying to do that. I couldn't do it with the Carreras and keep them competitive with each other, but I don't think I'll have that problem here. I'll be experimenting with ballast to see how that changes things. The Fords feel a little light in the nose. The Alfa seems to be very well balanced already. I don't think it needs any weight added.

Slot.it Classics Out-of-Box Time Trials

Here are the results of the first of many time trials with the new Slot.it cars. I'm going to call them by their car numbers from now on, as those won't be changing.
The time trial was set up by using the ghost mode on the Slot.it SCP1 controller, and setting the first car up running at a speed that would be about half-throttle. Since the three cars are all similar in motor size, I was curious to see what car ran faster out of the box. I've done minimal tuning, adjusting the front axles a bit where needed and adding a very small amount of oil I had left, then raced them each for about an hour or so. I didn't cover everything I wanted to regarding the initial tuneup, but I was impatient and the timing was good, so I ran them.

Here is how they placed:

I was surprised by this result, as it felt different when running the cars manually. The #2 felt much faster at the time.

The #11 is practically perfect, straight out of the box. It's firmly planted, quiet and fast, and needed very little in the way of adjustment. It proved it here:

1. #11 - 52 laps [3 minutes]
2. #8 - 49 laps
3. #2 - 47 laps

The #2 was clearly dragging during his heat and was down about a tenth of a second a lap, as was the #8 slower, which developed a squeak as it was going around turns. I'll pick up oil tomorrow. All of the cars need it. Otherwise, I thought the #8 was stronger than it was portraying. I'm sure the #2 is as well. Once these cars are further tuned up, they'll be screaming. Looking forward to see how the #11 improves. 

All this test really tells me is not a lot. For a period of time in the beginning I'm going to have to expect growing pains as I go, just like I did with the Carrera cars.

I was thinking I was going to treat each car as separate race teams, and apply different adjustments to each one, as opposed to getting them to be perfect to each other. The GT40s are identical in most every way except slight body differences, so I should be able to determine what works better in less time. The Alfa will be tuned as best as it can be, which will be plenty different due to it's size and lack of front adjustment compared to the Fords. Then once that is running fast, it'll be up to the Fords to beat it. 

For this race I moved the #8's magnet to the middle position, and kept the #11's in the back position. I didn't notice any difference during the time trials, but the cars weren't pushing anyway, so they rarely broke traction. Once they've been worked in a bit, I'll push them more. Until I do I'll keep the magnets in their current positions. 

I have yet to true the tires on any of the cars.

For kicks, I'll go ahead and give them a running championship score, covering a series of 20 races. Three points for 1st, two for 2nd and one for 3rd. 

Standings After Race One:

1. #11  - 3 pts
2. #8    - 2 pts
3. #2    - 1 pt

The New Cars

I have just opened and run these cars for the first time, and they are fantastic.

Slot.it Ford GT40 #8 Le Mans 1968

Slot.it CA18b. Ford GT40 on an EVO6 chassis with adjustable front suspension. Sidewinder Orange End Bell Motor. 

This is what hooked me on getting a Slot.it car. Once I saw this, I knew that I had to have it. Finding it at a cheaper price than a Carrera car made it a no-brainer.

Out of the box it needed oil and grease and it was practically ready to go. It was chattering a little in the turns, and I thought there might be a tire rub, but it turned out that the front suspension was binding the axle, causing the car to occasionally pinch in the corners. Once I did the adjustment and loosened the body shell a little it ran like a dream.

The differences to a Carrera car are night and day. It's not that Carrera makes bad cars; on the contrary. For a full-kit manufacturer, they probably have the best cars out there. But Slot.it focuses on cars and digital systems, not race tracks. Their cars are of higher quality and workmanship, and are light and fast. They're nowhere near as indestructible as Carrera cars, but they do hold their own okay.

The Ford has a low center of gravity, which is helpful in that it doesn't fly off the track as much as spinout without flipping. It grips like the nobody's business, breaking all track records right out of the box.
If you're like me and are expanding from the original kit, you'll find Slot.it cars to be a great addition to your track. Of course, I couldn't just get one....

Slot.it GT40 Jacky Ickx Daytona 1967

Slot.it CA18d. 11/32 Pinion/Gear, Sidewinder.

The perfect racing partner for the #8. Cars like this are the reason I painted my track. It's a dark enough blue that under low light it looks almost black. On light gray track it all shows up quite nicely. It will also rip your face off with its speed.

These cars are handling....scratch that...loving Carrera track. First runs with magnets were preposterously fast, with grip beyond the likes my track has never seen. I considered tires right off the bat, but I really don't think it'll be necessary. There's not a thing out of place about these cars on Carrera track. I've read loads of vague accounts of Slot.it and Carrera and whether I would need to do modifications to run on my track, but I'll say that they work together very well straight out of the box.

GT40's have been one of my favorite race cars since I was a kid. The body shape is undeniably stylish, even now. And I know that there are hundreds of other cars out there, but why not start with a couple cars I know I'm going to love right away? So that's what I did. And then this came too:

Slot.it Alfa Romeo 33/3 #2 Targa Florio 1971

Slot.it CA11a. Another of the Classic Collection from Slot.it. Standard front end.

If I was going to pick a favorite period in racing, it would be the late 1960's/early 70's. A thrilling time for cars, speed, racing and style. The Alfa Romeo is as sweet and stylish as you get, and it hauls ass too. I had seen it showing up near the top of some proxy races, and started to research the slot car. It is a favorite for proxy racers due to its light weight and small construction and short overall length [116mm to the GT40 car's 133mm]. It grips like crazy and never lets go. I plan to do some time trials in a few days, and I expect this car to be the one to beat as it just refuses to whip its tail out.

While the Alfa had a similar suspension to the GT40 cars, it didn't come with the small grub screws needed for the top to make the fine tuning adjustment of the front axle. It's racy right out of the box, so I don't think I need it at the moment. We'll see down the road, though. There isn't a lot of tire clearance on this, or any of the models. So having that ability to adjust the front is pretty nice.

The Alfa is built with the same essential setup as the GT40 [Orange End Bell Sidewinder Motor, 11/32, 0.5 offset]. That makes these three cars competitive with each other with virtually no modifications. They'll naturally blow the Carreras out of the water, so those probably won't see much race time from here on out. Maybe when the nephews come over. They aren't touching my Slot.its!

Here are some outdoor shots:

New Time Trial System First Run

I set up the track this morning and ran a time trial with the new SCP-1 controller. I used the Ghost setting and dialed each car to take the track as fast as it could without going off, then I timed each car running alone. Here is the track I used for the time trial:

This is what I call "Test Track 1". It's essentially the track that came out of the box with a few extra straight pieces. I didn't use the four 1/30 curves I have, so I don't consider this a "technical" track. This would be considered more of a fast track for my purposes.

RESULTS:
5 Minute Overall Time

CAR                LAPS
Audi R18                85
Audi Safety Car      95

The R18 suffered a spinout at around lap 40, and it didn't seem to have the grip the Safety Car had, so it couldn't run as high of a speed. This was a surprising result, and the first win for the Safety Car since I started keeping track. I have a feeling that was due to not using the 1/30 curves. Those are almost always switchbacks of some sort, and the Safety Car doesn't handle those well.
I didn't do any tuning to the cars prior to running the time trails. Just a quick dusting off of the track and away we went. The R18 suffered for it, and should have at least gotten a quick scrub with the sandpaper. The tires are hard and I believe going to crack soon. Nothing like the other car's tires.

Track Designs: Curve Radius

I've been working on some future track designs, and through research and discovery of what others have done to their tracks, I started putting some of those ideas to use. One in particular would be designing curves...in particular the "Big Curve".

For software I use SoftyBahnplaner because it is free and has Carrera sizes. http://www.softyroyal.de/?t=22c24290

Since I know I want a big curve on my track, I naturally started off with the largest radius of the curves and built one of all 4/15 pieces:

The gray backdrop is my proposed depth of 166 centimeters, or 5.44 feet. That's a bit deeper than a ping pong table. The 4/15 track pieces put together won't fit on that layout, and that's without consideration of borders. 

4/15 is a big big curve. In order to make it work satisfactorily, I'd have to go smaller. Here was my next option:

The 3/30 curve. This just fits in the layout, but likely wouldn't handle borders. It's still a big turn, and can probably still be fun, but there's something about it that just isn't right.

So, I have a conundrum: the layout is smaller than will allow for the size curve I want to make. Plus, having such a strict radius on the curve is a little boring, and a bit unrealistic. In real life, probably the only racetrack that featured such a curve was the AVUS racetrack in Germany, and that was banked. In order to avoid the uniformity of a single-radius curve, here is where the use of varying radius track pieces will help, as well as add more interest for the driver:

Here is a curve using 4/15s [blue], 3/30s [green] and 2/30's [yellow]. The lone straight track is where the previous curve ended up. The width is significantly less, and can now safely hold borders all the way around. The turn is still perceived large, but the ever-shrinking radius going in will allow the cars to pitch out and handle the turns more naturally.  Of the three, this one I feel would be the most interesting to drive.

Now we're getting somewhere. It doesn't necessarily have to be big, but it does have to be interesting. By adding a little variety to the curve radii I think I have achieved that. Of course, this can be used for smaller curves as well:

With a 1/60 curve at the apex, this one will sneak up on you if you're not careful. Gradual going in and coming out with a quick snap at the peak. Lots of room for scenery or other options.

So it's really going to come down to making curves interesting enough to keep me entertained as well as small/large enough to fit practically on the layout. Variation can lead to all sorts of ideas. If I don't want the in and out to be so flat, I can always tighten it and run the straights a bit closer together. Like this:

Talk about a curve with great flow and a bit of excitement. It comes back on itself, which allows more tightness and technical skill. Plus, it really gets away from the generic 90ª curves that people tend to settle on. 

Loads to think about. My track will definitely feature variable-radius curves. This will make the difference between a track that flows and a track that doesn't.

Planning A Time Trial Race System

I've noticed a tendency for me to resort to informal time trials when I race. Whether it's to see how fast the car is going lately or how fast the current track design might be, it's always a little different and interesting enough for me to track it. So here's how I'm going to do it:

1. Design a layout using my existing track pieces. Once happy with it, save it and make a track out of it. Take a photo of the finished track.

2. Make a spreadsheet, which will look something like this, although likely much more defined as I go:

This was a first draft, and I see where there are places to add information that is pertinent: SCP-1 controller usage and settings, recent tuneups, that sort of thing. I'll include track comments as well as a reminder of each.

I haven't decided length of time trial yet, as 5 minutes feels about right for a long race, where one minute time trials make for an interesting dash. I think longer is better, though, as it gives a better indication of how a car works over time as opposed to just how lucky you might be to keep a car on the track for the minute of mad scrambling. Also, since I'm using a much less than scientific method of keeping time [I have no lap counter and time to a stopwatch], it's easier to see the differences in cars over a 5 minute period, especially if one pulls more laps than the other.

This spreadsheet will also be able to be modified and improved upon as I get more cars. I'll be able to go back to the original layout and situations and compete against my other cars without having to re-run the entire thing each time. That makes this a potential long-term project, and it doesn't matter the design of the track or now many pieces is used. The information I can collect on my cars can help me know their strengths and weaknesses.
If I find a particular track that is more exciting to race on than another, I can use that track as a primary time trial track, yet still have the option to go back to previous tracks and add times with new cars whenever I desired.

I will also include a column that would have special tuning information, in case I was working on a particular car for whatever reason as opposed to just re-entering the same data. What I mean is, it would be entirely possible to see one car do three or four 5-minute time trials, if the intention was to tune the car in a particular way for a particular track, or otherwise change it to compete with a prior lap time. If I change motoring, gearing or tires, for example, I would denote those changes so I could more easily understand the data. Having a car run 85 laps for 5 minutes, then 87, 88 and 91 would need to have some sort of reason behind the speed improvement, so I'd make sure to put that information into the result comments. If I true the tires before a race, I'll note that.

New Controller, New Results

Now with the SCP-1 Controller, I have the option to control overall track speed, so I'll need to have a consistent attitude regarding tuning the controller [and the cars] to the given track to make it a fair time. This will require some "rules" for the controller to follow. Here's what I'll do.

1. Controller setting will be LIN off/off [the overall power setting....or "kid-friendly" setting].
2. Car will be put on the track, trigger in full position, and the blue MAX dial turned up until just before the point of de-slot....so the car can make it around the track at the fastest average "hammer-down" top speed. This takes the driver out of the equation and only tests the car under current conditions.
3. Once that top speed has been satisfactorily reached, the time trial will begin and run for whatever length of time it is set to. Laps run is the determining performance factor, and not lap time, as I don't have a lap counter and do it manually.

As long as I stick to those controller "rules" I should be able to make a respectable showing of my cars. We'll see what happens.

Slot.it SCP1 Controller

As per my previous post, here is the controller that I was so kindly gifted. The Slot.it SCP-1:

The Slot.it SCP-1 Controller

Before this time I had simply the controllers that came with the Carrera kit. They are passable for playtime, but they really don't convey all the subtleties needed when really wanting to burn up the track.

On first look the size is impressive. Scratch that; it's massive. From the base of the handle to the trigger alone is as large as a standard Carrera controller. In the first minute it feels a little bulky, but it quickly makes up for it in what it does. Cars run like butter now. So much control.

The SCP-1 easily dwarfs the stock Carrera controller in overall size, but that's mostly due to the electronics and dials. 

The SCP-1 has a host of functions, through dials, buttons, switches and dip switches. Almost every dial has more than one function, depending on the settings of the dip switches. Explain what each one does after only owning it for less than 48 hours is a bit tricky. Consider that each one controls some aspect of the power band and it's a bit easier to understand.

The LIN/CRV [Linear/Curve] Switch. Set to Linear, it will act like a standard slot car controller, with a pretty basic power band. Set it to Curve and you can control all aspects of the powerband parabolically. You can make it slow and steady up, or quick to mid-range, or hair-trigger, or whatever else you can come up with. 

These are just my findings on what each one does, from a not-totally-technical slotcar head:

The "Power Trim" [green] dial controls how much power goes into the car when you give throttle. Think about it like a traction control. All the way left and it's going to be a bit more gentle with the power distribution. All the way right and you're spinning your wheels.

The "Min Speed %" [yellow] dial controls how much power the car has from the time you first press the trigger. For example, you can set it so that when you give it the most gentle gas it is slowly rolling or going at a fast pace or anything in between. I suspect this would be a useful setting for racing on long tracks with a lot of straights [you'd probably set it quite a bit to the right for a long straightaway].
While driving, I noticed that setting the Min Speed to higher than 0% yielded good results. While being able to start from a dead stop to a crawl and then to full speed is a cool option, what's better is setting the Min Speed % to something like 15% or so. What this does is act as a bit of a neutral/coast. The deceleration isn't as drastic as when it is set to 0%, and it seems to allow for a better trigger flow.
This is important because it lets you set the amount of deceleration, so you can really get particular about how much lift you want to use in the corners. I found setting it at about 12 o'clock, with the Power dial set about the same produces a ride that is fast, on the edge, and easy on braking.

The "Brake" [red] dial is a two-step function, neither of which seem to have much effect on my Carrera cars. I suspect that has to do with the motor and built-in braking and all that, or maybe it's the polarity issue with the controller. On a proper car it would probably have to do with how much travel the car makes on its own after you let off the trigger. But that's just a guess.

The blue "Curve/Max" dial is a power cap. With the right switch/dip switch setting [linear/1off/2off] you can control the overall speed of the car. This is proving to be a great function. It's like regulating voltage; you can step the overall speed down so you don't wipe out in the curves. The rest of the controller functions just like it normally would otherwise. Great for kids and skittish racers who are off-track more than on.
I'm liking this Max option most of all, and have pretty much gone back to it every time. It's an electronic regulator. I can set it so the car is running it's fastest lap while the trigger is fully down, and work the settings backward from there. Once you get the top speed figured out, the rest falls into place. Settings like Brake and Min Speed% suddenly matter more and make the machine that much more flexible.

There are a few brake buttons, some of which control lane-change functions if you're running digital. Otherwise they're different brake styles of the 100% power-off variety. They would probably be pretty useful if you had your Brake dial set to a more wide-open setting.

There is also another valuable option, and that is Ghost Car Mode. This basically allows you to use the controller and set the speed of the car. This is great if you like to compete against yourself or just want more action on the field. Of course, the one drawback to doing that is now I have my good controller tied up as a ghost controller. So I doubt I'll do that much unless out of absolute boredom.

The dip switches are located on the top of the controller and are accessible with a pen or small screwdriver. Each setting corresponds to a part of the power curve you want to control. I experimented a bit with this and discovered that, while I can control the car's complete power range, it still is full power at the top, flying the car straight off the track. I'm sure over time I'll find the comfortable settings in Curve mode.

Dip Switches currently set at 1 and 2 OFF. That plus the selector switch set to the "lin" [linear] setting will allow you to control overall speed of the cars. Y'know....for kids.

This particular controller is the SCP01b, which has positive wiring, which is run on commercial tracks and is standard on handmade wood tracks. Carrera and other plastic track makers use negative wiring. This means that in order to run this controller on a Carrera track, you'll have to switch the polarity of the power plug. This will cause cars to only run counter-clockwise, and stutter if you try to run them the other direction [unless you flip the switch on the Carrera cars].
It's possible to buy a cartridge that would fit precisely to the Carrera track, but this one does just fine. Other cartridges are available for the various digital systems.

I wired 4mm banana plugs to the three wires and matched them black/black, red/red, yellow/blue. They then sit in the power track from left to right: yellow, red, black.

The controller is wired Yellow/Red/Black from left-right as you look at the track. Notice the reversal of polarity for the power plug. It needs to be that way to power the controller [positive wired]. The 4mm banana plugs fit snugly, but they fit. The "yellow" plug has a piece of yellow tape over it [I didn't have an actual yellow plug].

RESULTS:
Now I understand what I've been reading. This is one of the best upgrades you can make. There is no comparison between it and a Carrera controller.
This gives me more control over my car, a better flow and more understanding of my controller and what I can do. A quick adjustment and my Safety Car can compete with my R18. And suddenly my R18 is a breeze to drive, absolutely responsive and more like a shark than ever before.

It took a couple of sessions to get the hang of the controller and find a good comfortable start point. I ran a few time trials and not only were the speeds impressive, but the fact that there were no de-slots was even more interesting. I credit that absolutely to the controller. There is nothing else that can possibly explain it. From here on out I will be keeping my Carrera controllers in the box.

UPDATE: The SCP-1 certainly is faster and reacted very well to the settings given. I set up a stock Carrera controller as well to compare the two. The amount of throw on the finger trigger of the SCP-1 is longer than the throw on the Carrera thumbstick. The ability to make so many fine tuning adjustments to the SCP-1 made the Carrera controller feel primitive in comparison.
I keep coming back to one particular setting: Linear/1off/2off. This is what they call the safe setting for kids. The max power setting. It is, to me, the absolute best feature of this controller. I showed it to my wife a few minutes ago and she was actually excited that she made it around the track without crashing. Win/win.


BOTTOM LINE: Absolutely drop what you're doing and buy a good controller. I'm sure the SCP-2, the successor to this one, is likely very good, as are other controllers from DS and others. But it's the best piece of kit that I've gotten so far, and actually brings a smile to my face when I'm using it.


There is a newer version of the controller called the SCP-2, but I don't own that one, so I can't really comment on it. This one is about the old version, and since there doesn't seem to be that much info available online about it, maybe this little bit will help. 

The Generosity Of Others

I got in a conversation over at the SCI forum with a couple of people regarding controllers. My primary gripe has been that the ones I currently have are thumb controllers first and foremost, and I prefer the finger-trigger kind. Secondly, the stock Carrera controllers are very rough and not responsive at all. Naturally, wouldn't you know that there is a plethora of controllers on the market, with prices ranging from six bucks to hundreds.

As we were talking and I was asking questions, trying to keep them on the cheaper side of budget restrictions, we came to the conclusion that a Parma analog controller would probably be just fine, although if I really just wanted to get it done, I'd step up to one of the hundred dollar controllers, which have separate dials for tuning in the power, as well as interchangeable cartridges for running on different systems. I, being my ever thrifty self, pressed on until I was approached and offered a nice controller for about the price of a cheaper analog: A Slot.it SCP1. 30 bucks and it was mine.

Problem is, I don't have 30 bucks. But it was such a good deal, I had to at least tell my wife about it, in case she thought it was worth doing. I tried buttering her bread a little, but didn't quite get an answer from her. I wrote to the guy [who shall remain nameless for privacy reasons in case anyone comes across this] and told him that it was likely going to take awhile, and if he can remain patient, I'd love to do it eventually. It's pretty close to the holiday season, and I don't know about you, but there's an unwritten rule around my house that you don't go spending money on yourself around the holiday season. This is especially doubly important now as we just yesterday signed for the house we've been waiting on for over a year.

So a couple days roll by, and there's a message in my inbox. The guy writes and says, hey, why don't you send me your address and I'll send you the controller. Call it a housewarming gift.

I am amazed when people do that sort of thing. That controller new costs a hundred bucks. He didn't have to do that. It's a tremendous offer and I'm very thankful for it. He said he had upgraded to a better one and wasn't using it anymore.

I know it's just a hobby accessory, but it's not about that. It's more about the friendly, helpful people that are involved in slot car racing. I meet more and more of them each day, each with different ideas and opinions, but all completely hooked on the hobby.
And maybe it's because the hobby has such a particular clientele, one that knows that we're all in the same boat. Sure, guys have their racing secrets, but general, and often particular information is willingly given. I get contacted directly by people offering to help quite often, and it's a great feeling. I value that information, and it's all going to a good place.

Thanks Guy. I'll call you Guy for now. I really appreciate what you did. Thanks very much.

Time Trials

I took the Carrera Audi R18 and the Audi Safety Car, trued the tires, cleaned, oiled and greased the cars. As a test track I used a crossover-8 with extended straights.

All R-1 turns. The Straightaway is 6 pieces, the Overpass is 3 pieces and the Back Straight is 3 pieces. 

I don't have any form of a lap counter, so I had to improvise. I ran each car on the inside lane for two tests each; one 5-minutes and three 1-minute. I counted laps manually and used a clock timer counting down. Primitive, I know.

Results:
____________

R18 5 MINUTES
WEIGHT: 96.4gr

LAPS: 90

DE-SLOTS: 5

SAFETY CAR 5 MINUTES
WEIGHT: 90.5gr

LAPS: 90

DE-SLOTS: 3

By the way the cars ran, I never would have expected them to reach the exact same lap. The R18 went off a lot more, but was considerably faster on the track, so it made up for it. The Safety Car was running at its fastest the entire time, and while it has better braking, it wasn't enough to get it the win. WINNER: R18

____________

R18 1 MINUTE

LAPS: 20

DE-SLOTS: 0

LAPS: 19

DE-SLOTS: 1

LAPS: 21

DE-SLOTS: 0

____________

SAFETY CAR 1 MINUTE

LAPS: 15

DE-SLOTS: 3

LAPS: 17

DE-SLOTS: 2

LAPS:  19

DE-SLOTS: 2

This was more like I expected. I treated it as more of a sprint than the 5-minute marathon was, and while I didn't have to change my driving style much for the R18, the Safety Car clearly couldn't handle the extra push, although it made a noble attempt at the end. It's far too wiggly. Had it behaved and not gone off twice in the last 1 minute heat, it likely would have won. WINNER [by a country mile]: R18

UPDATE: I have since received a Slot.it SCP-1 controller, and will be doing all time trials from here on out with that. That renders this test now obsolete.