Tip of the month

Tip From Chuck Hendricks 

 Oval Track, Inside Lanes or Outside Lanes, or Black Lanes Matter

Am I the only one who sees how much shorter distance the inside lanes are on a slot car oval? Let’s just use simple math to find out just how much difference there is in distance traveled on the black lane on the inside versus the red lane on the outside. Of course I promised my somewhat slow brother that I would not make this too complicated so that he might understand. Rather than measure the distance of each lane, we will compare the difference in the distance traveled. Tim, I will summarize this near the end so that you can see the results. Just skip down to the next to last paragraph where the numbers and words are much smaller and easier to understand. The overall length of the straight is not in question as the length for each is the same no matter what lane.

For simplicity sake, let’s say the inside black lane has a 6 foot diameter average turn. The circumference of the turn is 6 ft times 3.1416 *(pi) resulting in a distance of 19 ft. The track should have 4 ½ inch lanes resulting in the Red lane having a 3 ft. larger radius or 6 foot larger diameter. Red has a  12 ft diameter multiplied by 3.1416 resulting in a 38 ft circumference that equals to a 19 ft greater distance to travel. Now you can see the greater distance traveled each lap and if multiplied by an average of 50 laps on red is an astonishing 950 ft or the same as an extra 12 laps of distance on the 75’ tri oval. You will have to go pretty fast on the outside lanes to make up the extra distance traveled. This extra distance is not really where I want to end this. There is also an “average” of ¼ second difference in the laps times from the black lane to the red lane by the fastest racers. These times are usually consistent and do not jump all over the place like some of the less experienced racers. Using the time as the measurement, ¼ second per lap results in the car on black lapping the car on red every 9.2 laps or 5. 6 laps in a race.. Hmm, I think something is afoot here and now the theorizing begins.

I have accumulated tons of data on a spread sheet that I keep from every race we have run for over a year. I was warned not to bore everyone to tears with “data” so I will just hit the most important information. Tim. If you didn’t skip to the next to last paragraph, this lack of “boring data” was written for you. I will relate the figures for each lane result of 8 racers in the Super Modified class at Charlie’s Garage in Pearl, MS. In this case I threw out the overall best lap on each lane and used the balance for my calculation. The list below shows the difference in best lap results taken off the mysterious, super secretive, boring data filled, racing spread sheet.

Black 4 laps, Purple 3 laps, Yellow 4 laps, Blue 4 laps, Orange 3 laps, Green 3 laps, White 1 lap, Red 2 laps

Tim. This is the next to last paragraph, so start reading here as there are no big numbers or words. Add up the 4 inside lanes and you get 15 laps. Do the same with the 4 outside lanes and the answer is 9 laps.  Here we have the possibility to make up 6 laps on the inside lanes versus the outside lanes. This matches the lap time variation resulting in a 5.6 lap difference from lap times. So, racers, where would you put your emphasis? I have been told that all lanes should have the same emphasis and that the inside or outside lanes should not matter. Also, I have heard the races are won on the outside lanes and that races are lost on the outside lanes. The following is my opinion of this topic based on my experience and not following my brothers rather simplistic guidelines.

There is a saying that goes “Make hay while the sun shines” and this is my thought every time I hit the inside lanes. I will give you the outside if I can stay within a couple laps because I know as soon as I get to the inside, I can make those back up and move ahead by even more laps. My favorite scenario is to start on orange, which means I run all 4 outside lanes first. The person on the inside lanes may take the lead and get cautious resulting in a few less inside laps run. Go ahead and do it next time too! I love it when that happens as I will not have to push it so hard when I get to the inside lanes. If I happen to start on the inside lanes, I will push it, “making hay” sort of, since I know the bigger lead gained on the inside lanes will result in less stress on me trying to keep up on the outside lanes but will put more stress on the other racers trying to make up the laps. At a recent race, racer “B” ran the inside 3 lanes first and had a 14 lap lead after the three rotations. At the end of the race his lead was 16 laps meaning there was a net gain of two laps on the other 5 lanes. The better racers will have an advantage on the inside as they seem to be harder to drive, or are they? The outside lanes are ran with the not as accomplished racers keeping within a couple laps of the faster racers, meaning they are easier. Are they? Are all the lanes equally as important? Listen up, work on the inside lanes and become a better racer. As soon as you can master these “tough” lanes, you will find yourself competing with the best racers. I will not tell you this is the absolute correct theory, but use your own judgment and maybe keep track of the results yourself. I firmly believe that oval races are won or lost on the inside lanes, where you can “make hay”!

 Footnotes: *Tim, you can’t eat this pi.

 

Tip from Kevin Riggs

This month's tip comes from Kevin Riggs out of the North Alabama Slotcar Association (N.A.S.A.).  Kevin began racing Aurora T-jets in 1970.  After a break for college, career, and family building, he unpacked his old boxes of track and began racing again in 2010.  He has raced at the Fray in Ferndale, the Ohio Cup, the Quarrel, the Akron/Canton Stock T-jet Challenge, the TRACK Summer Clash in Lexington, and he's the reining Stock champion in the North Alabama Slotcar Association (NASA).  He is passionate about collecting, restoring, and racing the vintage Aurora T-Jets of the '60s and early '70s. It is a tip on HO cars and deals with making the motors last longer and perform better.

 Tip: clean the spaces between the armature commutator plates to avoid "smoking" the motor.

How many times have you seen a slot car go up in smoke?  If you don't mind destroying perfectly good parts, it's sort of spectacular to watch.  Put power to the motor, and suddenly smoke pours out.  Take it apart, and discover that the brushes have melted the chassis, wires have burned in the armature, and perhaps the commutator plates themselves have delaminated from the backing board.

While there are some avoidable causes for this, the most frequent problem is actually very simple to fix - clean the small gaps between the commutator plates.  In motors that have been over-oiled and allowed to run without cleaning for too long, bits of thickened oil and particles of carbon and copper from the brushes and the com plates themselves accumulate in the small gaps.  Once enough conductive material has accumulated, a short between plates is created, and in a remarkably short period of time, this short causes heat to build up and destroy the arm, perhaps the chassis as well.

I use the smallest flat-bladed screwdriver in my jewelers set to clean this gap whenever I open the motor of a slot car.  You can use a toothpick.  You can use a toothbrush and gentle solvent, such as ronsonol or Zippo lighter fluid, or CRC.  Clean any accumulated oil and carbon/copper dust out of the chassis pan as well to inhibit gunk from building up on the arm again.

If you ever put power to a car and it seems slow to spin up, stop immediately and check to see if a short between the plates has built up.  It's a common problem and it only takes a couple of minutes to resolve it.

 

Tip from Tim Hendricks

Tip of the month for September - Tim Hendricks

OK, I have no desire to make myself out as a slot racing expert.  I certainly never anticipated giving a tip of the month myself as there are many others I would like to write about and bring their tips out for all to see.  However, in one of my more stupid moments I had a discussion with myself.  It went something like this...

"Tim, why is it someone who can race as well as you has so many bad finishes at your home track?  I mean, you are usually among the top of your local field of racers.  In a recent week you were running away from everyone in the Nascar class and your car broke."  I remember that one!!! I was about 30 laps ahead of second place running away from everyone when I spun a pinion gear off.  "Yes, and then you were racing in the same class, once again out running everyone when you broke a lead wire."  Please don't remind me.  I was 9 or 10 laps ahead of my brother at the time.  I hope he doesn't read this, he has a problem with dementia and probably wont realize it was not a fantasy that he beat me AGAIN.  "Oh, lets not forget how you were way out in front of everyone in the Super Modified race only to have your motor come unsoldered."  Do you have to remind me of all this stuff?  I really don't want to remember it!  "Then don't repeat it.  Do something about it and maybe you can win a race again."

That last sentence I said to myself was what caused me to decide to write a tip of the month.  After all...I obviously need the tip.  "Do something about it" is a simple statement, but it means a lot.  Never the same problem twice, but always a problem.  Hmmm, this seems like a problem in its self.  So, why am I having these problems?  I check out my car before each race night.  Maybe I am not checking them out well enough.

I recently was at a race where Greg Gilbert and Bud Greene of Alabama were racing.  I noticed that before the race they reduced their cars to a stripped down chassis.  They then completely rebuilt their cars before race time.  They made sure their chassis were flat and everything else was in shape.  I have been inspired!  I am not going to do this at the track as my social time and practice time at the track is too valuable to me so I will create a checklist of things to do the day before race day.

This checklist may seem a bit extreme for some, but it might help others realize how important maintenance is.  Here is my new 20 steps to race day.

1. Strip every thing off the chassis.   Remove the body, motor, guide flag, rear axle...etc.
2. Clean everything.  this includes the chassis, motor, axles, guide flag, body....etc.
3. Check chassis for flatness.  Adjust as needed to make sure everything is flat and smooth.
4. Inspect tires for condition.  If they have torn pieces pulled out replace them.  If they are not flat then true them or replace them.
5. Check rear axle for resistance.  After cleaning the axle and the oilites, lubricate each and put the axle back in with tires but without a spur/crown gear.  If the axle does not spin freely, adjust the oilites so they are properly aligned.
6.  Inspect your motor for any loose winding on the arm.  If you see a wire loop on the arm not tight against the others replace the motor.
7. Inspect pinion gear for wear.  If worn, replace with a new one.
8. If pinion is a press on, solder it on.  If it has already been soldered, check the solder and reheat establishing a new solder joint in case there has been any stress to the solder connection.
9. Inspect lead wires for ANY broken strands.  If the wires are not perfect, replace them or repair by cutting a little off and re-soldering.  Do this for the guide flag end as well as the motor end.
10. Inspect spur/crown gear.  If it is showing wear throw it in the garbage.  Replace it with a new one.  You should never have worn out gears in your pit box because you are scrimping.  It may cost you a race.
11. Place spur gear on axle with the tire next to it off.
12. Install motor setting gear mesh as you do so.
13. Once gear mesh is established tighten spur/crown gear and put other rear tire on.
14. Replace the guide flag.  If the threads will not allow the guide flag to tighten properly with free movement or it is showing excessive wear or discoloration due to strain, replace it.
15. Install the lead wires and new braid.  Why race with worn out braid?
16. If front axle was removed, reinstall at this point making sure it is set up properly.
17. Inspect for ride height clearance.
18. Lubricate motor, oilites, guide flag....if it can be lubricated, lubricate it.
19. Inspect body for wear or damage.  If there are any torn places and your class will allow the use of body armor repair as needed or replace the body.  Check for damage to holes where body clips or pins are pushed through and repair as needed with strapping tape or body armor if allowed.
20.. Install body and check for clearance.  Ultimately, the final checking for body clearance may need to be done at the track in actual use with a small pair of scissors on hand.

If I do this with each car before race day I should not see the kind of problems I have been having.  How about this for a tip....why don't you try using my new 20 steps to race day.  It might help you also

Tip from Billy Watson

Tip of the Month for August - Billy Watson

The tip of the month for August comes from a man who is not just a racer, not just a track owner, but he is also a track builder as well.  Billy Watson started racing slot cars in 1966 up in Ohio.  The golden age of Slot Car racing, a time when tracks were all over the U.S.A.  Two years after Billy started racing he re-opened a track that had closed down.  Billy has seen a lot of changes over the years of racing.  He and his wife Minnie had just bought new cars for racing at a local track about ten years ago, when the track they were racing at closed down.  In order to not lose out on racing slot cars, Billy built a track in the basement of his home in Prattville, AL.  This track he dubbed Dungeon Raceway since it was in his basement.  He built a four lane commercial grade track 150' long.  The track is exceptionally fast featuring three straights connected by two banked turns.  After the speed section of the track, there is a technical corner leading into the longest straight on the track that goes into yet another banked turn followed by another technical section..  Having built this track he invited people to come race with him.  He currently has a race program that will see people show up from two or three states every race day.  Billy has seen so much in slot car racing over the years you would be amiss not to listen to any suggestion he makes.

Billy's tip for us is one I have seen him utilizing himself and is a great way to save money on racing.  In fact, Billy admits to being cheap, and that is why he uses this tip himself.  Tires today cost anywhere from $12 to $20 a pair.  When you set your tires up for minimum clearance the way Billy does, the tires don't last very long.  Recently Billy helped me set up a pair of tires so my car would be more competitive and I was able to squeeze out two races with them.....barely.  Using tires at this rate, tire cost can be expensive.  When you look at race fees, new braid for the race, new tires every other race, periodic body and motor replacement, economical racing can be difficult.  If you can find a way to still do all these things and reduce your cost, it can be very helpful.

Billy's exact words to me were, "I am cheap so I recap most of my tires."  If you are not familiar with this practice, it is done widely in slot car racing.  The tires you get are referred to as donuts.  It is the tire without the hub.  Billy explained the process he uses..."First I remove the old rubber by putting the tire in a drill press and cutting off the old rubber.  Next, put the rims on an axle , apply some 3M #08002 weather strip and gasket adhesive to the rim and some on the inside of the rubber, then quickly slide the rubber on the rim, wipe off the excess then set aside till the next day.  I usually make up several at a time."

I would like to go a little farther with this by making a disclaimer about Billy's ability to do this.  It is absolutely necessary to true these tires once they are mounted.  Billy uses a lathe to do this.  This gives Billy the opportunity to make the tires whatever diameter he desires.  Most of us do not have a lathe at our disposal to turn tires down, but many have a tire truer such as the Hudy tire truer.  I have used one of these and can tell you from experience that the tire truer does not work as well as a lathe.  However, lathes seem to start at about $500.  If you do not have a tire truer, you can buy one in the $189-$229 range.  Saving 50% on the price of tires means you can pay for a tire truer by making up 30-40 pairs.  If you can buy the donuts in bulk you could possibly save more and pay for the tire truer quicker.  I will not go into how well a tire truer works at this point as that will be my product review of the month for August.

I would like to thank Billy Watson for his tip of the month.  I know it will truly help a number of racers.

Tip from Greg Gilbert

Tip of the Month, July- Greg Gilbert

When you get a tip about anything it is best to consider where the tip comes from, and is this person qualified to give a tip. This month's tip comes from a man who is vastly qualified to give one. Greg Gilbert has extensive experience in racing Eurosport classes. He has raced in Europe as well as the United States. In fact, he has won the World Championship in two classes of Eurosport racing. He has also won 19 national championships here in the United States in Eurosport classes. He can be truly described as a World Class Racer.

His tip of the month is not one you would expect from such an expert in Slot Car Racing. It does not concern chassis set-up, wheel and tire information, body design, or even what type of controller to use. His tip is one of a psychological position. If you think about it, at the level of competition he has raced in, everyone is an expert at car set-up. At this level, everyone is an expert driver. So what gives him an edge over others to achieve the accomplishments he has? At this level of racing the mental process is key. This is true at the local level of racing. No, you cannot outrun someone who is half a second per lap faster than you are by keeping a positive outlook, but you can do certain things mentally to give you the greatest edge you can. With that edge, if your car is competitive with those you are racing with, it might just give you the edge you need to pull out a win.

Greg's tip is very simple, but it says volumes. “Keep your car out of harms way.” That is it. Words so simple, but yet so hard to live with. How many times have we gotten caught up in a race where someone is running us down. We can see him gaining a couple feet every lap. He finally is right beside us and we drive into a turn too deep trying to avoid him passing. Or, let's look at this from the reverse role. Suppose you are chasing down the car that is directly ahead of you in lap counts. You really want to get by him to take the position. As you gain on him you start taking a little more risk with your car to try to accomplish the pass. Eventually, you are right on his tail trying to beat him into a turn to take the lead and you over-drive your car into the turn and deslot. Now you have to chase him down all over again and hope you don't make the same mistake.

The tip Greg gives, “Don't put your car in harms way.” speaks directly to this. You have been caught by a faster car and you put your car in harms way trying to prevent the pass. You have now deslotted trying to avoid one person passing you. In the process of your deslot, and the marshaling of the deslot, you will often lose more positions, plus a lot of track distance to the person who just passed you. You have fought hard to prevent losing 4 or 5 feet to this person and now you have lost half a lap or more because of the deslot. Let's look at it from the aspect of you chasing someone down. You have gained 2, 3, or 4 feet a lap over many laps to get yourself in this position. Now you over-drive your car trying hard to get around him and lose 75 feet. You are now looking at maybe 20 laps to catch this person to try again. That possibility may not come as the rotation, or the race, may end before you can catch them again. If you simply drive the race you have been driving, you will catch and pass this person in time. After all, you have chased him down already. You have proven to yourself that you are faster than him. Given time, you will get around him, or he will succumb to the pressure and overdrive into a turn himself. The important thing in either of these situations is to not over-drive the car and put it into harms way by desloting.

Now, let's take a look at another kind of putting your car into harms way. When you are racing, you should know where deslots usually happen around the track and where the cars will usually end up. For example, if you are coming into a lead-on turn for the longest straight, you know people will have a tendency to drive hard into this turn hoping to gain more speed on the long straight. This means quite often a deslot will happen and the car will wind up on one of the two outside lanes. In a turn coming off a straight where you are going into a donut, you will find the deslots usually happen at a slower speed than the lead-on turns. This means the desloted cars could wind up at any part of the track. Usually, if you are in the inside two lanes of a turn you are pretty safe though. Then there is the donut. This is a nightmare to the people on the outside two lanes. When you are starting a rotation, you should be aware of the lane you are on and where the deslots should effect you. Therefore, when you are racing and you hear a deslot happen you will know if it is in the area that you are most likely to be affected. Should a deslot happen in such an area, you should be cautious going into that turn knowing a corner marshal may have their hands on the track dealing with another car. A slight reduction in speed going into this turn may cost you a tenth of a second for that lap but it could save you a two or three second deslot. On most tracks a deslot can cost you half a lap and possibly up to two laps of running time. By slowing down to give yourself that split second to see if there is a deslot problem, you could possibly keep your car out of harms way. The key here is to drive with your ears open and respond as the situations arise.

Another part of keeping your car out of harms way that Greg pointed out is selecting where you pass. How many times have you “nerfed” the car on the outside of you in a turn. Causing the car on the outside of you in a turn to deslot is just part of racing. If you are about to pass a car in the lane next to you it is important to keep in mind which side of him you will be on in the turn. If you will be on the outside of the car you are about to pass it is better to back off a little and wait until you will be on the inside of the car you are passing. With proper timing and a little patience you can safely pass a competitor. Just don't try to pass when it will put your car in harms way. Another thing to think about in passing someone is if you are catching a car that is much slower than you are. In this case sometimes passing on the inside can cause you to be desloted instead of the car on the outside. Have you ever entered a turn to find a car stopped in the lane outside of yours? This will usually result in your car hitting the other car and desloting your car. This occurrence decreases in frequency based on the other cars speed increasing. It ranges from the car on the outside being stopped usually desloting your car to, at full speed the car on the outside will be desloted and your car on the inside will be fine. If the person is much slower than you, and on the outside of your car, it is often best to wait to pass in the straight that is to follow. This is especially true if you are coming off a long straight into a banked turn. In this situation it is very common for the car on the inside to deslot if the other car is much slower. You are much better off to time the turn so you will catch and pass coming out of the turn after your car has straightened back up from the turn. Remember, passing on the outside usually is dangerous, passing on the inside is much safer unless the other car is stopped or too much slower than you.

The words “Keep your car out of harms way” may not sound like much. It does not help you get that gear mesh you have been trying to perfect or the correct manner of soldering, but it speaks volumes about on-the-track racing. 'Thanks' go to Greg Gilbert for sharing this insight with us.