Fairways Racing Complex Forum

Guys, please let everyone know what type or driving you prefer in the poll above. High-magnet driving lets the car do most of the work and requires less driving skill. Low-magnet driving leaves more in the hands of the driver and therefore requires more skill.

GG - Sorry, cant choose any because I'm good 2 go with BOTH of THEM...

As you know - I contest all of FRC's classes with great interest.

After all, its just a matter of setting up cars with the right balance for racing enjoyment

Luke

PLEASANT WEEK TO EVERYONE. I HOPE BOO IS GETTING BETTER. WE HAD GREAT WEATHER FOR RACING YESTERDAY, AT SOUTH RING RACEWAY.THERE WERE A TURN OUT OF OVER 12 DRIVERS ,WE RACED IN THREE CLASSES. FUN RACING FOR ALL . THANKS STEVE AND JONATHAN .FOR COMING AND BEING A PART OT THE EVENT . STEVE DID WELL IN BOTH RACES . AND CAME IN THIRD IN F1 CLASS.NOW TO REPLY TO THE TOPIC, ALL CLUBS ARE SET UP AROUND THE PREFERENCE OF THE CORE MEMBERS, AND RULES , CLASSES,ARE SET UP BASED ON THIS . PLASTIC SPORT TRACKS WERE DESIGNED FOR MAGNETIC RACING , HENCE THE RAIL AND RUNNING SURFACE ARE ALMOST FLAT, AND THE TRACK SURFACE IS OF A SMOOTHE GRAIN, NOT TOO ROUGH AGGREGATE. COMPARE THIS WITH THE CLASSIC SCALEXTRIC TRACK WHICH WAS DESIGNED FOR NON MAGNETIC RACING, NOTE , THE PLASTIC AND RAIL IS NOT AT SAME LEVEL, THE CAR SITS LOWER ON THE TRACK , ALSO THE PLASTIC GRAIN IS A LOT ROUGHER CREATING MORE GRIP AND TYRE WEAR , IN NON MAG RACING TYRE COMPOUND , TYPES , EG SPONGE, ETC TRACK BITE ETC , ITS A NEXT WORLD , WE HAVE RACED NON MAG FOR 20 YEARS , NON MAGNETIC RACING IS THE WAY TO GO ON WOODEN TRACKS , NOT ON PLASTIC SPORT, THIS IS PART OF OUR PLAN FOR SOUTH TO SET UP ANALOG , DIGITAL,AND WOODEN TRACKS ALL IN ONE AREA. THANKS TO ARDEN WE ARE MAKING THIS SLOT CAR DREAM COME TRUE. WE NEED THE HELP OF FRC TO MAKE THIS AS BEST THAT IT CAN BE . NOW TO MY ANSWER I VOTE FOR DIFFERENT LEVELS OF MAGNETIC RACING AT FRC . THANKS RAMESH NB I HAVE A LOT MORE TO ADD BUT WILL DO SOME NEXT TIME .

Guys,

I know that this could sidetrack into a lot of discussion, but my question has nothing to do with car setup or magnet-less racing (we already have a no-magnet class in Rally). It has only to do with driving preference using magnet-equipped cars. The question is simply:

• whether you prefer driving cars with high-magnetic downforce where the car does most of the work to keep it in the slot, or
• whether you prefer driving low-magnetic downforce cars where you the driver does more of the work to keep it in the slot.

Its a driving question, not a track-type or car-preparation question.

Hope this clears it up. BTW you can change your vote as many times as you like.

Gordon

Gordon,

Ramesh made some very interesting points with different track surfaces...

The point with SSD type tracks - I will have go with High-Magnetic d/force but fair is fair you still need (different kind) high driving skills to win a race when 5 other cars just as fast on your tail

Luke wrote:but fair is fair you still need (different kind) high driving skills to win a race when 5 other cars just as fast on your tail

Luke, that's all well and good but my finger can't take the constant full-throttle pressure required by that type of racing... too much finger pain and still watching other cars run away from mine (a car-preparation thing, not a driving thing). Any inexperienced newbie can drive a high-magnet car full throttle for 90% of a lap and stay in the slot with minimal previous experience, but fewer can drive where each turn requires fine throttle control, a "feel" for the car and good hand-eye coordination without de-slotting.

For me, the latter will always be a bigger challenge and therefore more satisfying than the former, but to each his own

I think that there is a time and place for all. In my mind, the time and place for full-magnet, no-holds-barred cars is the GT/LMP/AM night. This would showcase one's car prep. abilities in creating amazingly fast cars but which, scale speed wise, bear absolutely no relation to reality. On a 75 ft. long track (which FRC is fairly close to), a 5 second lap time equates to a 327 mph(scale) average speed ! I would prefer cars with less magnetism (or even none !) that require a bit more driving skill and which bear some resemblance to reality . As I've said before, I very much enjoy our HS class in which one can actually look at and appreciate the beauty of the cars as they go around the track. Even these, at a barely competitive 7.5 sec. lap time at FRC are averaging a 217 mph (scale speed), faster than the top speed of a current LeMans car on the Mulsanne straight !
As Gordon pointed out, his question is a theoretical one but the reality is that we race on Scaley Sport track which, as pointed out by some, was designed for highly magnetized Scalextric cars. Slot cars can, however, be made to run very well on this even with low or no magnetism as has been proven in our Rally class and even with my stock , non-mag Scaley Ferrari F430 which I sometimes bring to FRC.

Gordon,

I see your question is doing well on the forum.LOL.

I am still trying to understand why the question? Please excuse my ignorance.

At the top you asked what is preferred by drivers? High Downforce /low skill or Low Downforce/ High Skill? Np
Later on you expressed issues with regards to trottle finger which I have also experienced. I am really trying hard to understand where this is going?
Sitting here I agree with everyone comments, however my concern is once again the same. Now I may be totally off topic here because I don't know what answer you are looking for. I say this because of the way the replies are coming in and your response.
Presently you have a wide range of classes from stock to modified ie motors, magnets, tyres,chips etc. So from where I stand you have a good mix. The only thing I will do different is mix some stock and modified if there is trottle finger syndorme. This may also get everyone to come. You have racers who like stock and some like modified. You cannot satisfy everyone.
Back to my off tune issues again. Sorry for sounding like a broken record. How many racers are constant at FRC.
We develop new classes and everyone is not there as yet. We have to much choice of classes. We need everyone to participate in all classes fullstop.......... !

One key issue I have with the less downforce is the track design and marshalls.The track is not designed for easy reslotting and the drive through will be a major aspect. Even though we are men we often don't behave in such a manner.

If there are new regulations we will have to set up cars again which takes time. I am trying to catch up with tuning and it is very difficult.

Also our digital track is on the move and we are looking at 6 weeks from today to be completed. Our classes are based on FRC regulation. We want to welcome FRC digital racers to our track and this means us setting cars cars for all classes. When there are new classes this means more dineros. No tengo dineros senor.
Please remember we are trying to be part of FRC and FRC be a part of TSCC. Our intentions is to grow the sport and have more fun.

I hope I was not too off topic.

Arden
Southboy

Gordon,

When I frist saw this poll - I was kind of wondering where you could be goin with it but knowing how you use the forum for these kind of topics, quite sure its going to be something positive.

BTW - This finger pain I hear some of you guys talking bout is just a brain thing you know - I think its to much physical over mental being used.
For example - how hard do you have to press a button on your TV remote, your computer keyboard/mouse, your steering wheel or even those smartphones, etc, etc just for you to get a result... Not very hard right, so let the electronics just do its work and not your finger.

How ah sounding? Make sence ent?

It works for me

Luke

All right Guys,

Let me come straight. Without going into a lot of diatribe, here's the intent of this post in a nutshell:

Firstly, I would like to see cars in our "stock" classes (specifically Historic Saloon and Vintage Sports, no others) perform more like stock cars where downforce is concerned. Because the classes allow different brands and different models within a brand, I'd like a rule which allows equal magnetic downforce for everyone.

Secondly, we already have classes which allow heavy and very heavy downforce, so I feel that in equalising downforce for the cars in these stock classes we should not aim to add downforce to equalise the cars, but instead reduce downforce where necessary so that the downforce for all cars will be more in line with the average out-the-box slot car. (Remember, these are stock classes.)

I was hoping to use a little psychology with the poll to appeal to everyone's ego so that most would vote for the "lower-magnet" option, so that was a bit sneaky.

So that's all this is about.

Gordon