Tyco and AFX are the 1:64 scale. I used to race them too. Lots of fun and I have a few tracks laying around here.

I am into the 1:24 scale cars. They are about 6 inches long and travel around 100mph actual speed. There are still hobby shops around with tracks. I even saw a guy get a couple of fingers broken when a car hit him. You can't get that from XBox!

Check out this site if you are interested: http://www.oldweirdherald.com/ It is one of the best sources for slot car racing.

 

Do they still run the 15, 27, and open classes (I forget the official names), or have they moved on (it's been nearly 20 years since I last raced slots)?

 

For the most part. In the Wing Car division, the classes are now called: Open, Group 27, Cobalt 12, International 15, Box Stock 12, Spec 15 in order of descending speed. Some classes are divided into Pro and Amateur at the larger races.

In the scale car division, they use different classes altogether. The hobby is still going strong but it is going through tough times with the economy. Post a question on Old Wierd Herald to find a track near you.

It is a great way to race safely and you wouldn't believe how sophisticated it all is. In the higher classes, it will cost you more to race than a real car. For example, you can burn a set of tires up in every one of 8 heats at $25 per set. That's $200 in just tires for 32 minutes of racing. If you have quorter finals and semis, that's $200 per round! The lower classes are affordable for the kids. Like they say, speed costs money, how fast do you want to go?

 

Thanks for the information, especially on the costs. I'll definitely have to check and see if there are any tracks near by.

Sorry for helping to sidetrack/hijack the thread. If I have any other questions I'll start up a new thread.