The Rock County Eighth Mile Winter Series starts in November and runs through to March next year. Jadlam Toys & Models are kindly sponsoring the series. All the pre-race build-up and race coverage takes place here on SlotRacer Online. Reports, results and photographs from each event will be collected together in the South Coast HO Dragster fanzine - previous editions can be found in the SlotRacer Online Library here: slotracer.online/library/south-coast-ho-dragster

There are five socially-distant mail-in proxy HO drag races that make up the series:

• November 17-18: Street Stock, Super Stock 6.0, NHRA 4-Gear + NHRA Top Fuel match racing. Report here.
  
• December 8-9:  Street Stock, Nostalgia T-Jet, Nostalgia 4-Gear Funny Car +Nostalgia Micro Scalextric 2019 match racing. Report here.
  
• January 12-13:  Street Stock, Super Stock 6.0, NHRA 4-Gear + NHRA TopFuel match racing. Report here.
  
• February 9-10:  Street Stock, Nostalgia T-Jet, Nostalgia 4-Gear Funny Car +Nostalgia Micro Scalextric 2019 match racing. Report here.
  
• March 12-13-14:  Winter Series Finale. All classes + extra match racing. Sign-up here.
  

The five events will be divided into two themes - NHRA and Nostalgia - each running at two events and rounding off the series with a three-day finale featuring both themes and all the classes. Micro Scalextric Street Stock will remain the centrepiece of all five events.

NHRA-themed events: The NHRA-themed events includes an evolution of our Micro Scalextric Super Stock class. Cars are now fitted with a 6-ohm Tomy can motor. We’ll call this ‘Micro Scalextric SuperStock 6.0’. The 4-Gear NHRA Funny Cars, Pro Stockers and Pro Mods get their own elimination racing format. The Top Fuelers will continue in a match race format - with a ladder competition at the series finale in March.

Nostalgia-themed events: Nostalgia events keep the popular Micro Scalextric Street Stock race - the Nostalgia theme breaks out with the support classes. We define ‘Nostalgia’ as pre-1979 style body shells. The T-Jet class is tweaked to bring it in line with the Nitro Slots Pancake Stock rules. The 4-Gear ‘Legends’ Funny Cars now get their own elimination competition. And there’s a new Nostalgia Micro Scalextric class that will start as a match racing format, with a ladder format showdown in March.

Winter Series Regulations: You’ll find the regulations for the Winter Series explained fully in the posts below. The T-Jet and 4-Gear classes now run to the NTRA Pancake Stock rule set. The Micro Scalextric Street and Super Stock have stayed almost the same - apart for the motor replacement in Super Stock. We ask that the Nostalgia ‘Micro Scalextric 2019’ cars are run as stock - although the chassis tabs can be removed and the wheels may be replaced - wheelie bars are permitted and strict pre-1979 style bodies please!

Practicalities & postage:

• One car per class per entrant please. Family members are very welcome to participate!
  
• Message me here and I will send you the address to post your cars.
  
• Postage and return postage are the only expense - there are no additional race fees. Return postage is paid by PayPal.
  
• Please keep sending boxes that can be posted in a parcel box - a maximum size of 44cm x 35cm x 16cm - so no-one need go in a Post Office.
  
• You may send cars to stay for more than one event - or for the entire series - it is up to you. Please note: the November & December dates are pretty close together.
  
• If you prefer a service other than standard second class delivery, just ask.
  

These socially-distant events are designed so that everyone can participate with no risk - even those who are shielding. The thirty-one people who took part in the Summer Series enjoyed themselves, so why not give it a go this time!

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I don't think I've ever been brave enough to post this before. That's partly because it was a complete pain to build, and at the time I felt like I just didn't make a very good job of it, so it stayed under wraps.

But I've been looking through my old photos, and I thought maybe I'd been a bit harsh in my judgement, so here goes...

       

It's Peter Harper's Sunbeam Tiger, which finished 4th in the 1965 Monte Carlo Rally. I've always thought the Sunbeam Alpine was a handsome car, and the exterior of the resin model from Pendle's seemed fairly accurate to me.

       

But, the thickness of the resin made all of the window openings look heavier than I would have liked. I tried to lighten them but only succeeded in breaking one of the quarter light frames.  After repairing that, I decided not to take the lightening any further.

       

There were other problems too, which for a fledgling scratch builder proved awkward. How to attach all those extra spotlights, five at the front and one at the back (no idea what that was for), and no mechanical attachments at all. Then there was the spare wheel  mounted on the boot. This was not supplied, but is quite clear on contemporary photos, so it had to be done. I should probably have been more patient and ordered something appropriate from Pendles, but instead I grabbed something out of the spares box. In this case I think it was a wheel from a Batmobile that somebody gave me as a birthday present. I tried my best to look happy, honest.

And finally, there is the chrome, which I haven't got the hang of at all. But it's a learning process, I guess.

       

I guess my point here, is that if like me you can't match some of the wonderful scratch builds that you see around, don't worry. If you try, you'll end up with something unique, and you'll learn a lot.

Finally, here's a video of the real car in action.



   

I thought I'd done a half decent job... until today.

   

I'd carefully crafted (okay, bodged) a replacement part for my favourite Lancia Stratos after the offending article had dropped off and gone AWOL.

It looked okay to me as it whizzed around the track, and it's taken about a decade for me to notice. But today I looked at the scrolling images at the top of the portal page, and it struck me....

I've only gone and glued the bloomin tail light on upside down. Doh.

   

Despite all the disruptions this year, RevoSlot have been releasing a steady stream of new cars and new liveries throughout 2020. Due next month are nine new liveries on three existing cars - six Gulf and Martini Marcos, two Vipers from Le Mans 2001 and a JPS Toyota Supra. So far, we only have these drawings, courtesy of UK distributor Pendle Slot Racing...

   
RevoSlot RS070 Marcos LM600 GT2 No.19 Gulf. Available November. UK price £71.95.

   
RevoSlot RS071 Marcos LM600 GT2 No.88 Martini White. Available November. UK price £71.95.

   
RevoSlot RS072 Marcos LM600 GT2 No.21 Martini Black. Available November. UK price £71.95.

   
RevoSlot RS073 Marcos LM600 GT2 No.91 Martini Green. Available November. UK price £71.95.

   
RevoSlot RS074 Marcos LM600 GT2 No.24 Martini Yellow. Available November. UK price £71.95.

   
RevoSlot RS075 Marcos LM600 GT2 No.10 Martini Silver. Available November. UK price £71.95.

   
RevoSlot RS076 Dodge Viper GTS-R No.55 Le Mans 2001 - Vincent Vosse, Vanina Ickx & Carl Rosenblad. Available November/December. UK price £71.95.

   
RevoSlot RS077 Dodge Viper GTS-R No.56 Le Mans 2001 - Gregoire de Galzain, Anthony Kumpen and Jean-Claude Lagniez. Available November/December. UK price £71.95.

   
RevoSlot RS078 Toyota Supra No.5 JPS. Available November/December. UK price £71.95.

All these 1/32 scale cars are equipped with an aluminium chassis and high-quality components from BRM. Pendle Slot Racing also produce a separate 3D printed plastic chassis for the Marcos, Viper and Supra.

The nine cars are available for pre-order on the Pendle Slot Racing website: www.pendleslotracing.co.uk/brand/revoslot/cars

   
Thanks for the add......I have 59 vibrator cars that run and 27 assorted T-Jets, Tyco, JL, etc....all run

Hi All

Having had my layout now for a couple of years and looking for some projects as the days get shorter, I decided to start modifying the Goodwood section.
When I started the build for Goodwood I used GP Miniature flat pack kits. These reminded me of the original Scalextric versions I had in the 60s and so was very nostalgic. Also, they provided instant atmosphere to my track. But being flat pack, after some time, I felt I wanted to embellish the features to create a more realistic building.

With the grandstands I glued some old sheet material on top of dowels to give an illusion of tarpaulin, I overlayed the picket fence with real painted wood and capped other areas to neaten up. I did the same with the first aid hut with additional window sills.

For the Ferodo pit buildings I cut up card to make roof tiles, panelled the front and added some industrial brickwork effect and remade the stairs.
In the Targa Florio section I've added some festival lights for the main street and a lamp post and vintage petrol pumps at the rear.

The Dunlop bridge will be next to get a makeover, along with the pit lane buildings and the lap recording hut.
In addition, I would like to illuminate the petrol pumps and more of the buildings in the pits area.

Before and after photos should hopefully be in order.

So that should be the next few weeks sorted!
MiniArt are still coming up with creative ideas, latest additions being the Italian vintage petrol pumps, a couple of welders and some PIGEONS!

Shame this years Slot Car Festival at Gaydon was cancelled, hopefully will be ok for 2021.

Keep safe

Graham

We'd like to thank our sponsors. Liquid Wrench, Red Devil, Boss Bodies, and Krud Kutter have provided the prizes for our racing program this segment. Due to COVID-19, occupancy is limited and new racers must call first to be approved. Call 603-826-4242 for details. Racing is free, as are the hot dogs. Here are this week's winners.

I have been reading up on proxy GT3 race series around the world. Unlike the UK ones, some of the series have a free choice on motors and motor speeds, and that got me wondering...

On the assumption that you can adjust the gears on a car to achieve a required top speed, what would be the different characteristics felt between installing a 30k / 200 g*cm motor over a 20k / 200 g*cm motor in your slot car?

   

Scalextric C4163 412P #220 Targa Florio 1967 - Herbert Müller & Jean Guichet. Available soon. RRP £40.99.

It's good to see the 330 P4 and 412P still in the Scalextric catalogue. No mention of 'Ferrari' and still the original non-DPR chassis - but the tooling is there in the factory and new liveries are always going to be popular.

   

I was pleasantly surprised to see a Targa Florio car at the big Scalextric unveiling in January - and delighted it was this Scuderia Fillipinetti Ferrari that led for much of the 1967 race.

   

The Swiss Fillipinetti car was one of just two Ferrari prototypes in the 51st edition of the epic Sicilian road race. The works P4 was driven by Nino Vaccarella and Ludo Scarfiotti, leading the first lap of ten, before local legend Vaccarella crashed it into a village wall on lap two. That left the privateer P3/412P in control of the race....

   

When the second-placed Porsche of Siffert and Hermann dropped out on lap three, Müller and Guichet had a lead of over a minute and Müller set the fastest lap of the race. By the end of lap five, the Ferrari's pace was faltering, the gap to Stommelen and Hawkins Porsche down to a few seconds. A failing differential was the problem and the Porsche took the lead on lap six as the Fillipinetti car limped to the pits to retire...

   

Hawkins and Stommelen went to win - leading a Porsche 1-2-3-4. However, Müller's fastest lap was not beaten. It was a new lap record of 37 minutes and 9 seconds for the Swiss driver - an average of 72.259mph round the 44.7 mile Circuito Piccolo delle Madonie.

The Scalextric model is a lovely high-detail rendition of the Fillipinetti car. The model is fitted with front and rear lights - and despite not being Digital Plug Ready (DPR), it can be converted to digital using the C7005 'Retro-fit' chip.

The Fillipinetti 412P is available now for pre-order from the Scalextric website and all your favourite Scalextric retailers, including MRE and Pendle Slot Racing.