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Lack Of Interest


Peter Gunn

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Would also like to see an increase to club racing results & posts as was the case in years past, to generate more interest in racing. Is Facebook strong in this area? I dunno

 

Excluding the Hawkes Bay guys of course, they are keeping this forum going !!!

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Agree a lot with Caddo, but there would be a problem if say we used just Urethanes or just a rubber make , would that mean the demise sooner or later of other manufactures as after sales is a big area of profit for all these people.

Agree about additives mind you if your not good enough to control a slot car at speed with out the use of it , you ain't a good enough driver, that goes for magnets left in as well.

I actually tested this theory out with a couple of mates on his wood track , boring allowing a car to just hurtle round lap after lap no thinking out the other drivers we all knew where we were going to brake e.t.c as the cars all performed the same , and eventually we just pushed the cars way over the limit to actually detrack them.

Once the magnets were out we actually used what skills we had to compete with each other , John had the edge onto the main straight , reacted quicker, than we did , but Frank outbraked us both at the end by feeling he just that little bit better control, now that is slot car racing.

I expect after my comments for you ALL to have a go , after all that is why i sent it to ADD some interest and let you kick butt..

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Get tested Peter, not many ever agree with me!!

 

The other more controversial point I left out is to "kick out the fun killer". I've had experience with 2 massive drags on the racing fun in our race group over the last few years. These guys were invited along innocently by others , but ended up making other racers' lives a misery, we ended up losing racers because of them. In my experience, if the same guy becomes a problem on consecutive meets with multiple race group members, punt them. All are better off!!!!

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When you talk about running one type of tyre you must remember that you are talking racing only. The hobby is also about building cars, buying cars, collecting, scenery, digital home and race tracks and the list goes on.

 

While it is good to say even racing is best done with one type of tyre you can’t exclude manuafacturers of others as it isn’t all about racing.

 

I agree the kiwi race groups have helped to keep this place alive in the quiet time also but if we can all put in some time along the way we can keep it going indefinitely.

 

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The fact we are regularly seeing only 6 racers regularly turn up for a race meet on 3-6 lane tracks concerns me greatly. I see this as a huge "LACK OF INTEREST" in the hobby, as Peter Gunn points out.

 

The lifeblood of the hobby to me is racing with other people, standing side by side, in the same room, on the same track, at the same time. Collectors, scenery, proxies etc are peripheral IMO.

 

I believe the commercial sponsors of Auslot should be promoting forum dialogue between new and existing customers.

 

Can you help action this with your forum directorship Vinno?

Edited by Caddo
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Our local club went to tyre treatments after about 3 years - against my preference. But we fairly quickly settled into either NSR (almost all at first), and now Slot.it N22.

These days, wheel fit and class of car form a general delineation of which of the two is used.

 

There are a couple of clubs around NZ who use urethanes - and one of them, now called Garden City, which was sort of my template when setting up HBMRC - swore against treatments, but all the fast guys "cleaned" their tyres between heats with one of those 'citrus cleaners' - after a year or two they believed my explanation that the active ingredient called d'limonene, is what we call int he industry a "vegetable turpene" which are highly active chemical solvents - they were melting their urethanes with it.

 

The problem it, you cannot always detect "cleaners" or treatments. So at least by going with the flow, we leveled the playing field.

By using just one tyre - or a couple of options for a class, and sharing that knowledge, tyre choice an treatment have not been an issue.

- I don't know of any clubs here gluing tracks.

But at most clubs to my knowledge, this is all shared with the newbies up front, and we do all we can to teach them, help tune cars, I set up and sell a few to newbies, or sell them my used one when I fancy a new model or livery; and we loan cars for all classes as needed.

No newbie need ever miss out on a class of racing at club.

 

It seems to work well, and I know at least that our HB club, Waikato, Wellington and Nelson are all in rude health with record numbers.

Taranaki has a new member, so does Auckland from memory.

I believe Pitlane Dunedin is going very well. So all in all, we have had new clubs formed in two regions in NZ in the last 5 years, and none are struggling for numbers here, apart perhaps Taranaki - but they had a new guy 2 years back and another one late last year who are now both regulars. So they are at least holding.

 

My gut feeling is that the overall atmosphere and philosophy operating in most clubs is similar in NZ.

Tony Cook the NSR/Thunderslot/MB Slot agent here is an icon of 50 years of all forms of slot racing, and he has really lifted the south island in particular, and helped with that.

And we have quite a few "personalities" loitering around clubs in the country to crank things up on FB ... yes FB page for New Zealand Slot Racers ....

Having forum here is still a great base. See DRW promoting the NSR Classic - a lot of guys look but don't post.

 

In our own club, it is the new-ish guys, who then have a mate at work, or in their sports club, who tend to bring the next new guy.

 

And here is one more small thing.

Having the local "pushers" asking their customers "do you race in a club?" - Would you like to meet some good fellas that get together weekly for racing and laughs?" is a very useful tool.

So maybe you guys can get the Pete's and Jim's and Chris' and Eddies and Jo's and . . I forget all the names, to be asking and referring.

 

So don't succumb to doom and gloom, find that other strange twisted misfit like you at work or other place you loiter, invite them along.

If there are hobby shows in your town/city, get a display up, and preferably a track. Christchurch do that every year and pull new members.

 

Oz has the disadvantage of distance in big cities, but the advantage of real brick and mortar shops to try and get new people through the racing group door.

 

It all just needs some "evangelists"

 

 

 

ps - 13 active threads in the last 24 hours - thanks Keith and others !

Recovering Lapsed Slot Addict :ph34r:  *  Custodian of many used screws (mostly loose :rolleyes:)  *  Total kidder  *  Companion of other delusional slot addicts :lol:  

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The fact we are regularly seeing only 6 racers regularly turn up for a race meet on 3-6 lane tracks concerns me greatly. I see this as a huge "LACK OF INTEREST" in the hobby, as Peter Gunn points out.

 

The lifeblood of the hobby to me is racing with other people, standing side by side, in the same room, on the same track, at the same time. Collectors, scenery, proxies etc are peripheral IMO.

 

I believe the commercial sponsors of Auslot should be promoting forum dialogue between new and existing customers.

 

Can you help action this with your forum directorship Vinno?

 

Hi Caddo

 

I agree the lifeblood is racing but forum content needs to be filled with all the other aspects too. Not everyone races or people might stop for a number of years for multiple reasons. I haven’t actively raced for around 5 years because our group split, I became a grandfather, started travelling more as my kids were now off my hands and just enjoyed hanging out with the wife and friends on a social basis.

 

Race groups break up or start new groups and there are a few around who just play amongst themselves without wanting to post up stories or share results on line. I think there are just as many as ever out there as there are a number of shops that hold races also and most don’t post their results.

 

An FYI on the sponsors too, none have been financial for some time I felt until the forum gets on its feet more that we couldn’t ask for assistance to run the place. So we can’t really expect sponsors to assist financially.

 

 

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I'm with Vinno regarding the hobby side of it.

 

I tried going to clubs, one was so political & bitchy it wasn't funny or fun, the other was awesome, great company and an enjoyable time, I only went about 6 or 7 times though as it a 2 1/2 hour trip during Friday peak hour which is a shame.

 

So I enjoy the hobby side of it now, building cars for proxies, designing and building tracks & scenery, tinkering with 3D printing etc. it is a relaxing way to while away the hours.

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We mustn't be serious racers - as far as I know we only race MJK/urethane or original rubber. No one really checks. Tyres are cleaned with shellite. Some chaps put a bit of oil on their rubber tyres but they get an ear bashing if they leave any crap on the track. I recall one chap ran slot.it something 22 - in one class and his car seemed to have more grip. Everyone told him not to be wally and run the right tyres.

 

I get more annoyed by people who alter their cars lower the chassis smaller wheels change gear ratio etc to make it faster - we have no big issues with changing to alloy wheels but must be same size as original, gear changes the same. No ratio change permitted. We race with and without magnets I would prefer we mostly raced without because I think that racing is closer and there is less issues. eg - one chap had put GT tyres on his P330 and lowered his magnet. He copped a basting from us all for cheating but in the end no sheep station changed hands and if he feels that he has to do that to win well sad for him.

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The fact we are regularly seeing only 6 racers regularly turn up for a race meet on 3-6 lane tracks concerns me greatly. I see this as a huge "LACK OF INTEREST" in the hobby, as Peter Gunn points out.

 

The lifeblood of the hobby to me is racing with other people, standing side by side, in the same room, on the same track, at the same time. Collectors, scenery, proxies etc are peripheral IMO.

 

I believe the commercial sponsors of Auslot should be promoting forum dialogue between new and existing customers.

 

Can you help action this with your forum directorship Vinno?

 

Hi Caddo

 

I agree the lifeblood is racing but forum content needs to be filled with all the other aspects too. Not everyone races or people might stop for a number of years for multiple reasons. I haven’t actively raced for around 5 years because our group split, I became a grandfather, started travelling more as my kids were now off my hands and just enjoyed hanging out with the wife and friends on a social basis.

 

Race groups break up or start new groups and there are a few around who just play amongst themselves without wanting to post up stories or share results on line. I think there are just as many as ever out there as there are a number of shops that hold races also and most don’t post their results.

 

An FYI on the sponsors too, none have been financial for some time I felt until the forum gets on its feet more that we couldn’t ask for assistance to run the place. So we can’t really expect sponsors to assist financially.

 

This topic is blending two points I'd like to explore - Auslot forum traffic, and a closely linked topic IMO - general interest and participation in slot cars & race clubs overall.

I guess my point is the forum is likely to attract more traffic as race groups grow. Seems like the lack of traffic on the forum is directly in line with the lack of racer numbers at race meets.

 

Mark is a great example of a store owner that does a brilliant job of promoting slots in general - an "evangelist" as he puts it, and is also an active racer. This is a different model to the 4 Sydney slot shops I know, where the owners are more business people, and less engaged with the hobby.

 

I wasn't asking for the Auslot sponsors to contribute financially, just to promote the forum to their customers [and advise them of race groups local to the customer if the store has no race tracks ie Armchair Racer]. I have met many newbies at slot shops and they are always keen to learn and ask lots of questions, perfect traffic for the forum and also a candidate to join a race group.

Looking at Mark's contributions on here and his newsletters, it seems as though the local slot shops in Sydney have done very little to help the hobby grow. As Mark mentioned, the NZ race groups are going well due to the input of the shop owners, whereas the Sydney groups are struggling. Seems a direct correlation there.

 

In relation to tyre treatment, it is interesting to hear the differing views. The overarching problem local OZ race groups face is they may choose to allow rubber tyres with or without treatment, or urethanes only, but all the state and national meets are held on foam tyres with gooed tracks. Foamies & goo are a throwback to 1/24 wing cars, IMO not necessary for plastic bodied race cars. The hobby in OZ could do with an across the board review to standardise tyres, to allow for easier interaction between race clubs. Interclub meets generally create alot of interest, and are more likely to also attract newbies ie friends of racers coming along for a sticky beak. I'd prefer urethanes, would go with rubber, but be deadset against foamies. Just my vote though.

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Foam & goop are unbeatable when it comes to lap time. The cars developed in both 1/32 and 1/24 that use them are a completely different animal to hardbody plastic cars with bespoke racing, Euro and World championships.

 

Our club allows treating rubber as long as no residue is left on the track, as tyres are the most important part of tuning the cars you can make big improvements here.

Life is like a box of Slot cars...B)

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I have run with all types of tyre treatment from wintergreen to non , but that's not really the thing about lack of interest, of course if you want to be competitive with a goop runner you have to use it but you aren't showing your skill as a driver your allowing a foreign body to do it for you , the skill is in driving that slot car as it should be driven with the skill of the driver paramount .

Sometimes you have to throw a spanner in the works to overcome a lack of interest and that is what i,m trying to do .

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Another thing that definitely helps our local club, is the "culture" we have developed - we know some guys are faster than others, but we barely look at race results at the finish of each class. The banter during the race is the best fun. Also I think we do a pretty good job of encouraging the slower guys, and they enjoy when they top each other, - or they happen to get one over one of the faster guys.

 

This is the formula that has kind of developed over the years.

We are a "racing group" as much as we are a club, because we have no club rooms, no annual subscriptions, no weekly race fees.

We do have one facility in a re-purposed rural fruit packing shed which can hold at least a couple of dozen plus race gear, food etc - That is Mac's Thunder Road Raceway you may have seen pics of in the HBMRC thread.

We bring supper. - much of which gets eaten before we start racing, as some guys arrive not having had dinner.

 

Mac organises our formal events each year - the Piebone 300/400, and the Harmon Memorial, which are teams events; and usually 3 - 5 other weekend afternoon 3 hour teams enduros, occasionally an early start weekday evening one.

These all comprise racing either supplied cars, or a team build, always of something different to our club classes, and mostly based away from the leading hobby brands - using old Fly, Scaley, SCX cars etc

 

They are immensely popular, both because they are team events, and because they take us outside our normal racing realm.

And "it ain't over till it's over" Some of the builds are a bit fragile and may break in 3 hours.

The standing joke is, when the teams are very close - say 5 or 10 lap gaps, is that about a minute or two from the finish, some member of the leading team will call to their driver, in an act of unashamed bravado and gloating

"It's okay Munter/Bingo/Crocket/Mac you can stop now if you want, they can't catch you."

We try to roughly equalise the teams, and the composition of teams changes just about every time. It gets nearly all the "some week" racers along.

It gives a newbie a chance to hone their driving skills with longer drive times of one car on one track, - they improve immensely with 15 minutes on a single lane at once, and it gives the slower guys a chance to be part of a "gloat pie" and take home a trophy.

 

Hosting an "invitational" like the DTM Classic there, or the NSR Challenge at Nelson Slot Racers also provides the regional people from clubs around the island with a chance to get together and eat drink, swap cars, share tall stories, and sometimes even race for a weekend.

 

Most of us aren't friends in a general social sense outside of club; though a few do get together for dinner from time to time, here and there.

 

So that is the fluid formula that has made HB club develop since we started racing early 2007

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Recovering Lapsed Slot Addict :ph34r:  *  Custodian of many used screws (mostly loose :rolleyes:)  *  Total kidder  *  Companion of other delusional slot addicts :lol:  

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That's what i miss the most of all,the mates you make at a club, some can be a right pain in the arse , some are so willing to help everyone , alas those days are over for me , but i have fond memories and still keep in touch with a few who are still with us , only John and my brother still race slot cars at a club near Southend from that era..

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...only John and my brother still race slot cars at a club near Southend from that era..

 

Are you near Southend Keith - as in Southend on Sea?

We stayed with our "travel buddies" in Billericay a few nights at the start of October, went to walk the pier, and met my cousin who lives half way between.

Recovering Lapsed Slot Addict :ph34r:  *  Custodian of many used screws (mostly loose :rolleyes:)  *  Total kidder  *  Companion of other delusional slot addicts :lol:  

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...These all comprise racing either supplied cars, or a team build, always of something different to our club classes, and mostly based away from the leading hobby brands - using old Fly, Scaley, SCX cars etc

 

They are immensely popular, both because they are team events, and because they take us outside our normal racing realm.

And "it ain't over till it's over" Some of the builds are a bit fragile and may break in 3 hours.

The standing joke is, when the teams are very close - say 5 or 10 lap gaps, is that about a minute or two from the finish, some member of the leading team will call to their driver, in an act of unashamed bravado and gloating

"It's okay Munter/Bingo/Crocket/Mac you can stop now if you want, they can't catch you."

We try to roughly equalise the teams, and the composition of teams changes just about every time. It gets nearly all the "some week" racers along.

It gives a newbie a chance to hone their driving skills with longer drive times of one car on one track, - they improve immensely with 15 minutes on a single lane at once, and it gives the slower guys a chance to be part of a "gloat pie" and take home a trophy.

 

 

We started adding 'fun' events through our calendar a couple of years ago, they started fun but quickly developed into 'specials' and almost as quick as the usual classes. We tweaked this a few times last year to make them team events with 5 qually laps. This allowed the pure racers to enter their specials and the 'take it out the box and race' guys to join them. This year we've made all the fun events team events and this now fills 25% of the annual race calendar. Amongst these team events are: Italian night, German night, Oriental night, US/AUS muscle cars, classic Mini/Metro race, classis small Brits, Junkyard racers (£20 buyout clause on your car), Group C endurance, Favourite car night, classic GP race for pre-60's cars, Monsters vs Minis...

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Life is like a box of Slot cars...B)

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We have a core group of about 6 -8 guys that keep our "club" going. currently we have a member who has his own routed 4 lane timber track in an upstairs room in his house on the southern Gold Coast.

Friday nights are our regular racing with magnets mostly Scalextric classes, GT3, Trans Am, Bathurst Legends, BTCC, V8 s/car. Also run any slot it (except Can am as we have a separate class for those), Vintage Carrera Nascar and SCX COT nascar, We have just started to run F1/Indy car and a newer class for the Olifer chassis V8 supercars, with inline slotit pods and orange endbell motors. GT3 scaley get around in 5.8-6.3 sec at 12v, slot its at 10.5v mid to low 5sec

Hopefully we can move into a regular Non magnet class for open GT, using Scaleauto, NSR and the new Slot it GT cars

We mostly run basically stock with MJK tyres and can upgrade to aussie magnet, Slot it can use Race Mag and change gearing if you want to

 

It all originated from a commercial business iLOL slotcars on GC. we had 3 main tracks, The Black Track was a large 5 laner around 55m lane length, NSR/slot it was around mid 9 sec laps, lots of elevation change and technical sections

The Red track was a 6 laner around 45m lane length, super fast around 8sec for the quick cars, Kangaroo valley, a 4 lane timber with kots of elevation changes and a tricky squeeze at the bottom of the hill, very flowing and great fun, 6 sec laps.

 

These tracks got separated and the Black track had a couple of different locations, but due to its size rent forced the guys to shut up shop, its currently being rebuilt at home based shed on GC so hopefully we will see her back up and running soon

the other 2 tracks ran at a different venue for a couple of years then got stored and I believe they got wet in a storm and are lost forever.

 

There are 2 regular 1/24 scale home tracks running on GC running slotworx and plafit plus Toowoomba and 2 on the northside of Brissy, plus River City

all seem to have very good regular attendance.

 

We have a lot of fun and have a few newbies join in lately, which is great to see

 

I'm like ZeGas, I live out past Beaudesert so it takes me close to 2 hours to go racing, wife thinks I;m MAD!!

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Has anyone else noticed the irony of the title of this post.

 

Less than 4 days and there has been 3 pages and 50 posts of really good banter.

 

Lack of interest, I don't think so.

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