The festive period has for generations introduced people to the joys of slot car racing through the gifting of sets as presents or simply whipping up an existing track for some competitive holiday season miniature motorsport fun.
Since its inception in the late 1950s, Hornby’s Scalextric has been a market leader, entertaining households the world over with its unmistakeable racing experience. Over the decades it has continued to evolve into the digital age, yet still retains its original appeal of propelling a scaled-down replica car, or bike in some instances, around an electric-powered grooved race track.
This concept has developed legions of fans and no doubt delivered hundreds of thousands of hard-fought races and perhaps the odd living room stewards’ enquiry for dubious driving. In some cases, it’s the closest and easiest physical activity to play out those dreams of racing for real. Of course, today there are computer simulators that can achieve incredibly accurate and similar thrills, but there is still something quite special about taming a physical car, albeit at 1/32 scale, which explains its lasting appeal.
“The beauty of Scalextric is the entry level for enjoyment is very low,” Hornby’s new CEO Oliver Raeburn explains. “The cars perform differently and there are all sorts of experiences and skills you can get into, but at its most basic it’s pulling a trigger and racing a car. Anybody can do that and that’s why it’s so pleasing.”
It has established a growing community of racers, including this writer, who believe Scalextric is much like a dog, in that it’s for life and not just for Christmas. Receiving my first Scalextric set as a Christmas present – a micro Formula 1 set featuring a 1993 Ferrari and a 1994 Benetton – ignited a passion that has since resulted in the acquisition of multiple sets. Over the past 30 years, that passion has only intensified as the product has moved into its much more advanced digital era.
The result is a collection of more than 170 cars, including such classics as Alain Menu’s 1997 British Touring Car Renault Laguna, Nigel Mansell’s 1992 Williams FW14B, Tony Pond’s 1986 MG Metro 6R4, Dick Johnson’s Australian Touring Car Championship 1988 Ford Sierra RS500 and the 1995 Le Mans 24 Hours-winning McLaren, to name just five. Each of these cars drive and react differently on the track, which only adds to the appeal.
Source: Autosport