DIGITALDIGITAL RACINGRACING BYBY RADIORADIO CONTROLCONTROL May/June 2013 $6.95 THETHE FIRSTFIRST FERRARIFERRARI 20112012 & 2012 AUDI R18 LE MANS-WINNERS SHOOT-OUT: FOUR BRANDS MERCURYMERCURY CAPRICAPRI ATAT LELE MANSMANS USA $6.95 AUSTRALIANAUSTRALIAN V8V8 RACINGRACING AA MUSEUM-QUALITYMUSEUM-QUALITY RACERACE TRACKTRACK www.modelcarracingmag.com Model Car Racing • 1 Scalextric Ad The Rebellion Racing-sponsored Lola-Judd B10/60 at LeMans in 2010. ---LAT Photo Model Car Racing • 3 CONTENTS 16 LeMans: SRC (Slot Racing Company) 1973 Capri 2600RS by Albin Burroughs 18 Australian V8 Sedan Racing: Scalextric 1976 Ford Falcon XB by Robert Schleicher 20 Race Tracks on a Tabletop: 2-Lane Vallelunga Track for Scalextric Sport, Classic, SCX, NINCO or Carrera May/June 2013 Number 69 (with optional lane-changing) on a 5 x 9-foot ping-pong tabletop by Robert Schleicher ON THE COVER: Slot.it’s 1/32 scale replica of the Audi R18 TDI on its way to winning LeMans in 2011 ---LAT Photo See the video of the cover and video of the Audi R18 and other LeMans LMP1 cars in action on the 21 Real Race Tracks on a Tabletop: Laguna Seca 1/32 scale track on www.modelcarracing.com and click on the “Action Videos” at the 2-Lane Vallelunga Track for Scalextric Sport, Classic, SCX, NINCO or Carrera far left of the home page. (with optional lane-changing) on an 5 x 16-foot tabletop. 1/32 SCALE MODEL CAR RACING: by Robert Schleicher 24 Your Cars: 7 LeMans: Formula 1: Tom Dolan’s 2010 Lola B09/60 Penelope Pitlane 1964 Ferrari 1512 by Robert Schleicher 27 LeMans: 9 Race-Tune Your Race Car: Scalextric 2011 McLaren MP4-12C GT3 Supertuned Racers, Part 92: With Downforce Magnet by Albin Burroughs THE 6-SCREW HOP-UP; “Suspension” for Anglewinder Pods by Robert Schleicher 32 Track Test: LeMans: Carrera 2011 Audi R18 TDI 15 Vintage Racing: by Marc Purdham Strombecker 1964 Cobra Daytona Coupe by Robert Schleicher 34 Track Test: LeMans: Ninco 2012 Audi R18 e-tron ultra by Marc Purdham 36 LeMans: Slot.it 2011 Audi R18 TDI by Robert Schleicher 38 LeMans: Shoot-Out: Audi R18s DEPARTMENTS Slot.it vs. Ninco vs. Carrera vs. NSR by Robert Schleicher 6 Editorial: The Scale Effect 48 Club Directory 42 Digital Racing: 50 Pit Board Slot.it oXigen System Digital Chips for Any Car 54 New For 2013 by Robert Schleicher 46 Start Here: No-Rub Rubber by Robert Schleicher 51 Your Track: SlotMods 12 x 30-foot LeMay Museum Raceway by David Beattie 57 LeMans: Modelant 1940 Ferrari 815 by Robert Schleicher HO MODEL CAR RACING: 49 Track Plans: 4-Lane Vallelunga Track in 4 x 8-feet by Robert Schleicher On Your Tablet: Model Car Racing is now available for iPad or Kindle. Just click on the Apple iTunes icon and search for Model Car Racing to order individual issues, subscriptions or a limited number of back issues. There’s more information on page 56 of this issue. WHERE TO BUY MODEL CAR RACING PRODUCTS: Dealers: A listing of the addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and websites of all the dealers that carry Model Car Racing magazine appears on our website at www.modelcarrac- ingmag.com Manufacturers: A listing of the addresses and websites of firms that manufacture model car racing products appears on our website at www.modelcarracingmag.com: MORE INFORMATION: There is an Index of all of the past issues, a Digest of the results of the first 245 cars in our Race Track Test series, Pros and Cons of plastic track by brand, the Pros and Cons of the five digi- tal systems, Pros and Cons of 1/43 scale and an index of the 157 previously published track plans, by size, on our website at www. modelcarracingmag.com. READY-TO-RUN CARS YOU CAN RACE AT HOME The Best-Kept Speed Secret a full range of silicone and urethane tires. That’s it---no more speed secrets.... Of What can we race losers do to join the treated with a chemical. In the late sixties, course, some of the drivers will complain- ranks of the winners? The best answer is to that chemical was simple oil of winter green --expect it to be the ones that are winning become a better driver or car setup mechan- so the slot racing shops all carried that odor. most often—but, really, every car will then ic so you have the slightest hope of winning. Soon, other additives, including STP, were have an equal chance to maximize the most But, just suppose, that most of folks that are in use. Eventually, the best description for critical tuning tool of all; traction. There’s a winning know something you do not? What racing with foam tires was “Glue Racing” good chance that the folks that were winning if they have a “speed secret”? Thankfully, because the tracks were as sticky as mask- will keep on winning but you will have done most experienced model car racers are will- ing tape thanks to the chemicals being laid all you can (to match what the winners had ing to share those secrets but you have to be down by the foam applicators (tires). been doing all along) to assure that the “best willing to ask, to listen, and to at least try The nightmare news is that foam tires of rest” will be much closer to being winners. their ideas. are back. Not only are the “Euroracers” in A “Secret” No More Spain and Italy using way-undersize “low The answers the winners provide, how- rider” tires but also many clubs now allow The dates for the 2013 National Hobby ever, will almost always be just half-truths. undersize foam tires. Now foam tires are show, the iHobby Expo, have been changed to Oc- They will tell you things like, “I true my available from Slot.it and Scaleauto. Even tober 5 and 6 and the show is now at the Renais- tires and loosen up the body screws.” Great, if you could enforce a “no chemical” rule sance Schaumburg Convention Center 1551 N. but there’s much, much more to both of for the foam tires, the range of foam com- Thoreau Dr. Schaumburg, Illinois 60173 about those “secrets” than what they have told ponents and the ability to treat the foam 20-minutes west of O’Hare Airport. The iHobby you---some of those “secrets” will be re- without leaving an odor makes them even Expo (www.ihobbyexpo.com/Public.html) has vealed in the series of articles that begin more difficult to control that with silicone, become the largest gathering in the United States on pages 9-14 testing how to find lower lap urethane or rubber tires. If you really, really for the model car racing importers and manu- times with loose or tight body-mounting have to go that fast, you can find one of the facturers. Usually, Scalextric, NINCO, SCX, and pod-mounting screws. still-surviving commercial race tracks where AFX and Auto World each have demo tracks as My personal experience is that most foam tires and glue are standard practice- well as displays of their latest products. --neither foam nor chemicals really have a of the consistent winners are winning for Volume 12, Number 3 (issue number 69) May/June 2013 two reasons: (1) He or she is a very good proper place on a home raceway. Publisher: Robert Schleicher Editor: Robert Schleicher driver and (2) The car is “tuned” to perfec- Outing the Speed Secret Design: D.D.A. tion. There are dozens of things you can do If you are racing in a group where any Technical Editor: Chris Walker Track Test Editor: Marc Purdham to “tune” your car and nearly all of them are of the members is likely to want to search Contributing Editors: on the www.modelcarracingmag.com site for a speed secret, bypass the whole tire is- Mark Gussin Dan Wilson under the “New to the Hobby?” link. Buried sue. Establish, now, a club rule that all cars Brad Bowman there---and hidden by half-truth answers run a specific tire. That’s only half of the Jeremy Dunning Alan Schwartz from your competitors---are the “secrets”. answer---it doesn’t work because of the tire Bernard Sampson Jason Boye Do everything those article suggest and truing and additive options---so spec a tire, Dan Esposito your car will still not be as quick around the buy enough pairs for every racer, put them Pat Dennis Editors Emeritus: corners or accelerate as well as it could if on wheels to slightly sand-off the corners Rocky Russo you just knew the secrets. Why? Because, so all the tires are ready to race, and put all Jose Rodriguez Bob Braverman for the most important example, you have the tires in one jar. Every car that is raced in Bill Sipple not spent several hours just getting the rear that class must use fresh tires, picked right Jim Russell Ron Klein tires perfect. then and there from that jar before the be- Albin Adams ginning of each race. Give each driver about Circulation & dealer contact: Tire Wars, The No.1 Speed Secret email address: [email protected] The serious racers will not just sand two minutes to snap-on the tires (no glue!) Model Car Racing Publications, Inc. and to try the car on the track---nowhere 6525 Gunpark Drive, Suite 370-142 their silicone or urethane tires but they Boulder, CO 80301-3346 spend hours polishing them like jewels. It is near enough time to sand or true the tires or website: www.modelcarracingmag.com treat them with anything but spit or alcohol possible to do that using just the car’s motor Model Car Racing (USPS 020-443, ISSN 1538-9170) is but you’ll likely burn-out the motor wind- to clean the tread surfaces.