Note to Parents and Educators
You will find several areas of study below.
1. Top of the page, NASCAR Science. This is a physical science curriculum.
2. History: There are several different history columns on the page that will help bring the history of Slot Car racing to life through video and then the hands on work of building and racing a car.
3. Electricity Study: The videos will explain the basic principles of electricity and then DC current in particular
4. Lab: This practical guide will walk you through building a Slot Car.
The tab on this web site titled Car/Tire Building will also be helpful for your building lab.
1. Top of the page, NASCAR Science. This is a physical science curriculum.
2. History: There are several different history columns on the page that will help bring the history of Slot Car racing to life through video and then the hands on work of building and racing a car.
3. Electricity Study: The videos will explain the basic principles of electricity and then DC current in particular
4. Lab: This practical guide will walk you through building a Slot Car.
The tab on this web site titled Car/Tire Building will also be helpful for your building lab.
How to approach this as a homeschooler
One of the challenges I faced as a homeschool parent was choosing WHAT to do and then I had to figure out HOW to use the wealth of materials available. To that end, consider the following as a path towards creating not only a good science curriculum using Slot Cars but also, gifting you student with the gift of a hobby and the confidence that comes with crafting and creating something of their own. |
STEPS TOWARD DEVELOPING A HOBBY BASED CURRICULUM
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FULL NASCAR SCIENCE CURRICULUM
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Hands On Learning By Building
A science lab and a hobby and a fun day out all in one
Homeschooling is an art. A curriculum involves teaching, self-guided study, discovery and hands on work. Upstate Speedway understands the unique challenges that Homeschoolers face in finding worthwhile, wholesome and fun activities that are also educational and cost effective. And if that activity is one that can become a hobby....then that's a double score!
What if YOU were 1/24 Size?Ever wonder what it's like to go from 0-130 mph in a half a second?
Check out the video below to see what it might be like if you could ride in the car you build! The Playland Racing Center in San Francisco was one of thousands of slot car tracks in the US in the mid-1960s.
Before the proliferation of video games, crowds of men would gather to race slot cars in arcades like this one in San Francisco.
The Purple Sovereign, a 220 ft track of which there remains only one in operation in the US.
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Let us help you with a hands on lab for selecting, building and racing a slot car. This will teach low voltage DC current, soldering skills should you want to include that as part of the build, the relationship of all the parts to performance, building a model and putting a car together, competition and hand-eye coordination. We will help guide you through the process to make sure you have a positive experience.
ELECTRICITY LESSONSHistory Channel SpecialA SHORT HISTORY OF TRACKS:
http://www.slotcarhistory.com/slot_car_history4.htm In late 1962 or early 1963 American Model Car Raceways out of Burbank, California was formed and soon business was booming designing and manufacturing 8-lane commercial tracks that were sold to too eager raceways all over the globe. All the American tracks had their official names but most just got called by the color of the walls surrounding the track. Orange Green Yellow etc. Only tracks that were the exception to this were the ones that kind of stuck in your head like Blue King and Purple Mile. Orange Monarch? not so much. Orange? Yes please. Steve Ogilvie, track builder Each of their layout designs were assigned a particular color - Red, Yellow, Green, Black, Orange, Purple, and finally Blue and though they also had names such as Monarch, Sovereign and King the name and color became synonymous and anyone who raced regularly knew what the track was by naming either. For example, the "Orange" was called the "Monarch" and had 8 lanes of 100’ each. The Red was the "Imperial" and was 150’ per lane. The "Sovereign" was American’s "biggie" - a 220’ dream which ultimately became known as the "Purple Mile." Of all the tracks American made, the single most popular design produced was the final model they sold - the "Blue King" - and was nearly identical to the Red Imperial except for a few up-to-that-date changes to increase speed and general flow of the cars. In fact there were those pro racers that could almost drive the circuit blind-folded for it was on the King that the World record speeds were kept. AMCR was soon joined by Altech, Ascot, R & J Custom-Line and Stan Engleman. SLOT CAR HISTORY IS OF A MARRIAGE BETWEEN CARS AND TRACKS There is a story to tell when it comes to Slot Car track production and craftsmanship. American Model Car Raceways began manufacturing tracks around 1962-1963 and they sold the 8 lane tracks around the world. While we no longer have a single manufacturing company, their designs became the industry standard and the names for the tracks have lived on. They were given royal names such as Emperor, Sovereign, King, and Monarch but they also were known by the color of each track. A King track was blue and the Monarch was orange for example. Below is a short history and summary of track names that are still used today. THE FOLLOWING WAS PROVIDED BY RON HERSHMAN AND POSTED ON SLOTBLOG. The Hillclimb was known as the Aristocrat. No color was ever referred to it. I have only seen one Formica-covered Hillclimb and it has black Formica on it... NOT red like the promo pics. All the other Hillclimbs I have seen had the econo paneling sides. The Figure 8 was green Formica and was known as the Queen. Never referred to as a "color". I am sure some called them "greens" but I have only seen one of those. The 220' Emperor was yellow Formica... only three or five were made (reports conflict on this number) and they were never referred to as yellows. The 80' Windsor track was referred to as the "yellow". Queen green Figure 8 known as the Figure 8. Monarch orange 100' known as the Orange. Regal black 90' known as the "flat" Black. Royal black 95' known as the "banked" Black. Aristocrat red (according to the American promo pics) 135' known as the Hillclimb. Imperial red 150' known as the Red. King blue 155' known as the Blue. Sovereign purple 220' known as the Purple Mile. Emperor yellow 220' known by few as the Yellow Mile. The nicknames only refer to the color of the Formica on the tracks. My guess if the tracks had the econo paneling sides... they would have referred to them as their "royalty" name. I have only seen Windsors, Hillclimbs, and one King, and one Purple Mile with econo paneling sides. I have never seen a Royal, Regal, Queen, Monarch, Red, Yellow Mile with econo paneling sides. Ron Hershman Fast Ones Outisight Bodies |
Motors
Basic Guide to Slot Car Motors
A Motor "Spotter's Guide"
A Motor "Spotter's Guide"
"C-Can" Motors
C-can motors are the most prevalent and popular in slot car drag racing. They range from Group 10 (using armatures such as Wasp, Hornet, Contender) to Group 12 and Group 20 (both using a different specified wire gauge and number of armature winds). While Bracket & Index racing permit any motors, a vast majority of Classes specify a G12 or G20 motor. All Class Racing G12s use bushings, while most (but not all) G20s use ball bearings. |
"Cobalt" Motors
Cobalt motors, named after a primary component of their magnet material, are usually referred to as "Group 7" or "Open" motors if the armature is unrestricted, or "Group 27" motors if so specified. They commonly use a frame or "strap" for their support structure, and most frequently use ball bearings. Because of the powerful nature of cobalt magnets, G7 & G27 motors are extremely small and compact. |
Relative Motor Costs
16D & Super 16D: Basic/Unmodified $12 - $16
Competition/Modified $22 - $50
C-Can: Basic/Unmodified $24 - $50
Competition/Modified $60 - $150
Cobalt: Basic/Unmodified $120 - $160
Competition/Modified $180 - $300
16D & Super 16D: Basic/Unmodified $12 - $16
Competition/Modified $22 - $50
C-Can: Basic/Unmodified $24 - $50
Competition/Modified $60 - $150
Cobalt: Basic/Unmodified $120 - $160
Competition/Modified $180 - $300