The Best Slot Car Set

HO Scale Slot Car Set. $445.99 $318.59. This is the Super International (MG+) Raceway Complete & Ready to Run Electric Slot Car Racing Set by Tomy AFX. Suitable for Ages 8 & Older. Answer: Small Kids?? - I would find the cheapest set available and let them destroy it. Get them a decent set and introduce them to a wonderful hobby. Review the top rated Slot Car Sets for Sep 2021 based on 12300 consumer reviews. Shop today and save on the best Slot Car Sets. A slot car is a miniature scaled automobile that is powered by a small electric motor. Scales include: 1/28, 1/24, 1/32, 1/42 and 1/64 or HO. The cars are raced on a track that has a groove for each vehicle lane, and the slot car has a small pin or blade that extends from the bottom and into the groove.

This article is a little less bot-like and little more for the hobbyists out there. We’ve got all the best slot car set options to add to your collection this year. It’s great to live in an age when the ‘frivolous’ fun of youth gets retooled and upgraded. Many things that were thought of as toys are now series machines that support careers. Slot car racing might not quite be useful as a job, but it certainly has come a long way.

Slot cars provide the thrill of participating in a competition based on control and instinct. The feeling of hard-fought victory may explain some of slot car racings remarkable history and growth. Today the best slot car set combines the simple pleasures of old with new levels of realism. Branded sets give a glimpse into car culture and the world of racing.

Whether you are starting as a beginner or developing a collection as an enthusiast, slot cars have a lot to offer.

10 Best Slot Car Set Picks

Now that you have a grasp of the ins and outs of the hobby, we’ll look at some great picks for getting started in slot car racing.

Best Slot Car Set for Kids

This set from the Go!!! line makes an excellent starter set for kids. The 1:43 scale is compatible with Carrera’s Digital 143 hobbyist line but geared for children. They will love the character representations and the easy-to-learn analog controls. The set features a lap counter, three difficulty modes, and a loop. Prices are reasonable and the durability will hold up to some aggressive usage from the eight and up crowd.

Best Slot Car Track

The use of the word ‘giant’ on the box actually undersells this amazing 62.5-foot track. A combination of risers, curves, and overlaps let you really push the endurance of a race. A digital lap counter and three difficulty modes provide a way to throttle up the difficulty. The cars and track will break under rough handling but can survive some rough and tumble starts. Controls can get set to digital or analog.

You get a lot in the box but the drawback of this system is its lack of major compatibility as it’s not provided by one of the frontrunner companies. This is one of the best slot car track to buy because of it’s size for the price.

Best Slot Car Set for the Money

This middle tier (in size and difficulty) product from Carrera features 1:25 scale cars and tracks. The smaller cars make the track look long and winding without taking up too much space. This size also allows for more reaction time and skill improvement in comparison to the 1:34 line.

The included Mustang GT and Shelby Cobra cars are fun. They have great detail and identical performance. It’s a shame that the cars don’t have different handling or speeds. Carrera’s track kit comes with risers and a combination of cure grades to create some solid skill-building tracks. The guard rails protect most of the track so you will have few problems will fly-offs.

Best Slot Car Set for Beginners

Geared for children but with compatibility to other 1:32 Scalextric products, comes the Fast and Furious set. The cars have a bit of bulk in comparison to some other slot car products. This provides them with some needed heft when going over the signature jump of this set.

The track provides some incredible competitive features usually found in larger sets. Aside from the jump, the set includes a crossover section and a sideswipe area. This narrowing of the track can allow one car to shove the other off the track to devastating effect.

Finally, the set comes with analog controls but has a digital plug ready to upgrade or if you want to use the cars elsewhere.

This set brings a little more gimmick than performance over other top sets. The track is made of a durable light absorbing material that glows in the dark. Kids will love watching the cars zipping through the near total darkness on a futuristic glowing roadway. The cars and the track are extremely durable and even a bit rubbery over other sets.

The controls are analog only and a bit heavy on the battery power. The set itself uses batteries instead of an adapter setup. The 46 feet of track store well and come apart without the usual concern for edges as the power is in the cars via the controller chargers. A good beginner set if rough-playing children is a concern for more delicate products.

Another in the line of big boxes loaded with some competent and durable beginners equipment. The 1:43 scale of the track and cars are perfect for many Carrerra products but won’t necessarily be compatible.

Analog controls and hard to break cars make it easy to deal with the ostentatious track. LEDs installed under the tracks or on the loop configurations add some spectacular color. This set only has two-speed modes. The jump between the two can be a bit much for smaller children. Watch out for that frustration when swapping modes!

Best Digital Slot Car Set

The track only allows for a simple oval without purchasing more track. But with the track at 1:43 scale, this can be easy to find. For those looking to supply a larger competitive experience, this set comes with four cars and controllers. The cars use dynamic racing technology to allow them to jump slots on the track and move back and forth across lanes easily. This creates a heated competitive experience.

The durability of the track and cars is surprisingly high with all the grooves in the track.

Another from the kid-friendly Go!!! line but with some added pizazz. The 1:43 scale cars have a lot of detail from the stock car world with branding and logos galore. The track features loops, banked turns, and a 70-degree raised bank. The lower speed is just enough to keep the cars on the track across the more dynamic features.

The set comes with spacers for the controllers that work as throttle limiters. This makes changing speed settings even more intuitive. The excitement kicks in when you go to the intermediate or advanced settings. Controls are analog with digital ready options.

Best Slot Car Race Track

This simple entry in the best slot car track to buy list builds skill like no other. The track has a few turns and weaves but no frills. The controllers are where the real dynamic action lies. The controllers are digital and come with power selector for on the fly adjustments. Similar to changing gears, you can also swap the power levels on the fly. Most sets require the levels to be set through the power supply between races.

At 1:32 scale it is compatible with other Scalextric products even those in the ARC line. The cars have beautiful and intricate detailing and run like a dream.

Best Slot Car Set for Enthusiasts

For the serious enthusiast looking to get started in the digital control and competition world comes the Platinum GT. The set comes with four cars and supports up to six.The provided cars accurately simulate high-end vehicles from several manufacturers. Feel the power of a Mercedes, BMW, Aston Martin, or Porsche. A tablet app and stand provide a scoreboard.

As a starter for the ARC Pro line, this also gets you a toehold which can be expanded by adding more track. It already has a stellar set of features built in including pit stops, tire wear, lane changing, and even weather. More features can be added with additional programming.

Best Slot Car Set Features

Ask an expert what makes the best of anything and they’ll start spitting jargon and fuzzy metrics at you. They’re not dodging the question, they just happen to need to answer it with the knowledge you might not have. Armed with this information, we’ll highlight a few of the best sets currently on the market, much as we’ve done with electric trains.

Brands

Brands of slot car racing sets matter. In part, the brand offers a window into the rich history of the hobby. More importantly, it tells you something about the compatibility of products. In a wise move, each company ensures that sets within a certain timeframe work together. This means you can start with a brand and continue to purchase new sets without fear your new pieces will no longer be compatible with the old sets.

The top brands currently offering slot car excitement include:

• Ninco
• SCX
• Carrera
• Scalextric

Scalextric and Carrera lead the market in terms of sales, branded deals, and history.

Controls

Controls come in digital and analog formats. Some companies even use smartphone apps as controllers.

• Analog controls connect to the track and set the power fed to a specific lane. These controllers use a pressure switch to regulate power and go back to the start of slot car racing.
• Digital controls are newer and provide more options, overall. These control specific cars. With these options for track changes and more competitive elements became possible. Digital controllers also free up internal components, since these are on the car and not the track. This allows sets to support four to six cars instead of the standard two.

Tracks and Customization

As we just touched on, tracks come in 2, 4, or 6 car configurations. Tracks no longer conform to simple ovals and eights but can be built out to cover dramatic shapes and recreations of real-world courses. Components such as pit areas, risers, and different slopes for corners all increase the excitement and the skill level of slot car racing. Amazing features such as loop da loops and lane switching panels add to the danger.

Also taking a page from model trains, slot car sets provide even more entertainment when dolled up. Combine accessories and miniatures to create a facsimile of the real world.

The most advanced sets leave space for a monitor, tablet, or smartphone to be used as a digital scoreboard. These display number of laps, lap times, and other information. Pace cars and AI controlled opponents provide ways of improving skills. Pit areas go from fun visual additions to necessary tools when you add in fuel limits (power limits) to the cars.

Tire wear, car damage, and incidents programmed into the race bring up the realism.

Durability

Having a lot of customization and parts comes with a hit to durability. Cars, now heavier and laden with internal control mechanisms (for digital controllers) become easier to break. They also go up in price to replace. The track edges fit together snuggly to prevent lines and grooves which could trip up a speeding car. This makes them easier to put together than pull apart. When pulling apart a track, the edges need to be pristine or it will interrupt power flow.

Power Needs

Power bases work double duty in the best slot car racing sets. They provide power to the track and/or cars but also manage elements of the race program. A power base can be configured to provide power to the 2, 4, or 6 cars and also for which control scheme is preferred. In this way, the power base is essentially the computer running the rest of the track.

Cars

Slot cars retain a surprising level of backward compatibility even with the new technology. Not the most key reason collections of vintage models grow in popularity and price, but it is worth consideration. Adjustments kits for tweaking the tires, weight of the car, and the connection to the track all provide more nuance to a race. While track pieces stay compatible only within a specific brand, cars can be widely used across different sets.

Accessories

Finally, third-party accessories (a staple in hobbyist circles) give more options in the aftermarket. PC controllers simulate realistic racetrack options and run from a computer. AI-programmed cars find their ways into shops.

Drivers...START YOUR HOBBY!

By The Numbers!

Race Sets for 1/32 Scale Slot Cars

by Rich McMahon

A - Introduction

The intention of this guide is to assist someone looking to purchase his or her first race set. There is a large selection of great slot car items and the numerous choices can make it very confusing on what to select. By recommending high quality brands and listing the exact content of each set Home Racing World provides some direction and specific information to allow a beginner to make an excellent first choice.

Slot car racing is a great hobby! We hope to help people appreciate the fun that this hobby has to offer. There are many debates amongst slot car enthusiasts on various slot car websites, however many of these debates do not pertain to the beginner. Our hope at Home Racing World is that we are providing valuable information for beginners to ensure them a good starting point so that many will develop into slot car enthusiasts.

Also included in this guide are some general ideas and suggestions for setting up a slot car track that we hope will help everyone enjoy racing slot cars. Please feel free toemail us with any feedback on using this guide. Thebulletin boards at Home Racing World can also be utilized for your questions and comments.

After market upgrades are not within the scope of this guide. We consider upgrades to be for the enthusiast who decides to take the hobby to the next level. Our hope is that some of the people that utilize this guide advance to this next level and become true slot car enthusiasts after positive experience with our recommendations.

B - Recommendations

We recommend three brands: Artin, Carrera, and Scalextric Sport. All three recommended brands have been evaluated and we feel that the majority of people will be very satisfied with them.These sets contain track, cars, throttle controllers and power supplies. All of the recommended brands are available in the US and have the ability for later expansion if desired.

Each of these brands is a good choice but they all have some differences. This does not mean any are better or worse than the other. We have attempted here to explain these differences for you. You will find a description of the various components that make up the system for each brand, the basics of the track, the cars, the electrical power supply and the throttle controllers.

There are other alternatives which have not been recommended here, such as other brands of race sets and vintage types of slot car track, this does not mean you will not be pleased with these alternatives. You may be very happy with one of them, especially if purchased at a bargain price, as there are many enthusiasts that are satisfied with these alternatives.

C - Summary: Content of Race Sets

The chart below summarizes the contents of race sets that are currently available. A more detailed list of contents is at the end of this guide. The list below is organized by total length of the straight track included in each set because this is very important. Many of the smaller sets do not have very many straight sections of track. We recommend having at least one six foot straight, plan on purchasing additional straight sections of track for a six foot straight if you purchase one of the smaller sets.

D - General Information

Track-

The track contained in the race sets is a very important but often under-appreciated foundation of the hobby. Slot car track can be expensive and the brands listed here are not interchangeable. One goal of this guide is to help people avoid the expense of changing to another brand of track at a later date, as some enthusiasts have had to do. All of the recommended tracks will run all of the slot cars available today and have a smooth racing surface with a deep guide slot.

The quantity of track pieces included in each set is listed. The most important aspect is to look at the total length of straight pieces included in each race set. Many of the smaller sets do not have enough straight sections of track. We recommend having at least a six-foot straight for a beginner; some sets will need additional straight sections to be purchased to accomplish this.

Squeeze track sections (called chicanes) bring the lanes close together such that the cars can not pass each other are not recommended because they are not good for beginners. These squeeze tracks along with cross-over tracks that the cars switch sides of the track, can be discouraging to beginners developing their racing skills by causing two cars racing each other to be displaced from the track. These special track pieces can be fun after some racing skill is developed.

Some tracks are made of a hard plastic and others are more flexible, this is one topic of debate amongst some enthusiasts but it most cases it really just doesn’t matter. Some sets have steel and others use stainless steel to conduct the electricity to the cars. The corrosion resistance of the stainless steel is preferred but is not absolutely necessary.

The distance between the cars or lanes of the track is not standardized, this is another topic that is not critical to a beginner. Some tracks have larger lane spacing for larger scale cars. Some people prefer the closer lane spacing for the close racing action and others like the extra room of a larger lane spacing.

Note: If you are intending on racing 1/24^th scale slot cars a four inch lane spacing will be required. In this case we highly recommend the Carrera Track system.

A very nice feature to have is borders on the outside of the curves (these are sometimes called aprons). Home Racing World recommends having borders. These are not absolutely required but they do add a lot to the racing experience. The extra room enables one to develop one of the fun aspects of this hobby: power sliding a slot car through the turns. All of the brands recommended offer borders, some sets include them but for others it will be an additional expense.

Power & control

The power output and types of throttle controllers are listed in this guide. The sets recommended are all fun to race and have good throttle control. The power of the different brands are listed, both the voltage and amperage are specified. Note: If slot cars are modified with aftermarket upgrades the power and controls will need to be upgraded also.

There are two types of throttle controllers, a thumb type and a finger (or trigger) type. Each type functions very well with most people, but not all, preferring the trigger type. Some sets have a braking feature. This feature provides some additional stopping when the throttle is fully released. Some racers like this feature and others do not.

There are many different brands of cars and many enthusiasts purchase numerous extra cars. How all of these different brands of slot cars will run on any particular track is beyond the scope of this review. But themessage forum on HRW is an excellent place to see what others experience has been with specific cars on specific types of tracks.

All of the items included in these race sets will allow one to enjoy the hobby of racing slot cars but the serious slot car enthusiast will not use the power supply or the controls that are included in any of these sets. This is another topic of much discussion on the Internet amongst enthusiasts. However it is not required to upgrade, so don't feel you have to in order to have fun.

Cars

There is much interest in the excellent slot cars offered in 1/32 scale- the variety and modeling quality of the cars in these race sets should be considered. All of the cars in these sets are very robust and will offer hours of racing fun. The idea of this guide is race slot cars of equal performance, therefore driving skill is the major factor for success.

A word on Magnetic Enhanced Traction - The cars in all of the sets recommended utilize magnets on the underside of the car to enhance traction, but the degree can vary greatly between the different brands of cars. These traction magnets account for the majority of the difference in the performance between cars. Some of these magnets are very strong and give phenomenal corning speeds, other cars have magnets that are moderately strong. The cars with very strong magnets are good for beginners initially but may limit the development of driving skills. As ones racing skills develop the magnets are needed less and less.

E- Specific Information

Artin

Don’t let the low price and plain brown package give you the wrong impression, Artin sets are very high quality. Their race sets also include items such as borders for the outside of curves and a grand stand with unpainted people figures that are usually extra cost. Artin is the only recommended brand to offer a four-lane race set.

Track:

Hard plastic that is easy to assemble and disassemble making it great for both permanent and temporary layouts.

Power rails are made with a low-grade stainless steel rails so it is highly corrosion resistant.

Lane spacing is three inches - the standard for 1/32 scale racing.

Note: borders are included in sets.

1 straight section is 10 ½ inches long

Power & Control:

The power supply is slightly lower than the competition; this may be noticeable with cars that very strong after-market traction magnets have been added to.

The power pack supplies 12 Volts and 0.15 amps per lane; each individual lane has its own separate power.

The controllers are trigger type but have a heavy return spring and could become uncomfortable for younger racers.

No braking feature.

Cars:

These cars are very smooth running racecars and have moderately strong traction magnet, which makes them great at developing racing skills. The cars run excellent and are very robust but are not as nicely painted and finished as some of the other brands.

Carrera

Track:
Carrera track is actually 1/24^th scale with greater spacing between car lanes, four inches versus three inches, but this means it is larger and takes up more space too. This is a hard plastic with making it excellent for tracks that are elevated. The power rails are made with a low-grade stainless steel so it is highly corrosion resistant. This is very solid when assembled but is the most complicated to assemble too. It can not assembled as quickly as the other two recommended brands.

1 straight section is 13 ½ inches long

Power & Control:

Carrera is the only one that utilizes thumb type throttle controllers.

A braking feature is used.

The power pack supplies 14.8 Volts and 0.35 amps per lane; each individual lane has its own separate power.

Cars:

Carrera exceptionally good looking cars and has recently upgraded the performance of their cars. They have very strong magnets, they use two magnets, one is removable and the other is adjustable.

Scalextric Sport

Track:

Scalextric introduced their Sport track last year. It is made of a semi-flexible plastic and it is easy to put together and take apart making it good for temporary layouts. It has a wide variety of track pieces for excellent track design changes.

The lane spacing 3”.

1 straight section is 12 inches long

Power & Control:

Trigger controllers are offered.

Brakes

The power pack supplies 15 Volts and 0.60 amps total power, which must be shared between two lanes (or 15 Volts and 0.30 per lane).

Cars:

Scalextric is making good looking and exceptionally detailed cars. They utilize very strong magnets that can be repositioned or removed.

F- Setting up your first track: Some things to think about

There are a number of items to be considered when setting up your first slot car track. Here are the major questions that you should try to understand when setting up a slot car track. It is interesting that the answers to these questions may change with time. The recommended brands allow enough flexibility to allow for the answers to these questions to change with your desires.

Before a specific track layout is designed consider these basic questions:

1- How much room do you have? There is never a shortage of space for a slot car track, but one needs to be realistic about this one. Everyone wants a huge track but that is not always going to happen. Typically the space utilization should be maximized and this may lead to a very twisty track that utilizes the most pieces of track for a given area. This is not necessarily the best track to race on and could be counter-productive for beginners learning how to race. The critical feature of any track is the longest straight; we recommend a minimum of seven feet long.

2- How many people will be racing on a regular basis? In other words do you need a two or four lane track? If you are lucky enough to have more than two others to race with you should consider a four-lane track. If it’s just one or two racers a lap timer/counter really adds to the experience, in fact a lap timer will help anyone.

3- Temporary or permanent layout? Many do not have the space to dedicate to a permanent track. Some brands of track are more conducive to a temporary track layout.

Home Racing World Suggestions

#1 Start out with a simple track plan.

A simple track plan allows one to learn how to drive properly and enjoy the hobby. A more elaborate and challenging track can be then enjoyed after some skill has been developed. Many sets do not have a good track layout for beginners. It is important to have at least a seven-foot long straight for beginners to learn. The important aspect for beginners to learn is not how to go fast but how to slow down for the turns.

#2 Lap-timer/ Lap-counter

All of the recommended brands offer a Lap-timer/Lap counter and are included in some sets. We recommend obtaining a lap timer. The timing of each lap allows one to refine their racing technique. This adds a lot to the racing experience.

Detailed list of race set contents

Artin

Two lane $100

27 feet total lap length – 33 pieces of track

9’ 7” of straight - 11 straight

2 straight cross-over
18 R1 curves

Lap timer/counter (battery operated)

8 outer borders for R1curves

Grandstand with unpainted people

Four lane $120

40 feet total lap length (20 feet of four lanes) - 52 pieces of track

24’ 6” of straight track - 28 straight
8 R1 curve, 16 R2 curves, 16 outer borders & 8 inner borders

Note: four cars and four controllers included

Grandstand with unpainted people

Checkered Flag Challenge $210.00

35 feet total lap length – 36 pieces of track

17 feet of straight - 14 straight, 2 quarter straight, 2 third straight, 2 straight “hump”

8 R1 curves (2 30 degree R1) & 6 R1 banked curves

Lap timer/counter (battery operated)

Winged Warriors $195.00

27 ¼ feet total lap length – 29 pieces of track

14’ 2” of straight - 1 straight, 1 quarter straight, 2 third straight, 2 straight 'hump'

12 R2 banked curves

Massive Power$169.00

17 ½ feet total lap length - 19 pieces of track

6’ 9” of straight - 6 straight, 2 quarter straight, 1 third straight

6 R1 curves & 4 R2 curves

Le Mans Challenge$137.95

14 3/4 feet total lap length - 14 pieces of track

6’ 9” of straight - 6 straight

6 R1 curves & 4 R2 curves

Le Mans Thunder $134.95 & Muscle Car Showdown $144.95

14 ¾ feet total lap length – 14 pieces of track

6’ 9” of straight - 6 straight

8 R1 curves

Mille Miglia 2

22 feet total lap length – 22 pieces of track

6’ 9” of straight - 6 straight, 1 straight “hump”

9 R1 curves

6 R1 banked curves

Challengers $124.95

17 feet total lap length – 17 pieces of track

5’ 8” of straight - 5 straight

1 straight “hump”

5 R1 curves

6 R1 banked curves

Adrenaline Run

14 ¾ feet total lap length – 12 pieces of track

2’ 3” of straight - 2 straight

View Product 9.6

10 R1 curves

Scalextric has a big selection of race sets to choose from and include a wide variety of cars. Some of their sets can be set-up together making four, six, and even 8 lane layouts.

Indy - $99.95

15 ¼ feet total lap length –16 pieces of track

8’ of straight – 8 straight

8 R2 curve

Le Mans “T2” - $179.95

25 feet total lap length – 27 pieces of track

12’ of straight – 12 straight

8 R2 curve, 3 R4 curve

4 R2 border

Trans Am “T3” - $199.95

27 feet total lap length - 34 pieces of track

12 ‘ of straight – 12 straight

16 R3 curve, 3 R2 curve

7 R3 borders

GT Interactive + RMS “4” - $229.95

30 ¼ feet total lap length – 29 pieces of track

11 1/2 feet of straight - 11 straight, 2 quarter straight

2 straight squeeze

12 R2 curves

Electric Speed Racing Cars Set 2 ...

2 R2 cross-over curves

7 R2 outer borders

RMS included (a link to use your PC with your race set)

Le Mans 24 “4” - $219.95

30 ¼ feet total lap length – 29 pieces of track

11 1/2 feet of straight - 11 straight, 2 quarter straight

2 straight squeeze

12 R2 curves

2 R2 cross-over curves

7 R2 outer borders

Lap timer/counter (battery operated)

Formula One “3” - $199.95

21 feet total lap length – 20 pieces of track

10 feet of straight - 10 straight

2 straight squeeze

6 R2 curves

2 R2 cross-over curves

5 R2 outer borders

1 straight border

Lap timer/counter (battery operated)

GT 40 Sport/ Rally Sport “3” - $149.95

21 feet total lap length – 20 pieces of track

10 feet of straight - 10 straight

2 straight squeeze

6 R 2 curves

2 R 2 cross-over curves

5 R2 outer borders

1 straight border

Touring Car Challenge/ John Cooper Trophy “2” - $139.95

16 ½ feet total lap length – 16 pieces of track

8 feet of straight - 8 straight

6 R2 curves

2 R2 cross-over curves

Rally Champions/ Grand Prix “1” - $99.95

12 ¾ feet total lap length – 12 pieces of track

6 feet of straight – 6 straight

4 R2 curves

4 R2 cross-over curves

Best Slot Car Set For 5 Year Old

We hope this guide helps you a little more in your new hobby. Remember, no matter what track system you choose it will be fun...and that is what our hobby is all about!

-Rich