Racing fever starts to take hold...

In two weeks time I will have (finally) undertaken my first race meeting in my new form or motorised sport!

Whilst not as adrenaline filled as rallying slot car racing certainly is enjoyable and getting a good result feels just a pleasing as in a real car. Another plus is that there is (currently) very little likelihood of environmental and spectator issues stopping the sport in its tracks... I can also easily undertake a race meeting a week without my better half moaning I'm always in the garage or away plus it is far, far more competitive than pretty much every form of 1:1 scale motorsport! Genuinely a £15 car bought off Ebay fitted with the correct tyres and driven properly can and will beat new cars that cost 3 times as much, skill isn't held back by bank balance and there's no silly Prima Donnas either!

There is, however, a huge amount to learn - sadly it isn't just a case of turning up, pulling the trigger and being competitive. Rear tyres need to be glued, trued and then softened for a week, fronts need to be the exact opposite. The chassis/motor/body need just the right amount of movement and flex and then you need to get the braking right - too much and you slide ( a la handbrake turns) too little and you have to brake too early. These 1:32 cars are as difficult to set up as a 1:1 - probably more so because you don't ever feel the speed/grip/accident (!!) through your body. Once the car is optimised you then have to drive it - against far, far more experienced drivers who take no prisoners! - which is no simple task on its own.

Well I must away as I have a date with Ebay and a couple of hot looking GT cars as well as a classic or two! More to follow once I know what I'm going to be racing...