How hard is it to find other racers

[Nevadazielmeister]

My apologies if this is the wrong place. Forum moderators, please feel free to change this to a different section if wrong placed. .

As I contemplate really investing in a significant track with resources, I wanted to ask how hard it is to find other racers to come over and enjoy racing. I know that my kids might tire of the racing after awhile and would hate to have invested all of this time, money and effort and then just race myself.

Do any one you have suggestions on how to find local friends to race with? I know I am close to the Carson Nevada Track but am note sure if they are interested in Scalextric and what not. I guess maybe compatibility is a concern? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Z-carfan]

Check out the Model Car Racing magazine. Print or e-copy, he lists area clubs by State in the back part of the book.

Of course reaching out here on this forum is an option. I presume you live in Nevada.
I've had to drive 1.5 hr or more t race, but ave some great events with great people. I hope you can find some folks closer to you.
Start small and see if your kids take, if they do then the sky is the limit! :)

[lancelotalove]

Talk to the guys at the Carson Nevada track. See if they are intrested in other types of cars. What does the Carson track run? Is the Carson track willing to hold races for 1/32? Most slot car guys like any type of racing.
You might call or check out Slot Car City in Las Vegas. Talk to them if anyone is intrested in your type or racing.
Looks like California might be closer. Check for a Hobbytown or Hobby shop closer to you.

I dont know why the carsonslotcarraceway.com website goes to a japanese page, says website being revamped on the facebook page in june 2015. i guess itstill not working.

[Nevadazielmeister]

[downtowndeco]

It can be tough. I had some local guys 10 years or so ago but that kind of fell apart & then had to drive 10 hours round trip to race. That gets old pretty quick. Some thoughts. Put up fliers at local hobby shops, try your local Craigslist, try fliers at car shows. The problem is we invite these people into our homes & while most truly are cool, every once in awhile you get a slim shady or weirdo. I had one guy that, after the first time he raced with us, asked if he could just take a leak outside because the bathroom was occupied. Understand that this was a quiet cul de sac where no outdoor bathroom activities were allowed. He then told me that he liked Montana because since he moved here from Indiana a year ago he had only been pulled over by the police 3 or 4 times and they were always "real cool". I've lived her 25 years and have only been stopped twice. :) After he left I made sure all the doors & windows were locked. He was probably fine but my "spidey sense" just kind of told me to be careful. Never saw him again.

[Nevadazielmeister]

Right!!! That is one of my concerns also, since I have children at home. Who am I inviting exactly? My thought is to pass out flyers or post something at the local neighborhood post box, since we live in a gated community. I also think that maybe the parents of my kids friends will try it out and get hooked.

I guess its the whole "if you build it, he will come" kind thing, right?

[HomeRacingWorld]

Well...it can be that proverbial double edged sword.

I see this asked many, many times. Most build a track and get frustrated because they cannot get many interested. It is just the way it is, it isn't a hobby for everyone.

You should build a track for YOURSELF first.

If you want to enjoy the hobby and share it with your family, then keep it smaller...keep it simple.
If you then cultivate a few others that seem to be the kind that will stay in it and have the passion that you do, you can always make a bigger track.
Just about every successful home club I know took this approach. No high expectations.

[mattb]

Harry's response is a good a starting point. Build a track to "play" with and go from there. Nothing wrong with plastic track and a 2 lane setup. Doesn't have to be really big or really expensive and you can run cars, not just look at them. A little tuning and you can come up with a track plan that is good for new folks to introduce them to actual slot racing. Keep it simple and easy to drive. Bring it up in conversation with friends, co-workers, church members, and other people you may know and trust. If you find a couple other interested people and want to build a 4 lane or a wood track, then you are good to go.

If you find no other racers, be happy with a track that allows you to run cars when you want and landscape and enjoy that phase of the slot car hobby. If track building is appealing to you, rout a 2 lane track and landscape it. Go 3 lanes or 4 if you have room.

Bottom line is you can plan for a race group and if it doesn't work out you can still have a track you will enjoy.

My opinion is go with Carrera plastic if you have room or the older Artin 1/32. Those are my favorites of the newer plastic track. Nothing wrong with Revell, Monogram or Aurora AJet track from the 60's, though.

[Z-carfan]

We are having a blast with my Carrera 2 laner. Most days it's just me. Once in a few weeks it's 2-4 of us having a blast.

Like has been said, build one for yourself and enjoy it.

[Nevadazielmeister]

[Nevadazielmeister]

[Fathead59]

I might have the same problem , but I feel that where I live I might have a bunch of the men enjoy it also

[4380r]

Can only speak from our experience, getting out club started in 1995, still going strong, averaging 13 to 15 racers per event this season.

First, just know that if you assemble a group of guys to race, you will need to, ALL of you/them, to continually recruit new members. The racers will come and go frequently as their lives and interests change. I'd say conservatively that we've had 300 members in our club over the years...at low times getting 4 to 6, best times 20+ per event. The last two seasons probably saved our club as attendance and new blood has rebounded.

We started the club before the internet forums became ubiquitous (more on the viability of forums for recruiting later). Back when we started, there was a print newsletter called the Vintage Slot Racing News (VSRN) that came out more or less monthy, usually more, for 100 issues. I had a Revell Americana (it's 4 lane layout) set, with a Trik Trax lap counter, and wanted to race. I saw an ad in VSRN from a guy in York looking for people to race with. A little over an hour from where I lived in MD, went up to visit him, and we became 2 of the 3 founding members.

At the same time, I was collecting vintage slots, and I started going to a couple of large toy shows to set up a table to BUY slots, I wasn't selling anything. There I met another guy, who had a 2 lane Eldon layout at home, and he became the 3rd of three founding members.

I began advertising in the local newspaper, both to buy vintage slots and recruit members. Through that, member 4, known here as EcurieMartini, joined the group. The other toy show guy and I started doing toy and slot car shows together, setting up a track to allow people to run. To this day, I still do that, now with my 3 lane Scalextric track, and we continue to pick up a couple of new members that way each season.

Sometimes I'll go on ebay and search for people 'local' to me, say 100 mile radius, selling 1/32 slot cars. I reach out to some of them, guys who look like they are selling off their modern cars (nobody to race with?)...and let them know we are a club they can race with. Have picked up a few very hard core members that way.

I used to go to hobby shops, when we had any around (at all, let alone ones that sold slot cars), and I'd buy a couple of cars, and while checking out ask if I can put some flyers in their slot car case. The guy is standing there with $100 of my money, almost always allowed the flyers. Picked up at least 3 guys that way.

Of late, I've begun advertising on Craigslist in the groups section. That's been good and less so. On the upside I've heard from 4 different people who seem very interested, but haven't come out yet. On the down side, CL got rid of the personals section, but the vermin who visited those sections have migrated to the Groups section, and apparently looking for slot car racers is code for some people for some other types of activities.

I've offered new cars to either former members who haven't raced for two seasons who come back, or new guys who've never raced. One or two that way.

Finally, another member is good friends with guys from another club, and we can usually count on 3 guys from that club at our events.

Recruiting/marketing never ends. You're never 'done.' You have to be creative, put in some time and money.

Now, about advertising on forums...I post almost all of our activities here and all the other usual forums. I think over the last 10 years, MAYBE 1 or 2 have come out as a result of learning about us online. go figure. A site full of slot racers, many in our region, but when it comes to actually coming over to someone else's basement, the motivation seems lacking.

[bigman]

[Fathead59]

What I am planning on doing where I live is to build a table that can be broken down to be moved . It will have the Scaletrix track with wireless controllers , I want to say that with the set up I am planning on building you can run 6 cars at once . Not sure if I am planning on making it a club or not , It is all in the building phase right now , you never know . Might be the field of dreams thing where if you build it they will come .