Tuesday March 04, 2008

When it comes to starting out in our hobby, the massive amount of choices we have is almost staggering. It has been awhile since we looked at entry level sets and this time we decided to include an SCX system to the mix. Why? For starters, nothing catches my eye faster than a NASCAR tri-oval in a box! It also has a very attractive price for those on a budget, so it seemed a natural choice to look closer at what SCX has to offer.

Another reason why we chose SCX is simply due to the cars they have been producing. The last couple of years they have improved on details such as scale accuracy, paint work, and performance. The NASCARS they produced last year have been some of the nicest models we race. Plenty of speed, decent handling, and overall a very attractive model. So needless to say, it was exciting to have this new set arrive.

The box art is very well done and explains what is found inside. I liked the little artwork of the track with the caption "actual size". For many newcomers, this helps let them know what size they are getting into. Also the photos of our drivers with the cars visible through the box is a nice touch.

Opening the box exposes the rest of our track system. All of it was neatly packaged and was easy to remove. It is a smaller box that could fit easily under some beds or in a closet for storage.

The instructions are very simple to follow and you should have no issues. A very neat track plan book is also included to aid you in possibly building that huge slot car empire in the future.

Assembly is easy enough and you should have your track set up in 20 to 30 minutes. The track sections have simple round snap connectors that are easily pushed together and taken apart. The power base reminds me of those found on older AFX HO tracks except it has a third prong for the brakes.

The bases for the banked track are also easily mounted to the outside edge of the track.

The controllers in this set are not wired for brakes, so they only use the top two prongs. The controllers actually work very well although the spring action is a little tight. The important thing for me is that they functioned as intended which is all we can ask for in a starter set. SCX makes improved controllers you can purchase in the event you want to upgrade.

The power for our set is a simple transformer, but something about it made it a little different than others I have seen. This one has 1400ma of power which is higher than any other I have tested. This means it will run most normal ready to run cars without a very noticeable surge in speed to one car when the other de-slots. Of course, some cars that have stronger motors and magnets will require more, but I thought for a starter set that this was a pretty sufficient power supply. You can change track direction easily by flipping over the plug in the power base.

The track itself is not the track I remember years ago. It is still a flexible track with a slight amount of abrasive surface, but the slot is deeper which will allow a wider variety of brands that have deeper guides to run without having to trim these guides. I measured it with my micrometer and it is right at 1/4 inch depth.

However, not all the track is this way. The crossovers appear to be the old system along with the power base. These are shallower in depth and some guides from other brands will hang up in the slot and will need to be trimmed. I think SCX should seriously look at this issue and make all the track pieces the same slot depth as it makes a big difference for those wanting to run other brands of cars.

I would have also liked to see guardrails included. For some this is a minor issue, but it would certainly help keep the cars on the track a little better and help avoid crashing to the floor in the event you have it on a table. Granted, it is a simple beginner set but a few guardrails is not asking for much.

Operation

Once our track was set up it was time to start racing! We raced for about an hour and were having a great time. Everything worked like it should and that is the most important thing. Nothing can spoil a newcomer to our hobby faster than a system that does not deliver the fun that the box art claims. I have to say SCX does deliver here. We traded paint with our two NASCARS freely and even without the guardrails we managed to have a good time.

Everyone in our hobby has a preference of what track they think is the best. Some like the harder plastic tracks such as Carrera & Artin, while others like the more flexible plastic such as Scalextric, NINCO & SCX. Some prefer a smooth surface rather than slightly abrasive ones. The bottom line is that it does not matter what I feel is best. It is what YOU think that matters. I think SCX has a great range of expansion packs and accessories that you can build upon. If this set ends up in your hands and the slot car addiction sets in, you have a system that has many upgrade possibilities. The very low price also means that if you do not like the track system, you have not invested much. There is no "track law" I know of that says you have to stay with the first track you get. Personally, aside from some of the track sections needing to be upgraded, the system is just fine. Years ago we had a Scalextric classic track that was identical to this except all the track had a shallow slot. We needed to trim many guides but in the end we still had years of fun on that track.

I have to mention that the real appeal for me was simply the cars in this set. Here is a closer look at these NASCARS in this review. These are new liveries that I did not have in my collection and I was very happy with the performance of both of them. Sometimes when you choose a set, regardless of the features, it is the cars that end up being the stars. These are not only very nice running and scale detailed, they can withstand a good amount of punishment that newcomers sometimes deliver.

Final Thoughts

Although this set is not perfect, it still accomplishes what it is designed to do: Provide fun slot racing for the beginner. For that I give it a thumbs up.

- Harry

As always feel free to contact me about this article or just the hobby in general at harry@homeracingworld.com, or better yet drop into our Message Forum and share your thoughts with other enthusiasts!

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