42nd Scalextric Club (17th September 2013)

Sports cars (not angle winders) competed over 4 lanes for 4 minutes at a time at this evening’s London Scalextric Club. A bit short on members due to regulars on holiday.

A young lad and his dad dropped by for the practice session.

Brown Lane

Had the fastest car but wasted it!

Fastest Lap 8.72s
Laps: 25.45
Position: Not sure
Crashes 3

White Lane

Seemed to be lacking rear grip. Other racers said the same later in the evening.

Fastest Lap 8.99s
Laps: 24.25
Position: 4th
Crashes 4

Blue Lane

Fastest Lap 8.37s
Laps: 26.??
Position: 3rd
Crashes 3

Yellow Lane

Tremendous race at the end with Rino as our crashes evening out. He just pipped me by half a length.

Fastest Lap 8.66s
Laps: 26.45
Position: 3rd
Crashes 2

Finals!

I got 2nd choice of lane so chose Blue. We raced for 12 laps each time.

Blue Lane

My best ever race! Brilliant drive. Got the hole shot and did a couple of clean laps to protect my lead.

Eased off just a touch and Pete reeled me in. Saw he was very keen to pass and driving a bit wild so let him go by during a few safe turns.

Once he was ahead I returned to my pace, braking early if necessary to keep him in front.

Rino was very slowly gaining on us both, driving like a man possessed! If I stayed behind Pete we would both be caught and only the first 2 go through.

I went back to braking normally. Tried to keep my muscles relaxed and eyes on my car. Pete and I were getting side by by side and he was slow on the power to avoid contact. I felt I had the edge and could nose ahead.

So I went for it.

A very neat lap got me on his tail for the main straight. Even Stevens to the end, where my braking got me alongside. Optimised the nasty turn 1 kink and drove round the outside at turn 2! Yeah!

Great exit from Turn 2 gave me a car length lead which I extended again through the hairpin. By the Esses the move was a clear success and I concentrated on keeping clean through the trick bridge chicane. I was fast through the loop, as before, so had a clear lead down the main straight.

Over the next couple of laps I kept the clean fast pace, firm in the belief I had them beat. A couple of laps from the end I heard Rino crashed our, so I knew a top 2 finish ws mine.

Fastest Lap 8.76s
Time: 1:48.??
Position: 2nd
Crashes 0!

Yellow Lane

Crashed first corner and never got my rhythm back. Hands were shivering and I was cold – that’s my excuse! The occasion got the better of me as well, perhaps.

Crashed every 2 laps so I finished a lap down on the other 3 racers.

Fastest Lap Not sure
Laps: 11 (got lapped)
Position: 4th
Crashes 6