Phoenix Scalextric Circuit

Group c race report

“Home of the bus stop”

Phoenix Scalextric Circuit“Home of the bus stop”

Group c race reportThe first interclub Group C 6 hour endurance event at the Phoenix Scalextric Club on Sunday produced a fantastic race. With a plot to rival a Hollywood blockbuster, a backdrop of fantastic English countryside, 6 teams, featuring some of the very best slot car racers from the region, went head to head.

The initial pace was frantic, with Phoenix 1 on brown lane being pushed every inch of the way by a very impressive opening stint by Demon Slot 2 on white. Phoenix 2 was in a big battle with Demon slot 1, exchanging laps between them, as boxers do with huge haymakers. Sadly, both Wolves and Phoenix 3’s opening stints were blighted by problems, with Phoenix 3 on red lane suffering badly from tyre issues. With no quarter asked or indeed given, the first hour set the tone for the entire race. Each team pushing to the maximum on every lap. At the end of the first hour, Phoenix 1 on 249 laps held a very slender one-lap advantage over Demon Slot 2. Demon Slot 1 and Phoenix 2 finished all square on 243 laps apiece.At the back of the field, Phoenix 3 were 30 laps down on the overall leaders and 13 laps down on the 5th placed Wolves team. Surely that was them finished for the day, with such a fast pace up front, there could be no way back?

Phoenix 1 with Car #5 Lancia LC2 Phoenix 2 with #36 Jaguar XRJ12 Phoenix 3 with #18 Mazda 787B

Demon Slot 1 With Lancia LC2 Gold Demon Slot 2 with Lancia Red Black and White Wolves with #18 Mazda 787B

Two teams from Demon Slot Racing, Hereford, one from Wolverhampton Scalextric and Slot Car Club and three home teams met, to do battle on the 55 metre, 6-lane Ninco track. All racing group C Slot-it non-magnet cars with a control rear tyre.After a busy practice session, with the away teams learning the circuit, the scrutineer passed all the cars and the race could begin. 1 hour for each team on each lane, red, yellow, green, blue, white and brown.

Phoenix Scalextric Circuit

Group c race report“Home of the bus stop”

Having now settled in, hour 2, saw each team push on. The battle at the front was still as intense as ever, all teams pushing as hard as they could. Phoenix 1 were now on red lane, which is the slowest of all the lanes and their pace dropped accordingly, with only 234 laps completed They finished 10 laps down on the new leaders, Demon slot 1. Who had seized the moment and with a huge attack, pushed past Phoenix 1 and built an overall lead of 3 laps over the second place team, Demon Slot 2! Both teams from Hereford had really stepped it up. Wolves put a great shift in on the green lane to get the upper hand in their battle with Phoenix 2. The two visiting teams were First & Second, could Phoenix 1 respond? Phoenix 2 had reported car problems at the end of hour 2, and while Phoenix 3 had battled hard there were still in joint 5th position. The Home teams had it all to do.

Hour 3 was very tense, Demon Slot 2 were now on red lane, the toughest lane to run, yet they performed su-perbly, completing a total of 245 laps on red, the best total by any team on red, by a clear 6 laps in the entire race. Demon slot 1 had moved to white lane and pushed on, beating their club rivals total laps for hour 3, by 2. The gap between the two Hereford teams was now 5 laps! Phoenix 1 on yellow lane launched a big attack, taking their deficit to the leading team down to only 3 laps! The top three were now only split by 5 laps, this was no endurance race, this was an all out sprint.

Phoenix Scalextric Circuit“Home of the bus stop”

Group c race reportThe standard of driving at this stage was fantastic, with every corner, every apex, every braking point being attacked at 10 tenths. Something had to give, and sadly it was Phoenix 2’s car. The Jaguar, which had been out of sorts in hour 2, now dropped of the pace completely. A broken motor wire, and over heating engine saw them drop in to last place. The real story of Hour 3 however was Phoenix 3, rising from the ashes (see what I did there) they had set the highest lap total in hour 2 and they repeated that feat in hour 3. A tyre change had brought dividends and now the car was really on the pace!

Hour 4 came and Phoenix 3 produced the best lap total by any team for the entire event, completing an amazing 263 laps on Blue Lane. All 4 drivers lapping very quickly indeed. Conversely Phoenix 2 saw their car become slower and slower out on track, with a real loss of power from their motor. Behind the searing pace of the leading team, the battle raged, as Phoenix 1, Demon slot 1 and Demon slot 2 finished on almost identi-cal lap totals for the hour.The Wolves team found themselves in a slight no mans land, some distance behind the top 4 teams, while building a sizeable lead over the ailing Phoenix 2 car.

Into Hour 5 and Phoenix 3 had the lead, an amazing comeback from the team that started so badly. However Phoenix 1 were absolutely determined to ensure that there would be no fairy tale end and kept up the pressure with a fine 255 laps on Blue, taking 6 laps off the hard fought lead that Phoenix 3 had built. Demon slot teams 1 & 2 kept matching each other lap for lap, again finishing the hour with only 1 lap separating them. This was a great effort from both, es-pecially Demon Slot 1, as they were on red lane! Phoenix 2 found that their car was getting a little better, as the drivers drove round the issues, racing Wolves hard in the hour, to finish on a lap total only 9 adrift of wolves.

The order at the end of Hour 3 was,Demon Slot 1 740 lapsPhoenix 1 737 lapsDemon Slot 2 735 lapsPhoenix 3 732 lapsWolves 721 lapsPhoenix 2 704 laps

Phoenix Scalextric Circuit

Group c race report“Home of the bus stop”

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Hour 6, and the race built to a thrilling climax, Both Phoenix 1 and 3 could win. There were only 9 laps between them. Phoenix 1 went for broke, giving their fastest driver the lion’s share of the stint. Phoenix 3 responding, by putting on a fresh set of tyres. The stage was set for the final duel. In the end it came down to just 2 laps, both teams completing the highest total of laps for their lanes, for the entire race. Phoenix 3 drove their hearts out, and completed 256 laps, impressive, but sadly not enough. Phoenix 1, with their fastest driver at the helm completing a staggering 262 laps. Taking the overall win by 2 laps. Less than 27 seconds between the top two after 6 hours of racing.

The inter team battle between Demon Slot 1 and Demon Slot 2 was finally settled in the final hour. Demon slot 2 find-ing the sweet spot on blue lane, to finish in style on 261 laps completed for the last hour. Beating the other Hereford team by 18 laps.

Wolves finished on red with a good total of 230 laps complete for the last stint, with Phoenix 2 clawing back 6 laps on the team from Wolverhampton with a final tally of 236 from hour 6.

A fantastic, competitive race, with stories aplenty throughout the field. A huge well done to all the teams and a big thank you to Jon in race control for all his efforts too. With racing this close, this tight and this exciting, there just has to be a sequel!

Winners, Phoenix 1

Second Place, Phoenix 3

Third Place, Demon Slot 2