oXigen Digital 24hours 2014 Le Mans

O

F

F

I

C

I

A

L

P

R

O

G

R

A

M

M

E

SPECIAL LE MANS EDITION 2013

SlotCarMAG

visit: www.slotcarmag.co.uk

This edition of SlotCarMAG is given away FREE to all participating drivers

Contents

FOR RACERS, COLLECTORS AND BUILDERS Digital Le Mans Special issue • 5-6 APRIL 2014

www.slotcarmag.co.uk

3

Salut et Bienvenue!

Organisers Alex and Gary welcome you to the race, with some exciting news about next year

4

Test Cars DiSCA tech…with details of the cars that the organisers put together to test the specification of each category

5

Audi R8 Safety Car A quick look at a new addition in the quest for total realism ¬– the Audi that will lead the field away on Saturday

6

Thinking Outside Of The Box Box stock they certainly aren’t! Racing For Holland’s Tamar Nelwan and his scratchbuilt contenders. How will the unique Toyota fare his year?

8

Love Is Like oXigen Last year’s thrills and spills. A trip down memory lane perhaps, or, if this is your first time, this is what you can expect…

12

Audi They Do It? The bare statistics seem to show that Audi have had an easy time at Le Mans over the last few years, but SlotCarMAG’s Ric Woods begs to differ

16

Posillipo Slot Club Claudio Savarese with some insight into this long-established Italian club, and the team with lofty ambitions for this weekend. Forza Posillipo!

18

Entry List Here’s what it’s all about: the participants in the 3rd edition Slot.it Le Mans 24 hours.

The very best of luck to you all!

23

Track Map We don’t want anybody getting lost, do we? A handy guide to the twists, turns and very long straight bit of the Le Mans track SlotCarMAG is an independent magazine for the Slot Car enthusiast. It is produced bi-monthly and available to purchase from either: www.pendleslotracing.co.uk (hard-copy, hi res digital) www.lulu.com/uk (hard-copy, print-to-order hi res digital with laminated cover) www.slotcarmag.co.uk (hi-res pdf download) For further information, please contact the publisher via email. Address opposite.

PUBLISHING / WEB: Wayne Tooke: info@slotcarmag.co.uk EDITORIAL: Ric Woods: ric-woods@slotcarmag.co.uk ART & DESIGN: Marc Abbott: marc-abbott@slotcarmag.co.uk SlotCarMAG is printed digitally by LDP Ltd

ldpltd@btconnect.com

Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to accurately compile the information contained herein, SlotCarMAG or any of its contributors or advertisers accepts no liability for any errors and omissions or any inadvertent disclosure of any information not meant for publication. SlotCarMAG neither endorses or accepts responsibility for the reproduction of material supplied that is of sub-standard quality, such as photocopies, laser prints, pre-printed photographs, low resolution digital images etc, and reserve the right to refuse the use of such material, products or services of advertisers in this publication. Opinions expressed shall not necessarily be that of the SlotCarMAG. All information should be verified before being acted upon.

It is assumed that all permissions have been obtained by contributors prior to submission to SlotCarMAG. Whilst every effort is made to comply with copyright legislation, SlotCarMAG cannot be held responsible for infringements that are beyond our control.

Copyright: Contents of this magazine or our web site, cannot be reproduced in any way, shape or form without the written permission of the publishers.

FIND US ON FACEBOOK.COM

FIND US ON LULU.COM

FIND US ON SLOTFORUM.COM

W

e are pleased to welcome you to the 3rd edition Slot.it Le Mans 24 hours! This year’s event will see our largest grid to date, and we are thankful for your

support.

Over the last two years we have seen that it is possible to win the race with an entirely scratch built car, and an entirely standard car. This should mean that any car built to any specification is capable of victory. The battles have been close fought too, and once more we are anticipating a hard race where the variety of cars will add to the enjoyment of competition.

This year we have made some small changes to improve the performance of the circuit. The power is now tapped in to 11 points of the track in an effort to boost electrical continuity. We have also modified the pit lane, increasing the length, expanding to two lanes and placing the entry and exit before and after the starting straight. These improvements come courtesy of Slot.it, who continue to generously support the 24 hours with a valued technical partnership.

Three categories adorn the grid once more this year – a GT category with two prototype classes. The P1 cars remain of free specification with increased downforce, while the P2 cars are limited to an inline motor configuration and reduced downforce. Unfortunately we lost a P2 car in the last few weeks before the race, but we will still see a fight for the class win. In GT, support from three teams will provide a battle for the category podium!

Outside of the finishing positions, everyone also has the pole position and concours d’elegance to compete for. As is tradition, the Spirit of Le Mans will also be awarded to the team with the most heart over the 24 hours.

Finally, we wish to announce a new organisation that aims to make the most of digital slot car racing. “DiSCA” - The Digital Slot Car Association, has been started to govern and promote digital slot car racing in clubs and events from the year 2015 and onwards. Initial plans include a domestic touring car and GT series for the UK, with the Le Mans 24 hours becoming the flagship annual event. Might we even see a Euro Le Mans series in the future?

But for now we concentrate on the present – The 5th-6th April to be exact, and we wish everyone good luck and have a fantastic race!

Alex and Gary

24 Hours Le Mans oXigen Slot.it Digital

SlotCarMAG 3

Every year, Le Mans has its own test day around the end of May, in preparation for the 24hrs. For the 1/32 scale version, the organisation needs to perform its own tests too! In order that the DiSCA has the right tools for the job, for 2014 three test cars were built to the regulations for each of the three categories. Here, you can see how they were put together.

P1 – Audi R18 Ultra

P2 – Courage C65

GT – Ferrari 458 Italia

The Audi R18 began life as an oXigen car in the 2013 Pendle 6hrs. The race was for Group C cars - but the testing was open! So that we could test the track, built in Ninco on top of the Pendle wooden track, the Audi was fitted with a type B oXigen chip. The Audi is completely box standard, conforming only with tyre regulations and having a light kit.

The Courage is a strange slot car from Spirit. After the well-received models of the Reynard 2KQ and Dallara LMP, this release was a little eccentric with a strange adjustable chassis, and a step down from the quality of original equipment. For testing purposes, this would not be too much of a concern.

The Flat-6 motor was chosen to sit in the original cradle, and all the running gear was replaced with Slot.it parts. The type A oXigen chip is a near perfect fit around the front body post, and after drilling a hole for the LED there were no problems at all with the installation. The only necessary modification was to the cockpit, where the passenger side floor was removed to make room for the capacitor, and the driver’s right arm removed so that the antenna could protrude directly through the cockpit. As the regulations only require a seat back, driver’s head and shoulders, this modification is fully compliant with the regulations.

With the Carrera architecture, in particular the guide blade, using the original chassis for our Ferrari 458 was out of the question! Italian company PRS manufacture a lovely bespoke aluminum chassis for this car, but the regulations prohibit the use of metal.

Original plans were to use an NSR or Ninco chassis, but time constraints meant that we selected the Slot.it HRS in inline form as the quickest and easiest solution. The 21.5k S-can motor is fitted on a standard pod, although an offset pod would certainly improve the appearance and roadholding. The type B chip is fitted in front of the motor pod, with the rest of the open area of the HRS blanked off, but for a hole for the LED. The sides are also covered with simple L sections - proving a convenient location for the Hall effect sensor. The interior is an MB slot, all running gear is Slot.it.

4 SlotCarMAG

24 Hours Le Mans oXigen Slot.it Digital

Audi R8 Safety Car When we started planning the first 24-hour oXigen event there were many discussions about what should be included to make the race feel authentic. We drew up a list and it soon became apparent that there was simply no way we could have fitted all in. Because of this, we decided that we would gradually introduce new features over time; The R8 safety car was one of these. As we ran a retro class in our second year, we concluded that it would be omitted once again since it did not fit the time period.

Following feedback and observations from the previous races, it was decided that as we were returning to the modern era we would introduce the Le Mans safety car. We hope that starting the race behind the safety car will ensure a smoother beginning with fewer collisions and add more depth to the overall event.

24 Hours Le Mans oXigen Slot.it Digital

SlotCarMAG 5

Toyota TS-030

Thinking outside of the box

By Tamar Nelwan

F

or me one of the most appealing and unique features of the Slot.it oXigen Le Mans 24hrs is the many options it offers to build and create your own car. Whereas most international 1/32nd events tend to have ‘box stock’ or ‘spec class’ tech rules, this event kept its rules true to the Le Mans spirit, challenging the teams to think ‘outside of the box’.

Sure, you can take the tried and tested route, buy the latest box standard car, make it fast…and win. But you can also take the challenge to use whatever is in the rules to build something special and unique…. and then try to make it fast…and win.

Maybe it’s because I’m not a slot racer, I love race cars, the ones I create and race are just a little bit smaller. Every time I would go to Le Mans there would be one car of which I would say: “That’s what I want to race.” I would come home, build it, the slot was just the place where I would race it.

So when I got word of the first edition of the Slot.it oXigen LM 24hrs and read the rules..I knew immediately that I had to take part, and also which car I would build: the Racing for Holland Dome S101.

In its box stock form the SCX Dome wouldn’t be on top of a slot racer’s ‘most competitive cars’ list, but under these rules all its so-called ‘deficiencies’ could be overcome. It took some time and effort to lighten and widen the body and to make room for an anglewinder, but its not rocket science, just basic hobby skills. So when we placed the Dome on the grid in Henley I was surprised to see that there was only one other ‘hybrid’ car…the Sports Carazing Peugeot 908HDI !!!

The race was a blast with a three-way battle between our scratchbuilt Dome and a Lola and Radical in near stock form, thus proving the balance of performance within the rules.

The time period chosen for the 2nd edition ruled out a return of the Dome, so sticking to the ‘Racing for Holland’ theme meant racing the Lola BK98. For this car I made a master based on the Fly Lola, from which we drew a silicone form to laminate a GRP body. The same process was also used to create bucks to draw lightweight lexan parts like the cockpit and headlight lenses. Back in Henley the only other team that had entered a non stock car was again Sports Carazing with their Audi R8R. Thinking outside of the box was apparently not as popular as I had imagined.

For this year I have taken on an even bigger challenge; of the 2014 list of eligible cars there was only one that I would want to race – one of the few prototypes that

6 SlotCarMAG

Dome SCX base bodyshell with raised rear deck to make room for Flat-6 anglewinder. Louvres added conform to 2005 version, as can be seen in ref pic above. Below; the same but from a different angle

The Dome also had a scratchbuilt chassis made from 0.5 mm thick GRP with a modified Slot.it 1mm offset motor mount.

24 Hours Le Mans oXigen Slot.it Digital

looked good and still sounds good. The only problem was that there was no 1/32nd base model to begin with.

To create a Toyota TS030 I would really have to start from scratch...or would I? I contacted the renowned slot car builder Milan Tomasek, the result of his art and craftsmanship, a hand-carved buck of Toyota TS 030. The early master was far from finished...but it was a starting point for me to modify and refine. At the same time a plan B had arisen which was truly the result of some ‘out of the box’ thinking. Fola Osu, a friend and 1/24th slot racer/ model maker, had experimented with adding turpentine to

The finished car on the grid at Henley; it took concours as well!

his silicone moulds to make parts that were a few per cent smaller. So what if I would take a 1/24th mould, could I make that shrink to 1/32nd??

In the end I just tried it and, as you can see, the process works.

Work is still in progress at the time of writing the article, I’m half way, I still need to I shrink the master by another 12%. I will probably be working on it until 14:59:59 on Saturday, just before the flag drops to start the race! But I will be racing the one and only 1/32nd Toyota TS 030, one that has never seen the inside of a slot box!

...My Lotus GT1 of the second Racing for Holland team

2013, Cutting the Fly Lola body

1/24th scale model by Studio 27 of the Toyota TS030 prior to silicone Master prepared for the silicone mould

Finished car on the grid at Henley, took 2nd place in concours as first place went to…..

24 Hours Le Mans oXigen Slot.it Digital

Halfway point, after 4 days the silicone mould had shrunk to 87.5 % and a cast was made. I will have to repeat the process at least once more to get down to 1/32nd (the size of Milan’s master on the right).

A lot of work, but the amount of detail and accuracy will be much better than that of Milan’s hand-carved buck.

SlotCarMAG 7

Le Mans 24 hours:

Love is like 23rd-24th March 2013, Henley-In-Arden, UK

Does this track somehow look familiar?

Did you fall asleep at seven o’clock one Sunday morning and not wake up until Monday?

This is what you missed, and if you’re new to the race, here’s how some of your rivals performed last year…

8 SlotCarMAG

24 Hours Le Mans oXigen Slot.it Digital

oXigen here were many parallels

T

control checked the time sheets

between the 2013 Slot.it

following Q2 and promptly

dipped in and out of the top three

oXigen Le Mans 24hrs and the

announced that the Racing for

for the entire race, eventually

actual events at Le Mans during the

Holland Lotus Elise would sit on the

coming home in fourth to win the

era chosen, 1997-1999. A Porsche won

pole. To a stunned paddock, perhaps

LMP class from the Audi R8R of

a race that quite frankly anybody

nobody more stunned than RfH’s

Sports Carazing, who themselves

could have won, including the other

Tamar Nelwan, this was an

fought tooth and nail with the

Porsche. A Lotus broke down a lot. A

interesting development. A request

Austrian-entered Nissan R390 for the

McLaren caught fire. Nissan and

was even made for some of the

whole 24 hours. Eventually the

Toyota were fast, but sadly had

‘quick’ drivers in the Lola to transfer

British squad opened a gap to the

nothing to show for it after 24hrs.

across – a request denied under the

Slot Devils on Sunday morning,

The Audi R8R was not fast, but it did

rulebook. In the end maybe it was

which they would hold to the

not break down once, and it finished

better off that way, from starting

chequered flag.

several places ahead of where it

first it would finish dead last after

started simply by driving across the

endless maladies during the 24

separated into the leading bunch

timing line every 18 seconds.

hours. However, a further victory in

with the two Porsche 911 GT1-98s

the concours d’elegance for the

fighting with the Italian Nissan of

of the weekend was qualifying -

pretty Lotus would justify the effort

Posillipo Promotion, and the McLaren

after turning barely a wheel in

put into this two-car entry from the

contingent taking the fight to the

practice due to technical issues, race

Dutch outfit.

Toyota GT-One of Eastcote Exiles.

Perhaps the most interesting result

24 Hours Le Mans oXigen Slot.it Digital

The sister car, a Lola B2k/40,

Elsewhere in GT-1, the battles

SlotCarMAG 9

Later in the race a timing bug in the

particular after sitting P2 after Q1

positions for most of the race, with

RMS made things interesting by

and started fifth on the grid.

just over one hour remaining the

masking the true scores of the

However, various issues for both

positions seemed to settle and we

Wolves McLaren and Eastcote Toyota,

teams, including a chassis swap for

would see Modena triumph by 42

in the end a gap of only 11 laps saw

the Vikings following a monster

laps over rival Italians Posillipo, with

the Midlanders edge them out for

accident on les Hunaudières, saw

California Slot in third place a further

5th place overall – not a bad effort

these British entries slip towards the

38 laps behind. All three cars enjoyed

considering the car was billowing

close.

the lead at various stages.

smoke and flames at the Ford chicane some hours earlier!

At the sharp end Modena Slot Club,

A mention for the sole GT-2 car

Posillipo and the Catalans California

entered by Absolute Slot Racing, the

Slot were trading the lead every

Callaway coming home in 12th place

entered McLarens which would

hour. With only a handful of laps and

overall to put some manners on

feature early on, North Staffs in

frequent re-shuffling of the top three

Racing for Holland’s ailing Lotus.

The Vikings and North Staffs both

10 SlotCarMAG

24 Hours Le Mans oXigen Slot.it Digital

24 Hours Le Mans oXigen Slot.it Digital

SlotCarMAG 11

AUDI THE LE MANS –

I

f you look at the list of overall

Peugeot, with their snappily-

in the game as night fell, albeit still off

winners of Le Mans for the period

monikered 908 HDi FAP. The first

the pace and falling slowly back…until

we have covered in this year’s

reality check for Audi was in

3.30 a.m., when it began to rain. The

event, apart from the one time when

qualifying, where the three Peugeots

Peugeots weren’t nearly as happy in

it plainly didn’t all go to plan – 2009 –

took the first three places on the grid,

the wet, and a brilliant and brave stint

you could be forgiven for thinking

and the fastest two Audis were some

by McNish saw the Audi taking the

that the mighty Audi team just turn up

five seconds off pole. Le Mans has a

overall lead at 5 a.m., and this was

and, probably out of sheer good

long lap, but you don’t want to be

gradually opened up to a full lap. Then

manners and respect for the

giving away five seconds every time

the rain stopped. The

established protocol, politely wait

around. Of course, there were the

Minassian/Gené/Villeneuve Peugeot

until the end of the race before taking

usual ‘concentrating on race set-up’

was catching fast and was on course to

the big trophy back to Ingolstadt. The

excuses, which were borne out once

retake the lead when, with just two

truth is actually rather different from

the race commenced. Indeed, Allan

hours to go, it started to rain again.

that, and there have been many

McNish was a mere three seconds off

Minassian in the Peugeot opted to stay

occasions on which Audi’s Dr

the pace, but the other two were still

on slicks in the hope that the rain

Wolfgang Ullrich has stared defeat

five seconds adrift, however.

would soon stop, while the Audi pitted

and even tragedy squarely in the face.

Back in 2008, the main challenger to Audi dominance was of course

12 SlotCarMAG

As things turned out, minor

for wets, letting the Peugeot close

problems with the Peugeots had

right up. Then Minassian spun, giving

meant that the leading Audi was still

the Audi the win. They still finished on

24 Hours Le Mans oXigen Slot.it Digital

EY DO IT?

by Ric Woods

the same lap, and Audi had the

hand on the trophy as the cars moved

weather and the sheer brilliance of

away from the grid on the pace lap.

Peugeots had lost time with problems,

their drivers in the wet conditions to

On a scale of one to ten, things went

leaving the Audi of Bernhard, Dumas

thank for the victory.

wrong by at least eleven for the French

and Rockenfeller second, but two laps

In 2009, the Audi R15 was some way

Two of the remaining three

team. The Audis had managed to stay

adrift of the leading Peugeot as dawn

from being the better car, and was too

in contention early on, due in part to a

broke. Indeed dawn broke, and at 7

far off the Peugeot race pace to be

lengthy safety car period following

a.m. so did the leading Peugeot. A

able to force any significant mistakes.

Nigel Mansell’s crash, while they

long flash of flame from the right-

The best Audi was 3rd, some six laps

repaired the barriers and looked for his

hand exhaust signified a catastrophic

down.

missing moustache, not realising he

engine failure, of the kind we rarely

had shaved it off some years earlier.

see these days. Audi in the lead, but

2010 gave us one of those unforgettable races that Le Mans

Pedro Lamy in the pole-sitting car

being caught by the Peugeot of

throws at us every so often. The

was the first to fail, when a suspension

Gené/Davidson and Wurz, which had

updated Audi R15 was better, but still

wishbone pulled out of the tub after

been delayed by an alternator failure.

only 5th, 6th and 7th on the grid,

only two hours. There was a theory

At 11 a.m. it was a lap down, and with

behind four Peugeots. Despite all the

(which emanated mostly from the Audi

three hours to go it was on the same

statements of “it’s a very long race”

camp, it must be said) that he had been

lap… then smoke appeared from the

and “anything can happen”, Peugeot

pounding over the kerbs in an effort to

right side of the engine – an identical

must have felt they had at least one

open up the gap to the Audis…

failure. Peugeot’s chance of a face-

24 Hours Le Mans oXigen Slot.it Digital

SlotCarMAG 13

saving podium with the Oreca entry

wondering where the Audi had

went the same way in the 22nd hour.

gone… McNish was mercifully only

Even with the help of a couple of

In this era of super-reliable “it’s a

somewhat rattled about, but with

Ferrari 458s, Peugeot couldn’t get that

twenty-four hour sprint” events,

twenty-three hours to go the Audi

follow-up to their 2009 win.

Peugeot had somehow managed

challenge was already blunted. The

Accountancy and motor sport rarely

three blow-ups and a chassis

Scot’s efforts at scaring the team were

mix, and in the midst of a sales

breakage...

to be surpassed by Mike Rockenfeller

downturn and the mess inflicted on us

in the eighth hour, when his R18

all by a bunch of bankers, the plug

year was 2011, and Audi were in much

touched another Ferrari 458 (!) on one

was pulled on the Pugs. Fortunately,

better shape (literally) with the snazzy

of the fastest sections of the rack,

Toyota had intended to use 2012 as a

new R18 coupé. They took pole, but

between the Mulsanne and

‘toe in the water’ year for their TS030,

the new car was somewhat less

Indianapolis corners. The Audi was

a hybrid design which used KERS to

efficient than the Peugeot, requiring

totally destroyed as it slammed into

supply a supercapacitor, and the

two more pit stops and therefore it

the barriers, but Mike walked away

company won many friends by saying

needed to make this time up on the

from this one too, a testament to the

they would step up their effort in 2012

track. The pressure was on from the

amazingly strong ‘survival cell’. So, just

to replace Peugeot. As it turned out,

start, and this may have been a

the one Audi against four Peugeots,

their prototype was wrecked in a

contributory factor when, within the

then. Tréluyer, Fässler and Lotterer in

testing crash, so they were only able to

first hour, Allan McNish had the

the surviving car looked like they were

make their debut at Le Mans anyway.

mother-and-father of all accidents

going to make it, gaining time by

Despite being brand new, the faster of

whilst lapping the Ferrari 458 of

quadruple-stinting their tyres when

the two TS030s qualified in second

Anthony Beltoise. The flying R18 paid

the Peugeots could only triple-stint

place, only just over a second off pole.

scant regard to the gravel trap before

them…but then they developed a slow

slamming down on top of the barrier,

puncture, so the final fuel stop had to

what had happened the previous year,

while bits of new Audi cleared the

be for tyres as well, the Audi leaving

applied as much pressure as they could

debris fencing, including a wheel

the pit lane literally a few seconds

to the Audi team, which was running

assembly which landed right behind a

ahead of the Peugeot of Simon

two different versions of the R18: the

photographer who was still looking in

Pagenaud. The new tyres did their job,

e-tron Quattro four-wheel-drive hybrid,

the wrong direction – doubtless

however, and enabled the R18 to pull

and the more conventional and less

Nobody was surprised that the next

14 SlotCarMAG

out a lead of 13.8 seconds by the end.

The two Toyotas, perhaps mindful of

24 Hours Le Mans oXigen Slot.it Digital

risky R18 Ultra. However, at the end of

To 2013, then, and a race which will

took the rest of the race to get back to

five hours, Anthony Davidson had a

long be remembered for the tragic

5th. McNish, Kristensen and new boy

short flight followed by a massive crash

accident that befell Allan Simonsen,

Duval took the lead, but with all the

in his TS030 after clipping another car

killed when his Aston Martin crashed at

safety car periods the Toyota team

on the approach to Mulsanne Corner.

Tertre Rouge, and for the weather,

were able to hang in there, while the

The car? Another Ferrari 458…

which contributed to a record twelve

second-placed Audi of Jarvis picked up

Davidson sustained back injuries from

safety car periods.

a puncture and was only able to regain

which he thankfully recovered fully,

Audi had three R18 e-tron quattros

third spot in the 22nd hour. Despite

albeit a few centimetres shorter than

ranged against two Toyota TS030s,

their best efforts, Davidson, Sarrazin

he originally was. The remaining

which had already scored successes in

and Buemi had to make do with

Toyota actually led briefly, but then

other rounds of the World Endurance

second place, just one lap down, after

Kazuki Nakajima collided with the

Championship. In qualifying, it would

a race in which the weather must have

experimental DeltaWing in the Porsche

be fair to say that Loic Duval must have

played into the hands of the four-

Curves. He managed to get all the bits

stunned the Toyota team with his pace,

wheel-drive Audis. Toyota had pushed

back to the pits, the car was repaired

some four seconds faster than they

the Audi team all the way, and they

but then had an 11th hour engine

themselves could manage. Showing no

always say it takes three years to win

failure. Rather ominously, it was the

ill effects from (or maybe having

Le Mans, don’t they?

two new e-tron quattros that filled the

learned nothing from) his experience

first two spots, the first win at Le Mans

the previous year, Anthony Davidson

possibly, but Toyota has been hugely

for a hybrid design, with Tréluyer,

diced with Lotterer’s Audi in his TS030

encouraged by its progress – how

Fässler and Lotterer getting their

in the early stages of the race, but

much more has been achieved

second victory in a row. It might have

gradually the Audis pulled away, that

compared with all those years of utter

ended up being an easier win this time,

is, until they tried to give it all back to

mediocrity in F1! – and Porsche will be

but nobody was in any doubt that

Toyota. The leading Audi of the 2012-

fresh on the scene with a new

Toyota was going to be a very serious

winning combo dropped to 24th place

contender; Porsche, you will recall,

contender in the future.

following a crank sensor problem, and

knows all about winning at Le Mans…

24 Hours Le Mans oXigen Slot.it Digital

Can Audi do it in 2014? Quite

SlotCarMAG 15

Posillipo Slot Club The

by Claudio Savarese

T

he Posillipo Slot Club was founded in the city of Naples at the end of the 1965 by two

brothers: Geppino (Gey) and Claudio (Cla) Savarese.

Posillipo is the name of the

neighbourhood where Gey and Cla were born and actually live. Several F1 Grands Prix were held in Posillipo racetrack from the 1940s until the early ’sixties, hosting drivers such as Ascari, Fangio, Villoresi, Farina, Surtees and others.

Gey, the older brother, was the first to be exposed to some sort of slot car racing at the beginning of the ’fifties.

He received, as a gift from his parents, a short track and two electric cars powered by AC current motors.

At the end of 1964 it was the turn of Cla to receive a Scalextric set at Christmas time. Since then, the Top picture: Members of the Posillipo Team Right: Roberto Bulzoni

16 SlotCarMAG

24 Hours Le Mans oXigen Slot.it Digital

original figure-of-eight shaped track

Gey has always looked after the

grew slowly but steadily. The year

race organisation and management.

after, a four-lane racetrack 70 feet in

Quite skilled in electronics, he was

length was permanently installed in

able, during the 1970s, to design

the house. The birth of the Posillipo

and build a computer fully dedicated

Slot Club is dated on the 27th of

to lap timing and scoring. A

December 1965, when, for the first

sequence of red, amber and green

time, a race was recorded in writing.

lights were the normal starting

From there on, all races have been

procedure, with an automatic stop-

recorded together with year results,

and-go penalty solely for any car to

lap and race best time and all data

jump the start. This was long before

of each championship winner.

the full scale F1 decided to use the

Four basic rules are the soul of the PSC: • Driving skill must win

same scheme!

Since the ’eighties, software programmed using visual basic (VB)

some types of races (club

runs on Windows and is fully

cars are used, first choice

integrated with the track power and

of car and starting lane is

the race management rules.

for the lower ranked pilot) • The ability to handle cars

Cla has always been passionate about the track and the cars, trying

and customise the stock

to make them faster and faster.

models must win some

Today it is normal for him to lead

other types of races (the

the Posillipo team, or participate

only limits to the car

with other groups in endurance

technical specifications

races. To date, he has entered 24-

are: max length, width,

hour races 32 times, scoring one

height and tyres that must

victory (France) and 4 podiums

be rubber).

(Germany, Italy, UK).

• Nothing has to happen by

We at the PSC have been racing

chance (No marshalling is

over the 49 years of activity a great

envisaged in any of the

deal of makes of both 1/24 and 1/32

PSC racing styles. Each

scale models: Scalextric, Monogram,

driver is able to cut the

Polistil, Cox, Revell, Fly, SCX, Exin,

power to the track. The

Ninco, Slot.it, NSR and several mixes

number of cuts is limited

of everything.

and a heavy, but always constant, delay in cutting power penalises the faulty driver) • All pilots must have a

It is easy to explain why PSC have an interest in the oXigen Le Mans race: The rules are quite intelligent, easy to follow but giving freedom to always find new ways of improving

chance of winning

performance and durability of the

(several championships

model.

are run in parallel during the season: short stints, endurance, handicap and others)

The oXigen way of racing is far superior to the analogue classic style.

Racing on a racetrack reproducing a real race is thrilling.

24 Hours Le Mans oXigen Slot.it Digital

Pictures: (1) The first race record (2) Self built lap counter and timing scheme (3) Self built lap counter and timing hardware (4) The two cars of the very first Scalextric set

SlotCarMAG 17

TEAM ENTRY LIST

18 SlotCarMAG

24 Hours Le Mans oXigen Slot.it Digital

1

P1

Driven by:

FERRARI (ITA), FERRARI (ITA), CASSANDRA (ITA), FLUCKIGER (CHE), SCATENA (ITA)

About A new team name for the 2013 champions who enter P1 with the Audi R18 e-tron quattro. This all-wheeldrive racer will be true to the revolutionary Audi hybrid in terms of drive train, but can the team of five defend their title and emulate Audi Sport’s success? The nature of Le Mans has seen it grow into a true proving ground for technology - in all scales! Pascal Fluckiger joins the squad from Slot.it Club Geneve to strengthen the already notable driver line-up.

Posillipo Promotion 1965 (ITA)

2

P1

Driven by:

SAVARESE (ITA), ALIBERTI (ITA), RUSSO (ITA), BULZONI (ITA)

About The Napalese team returns for the third consecutive year, to challenge for victory in P1. On the podium for the previous two years, the familiar driver line-up of Savarese, Aliberti and Russo will be sure to mount a strong challenge. Joined by Roberto Bulzoni, Posillipo will be looking to benefit from all the learning gained from running the Lola B09 coupe in 2012. There’s only one step on the podium left to climb for this charismatic outfit.

Mospmis-California Team (ESP)

3

P1

Driven by:

MUŃOZ. F (ESP), OSUNA (ESP), MUŃOZ. I (ESP), RUIZ (ESP), NAVASQUILLIO (ESP)

About A combined 33 years of experience in this team from Barcelona, Mospmis-California Team represent the P1 challenge from the California Slot Speedway. The Lola B09 should prove a reliable workhorse for the Spaniards to practice their craft, but the race will throw plenty of challenges for the first-timers who may be used to somewhat smaller circuits. The Spanish have fared well over the years, and this outfit could be dark horses to watch for.

Dutch Touch Slotracing (NLD)

4

P1

Driven by:

VONK (NLD), v.d.HURK (NLD), KIEVIT (NLD), KLOPPENBURG (NLD), KARMAN (NLD)

About Regulars at Le Mans will recognise every name on this roster as the formidable Dutch are back in force under Kevin Vonk’s Dutch Touch banner. The super driving skills of each of these pilots paired with the technical wizardry of crew chief Willem Kloppenburg should not be underestimated! After a quiet year in 2013, this team will want to be back where they belong – right at the front. Expect the orange Radical to represent a serious challenge to the P1 field.

24 Hours Le Mans oXigen Slot.it Digital

SlotCarMAG 19

TEAM ENTRY LIST

BB Slot Reggio (ITA)

TEAM ENTRY LIST

North Staffs SSRC (GB)

5

P1

Driven by:

BAILEY (GBR), MADDOCK (GBR), WAIN (GBR), HILLS (GBR)

About The friendly yet competitive North Staffs team return for a third successive year, bullishly opting for an entry in the P1 category. Another team where everybody has raced at Le Mans before, their experience could be pivotal when it comes to making those race-changing decisions. North Staffs have been keeping their eye in by racing in the PSR-organised Group C oXigen races, so it’s a safe bet they’ll hit the ground running in the first practice session. The team opt for the proven Lola B10 coupe.

Pendle Slot Racing (GBR)

6

P1

Driven by:

HIRST (GBR), HIRST (GBR), THOBURN (GBR), THOBURN (GBR), EDWARDS (GBR), MASON (GBR)

About One of the most famous names in British slot car racing returns for 2014 after taking a year out in 2013.

PSR stick with the Radical chassis, the car in which they nearly toppled Racing for Holland in 2012 to challenge for victory in the dying moments. After having to settle for second, the Pendle team will only be targeting one result this year - first place. Brothers Neil and Nic Hirst are joined by Rob Mason, and from clubs in the south of England Julian Edwards, alongside Graeme and Jack Thoburn.

ProSpeed Slot Racing (DEU)

7

P1

Driven by:

NALBACH (DEU), PIETER (DEU), RÜBEN (DEU), WELSCH (DEU), EHL (DEU)

About A brand-new team from Germany will arrive at Le Mans this year under the captaincy of Stefan Nalbach.

The ProSpeed team have plenty of endurance racing experience on the continent, including victories in several German 24-hour races and the spoils from the German national GT championship LMES. Car OnLine magazine editor Alexander Ehl features in the squad, who enter the formidable Audi R18.

Racing for Holland (NLD)

8

P1

Driven by:

NELWAN (NLD), SKIPP (GBR), OSU (NGA), v.ALTENA (NLD), GRAINGER (GBR)

About Embracing the spirit and the challenge perhaps unlike any other, Tamar Nelwan’s Racing for Holland entry brings a bespoke model of the Toyota TS-030 to the grid. Commissioned from master model maker Milan Tomasek (MTR32), this car is bound to attract some attention in the P1 category. A late change to the driver line-up sees 2012 participant Sebastiaan van Altena join the squad, the man arguably responsible for keeping Racing for Holland firmly in first place during the closing stages of the inaugural race.

20 SlotCarMAG

24 Hours Le Mans oXigen Slot.it Digital

9

P1

Driven by:

FISHENDEN (GBR), ALLEN (GBR), AINSCOW (GBR), FOVARGUE (GBR), GEARY (GBR), MAY (GBR)

About From the south-east coast travel the Viking squad – for the third year and with a third team captain. In 2014 Keith Fishenden leads the way with five team mates, all of whom have raced at Le Mans in previous years. Vikings have decided to up-spec the Radical SR9 to run in P1, where the Dutch Touch car will prove a useful yardstick. The team will be looking to make an impression on the leading P1 cars, while at the same time maximising the enjoyment to be had from the Le Mans race weekend.

Eastcote Exiles (GBR)

11

P2

Driven by:

BROOKS (GBR), WHITE (GBR), BRICE (GBR), UNDERWOOD (GBR)

About Buoyed by a positive showing in 2013, Eastcote return with an unchanged driver line-up to tackle Circuit de la Sarthe once more. Possibly the favourites for a class victory, the London-based racers will need to manage a trouble-free race to fend off the challenge from other P2 contenders. They showed they had the speed last year, can they wrap up their category and take home the spoils? Eastcote are another team to have raced on oXigen recently in the United Kingdom.

Hopeful Six (GBR)

12

P2

Driven by:

JONES (GBR), THORPE (GBR), WHITE (GBR), HILL (GBR), SAVIDGE (GBR)

About Alex Jones brings fellow drivers from Quorn Slot Car Club and Melton Mowbray to Le Mans, as the EastMidlanders unite under a brand new collective for 2014. With four drivers having competed in the Pendle oXigen endurance event last year, adapting to the challenges of Le Mans should not be an insurmountable task for these wood-track-based racers. The team is the only one to enter the Porsche RS Spyder in the P2 category.

Olifer Racing Stop & Go (PRT)

14

P2

Driven by:

FERREIRA (PRT), FERREIRA (PRT), FERREIRA (PRT)

About Sadly, Olifer Racing Stop & Go are unable to make the grid due to a last minute cancellation. We wish the Portuguese brothers well, and hope to see them in 2015.

24 Hours Le Mans oXigen Slot.it Digital

SlotCarMAG 21

TEAM ENTRY LIST

Vikings (GBR)

TEAM ENTRY LIST

California Slot Aloyshop (ESP)

16

GT

Driven by:

JULVE (ESP), CARCELLER (ESP), FARGAS (ESP), TABARES (ESP), BARRIOS (ESP)

About Daniel Julve returns with his team for the third successive year to tackle the GT category once more, using the category-winning Saleen S7 that the team campaigned in 2012. Le Mans experience for most of the team, and multiple California Speedway Digital championship titles to boast between them! After a successful race at CarthagoBarna, this team will be looking to carry their momentum all the way to the top step of the podium.

Wolverhampton Wolves (GBR)

17

GT

Driven by:

BARTLE (GBR), COCKERTON (GBR), WIXON (GBR), EVANS (GBR), GOUGH (GBR), CLEMENTS (GBR)

About An almost unchanged driver line-up from Wolverhampton introduces Ben Clements (Demon Slot) as the sixth member of a squad with maximum experience at Le Mans. This youthful team will doubtless have the speed and the energy to put up a fight for the whole 24 hours, but they’ll need to look after their car and keep out of the penalty box to translate that speed into success! The Corvette is known machinery for the squad, who ran the same car in 2012.

Absolute Slot Racing (GBR)

18

GT

Driven by:

BIZZELL (GBR), BROWNSON (GBR), BROWNSON (GBR), CHILD (GBR)

About Paul Bizzell returns for his third Le Mans, with his team assembled from the breadth of England. A switch to the Aston Martin puts them in direct competition with the Corvette, and alone in the challenge of tackling the American muscle of the GT field. Absolute Slot Racing describe themselves as “Gentlemen Drivers” – can they spring a surprise and upset the favourites? We can be sure that whatever happens, the positive attitude of this team will mean we definitely see an Aston Martin cross the finish line on Sunday afternoon.

22 SlotCarMAG

24 Hours Le Mans oXigen Slot.it Digital

24 Hours Le Mans oXigen Slot.it Digital

SlotCarMAG 23

GET YOUR COPY NOW!!!

SlotCarMAG

FOR RACERS, COLLECTORS AND BUILDERS

www.slotcarmag.co.uk The bi-monthly Slot Car Magazine. Copies available from: Pendle Slot (www.pendleslotracing.co.uk) or LULU Publishing (www.lulu.com/uk) and PDF copies from www.slotcarmag.co.uk