The best Scalextric track layout

What makes a great race Scalextric track layout is very much the same as for a real race track.  The track layout has to be challenging for both the driver and the Scalextric cars.  The older Scalextric cars without magnatraction will be challenging on most Scalextric track layouts.  It’s the modern Scalextric cars with Neodymium magnets that are the challenge to design a track layout for.


With strong magnets, fast motors and tyres with good grip modern Scalextric cars can manage corners at very high speeds so the slot car track design needs to slow down these cars and put the driver back in control.  This is done with the use of different types of corners.

The best Scalextric track layout should have radius 1 corners and possibly a radius 1 hairpin.  We like to place these at the end of a long straight as this forces the driver to find a braking point as there’s no way the car will go round the corner at speed.  This puts the skill back into racing.

Another corner feature we like to use is either a corner that gets tighter or a corner that starts tight and then opens up into a straight.  Again the driver has to control the car on the throttle.  Theses corners can be built from a radius 1 45 degree corner piece, then a radius 2 45 degree corner piece and finally a radius 3 45 degree corner piece.  Combining the two ideas gives a long straight into a radius 1, then a radius 2 and finally a radius 3.  Both the braking point and the acceleration have to be finely controlled.

The final feature we like to use is a series of s curves that again tighten or opens up, again the throttle has to be controlled carefully for best performance.  This time go for a 90 degree set of corners that change direction each time.  This will give you some great Scalextric racing.

Another great tip from Scalextric Car Restorations