Slot cars are miniature scale model cars that run along a fixed track. The term slot comes from shallow grooves in the track that guide the cars through the twists and turns as well as on the straight sections. The grooves are lined with two metal rails that are narrowly separated and set into the track, creating a slot between them. There are lots of slot car kits to choose from. There are kits that include all the necessary parts to start racing right out of the box. Additional track pieces, car bodies, controllers and other various after-market components are available for purchase also.

Slot cars are more than just miniatures of real cars. Some are passionately built from scratch by slot car enthusiasts. A lot of slot cars are modified for better performance. Driver skill plays a part in slot car competition, too. Aside from a small guide on the underside of the car, there’s really nothing keeping the cars fixed onto the track, so some amount of skill in driving is required to keep them from flying off in the turns.