Slot car racing is a popular indoor leisure activity in countries in the western hemisphere.  These small but fast toy cars run along slotted tracks where cars are powered by electric current.  Slot cars have metallic blades which fit to the bottom of these slots.  The majority of slot car hobbyists carry out races with other enthusiasts on more than one occasion but there are certain of those who focus their attention to construct scenic layouts, modeling roads and highways, and simulating urban and rural traffic.

Enthusiasts of slot cars that are new to the idea begin with standard made cars that are offered in several hobby store.  Slot cars from hobby strores are made for better performance on standard tracks.  Aficionados of slot cars for years habitually build cars from scratch or modify their collection and have them tailored to make them more lightweight and aerodynamic.

Customization of slot cars is also one of the most sought after activity besides racing them.  Just like real cars, slot cars have rubber tires which can be switched and electric motors and chassis can also be modified to make them more faster and make them more stylish.  Slot cars are basically faster than the fastest formula 1 racing car given that they can reach speeds of up to 1800 rpm. 

Slot car drivers control their mini race-cars by operating a controller with just one hand and it’s function is to control the voltage of the electric motor inside the car.  The evolution of slot car racing has essentially been with the handheld controller and the cars themselves but the only thing that has remained unchanged is the track.  However, because of the development of technology there are now slot car tracks which allow cars to share lanes.  The challenge for slot car racers comes on the curved sections where the voltage being fed to the car should be properly adjusted with the correct squeeze on the controller to prevent the car from being swerved off-track or lose momentum that will make the racer lose the race.

Much like model trains, slot cars have the same concept in terms of arrangement.  Model train hobbyists and slot car hobbyists build the range of their tracks, build sceneries which include trees and small structures.  The only disparity is the variation of speed between model trains and slot cars and model trains is basically a solo operation while slot cars is intended for the enjoyment of several people racing one another.

Slot cars are not just limited to cars only.  Trucks and even motorcycles are also made to be able to cruise tracks for slot cars.  Scale sizes such as 1:24, 1:32 and H0 are the most common scale sizes for slot cars. 

The introduction of traction magnets have also made it easier for slot cars to turn corners without reducing that much speed without getting thrown out the track.  Certain aficionados, however, choose to do things the old way and without traction magnets.  Traction magnet-less slot cars have a propensity to drift and are more prone to de-slotting which makes it more enjoyable and exciting.