Thursday Nights at Perth Slot Car Racing
My Thursday Night Racing Experience with Perth Slot Car Racing
Every Thursday, as the clock ticks toward 4 PM, I get a little excited.
The kind of excitement that reminds me why I got into this world of slot car racing in the first place. It’s not just about running a business—it’s about being part of something electric, something real.
The Guys start arriving. I can hear the chatter and laughter as they lug their well-worn slot car boxes up the stairs. There’s a rhythm to it now finding a spot, unpacking the gear, and getting to work on their cars and then the practice laps begin. The smell of fresh hot slot car motor and rubber fills the shop air, Its like walking past a bakery at the shop in the morning and the smell gives you nothing but a joyous feeling, It gets me every time, As everyone starts rolling in It’s a blend of focus and anticipation a bit of banter and it always gives me a buzz.
It’s never just about setting up the shop and running another night. It’s about stepping onto the floor as a racer this time as I use this night to join on in the fun. I love the moment I pick up my controller, knowing I’ll be chasing perfection around our 43-meter ferrodore wood track. Its challenging even when you get to spend time with it daily, the S section and that back strait, It was almost accidently created that it demands such precision, and perfect trigger control.
This track is a beast, with its gritty surface that heats up tires if you push too hard. It demands rhythm just like any good race track expects. And there’s nothing quite like the feeling of getting into the zone on this surface—sailing through corners smoothly, every lap smoother than the last. Slot cars might be small, but the challenge is massive. It’s not about how much money you’ve poured into your setup it’s the skill with the trigger, the focus strategy, and lap consistency. And, of course, trying not to overthink and continue breathing as the clock ticks down on a heat.
The racing is always close. Sometimes too close. The past few weeks have come down to fractions of a second, with five drivers separated by less than a lap. As someone who runs the racing and races in it, I get to see both sides of the action the serious concentration of a driver in the final heat, and the shouting of the guys watching as myself and two other members go neck-and-neck side by side.
When its your time, You don’t even realize how much time has passed. You’re so focused, so in the moment, that everything else falls away. It’s a feeling I can only describe as meditative chaos—a strange but perfect mix of calm and adrenaline.
Two minutes per heat on all six lanes feels like a lifetime when you’re trying to keep your car on track, Rubber tyres, Focus and thoughts cool.
Thursday night racing isn’t just another night —it’s a reminder of why I love slot car racing. It’s a chance to connect with lads who share the same passion, Train and guide the young club members and watch them battle it out with someone who’s been racing for decades or a member that even holds an Australian championship status at once stage, Watching them stay on the track more and more during a race after advising constantly "about staying in the slot" and to experience there moment of raw, unfiltered joy of competition.
For me personally. It’s about those small moments of triumph—whether it’s a perfectly tuned car that worked when I got advice for a new tweak from one of our friendly gurus, Evan a well-run event, or a last-second win that leaves everyone bantering on me "Being the shop owner and how that's not fair" its only happened once! and I borrowed the car but ill take it!
I always leave the shop feeling lighter than when I arrived. And every week, as I pack up and turn off the lights and walk down stairs, I find myself smiling and thinking the same thing: “I can’t wait to do it all again next week.”
- Thursday night 1/32 scale slot car racing @ Perth Slot Car Racing
- $12.50 a night with a membership
- 4pm free practice, Racing starts around 6:45/7pm finished by 9pm
- Every one is welcome!
Come Race With Us!