Slot Car City gives model racing enthusiasts place to call home

Drivers prepare for the countdown, analyzing every hill and curve in the track. The room is filled with anticipation, the smell of rubber, the humming of engines and an anxious crowd.

Seven model-size NASCAR cars zoom around a 150-foot race track. If you blink, you might miss them.

Business owner Garner Houston took over Slot Car City in December 2012 and moved it to 1271 S. Decatur Blvd. The shop allows hobbyists to build, rent and race slot cars.

“I wanted to keep this retro vintage hobby alive,” Houston said. “It’s a great way to get disconnected from (technology) and build something.”

According to Houston, the cars are secured on the track using physics but can flip if they hit a corner too hard.

“There’s a technique to it,” Houston said. “You light up around the curves so you don’t flip, but you lay on it when there’s no bends.”

The shop hosts races at 7 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and the winners receive ribbons. Trophies are handed out every couple of weeks during series races. According to Houston, the events can draw in crowds of up to 40 people.

Full article here: Slot Car City gives model racing enthusiasts place to call home