EVENT: Dakar 2014 Mid-point

Dakar 2014
Rest Day (day 7)

'There was a lot of dust. On the previous one we were stuck in the dust for most of the stage. This one was a little bit better but it also took us some time to pass cars because there is no room. The rally is finished for us so we need to try and go for stage wins.' (Carlos Sainz)

After 6 hard days of racing on the Dakar and a rest day underway, I thought we might visit some of the amazing race incidents of the last 30 years - Some incredible footage!! 

From Wikipedia: 'The Dakar Rally (or simply "The Dakar"; formerly known as "The Paris–Dakar" or "Paris to Dakar Rally") is an annual off-road race. Part of the Dakar Series, it is organised by the Amaury Sport Organisation. Most events since the inception in 1978 were from Paris, France, to Dakar, Senegal, but due to security threats in Mauritania, which led to the cancellation of the 2008 rally, the 2009 Dakar Rally was run in South America (Argentina and Chile).  It has been held in South America each year since 2009.

The race is open to amateur and professional entries, amateurs typically making up about eighty percent of the participants. Despite its 'rally' name, it is an off-road endurance race, properly called a 'rally raid' rather than a conventional rally. The terrain that the competitors traverse is much tougher and the vehicles used are true off-road vehicles rather than the modified on-road vehicles used in rallies. Most of the competitive special sections are off-road, crossing dunes, mud, camel grass, rocks, and erg among others. The distances of each stage covered vary from short distances up to 800–900 kilometres (500–560 mi) per day.'

Inspired to make a small piece of your own Dakar at home? 
Check out ManicSlots' How-to's on building Rally/RAID tracks.

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EVENT: 2014 Dakar Rally

Dakar 2014

X-Raid Minis to dominate?

Its the New Year and for RAID fans that means one thing, the 2014 Dakar Rally is about to get underway!  The Dakar is without doubt the fiercest test of both man and machine on the globe!  As for the last few years, this year's Dakar takes the drivers through Argentina and Chile in South America.

This year X-Raid is set to dominate with no less than 12 vehicles, 11 of them are Minis!  Crazy stuff but it means that we are bound to see some great Dakar liveries coming out in 2014 from Scalextric and Carrera who produce the Minis.

From Dakar.com: "With 12 cars at the Start, including the Minis of Stéphane Peterhansel and Nasser Al Attiyah, X-Raid lines up as the team to beat in the Dakar 2014.  However, the fortress could be besieged by the rapidly developing buggies, or perhaps by the Toyota of Giniel De Villiers.

That is what we can call an ‘Armada'. X-Raid has 12 entries in the Dakar, 11 of them Minis, i.e. the car that has shown its superiority in the last two editions of the rally. At the wheel of these winning machines, 5 drivers have already been in the elite Top 5 of the Dakar: Orlando Terranova (5th in 2013); Krzysztof Holowczyc (5th in 2009 and 2011); Joan ‘Nani' Roma, winner on bikes 10 years ago and 2nd in cars in 2012; and, above all, two previous winners of the race: Nasser Al Attiyah in 2011 at the wheel of a Volkswagen, and the master of the discipline, eleven-time winner Stéphane Peterhansel, with 6 titles on a bike and the last 2 in the team led by Sven Quandt.

The duel promises to be between Peterhansel and Qatari ‘recruit of the year' Al Attiyah, who has fallen for the charms of the Mini after his buggy experience last year. Nevertheless, the temperament of the three other top-line competitors in the group makes for a fierce battle that will set the race alight … not forgetting the internal battles that sometimes work against teams!"

The above map shows this years route: "For many years, the Dakar organisers have endeavoured to adapt the race route to South America’s open terrain, enabling all categories of vehicle to explore the routes which are best suited to them.

For the 2014 edition, five special stages have been marked out on completely separate routes, with motorcycles and quad bikes on one hand and cars and trucks on the other. Overall, the ‘separation’ includes around 2,000 kilometres of timed sections, covering more than 40% of the distance.

In sporting terms, this has the double advantage of taking motorcycle and quad riders onto more technical and narrower tracks during some stages, while enabling the leaders of the car race to ‘hit the trail’ without using the tracks left by the two-wheelers.This is also a decisive advantage in terms of safety, as separating the routes eliminates all situations requiring careful overtaking. The benefit is even greater given that the stages in question are essentially in the first part of the rally, when there are many vehicles on the track."

Below is the official video for the 2014 running of the Dakar.

Inspired to make a small piece of your own Dakar right at home? 
Check out ManicSlots' How-tos on building Rally/RAID tracks.

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NEWS: Carrera 4th quater releases

Carrera 4th quater releases
Aston Vantage, BMW and Mercedes-Benz DTMs

Carrera America have just released some impressive photos of some of their upcoming 4th quarter releases.  All 3 cars are impressive but the BMW DTM and Aston Vantage are the most impressive for sure, the mag design on the BMW is eye catching.  Detail levels look great and given the relative low cost of Carrera slot cars, they represent great value and run very well (mag or non-mag).  

My only complaint about Carrera slots is the large diameter rear wheels they insist on using on pretty much all of their releases.  Given how much attention to detail goes into the rest of their models regarding scale, this always seems a weird choice to me.  A small thing when you look at the front end detail on the BMW and Mercedes.  If you don't have a Carrera racing pair I recommend them as great value for your slot dollar. 

Want to find out more about Carrera slot cars?
Be our guest and CLICK HERE

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MOVIE: Track Cleaner

This is something we all need!

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NEWS: Carrera VW GT24

Carrera VW Scirocco GT24

24hr Nurburgring 2008

Carrera have just released this great looking little VW Scirocco GT24
which ran in the 2008 24hr Nurburgring. The slot comes with Carrera's front xenon lights and rear light function as well as easy digital upgrade.

You can find out more on the Carrera Website Here

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SCENERY: Fryar Mt. Stage III

ManicSlots' Track Scenery

Fryar Mountain, Stage III

I have been working hard on what I'm calling Stage III of my home track, Fryar Mountain. Most importantly, I have finally built and landscaped 'Fryar Mountain' itself so the track name makes a little more sense. Below are some photos of the new section and some detail updates on previous sections, I hope you enjoy.

Firstly, here are some photos of the new section, my background is in Surveying so I have always had a soft spot for construction sites.

The construction machinery I used to landscape the track was pretty inexpensive plastic toys, around $AU30 all up. Scale isn't 1:32 but it's not too bad at around 1:40 I estimate. When I can find some more appropriate to scale diecast machines I'll be replacing these.

Fryar Mountain, (see below) the only thing missing is a few mountain climbers.

Below are some photos of scenery updates to previous sections of my track. Below is a New Ray truck I finally got around to respraying and adding some Michelin sponsorship. I fixed a platform into the rear of the trailer to house a slot being lowered from the trailer.

I have added some large signage to the circuit, the main part of the sign is made from MDF and the posts are balsa wood although you could use something else like doweling, etc. Sponsorship is printed on a colour laser printer and sealed with Aquadhere craft glue.

I use the Carrera lap timer which I find to be adequate timing to 1/100th of a second. The timer does however look a little ugly so I added a little sponsorship, Michelin and Shell sticker have been added to the back of the timer and it looks much more in place on the track.

I have this 1:32 scale helicopter attached to the roof over the track, it looks pretty good and I'll be adding at least one more on the track. I purchased it from Mr Toys for around $AU20.

I purchased a set of 5 Carrera flagmen, they are well painted and look good on the track.

I painted the Carrera pit crew's refuelling rig and added some sponsorship which improves the look of the refuelling piece.

You can find some more scenery tips and photos at the following resources:

Find this useful?  You'll find more useful 'How-to' content, tips and tricks at the below link.

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