1998 Protec Challenge : Heat 1
Report.
Results,

Report 15/11/1998

Pfizer Viking Slot Car Club hosts the first Scalextric Protec race.

The Viking Slot Car Club were invited by Hornby Hobbies to host the first of a national series of races to launch their new brand of racing car, Protec, which is aimed at the enthusiast slot car racer.

This championship is the first ever of its kind using these new 'pro' cars and took place on Sunday the 15th of November at the Pfizer Social Club. Hornby were also providing the trophies and prizes. The Championship will run throughout the next year at other 'Scalextric' clubs around the U.K. and will culminate with a Grand Final later in 1999.

On the Sunday morning competitors converged on Sandwich from as far afield as Lancashire. Drivers would be placed in three-driver teams and would be competing in a series of races throughout the day. Twelve teams took part.
After an hour of free practice on our 6 lane, one hundred-foot long track, fitted with computer lap timing to 1000^th of a second and automatic lap counting, the first race at 10 a.m. would be quite different to normal club racing.
Team Managers were called to the Team Briefing where the rules would be explained. Success in these team event races would fall to those who put the right man in the right job! Who would build the car, who would drive the qualifying laps and which teams members would race in the main events? A few of the teams realised this early on an secured some precious points early in the days contests which would prove to help them get amongst the prizes.

The new Scalextric cars from Hornby Hobbies come in kit form. So, the first Heat was to build your team car, get it to the track and post your best qualifying time - all in 30 minutes! Easy? You would think so. To many of the teams, building the car proved to be quite a time consuming task. In fact, some teams failed to get their car to complete a lap before the thirty-minute qualifying period had finished!
The cars used in the races were from the British Touring Car Championship; the Vauxhall Vectra and the Audi A4. The cars are very equal and proved so with the top six qualifying teams driving an equal number of each make.

The next set of heats would be run on a traditional basis. Every team races for 10 laps on each lane, to even out the difference between the inside and outside lane in terms of speed and distance. Upon the change from one lane to the next, the six heats are started with a computer controlled red-to-green light Formula 1 style 'Go'. All the teams performed very well with no major crashes and all cars finished without the need to undergo any major repairs.

After a quick lunch break we pressed on with the two afternoon events. The first was to test the teams again on their ability to change the motor and post 10 laps, again all in thirty-minutes. Easy! Well, the team mechanics had to build the car at the beginning of the day. Should the team manger stick with his mechanic or would they risk giving the job of changing the motor to the other team member? This could decide the teams fate. One team got it right and, within ten minutes, their car was on the circuit with a new motor, posting up laps. Not bad. The top points were awarded to this team from Essex. Sadly, one of our two Pfizer teams only just got their car to the track in time. Fortunately, they had done very well in the mornings heats and were lying in second place overall, but changing mechanics was still to prove costly. They eventually finished 5^th overall!

The final race for all the teams was the traditional round-robin with all teams working their way through all the lanes. This afternoon race was very exciting with the leader board showing that the top six teams all stood a chance of victory if they could bring their car home past the checkered flag in first place. In one heat all six cars managed half of the first lap line abreast until the tension got too much for one driver and it all ended in tears. The driver on the inside made a late braking attempt but came off his lane and took off the other five cars in one go! Of course, there was no undue pressure exerted on the track marshal at that corner to get the cars back on track by any of the drivers. Not much!

Another heat saw one Vectra shoveled from one end of the main straight to the other on the bonnets of two Audi A4s and unceremoniously dumped at the hairpin in to the path of two other cars! All to the merriment of the fifty or so spectators, some of whom had come in to the Pfizer Bowls Club club-house to see what the commotion was about. Race commentary was provided using our public address system, keeping the spectators and teams up to date with race positions and times during the heats.
There were many close races, all of which were heartily applauded upon their conclusion. One race saw two drivers run neck and neck for the 10 laps only for one of them to win by 1/1000^th of a second over the other. Close indeed.

Bang on schedule, 4 p.m. saw the completion of the final heat. The scores were tallied up and presentation of prizes and trophies made to the three top scoring teams, the team with the fastest qualifying time in the morning and the team who managed the after lunch 'motor change and 10 lap' sprint race.
Twelve prizes and trophies were presented to the lucky winners by Hornby Hobbies. As a special 'Thank you' from Hornby each team was allowed to keep the car they raced. So, every team went home with a smile on their face.
For the record, the two Pfizer Viking teams finished 1^st and 5^th.

Results:

1^st Place: 26 points

Team 12: Viking Racers: Glen Harrison, Andy Bishop, Bill Jenner.

2^nd Place : 24 points
Team 7: MRE + P: Gary & Martin Cannell, Sean Fothersgill.

3^rd place (joint): 23 points
Team 5: Silver Arrows: Paul Hatcher, Andy Moore, Lee Baldwin
Team 4: Red Dwarf: Brad Salmon, Steve Dally, Steve Baker.

Quickest motor change plus 10 laps (Sprint Race):
Team 2: Smeg Heads: Graeme Thoburn, Jack Thoburn, Chris Pomeroy.

Fastest Qualifying Lap: 8.760 seconds
Team 6: Cartman: Craig Norman, David Rangeley, Chris Gunton

Full results list:
Heats X & Y: 30 minutes to build car and post qualifying times.
Heats A & B: 10 laps on each of the 6 lanes.
Heats C & D: 30 minutes to change the motor and 10 lap Sprint Race.
Heats E & F: 10 laps on each of the 6 lanes.