ARC Pro Challenge, the winners in brief

The late August bank holiday weekend saw Scalextric host DiSCA at the Hornby Visitor Centre in Margate, Kent. Two days of racing were organised for arrive and drive magnet racing and owner-driver non-magnet racing using cars from the Scalextric BTCC range, on a replica of the nearby Brands Hatch racing circuit. Drivers would compete using the ARC Pro digital system, provided by Scalextric.

Slot Car Magazine writer and WHO:Digital club proponent Andy Player was part of the driver line-up, and writes the following.

Postcard from Margate: Scalextric ARC ProChallenge

The Digital Slot Car Association (DiSCA) teamed up with Scalextric and the Hornby Visitor Centre to put on a weekend of British Touring Car Championship racing at the end of August. Not only was it a perfect opportunity to show off the ARC Pro digital system and the fabulous Scalextric BTCC cars, but I suspect it was the first stand-alone slot car competition to take place on the hallowed ground of the old Margate factory for quite a while.

You might just remember that an ARC Pro BTCC simulation race format appeared in the May 2018 edition of Slot Car Magazine? That’s what the DiSCA crew borrowed for the weekend of racing on their fabulous version of the Brands Hatch Grand Prix layout. I was delighted to witness it in action.

Traction magnets were kept in place for Saturday’s ‘Arrive-and-Drive event’, the six BTCC cars provided by Scalextric and prepared by DiSCA. A huge amount of fun was had, with yours truly leading home Alex Stone and Will Strachan at the end of the three-race competition – success ballast, reverse grids an’ all.

There was a slight change of the guard for the owner-driver competition on Sunday. Sixteen lap races were also lengthened to sixteen minutes. After three races – and another fine lunch in the Visitor Centre café – it was Mark Wadeley who pipped Adrian Norman for the win and the grand prize of tickets for the BTCC finale at Brands Hatch.

A big thanks goes to the DiSCA team of Gary and Martin for all their hard work and the for the inspiration to ask Hornby to host the event. Let’s hope the weekend is the start of something, with more ARC Pro Challenge events in the future.

Saturday’s prizewinners with Zara Teall taking the top Junior and Andy Player the overall winner.

Final Points – Saturday

  1. Andy Player 58 pts
  2. Will Strachan 47 pts
  3. Alex Stone 47 pts
  4. Adrian Norman 46 pts
  5. Mark Wadeley 34 pts
  6. Lewis Ross 32 pts
  7. Zara Teall 31 pts
  8. Innes Rahwangi Green 28 pts

Final Points – Sunday

  1. Mark Wadeley 62 pts
  2. Adrian Norman 57 pts
  3. Alex Stone 49 pts
  4. Lewis Ross 44 pts
  5. Paul Wooding 34 pts