Digital or Conventional: 
 

There are two kinds of slot car racing systems you can choose.

 Conventional slot car racing.    Each car races in a single lane with the number of cars that can be raced being equal to the number of lanes.  Most home racing layouts have 2 or 4 lanes.  Each driver races in only one lane, but the race can be divided into heats with the drivers switching lanes between heats to give each driver equal time on each lane.  This equalizes any differences between lanes for all the drivers.  Most of the race sets on the market are this kind.

Digital slot car racing.  The newest form of model car racing allows as many as 6, or in some cases, 8 cars to race on a 2-lane track.  Electronic circuitry in the cars and controllers allows each driver to have full control over his own car.  Any or all of the cars can be racing in either lane at any given time, and lane change track sections placed at various locations around the circuit allow drivers to change lanes to overtake and pass or to take the fastest line for an entire lap.

In general, digital systems are more expensive to begin with, though they may not be in the long run, depending on where you want to go with the hobby.  Driving on a digital system is more complex because you have to change lanes as well as control the car’s speed, so digital racing may be more difficult for the beginner, especially children who are just on the borderline of being ready to race.  Digital systems, however, offer the capacity to let 4 or 6 cars and drivers race on a 2-lane track that takes up less space than a 4 or 6-lane conventional track.  For a more complete explanation of the pros and cons of these two types of slot car racing see our article, “Conventional or Digital Slot Car Racing.  Which Is Best For You?”