Slipstream racing was a unique concept for a slot racing set. The Pacer car would act as a mobile chicane and slow a car down for half a lap. It would then cross over to the other side to annoy the other car. The object being to beat the Pace car to the switch track to avoid being slowed down.
The switch track allowed a slow moving Pace car to cross over to the other lane. A faster travelling car would go straight on. What happens when the poor car stuck behind the Pace car also switches to the other track?? Answers please...
The BMW & Jaguar are my old favourites from PT-3000 and a rare opportunity for a UK spec car to make it across the Atlantic. Of course, it couldn't be straightforward. The cars were fitted with a dorsal fin made of plastic which was supposed to trigger the Lap Counter. These were unspeakably naff afterthoughts and rightly absent from this set photo. One other travesty was painting the Jaguar yellow - eugh!
The Lap counter was the paddle type affair also seen in the Lanechanger set, RPS 6000. Interestingly, the track terminal supplied shows the power take off for the UK Lap counter (PT-221) but the one supplied in this set has no power requirement whatsoever. Strange...
The only other thing to mention is the Pace car itself. A Porsche 936 Le Mans car no less! A most unlikely Pace car and a company purporting to understand model motor racing systems might have instead offered a Porsche 911, or Corvette perhaps? My own choice would have been a Pace car variant of the Police car, with flashing lights...
This set doubtless offered an exciting variation of slot car racing - an element of strategy for once.
Slipstream Racing comprised:
1 x Jaguar XJ5.3
1 x BMW 3.0 CSL
1 x Porsche 935 Pace Car
1 x 9" Cross track
1 x 9" Terminal track
8 x 90 Degree 9" curve
8 x 9" Straight
1 x Mains transformer
2 x Hand controllers
1 x Lap counter
9 x Crash barriers
Bridge supports
2 x Sticker sheet
Track length: 15 ft
Typical selling price: unknown
