Scalextric World Record is Child’s Play
Top Gear presenter James May is no stranger to driving round race tracks at high speed but he faced one of his toughest challenges yet when he took on a Scalextric World Record.
In August, May set up a Scalextric version of the famous 2.953 mile, banked Brooklands Circuit at the Brooklands Museum in Weybridge, Surrey. Built in 1907, Brooklands was the world’s first purpose built motor sport track and, though the last race held there was in 1939, it is a piece of sporting history.
Building the scalextric track was no mean feat – it cost £150,000 to build and involved laying down 20,000 pieces of track around the Surrey countryside with the help of 300 Scalextric fans from around the UK.
The attempt was witnessed by thousands of spectators and was filmed by the BBC for May’s new series Toy Stories which aired on Sunday. May broke the record for the longest track ever built; an impressive feat as he had to contend with a river, a duel carriageway and several other obstacles to get it finished.
Once the massive task was complete, the fun could begin and two Scalextric cars, a maroon Aston Martin DBS and a silver Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren were raced at top speed round the track.
Scalextric is one of those childhood games that you never get too old for. Giant versions of the track can be hired for parties or events so grown ups can relive their youth without crawling around on the floor.
The giant Scalextric track has eight lanes and is computer controlled to keep tabs on lap times, winners and points. It needs a 6.5m x 4.5m space and is great fun for large or small groups, promotional events and parties. The figure of eight track is hours of fun though you might want to get some champagne to properly celebrate your win.
No matter what age you are, James May’s programme proves that some kid’s toys will never lose their competitive edge and their ability to excite and entertain. And, if you need more inspiration, there are plenty of Scalextic records out there that are crying out to be beaten.