John Ford has been a leading
authority on slot car racing since 1965.
N.A.S.C.A.R. - A popular class of racing, both
in 1 to 1 scale and all scales of slot racing. The acronym stands
for National Association of Stock Car Automobile Racers. In slot
racing, the most popular class is the 4.5 inch wheelbase 1/24th
scale.
NASTRUCK - New class of racing trucks sanctioned by
NASCAR in 1 to 1 scale. In slot racing the most popular version
is the 4.5 inch wheelbase 1/24th scale
N.O.S. - Sounds a bit like a nitros oxide brand, but
in slot racing and other circles, n.o.s. stands for "new
old stock". A popular way to get a car from the 60's is to
build it from newly manufactured parts made just like the original.
I have seen this concept advertised as "NOS". When you
see this term used, you should ask, because NOS can also mean
old stock from the past which has never been sold, so is still
in the original packaging and still "new".
Nats - Short term for any national racing event. Usually
referrs to the U.S.R.A. Nationals.
Negative - The type of attitude you keep out of the
raceway. Also, 1/2 of all the electrical current in the slot car
track. The left side of the braid in the direction of travel of
the car is always negative. Naturally it follows that the left
side of the braid on your car is always negative. The back of
the motor as it sits in the car is always negetive, and the south
magnet is always on the negetive side. And i'm positive that's
all there is about negative.
Negative gate - This term came up recently when an article
was published in the T.O.A. about proper track wiring. The person
writing the article was fairly new to slot racing, though well
acquainted with electrical properties. This person suggested that
slot tracks should be wired with a negative gate. This is opposite
of the accepted method, and has since had a retraction printed
in the TOA book. Unfortunately, the damage had been done, and
many tracks were wired backward. A slot track uses relay's to
transfer power from the batteries to the track. This is so the
raceway owner can turn on and off each lane from behind the counter.
A negative gate system defines on which circuit the relay is located.
This term is a new way of explaining an old method. The gate referres
to the contacts on the relay which allow the current to pass through
when closed, and not when open. Calling this electrical function
a gate seems a bit silly to me, since a gate allows something
to pass through when open, not when closed. A slot car track should
always have the relays located on the positive side of the circuit.
This allows the current to pass directly from the battery to the
car, then through the relay, and the controller, and back to the
battery. DC current flows from negative to positive. See Positive
gate for more explination.
Neo-dyndium - An extremely high strength magnet. Not
used in motors, due to its low tolerance to the high heat generated
by the slot car motor. These magnets are best used for downforce
magnets on the larger scales. They do work fine for H.O. scale
motors, because these motors do not generate the heat of their
1/24th scale cousins.
Nerf - A slot car is not a nerf mobile, but you can't
tell that to some racers. Technically speaking, a nerf is when
one car, usually the one on the inside lane, slides up into the
lane next to it and causes the car in that lane to de-slot. With
just a little practice, an accomplished "nerfer" can
perform this function at just the right place and time. I have
been asked many times of the origin of the word NERF, and after
extensive study have found it to be derived from a Greek word
meaning "Steersman". Which is most likely why Princess
Lea called Hans Solo a NERF HERDER in the Empire Strikes Back.
The Greek word is it's origin, but in modern computer gaming,
the term means to take away someone's power. This definition has
it's derivation from the Nerf Ball and Nerf Gun, where something
with power was made less powerful. I think either definition could
apply to the Slot Racing World since when you "Nerf"
someone, you are both "Steering" them in a different
direction, and removing their power to win the race.
Newsletter - Many raceways use a locally produced newsletter
to help promote their raceway. Even if you do not have the ability
to produce a professional newsletter, you will find your raceway
will profit from a monthly mailing to each racer.
Nichrome - A metal with high resistance properties.
Nichrome wire is used in making the Parma controller resistors.
Nichrome strips are used in the making of the Koford Planer controller
resistor.
Nilsson tracks - Hasse Nilsson came to the United States
from Sweden in 1982. He has been here ever since building what
many have called the best slot car tracks in the World. While
there are many other excellent track builders, Nilsson tracks
hold more records than any of the others.
Ninety - This referrs to any turn on a slot track that
makes a perfect ninety degree turn. On the King track, this is
the turn just before going under the bridge.
Novice - The ranking in slot racing just before Amateur.
In USRA racing it is the Group 15 class. Many people feel the
ranking of novice is absurd to use in reference to group 15 racing
due to the complexity of construction techniques needed to build
the gp.15 car.
Nose - Referrs to the front of the car.
Nylon - A commonly used material in slot racing. The
trigger on your controller, the guide on the car, the endbell
on the motor, among other things are most likely made of nylon.
Nylon endbell screw - Also called plastic screws. Used
to hold the endbell together when the builder is trying to reduce
weight on the car.
These pages designed and maintained by
johnford@2fords.net
Web pages as little as $25.00 - Hosting as
little as $7.50mo. Paying more somewhere else? Why? Email me now!