Scalextric was invented by the British company, Minimodels, but it’s changed hands several times over the years and is now owned by Hornby Hobbies.
Along the way, the original tin cars were replaced with plastic ones and when a track with rubber lanes that looked just like a Formula 1 race track was added, demand went through the roof.
"On Christmas Day in the 1970’s, there were only three things that mattered, a football, a bike, and a Scalextric,” says Francisco di Paola.
He’s been playing Scalextric for more than 30 years and is just as mad about it now as he was when he was a kid.
His passion for miniature car competition prompted him to open La Pica Scalextric Club and shop in Son Sardinia seven years ago which is Mallorca’s largest ‘slot club’ as the sport of miniature car competition is officially known.
The game
His business partner Kolda has been involved in miniature car sport his whole his life and for the last couple of years he's been dedicated to competition.
"I'm still amazed at that one gram is enough to affect a vehicle’s performance," he says.
"The Scalextric world has always worked very well,” adds Koldo who admits that business is tough in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and that “it’s the store at the club that really holds La Pica together.”
The miniature race cars cost between 35 and 80 euros depending on the quality and manufacturer and the track is the most expensive part.
“Scalextric is more than a toy,” says Francisco “and the intention is to get the same adrenaline rush and excitement as you would get in a real race.
The end of season competition takes place at La Pica on Saturday from 15:30.
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I recently wrote a comment about there being a track in the old Hotel Jaime III. I should of course have said Hotel Jaime I which was demolished to be converted into an apartment block. My apologies.
Scalextric has some history in Mallorca as well. Back in the 60’s there used to be a large semi professional track in the old hotel Jaime III, which used to be situated on the corner of Jaime III and Paseo Mallorca. In the early 90’s an enthusiast opened a bar called Indianápolis with a large track on Calle Aragon where competitions were held on a regular basis. The bar is still there, i don’t know if the track is though.