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Photography by Joachim Rayos
If there were ever a petrolhead’s petrolhead, it is Jeff Mosing. Between campaigning in the IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup and the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge, tending to Mosing Motorsports (his namesake dealership in Austin, TX), or simply enjoying his car collection, it is probably safe to say that he has a passion for, well, cars. So being surrounded by all things motoring, what else does one do for a bit of recreation? The answer is a spectacular custom slot car track called the Dream Weaver.
Slot Mods Raceways is famous for completely bespoke racetracks for 1:32 scale slot cars. From an appearance in the Neiman Marcus Christmas Catalog (list: $300,000) to their latest commissioned work for Formula 1, these tracks are a detail-obsessed modeler’s fantasy come to life. Impressive in size and abounding in fine detail, every square inch is reflective of the company’s artisan touch. This piece, the Dream Weaver, is not a recreation of any specific track, but rather a personal greatest hits compilation: elements of Sebring, Virginia International Raceway, Daytona, Laguna Seca, and the COTA esses can be found.
And the result is no simple flat track: there is quite a bit of elevation and camber change as the track dips and weaves over and around itself. The result of which is a circuit that is visually entertaining and just as appropriately, a challenge to drive well. Get too eager on the throttle on the Daytona banking and the spiraling dip at the end conspires to flip your car airborne; hit the esses at the right speed and the car snakes rhythmically through like it’s on the proverbial rails. And just like the real thing, be prepared for some rubbing and missing body parts (the miniature stewards haul those off to a patch called The Field of Broken Dreams). The thrills are definitely full scale even though the cars can fit in your fist.
Having a track that is part diorama begs the question: what do you run on it? Fortunately there is a deep selection of off-the-shelf slot cars to suit any motoring persuasion. Just from the house collection alone there were classic open-wheel racers, Le Mans prototypes, touring cars, vintage coupes and sedans, even big-rigs straight from the FIA’s European Truck series. The best way to visualize the diversity on tap would be to imagine attending a vintage motorsports event where the paddock is equally home to Group C behemoths and Mk1 Lotus Cortinas and everything in between. With such realism between the track and the cars, this is as close to racing as it gets indoors.
This now opens up a tempting-slash-dangerous option for the motorsports enthusiast. Even with a more modest club or home layout one can take immense pleasure in building a dream garage as the slot cars themselves are quite affordable. Group the right cars together and you and your friends are recreating motorsport’s legendary battles every Friday night. Anyone up for Ferrari versus Ford, best of 5?
Few would attach the word transformative to a loop of track with miniature cars that run around in circles, but that is exactly what happens when you get up close to one of these creations. That thin smile when you spot the track from twenty feet away? It is a huge grin by the time you’ve laid down the cars and chalked up a lap. You’re back to being your ten-year-old self when play was play and all that mattered in the world was that shiny new toy car/airplane/train/boat that took you months to save up for. It’s one giant reminder that it’s okay to play and be a big kid every so often. Jeff’s business motto over at the dealership is “Drive yourself happy,” and his Dream Weaver is one hundred twenty square feet in which to do it.
HERE’S ONE OF ROAD AMERICA
Gitafuck
A note to Petrolicious. Time for you to start monitoring the comments. Too much animosity here. No place for that on a site like this.
Seeing this makes me want to take out my old Revell 1/32 racing set and see if I can get it to work again. I had a really nice 4′ by 12′ setup in my parents basement many, many years ago.
The white sedan #71 with green stripe “Team Lotus”…is that a Cortina ( English Ford) ?
Loved slot car racing since I was about 12 years old back in the early ’60s. Got back into it about 8 years ago when I discovered digital racing where up to six cars could run together on two lanes and even overtake. Even built my own track – Fairways Racing Complex – which sees action every other week:
Yes, I’ve been there and observed this track, and it’s quite nice. Part of another place that’s oh so quite nice as well. 🙂
120 sq. ft. is easy. 10×12. about the size of a medium model train layout. Ask me how I know… 🙂
Phil, oh yes! N-gauge?
@ Vic … and by the way … if things weren’t so much better back in the/my day … then explain to me .. why is it y’all are spending a godawful fortune as much on the crap as the good stuff in the desperate attempt to relive the days I LIVED thru .. ehh ? Not to mention preferring my/our music over the digitally manufactured dreck that passes for most music these days .. the fashion etc ? Suffice it to say Vic .. y’all are spending a ton of money , expending a whole lot of effort trying… Read more »
I haven’t spent one dime trying to be a bitter, irrelevant old man so no, not much effort on my part trying to be like you.
Are you really going to pretend there wasn’t garbage music on the radio back in your day? Yeah, mainstream music is crap now, same as it ever was, but if you dig you can find the good stuff.
You call us all snowflakes yet you’re the one who always seems offended by thumbs.
Sigh .. and now the slot car track in question . Stunning … though in truth I’d rather it of been built by the owner than by Credit Card /Checkbook / Bitcoin
Suffice it to say … many slot car enthusiasts thru out the ages have … having created equal or better tracks than this Mail Order wonder
Seriously … what kind of a world do we live in where craftsmanship and DIY are supplanted by the almighty dollar ?
PS; A little historical perspective . 1/32nd is mighty fine /all well and good .. but 1/24th is the real deal when it comes to slot car racing and detail
Perhaps the track owner doesn’t have the free time to build such a magnificent track? I know it’s hard for you to understand, what with your unlimited computer time at the rest home…
One helluva HUGE fist y’all got and there’s no way that’s only 120sq’.
Each ceiling tile visible in the very first picture is 2’x4′ or 8SF. I can see at least 6 tiles side to side and 6 tiles front to back immediately over the track which translates to 288SF.
I am an arsehole
Come on, man. You created a fake GuitarSlinger post just for that? The least you could do is make a long-winded, terribly-punctuated, ‘back in my day’ post.
I guess the problem there is most of GuitarCenter’s posts read like parody anyway…
I’ll let it slide this time but I’m expecting big things on the next one.
Yeah … real cute little man . Care to take the discussion face to face ? No … actually you wouldn’t … being the pathetic little snowflake hiding behind a screen as you are . As for you Sam N ? Back at you punk ! Gutless little digitally addled worm that you are . @Vic ? No … the problem is being surrounded by a bunch of uneducated pathetic little Twitter / Facebook addled snowflakes who wouldn’t know the truth if it hit them over their tiny little heads taking offense when the Facts and genuine History are presented… Read more »
You choose to be ‘surrounded by’ us whipper-snappers, gramps.
It’s funny how you’re accusing this fake GuitarCenter of being a keyboard tough guy…whilst being a keyboard tough guy.
Best fake/real news ever!
What an incredible track! I rediscovered slot car racing and a great group of enthusiasts a few years ago and have enjoyed the comradery and competition immensely. If you’re looking for out of the box performance and reliability it’s hard to beat the Slot-It brand cars and Professor Motor brand hand controllers. The BRM brand 1/24 scale cars are also amazing in terms of looks, performance and durability.
Yeah Bryan .. agreed .. but truth be known as with model railroading … nothing beats DIY .. my being no fan of checkbook/credit card / bitcoin out of the box layouts with either genre .