Soul Made: Jarel-Built Slot Car Tracks

Racing is one of the most expensive and exclusive sports, but there are ways of democratizing the experience with a little bit of imagination and some space in the basement for a slot car track.
In this episode of Soul Made, we sit down with Mark Jarel as he explains how (and more importantly, why) he became a custom slot car track builder. A longtime motorsport enthusiast, as well as a frequent participant-racing cars and motorcycles on circuits, lake beds, and drag strips-Mark was also introduced to woodworking and a general DIY attitude from a young age thanks to his father’s cabinetry business. The requisite skills and subject matter interest was there, but it wasn’t until Mark’s own son found a box of old slot cars that Mark started down the track building path.
Growing up, Mark and his older brother would use a snap-together set to race around the Christmas tree, but the tracks that Mark builds today are much more than a set of pine needle covered plastic curves plugged into an outlet. Rather than slot car racing, Mark thinks of the hobby as scale racing, and the worlds he builds reflects this ideology.
The handmade, routed tracks that Mark creates are more like functional miniatures than pure plaything, with great care taken to construct realistic scenery, borrowing elements from the world’s great motorsport locations and combining them into unique but familiar scenes. What starts out as a few planks of particle board and a sketchpad leads to something much greater than the sum of its materials.
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[@Cr125stin]

Like 4 people in my neighborhood had tracks (including my house/my parents) we would all go to a different house and race on their track each weekend. Each bring our box with cars and parts in them ready to go. I’m talking these tracks took up full rooms in our basements and had digital timing systems, the tracks had large power supplies with jumper wires going to different sections of the track because the tracks were so long. My parents still have their track in the basement and we still race on it, it’s a four lane track. About 18 years ago we used to go to an actual business that had two large tracks and one drag strip slot car tracks. I would race wing cars that did 70mph at 12 years old. The drag cars were soo much fun too and my dad held the record at the place. He had a blue Willys that did 88mph in under 30 feet. I think just the motors in some of the wing cars and drag cars could cost like $300, dad would say “don’t tell mom!” lol. Very fun stuff. Thank for the video.

[@ussweeneyd]

In 1967 I started my engineering apprenticeship at Ronson products in The UK. At the start I had no idea that a group of employees had started a slot car club with a huge six lane circuit they erected two or three evenings a month in the dining room. I already had my scalextric track at home but this new episode in my life set me on the road to a wonderful learning journey. Soon I was building “bat wing” chassis and rewinding my race motors. I even made a horse shoe hand controller and figured out how to reverse polarity to apply brakes when my thumb was lifted. My pride and joy was a 1/32 mini with 4 wheel drive (no steering though). As I approach my 70th year I still find a fascination in the art of slot car building and racing; when I get a rare chance ! Fantastic video, thanks.

[@markjarel8862]

Thank you

[@deathstrike]

Slot cars are timeless and know no age or time limit. And it's great even our eldest are still keeping the passion going!!!

[@petermathieson5692]

Similar to my story. I built a four lane routed raceway in my parents' basement back in '71-'72. Fond memories.

[@mikerinn6187]

Wonderful film. I’m still running my HO cars from when I was a kid in the 60s. So nice to see there are many more people who still have the love.

[@htweelz]

I'm still running mine from the 70's. I have a track in my basement. My kids are grown now so they don't run with me as much but I'll still go down and run by myself. It's nice and relaxing.

[@markjarel8862]

Thank you sir

[@nickbruni8041]

Back in ‘76 , got a tyco nite - glo set for Christmas ... I was 9 .... those were the days ! Thanks for the memories Petro !

[@rickrey9142]

Very cool brings back my youth memories. I still have a box full of cars and controllers, this makes me dream again about it. Thank you

[@andrewluchsinger]

I love your track. I have a 4 lane HO track in my basement. I started collecting when I was a teen. I am 55 now I always wanted to set up a permanent layout as soon as I purchased a house that had a large enough basement. Now I have that house it's almost finished My wife has been very enthusiastic about it and even gives her opinions and ideas for it. I have about 200 cars in my collection. Thanks for posting your video and don't ever stop racing.

[@jimmyb1559]

I have special memories of my older brother and I playing with slot cars especially around Christmas. I’ve always dreamed that one day I would have a layout like this. Thank you.

[@jimtrucksis1505]

One of the great pastimes of my childhood that also taught us many valuable skills

[@jeffreyyeater1780]

Your tracks are gorgeous. Been playing with slot cars since 1965 . I'm 59.

[@davidfreiboth1360]

20 years ago I bought the kids a big, gimmicky (loop de loop, etc.) AFX(Tomy) HO layout. They lost interest but I didn't so I started following the slot car racing scene on line. I noticed the divide between the diorama focused 1/32 crowd and the more stripped-down HO crowd. I felt that there was more bang for the space with HO but appreciated the racing realism captured in the 1/32 diorama setups. I considered a custom routed track but found that through careful track section selection and “track clips” I could transform my snap together into a functional four lane "Riverside" layout (sans gimmicks) on a 4’ x 11’ table compete with electronic timing and “pro” controllers. AFX produces some authentic historic "hard bodies" that I run on Mega G chassis (after experimenting with Super G+ and Mega G+). The Riverside layout is simple enough for newcomers to have fun but technical enough to produce some pretty good racing. I now have family and friend events that draw six to ten racers. It's not ornate with minimal diorama effects but still authentic enough to scratch the enthusiast itch. In this age of electronic gaming it's great to see some good old fashion analog fun.

[@ricardojuricic9027]

👍👏👏

[@roarr62]

As well as the track, the whole room is tastefully built as well, with great attention to details. Congratulations.

[@markjarel8862]

Thank you sir.

[@AndersBergh]

Wow that craftsmanship is pure joy to see.

[@markjarel8862]

Thank you sir

[@Funsho97]

Wow, that's really cool. I have an Eldon slot car set, "Dodge 3 in 1 Road Race Set" from 1968. The cars are a red 1968 Charger R/T, a white 1968 Coronet R/T, and a white/red D100 truck. My Grandfather was given the set from the Dodge dealer when he bought a brand new 1968 D100 truck and I've had the set since I was 3 years old.

[@markjarel8862]

Thank you.

[@petermathieson5692]

Very cool. I built a four lane job back in '70-'71. Memories. Fond ones.

[@orrinkelso9295]

In the late 60's, there were tracks all over town where I lived in East San Diego. We built our own cars using brass tubing for the frames. Had so much fun with them. Then they disappeared almost over night. Not sure what happened to all our stuff, wish I still had it!

[@Dan-ww8to]

These were the happiest times of my childhood….i still have every single car and supplies

[@DiegoAndrade-ig1qs]

Well, that was just pure joy and passion right there. Keep it up with that kind of content Petrolcious!

[@markjarel8862]

Thank you sir.

[@magua-zf4md]

Well, my father "gifted" me a four lane tack when I was one (!) year old in 1970. When my first kid was one himself, I took it out from the basement and fully restored it... now, 15 years and another son later, the four 1968's Lotus "cigars" cars are still roaring around. So you know, this is not kids' toy, it is a serious family affair... hopefully they will keep the tradition

[@paullatour7012]

Loved seeing the Chaparral cars! Jim Hall has a few on a bookcase behind his desk at the old fabrication shop and Rattle Snake Raceway test track.

[@tobysettle8595]

What a great story! It's very gratifying to see someone following their passion.

[@tauceti8341]

I was talking to my grandpa, trying to get stories from him of his childhood. He told me about his slotcars maybe 8 years go. When I was cleaning his place I found his old Slot Cars and a track paces, I put a track together and asked him if he wanted a go. He reverted back to his 12year old self, you're so on! I'm gonna woop ya! Never seen tears of joy like that from him. One of my most treasured experiences with him.

[@jimmyb1559]

Wow. You’re very fortunate. Make sure you let grandpa win!

[@SF_Native]

Wow, I really enjoyed this one. Love his passion and creativity!

[@markjarel8862]

Thank you!

[@dudet9662]

"if you can imagine it, you can build it" well why does everything I build never turn out as I imagined it? I think my imagination might be broken.

[@StrictlyPlinking]

In the 70s, I enjoyed the mass produced versions from Tyco and AFX. Good times and memories. Yours are a work of art!

[@digidrum2003]

Ah yes!!! I always asked my parents for race tracks for Christmas....i remember Aurora came out with a race track that had built in racing motor sound effects!!!

[@StrictlyPlinking]

@@digidrum2003 Do you remember the one from Ideal Toy Co? They called it TCR - total control racing. Allowed you to change lanes! Sadly, I never had that version, but still enjoyed standard slot cars.

[@digidrum2003]

@@StrictlyPlinking Oh man...i forgot about that one!!!! I never had one either....awesome times we had back in the 70's!!!!

[@markjarel8862]

Thank you sir.

[@iflyrcmike]

You can still buy them, worth it.

[@garymcaleer6112]

I have fond memories of my Garvic.

[@majedsaati8175]

The Laguna Seca corkscrew elevation & design would be interesting to see on one of these tracks and how the cars would handle it.

[@MTufvesson]

I actually implemented this in the track I'm building. I had to tame it down since the cars with low ground clearence had trouble with connectivity. It still makes an interesting combination that easily unbalances the cars if you are going to fast.

[@majedsaati8175]

@@MTufvesson Makes sense since its missing suspensions and cannot flex under pressure.

[@MultiCars12]

Amazing, took me back to the 70s, we had a team back to compete on a public track, here in our town in Brazil. We call it here as "autorama" but very few tracks had survived..pitty...

[@markjarel8862]

Thank you sir

[@BobbyOfEarth]

Hello, Mark. Coming across someone with a similar life path as mine, is a rare occurrence. My dad took me drag racing and slot car racing in the early 60's, after turning a local food store into a multi-track operation. Went go-kart racing in 1971, built my B Gas dragster in 73. Began road racing in 1981, AFM North and South (750 SS & F II) and raced thru 85, then got my AMA pro card in 84 to race superbikes. I went thru three years of AFM monthly flyers last night to see if I could find your name, and when you were racing, ..possible you were a few years behind me. Currently working in collaboration with friends to design a routed slot car track.. Thanks for tips..

[@troynov1965]

They used to have slot car race tournaments at our local hobby shop when I was a kid. The big 1/24 scale ones. Me and my best friend would ride our bikes down there and watch the older kids race them. By the time I got old enough to afford them the slot car boom had faded so there was no where to go and race them anymore.

[@johnnichols9056]

Excellent memories, me too, I was heart broken when the last place shut down in my area, they had 3 tracks, 1 oval, 1 flat road course, 1 undulating road course, that one was the best. Probably 1200 sq ft of track with places where someone was positioned to right cars that went off.

[@muskokamike127]

@@johnnichols9056 yeah I think the "local tracks" died out when it became affordable for you to make one at home. As for the corner marshals, I was into R/C for a while and watched many races. I was the black sheep when I said "why do you have corner marshals to right cars and put them back on the track? Well, what else do you suggest? "don't wipe out" What? In a real race, when a car flips into the wall, do they put it back on their wheels and let it go? NO of course not. So why are you doing it here? If you're going so fast you wipe out? You should be done. So it becomes more skill to complete the race and win.

[@Alanc419]

He said it. This is not slot car racing, it’s scale model racing! Awesome! Perhaps model railroading will come back too. MRR requires the same type of creative imagination and modeling skills / desires. What this enthusiast is doing is helping to bring back an almost lost hobby genre. Very cool!

[@markjarel8862]

Thank you sir.

[@newfenrisrailroad621]

i use to race slot cars at one time and am a N-scale model railroader now and the hobby is still around. Tks for this video

[@R-Tap]

Beautiful toys for the discerning big boy.

[@markjarel8862]

Thank you sir! That track went into a beautiful garage surrounded by an amazing car and bike collection.

[@Jeff-ns6jh]

Such an amazing past time, thanks for breathing new life it the hobby, what scale cars are you running? Detail to everything is epic!

[@markjarel8862]

Thank you sir. That tack was a 1:32. I have also built 1:24th scale tracks.

[@tunertransformationreturns9497]

Good work on the track build and in front of the video camera. Awesome career path. 👏

[@markjarel8862]

Thank you sir.

[@davevan8864]

You do good work. I built a 2 lane routed track on a 4 x 8 back in the early 70's. Who makes the braid these days.....

[@seanmahoney2755]

I got a little set just this Christmas. It was a micro-Scalectrix James Bond set. Then, I go a Carrera GO set, a little bigger scale. Then, I got hooked! I then bought a few SCX 1/32 scale analog sets and a bunch of used track. Then I got more cars, and more cars and more track and more cars and more cars and more track. I’m not so into the scenery as just clean ramps, bridges and overpasses, minimal, modern and futuristic. Cut out of corrugated plastic and assembled with hot glue. Tremendous fun to design and create. And the cars! Oh, how I love the cars. Scalectrix, Carrera, Revoslot, NSR, Fly, slot it, SCX just to name the big companies and there are many more. Well made, with details you can really get into. I have a billionaire’s garage in my cellar. I have eight Porsche 918 Spyders. Close to one hundred cars in all, and I started THIS Christmas. Careful, it could happen to you!

[@bkrancid1]

Watching your video brings back nothing but great memories from when I was a kid your tracks are phenomenal and inspirational absolutely astonishing

[@tombeers5636]

Wow, this takes me back to the mid 60's, and my first slot car, it was a Ford GT, kit had to build it before I could take it to the track in our area. I was 10 or 12, we used to go do "corners" and they would give us free track time. Thanks for bringing back some old memories. Nice work on your tracks!!

[@TheBarnz91]

Loved that! What a cool dude!

[@exilemike]

I would love to have one of your tracks,they are beautiful works of art, but I could never afford one.

[@mejia55]

Someone show Jay Leno this video!

[@williamwoody7607]

I remember this from when I was a kid, do people still make the cars?

[@michaelwhitham4501]

Fantastic 👌

[@deathstrike]

Now THAT is not a slot car track, but a labor of love. It warms my heart that so many despite the onslaught of video games and the next NFS or Forza, still go old school with racing! That is a beautiful and classic track!! I collect slot cars and tracks, but never could get my boys into it. But I at least know that this isn't just for "old men with money". I wish more would embrace slot cars again. It would bring back affordability and access to a wider audience. But I got to say, outstanding work!!!! Hope more see this and are inspired to pick up their old tracks or buy another track for themselves, or their children.

[@marianolozano5169]

Great story and increíble passion and dedication! Would love to have a Lime Rock Park slot car track replica!!

[@markjarel8862]

Thank you sir

[@jpkatz1435]

Excluding the big tree at turn 2.

[@martygardajr2455]

There used to be a model train store in a town across the river from mine, and they had a huge tournament track. 8 to 12 cars at once. Me being a 5-7 year old kid I thought they were sorcerers of some sort making these cars go so fast. Seeing this really does take me back to the youthful years where everything was magic.

[@thomasmulhall4873]

So sad that hobby shops are nearly all gone. They were a haven for middle class boys on Saturdays.

[@martygardajr2455]

@@thomasmulhall4873 that's the honest truth. Those stores were the gateway to all things mechanical and hands on. They were truly magical places.

[@thomasmulhall4873]

@@martygardajr2455 One beauty of the hobby shop is that you could browse the different sections and get ideas for dioramas. Train section for trees, fences, and foliage. I even bought a scale horse to use in a WW2 diorama. Meeting other modelers, sharing tips, getting advice, all gone now. I worked at a hobby shop in a shopping mall as a kid. Best job I ever had. Didn't like it when women would stroll in, they didn't belong there...

[@scootosan]

That's how we spent time as kids, not on a tablet/phone device.

[@Pete-z6e]

Good too, wasn’t it!

[@KevinACarter]

I have a few 1/25 hard body drag cars that haven't made a pass since '96. All of my childhood Tyco sets are gone but my now adult children have a 4 lane AFX set in the attic.

[@russellkasprzyk4934]

Clicked because I saw the handmade surfboard fins in the back

[@tearfulsmiles9901]

This guy is awesome! They have a 1/25 scale slot car drag strip at the hobby shop in the town next to mine. I might need to electrify some of my old model collection.

[@toyfiretrucking]

excellent. I dream of doing this and drag my old scalextrics out. one day.

[@markjarel8862]

Thank you

[@MyGorilla1]

From France with passion and respect ✌🏼⚜️🇨🇵😎

[@RandysFiftySevenChevy]

I turned into a 10 year old just watching this.. I want one.

[@markjarel8862]

Thank you sir

[@kevinbarrett9615]

Fantastic, makes me wish I kept my sets, I had Stombecker and Scalextric sets , got rid of them when I moved into our condo.

[@lazgyrorider3894]

So cool...

[@RICHOCHANGO]

How much for a Nurburgring replica?

[@bradcarpenter1881]

Better question, how "long" would that take to build?! Lol

[@rolexmike]

Just another dumb ass question from a pubescent teenager who has no money..

[@bk_nreynolds3278]

@@rolexmike I think you missed the part where it was a joke. Thanks for taking your anger out on the world though, you adult baby

[@hueyfinesse]

@@rolexmike you woke up today and decided to be an asshole. congrats

[@jeffrey-f]

@@rolexmike congratulations

[@Popsaircraftdetail]

Amazing work sir

[@markjarel8862]

Thank you sir!

[@georgef1176]

Omg my dad used too take me too these. I never got supper hooked. Motorcycle raced instead, but man I have great memories of those massive slot car tracks. There was one in plaistow NH that was friggin huge and so so fast. I had too see this wtf. Now I’ll be building one.

[@EddyTeetree]

Hey Jarel Built. I too grew up with these toys and am still childishly attracted. I have a huge collection of 1/32 slot cars that sit in crates because at the end of the day the track always looks kinda silly to me coz the car always looks disproportionate to the racetrack. I’m always trying to find a layout that presents the right optics for reálism but even if you shorten the race to a mile lap that’s a heck of a lot of track. I’m sorry but although I appreciate the artistry in your dioramas they still suffer from same lack of proportion. Have you ever tried to address this? My own desire is to have 1/32 scale cars on 1/32 scale two slot road and surrounds running at a speed that wood keep them in the slots in a kind of fish bowl scenario. Not a race just a relaxing and believable show. 🌞

[@ricardojuricic9027]

I LIKE what you do; though my only dislike to all these model racing cars is the unscaled speed they run: equivalent to over 500kmh Just far too fast I'm a railfan modeler cheers

[@Dadwithallthecool]

Polks in NYC back in the 60's and 70's. I used to go with my Father to work and walk to 5 blocks or so and race my cars on the giant track there all day..man I miss that place

[@mariowoodsN5]

I’ve been racing slot cars since the 60’s, still have my cars today and I’m looking for a commercial track to buy set up and have a hobby shop and track indoors.

[@spookydog6959]

an artist

[@markjarel8862]

Thank you sir.

[@jeffsmith7864]

Thanking you for sharing your awesome talent Mark. You make a fantastic layout sir,kudos.

[@sillym.l.8046]

😲👍🙌⁉ From Japan🇯🇵

[@troyh3628]

My uncle had one of these when I was a kid. I only saw it twice, and I never got to touch it. He sold it when he moved, and I was crushed.

[@jessebianchi2631]

my first slot car was a K&B cobra daytona coupe. before long i was building chassis and winding my own armatures.

[@SlotCarNewsOfficial]

Slot cars.... still a thing.

[@robturner710]

Thanks for sharing your carpentry skills sir. You are a Craftsmen

[@breathestrongcycling3672]

Favourite memory from high school in the 80s. One teacher had a huge setup in the film room, had to be 16x6 ft. His favourite film was the classic Grand Prix....I've loved that stuff ever since...

[@andysmith4394]

Cool guy nice work 🤙🏻

[@markjarel8862]

Thanks man.

[@patrickdunn8918]

I loved slot cars, and we had a great local track at one point.

[@billiebobbienorton2556]

My late husband raced his cars on a track covered in olive oil. We also made love using olive oil, but that's for another day and time......🤣

[@seymourmaupin6395]

This was very German in the idea of scale racing and building.

[@markjarel8862]

Thank you.

[@alexbritch02]

This guy have an instagram? Id love to see the progress of the next track he's building that he was talking about! Sounds amazing

[@markjarel8862]

Thank you. Yes you can see my projects at @jarelbuilt.

[@paulsuberville64]

Desde Guadalajara México, Gracias por llevarme a mis 12 años de edad, aunque en mi caso fue trenes HO...

[@brenden8783]

There used to be a business up the road from our house, they had 2 tracks, we used to race every wednesday and friday night. Gp10s all the way to gp27, there was also womp racing. Good times. There was quite a few tracks around sydney in the early 90s too and racing scene was huge.

[@Jubie82]

I used to go to a track in Canberra. When my family went to Sydney I would take my car & run it there. Surfers Paradise had a track in a building downtown before the skyscrapers went up. My parents were always amazed at how I could occupy myself working on my cars. Now 63 this video has inspired me to build my own track.

[@Noukz37]

There's still some hope left in Petrolicious... :'-)

[@italsounds001]

Not really, this video is over 2 years old.

[@Noukz37]

@@italsounds001 Really?! How did I miss it? Damn you, now I'm :'-(

[@verdeboyo]

My little bro and I were motor racing drivers years before we could touch the pedals of any fast car today. Slot car racing is for all ages and boy it is 'almost as exciting as racing around a real circuit. Great story indeed!!👍🏻

[@markjarel8862]

Thanks

[@roadsscholar4012]

This is one of those videos that I will be watching over and over again. Incredible craftsmanship!

[@markjarel8862]

Thank you sir.

[@ballardjim]

Hello Steve, I purchased the 20 dollar lap counter for our track. Works great but it ate batteries too fast so I hard wired it. We need to have a timer.... Please help and thanks, Jim

[@nedaCFilms]

This was fantastic

[@thecelt4807]

wonderful man on many levels ...world needs more of it

[@NHseacoast]

Dies Mark have s website of his custom tracks?

[@comeandtravel1]

Nice! I grew up with them, too! Fun activity! Nicely done!

[@markjarel8862]

Thank you.

[@dimitristripakis7364]

Wow, I am jealous! Amazing.

[@araneus1]

Took me back to the 1960s, thank you.

[@cursor1011]

Wouldn't mind learning more about the artist who made that piece hanging on the wall @1:11

[@markjarel8862]

Feel free to reach out to me on @jarelbuilt on Instagram.

[@perfectsplit5515]

The origins of Team Associated

[@vladimiran5655]

Awesome film!! Congratulations Mark!!

[@markjarel8862]

Thank you sir!

[@CraftingGuy_Rai]

Wow, great❤

[@jasonkocinski2387]

That's AWESOME. I wanna go Racing NOW

[@OgaugeTrainsplusslotCars]

Cool layout.

[@pietibredi5896]

It can't be such a professional because it doesn't cover the track when it sticks and smacks around! Incredible, that doesn't work at all! I think I don't see right !!!🙄

[@lysdexsick]

Amazing. Love that

[@irritablearchitect]

With all 157 turns? Good luck.:)

[@mikehagen3785]

This is neat stuff, but don't make it sound like there aren't commercial tracks around, There are shops still around, you gotta look.

[@seanmcneill8899]

Amazing craftsmanship. I had a slot car track as a kid just loved it might get back into it 😎

[@markjarel8862]

Thank you sir.

[@paulbriggs3072]

Nice but they go too fast. Too fast to be enjoyable. Way faster than scale speed. Maybe some sound effects would be good too.

[@ADAPTATION7]

Now that's talent.

[@therussmccurdy2602]

OMG that brought back a memory of when I was a kid and building my matchbox car tracks in the dirt and wanting to build one out of paper mache on a plywood table

[@markjarel8862]

Thank you