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The NASCAR Deluxe Speedway Track Set features a head-to-head battle between the Jeff Gordon Number 24 car and the Dale Earnhardt Jr. Number 88 car. With a pit-stop recharger that refuels the cars and over 16 feet of flexible track, this speedway set is sure to provide lots of fun for kids ages five and up. 
Cars race side-by-side up high-banked turns. View larger. | 
Players recharge their car at the pit stop to continue racing. View larger. |  | What We Think
Fun Factor: 
Durability:
(what this means)
The Good: NASCAR replicas offer fast paced entertainment
The Bad: Setting up the flexible track is a bit tricky
In a Nutshell: The NASCAR Deluxe Speedway Track Set provides a fun head-to-head racing experience | At a Glance
Ages: 5 and up
Requires: 2 or 4 D cell batteries
|  | | Getting Ready for the Races
Before the race cars can get rolling, you'll need to assemble the track. The instructions recommend shaping each piece by rolling it and pushing the walls so they stand straight up, and it's worth taking the time to do this because it helps keep cars on track as you start racing. Snapping the pieces together to make the 180 degree curves is pretty simple. The tricky part of setup is getting the flexible straightaways to connect evenly, but you'll want to be patient and do it well, since having a smooth surface to compete on makes races a lot more fun. The pit stop recharger is a fun, unique way to keep cars charged. You can put either two or four D cell batteries in it. Using four batteries lets each race car run longer on a single charge. To get your car ready, simply insert the recharger's nozzle into the intake pipe on your car and press down on the top of the charger. Start Your Engines!
Once the track is set and the cars are charged, all it takes is the flick of switch to start the action. Each car has a convenient on-off switch on the bottom, just behind the rear wheels. Just like real NASCAR racers, once these cars are moving, they don't want to stop. This means that if a bump sends them off the track they're likely to end up flying across your floor or spinning their wheels in the carpet. Since assembling the track smoothly was a bit tricky, we often had to chase down a few renegade cars. However, we also discovered that these durable little cars are incredibly fun to play with on their own without the track. The Real NASCAR Speedway Experience
The detail on these race cars is sure to impress serious NASCAR enthusiasts, down to the Goodyear logos on the tires. Young racers will pit the popular drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon against each other again and again in an ultimate championship series. Even the hum the cars make when running mimics a real race. But don't worry -- they're not too loud. With quick little motors and durable bodies, these cars zoom around the track and easily survive crashes. The big track offers super sized fun, even though keeping the connections smooth occasionally gets tricky, and it's easy to keep the racers charged. Overall, these toy cars do a good job of bringing home the action packed competition that makes NASCAR the top spectator sport in the U. S. What's in the Box
Two race cars, one pit box charger, six curved track pieces, six straight track pieces, and eight connector pieces.
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This is the worst of the presents my kids got for Christmas. The track, as noted in other reviews, was torturous to assemble and came apart often, even on a hardwood floor. The biggest problem was with the charger, which completely FAILED after about three hours of use. I changed the batteries thinking we might have drained the first set of four, but nothing. I then tested the power output and found that there was NO power coming out of the charger. Either the switch on top or connection cord failed, within hours of use. I'm stunned that NASCAR and the drivers who have themselves associated with this embarassment of a toy have allowed such a substandard item to be sold. |
