FC.Drag-Street User Manual

FC.Drag-Street is an easy to install standalone two-lane slot car drag racing tree. It runs a complete heads-up race on its own: stage both cars, watch the lights, and race to the finish. Connect it to FC.Platform 2.0 on a Windows PC when you want reaction times, elapsed times, and a digital race view. This guide covers installation, the Pro and Sportsman starting sequences, race results, and common setup questions.

Quick start

  1. Identify the sensors by cable length: each start line sensor has a 3 ft cable, and each finish line sensor has a 21 ft cable. Install one of each in each lane, with the short-cable sensors at the starting line.
  2. Connect the corresponding sensor cables to the FC.Drag-Street unit.
  3. Select PRO or Sportsman on the physical switch before powering the unit.
  4. Connect the USB cable to a suitable USB power source. Keep cars, hands, and other shadows away from all four sensors while the system starts and establishes its light reference.
  5. Move one car into each stage position. Each lane's stage light should respond to its car. Once both cars remain staged, the tree starts the light sequence after five seconds.
  6. Wait for green, release both cars, and drive through the finish sensors. The winning lane is indicated by its blinking stage light. The system resets automatically for the next race.

What is included

  • FC.Drag-Street racing unit
  • Start and finish line sensor cables for the two lanes
  • 3 ft long replacement lead.
  • USB cable

Cars and track are not included. The system works with the cars you already race; no modification to the cars is required.

Install the sensors

FC.Drag-Street uses four sensors in total: a start line sensor and a finish sensor for each of its two lanes. A car changes the light reaching a sensor when it passes over it. The start line sensors establish the start and detect when a car stages and leaves; the finish sensors register the end of the run.

  1. Choose a starting line where both cars can sit over their respective stage sensors before launching. Position each stage sensor under its own lane.
  2. Choose your finish line farther down the strip. Position one finish sensor under each lane, with both finish positions aligned across the track.
  3. Route the cables so they cannot catch a car or interfere with the track. Match each sensor to its lane and its stage or finish connection.
  4. Provide steady illumination at all four sensors. Before racing, verify that each stage light responds to the car in the corresponding lane.

Keep the sensors clear whenever the system powers on or resets: it measures the available light as its reference. If you change the lighting or move a sensor, clear the sensors and restart or let the system complete its next reset before testing again. For more on sensor placement, see How to Install a Slot Car Lap Counter Sensor.

Understand the lights and starting sequence

The ready or pre-stage light indicates that the system is waiting for cars. There is a separate stage light for each lane; it turns on while that lane's stage sensor is covered. Both cars must remain staged through the five-second staging delay. If a car leaves its stage position during that delay, the system waits until both cars are staged again.

Choose the tree with the physical PRO / Sportsman selector. The selected mode is read when the device starts or resets. After changing the switch, wait for the next automatic reset, or disconnect and reconnect power with all sensors clear, before expecting the new mode to take effect.

  • PRO: All three amber lights illuminate together. Green follows 0.400 seconds later.
  • Sportsman: The amber lights illuminate one after another, 0.500 seconds apart. Green follows 0.500 seconds after the third amber.

Both lanes use the same starting light. Releasing a car from its stage sensor before green triggers that lane's red light. Wait for the green to launch cleanly.

Read the result and prepare for the next race

In a clean race, the first car to reach its finish sensor wins. The winning lane's stage light blinks to show the result. If one driver red-lights, the other lane can win when its car reaches the finish. If both lanes red-light, neither lane is declared the winner.

The normal result remains visible for about 20 seconds before the system resets automatically. A double red-light resets after about 10 seconds. Clear all four sensors during the reset so the next light reference is correct, then stage the next pair of cars.

The standalone unit indicates staging, the tree, red lights, and the winner. Reaction time (RT) and elapsed time (ET) are viewed in FC.Platform 2.0 when the unit is connected to a Windows PC.

Use FC.Drag-Street with FC.Platform 2.0

Connect the unit to your Windows computer using its USB cable, open FC.Platform 2.0, and follow the FC.Platform 2.0 User Guide to identify the device, assign the stage and finish sensors to the correct lanes, and configure the race. If your device has not yet been assigned an ID, use the device assignment instructions in that guide and reconnect it afterward.

Use Drag Single Race for a pair of racers or the compatible drag tournament workflow for multiple racers. FC.Drag-Street controls the physical tree, detects red lights, and determines the winner; FC.Platform receives those events and shows each lane's RT, ET, red-light status, and winner. You can keep driver and car records and race history in the software.

FC.Drag-Street is a heads-up system. There are no dial-ins or bracket settings to enter. FC.Platform 2.0 does not display a speed reading from this device.

Troubleshooting

A stage light does not come on, or the tree never starts

Check that each car fully covers its own stage sensor and that both stage lights respond. Confirm the stage cables and lane assignments. Both cars must remain staged for approximately five seconds before the tree starts.

A car gets a red light unexpectedly

Check whether it moved off the stage sensor before green. Verify that the sensor receives steady light and that hands or nearby lights are not causing changing shadows. Restart with all sensors uncovered and test again.

The wrong lane wins, or a finish is missed

Check the placement and lane assignment of both finish sensors. Confirm that each car crosses its own sensor and that neither sensor is obstructed or receiving inconsistent light. Test one lane at a time, then race both lanes.

The tree does not use the newly selected mode

The switch is read when the unit starts or resets. Wait for the automatic reset after the current result, or reconnect USB power with the sensors clear, then start another race.

FC.Platform does not communicate with the unit

Check the USB cable, the Windows connection, and the device setup in the FC.Platform guide. If Windows recognizes the connection but Device Manager shows a yellow warning icon beside the USB serial device, install the official WCH CH340/CH341 Windows driver, reconnect the system, and check that Windows assigns a COM port. The physical racing tree can still operate on its own while you resolve the computer connection.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a computer to race?

No. The tree, stage lights, red lights, winner indication, and automatic reset work without FC.Platform. Connect a Windows PC when you want RT, ET, and digital race management.

How many sensors do I install?

Four: one start line sensor and one finish line sensor for each of the two lanes.

Can I switch between PRO and Sportsman during a race?

Move the physical selector between races. The new selection takes effect at the next reset or power-on.

Does it support bracket racing?

No. FC.Drag-Street runs heads-up races with a shared green light and no dial-ins.

Why is there no reaction time on the unit?

The standalone hardware uses lights to run and judge the race. FC.Platform 2.0 shows the RT and ET values when connected by USB.

What happens if both cars leave early?

Both red lights come on, no winner is declared, and the system resets automatically after about 10 seconds.

Help and further reading

If you need help, email FC.Slotcars@gmail.com. Tell me which lane is affected, whether it is the stage or finish sensor, which tree mode you selected, and what the lights do. A short video of the complete setup and one race is especially useful.

Fernán Castillo
FC Slot-Cars