Hot Wheels Raceway and Tracks

Hot Wheels cars and trucks are probably one of the most popular small die-cast cars. They've been in homes since 1968, and as trends in cars, trucks, motorcycles, and any other vehicle change in real life, the company will continue making small toy cars so that children can continue playing with their favorites.

When Hot Wheels created the car, they created the idea of a track that their small cars could fly down at 200 mph, sort of. Well, they started simple with straight a-ways and connector track pieces, but if you check out the modern Hot Wheels tracks you'll find ramps, curves, jumps, straight a-ways, and so much more to choose from.

The pieces are connectible, and in theory you can mix and match the sets. But, in some cases, you may not want to because some of the sets are themed, like the dinosaur sets. It would still be completely your decision to mix the sets. Most are compatible anyway.

When looking for Hot Wheels race tracks, you'll want to consider some of the basic features, such as:

• How many pieces the track has
• What tricks (jumps, twists, and turns) the track set has
• How safe the track is
• What are the age minimums for the track
• What toy company makes the track (in order to consider the brand's average value)
• What does the track look like
• If the track has batteries, what is the battery life to the car racetrack

It may seem simple to go and grab a track from the shelves at the toy story of just pick the first one you see and add it to your online shopping cart, but there are potentially a lot of things that go into choosing a race track for Hot Wheels cars, depending on if you're looking for something in particular.

Because there are many different tracks and raceways that you can choose from, you'll want to keep in mind the different aspects of the tracks. Plus, if you're buying a track for someone who has a lot of tracks and Hot Wheels, whether a child or a collector, you'll want to make sure that you're going to pick one that they don't have already.

When choosing a track for a child, make sure that you think about whether or not the child will will need assistance setting up and putting together the pieces? Will the child be able to work the track by himself, or will he need adult supervision when playing with his cars?

Remember that bright colors, big jumps, and crazy twists appeal to children the most. So a track that's just a straight shot may not be as exciting.

But, a vintage straight shot race track, may elicit a good deal of excitement to an avid Hot Wheels collector, especially if you've taken the time to find something that's a little older and in good shape.

Tracks that have battery operated launchers and other battery powered parts need to be taken into consideration for younger children, as sometimes these Hot Wheels sets have small parts that can become a choking hazard. Also, consider the frequency at which you'll have to replace the batteries.

Consider the different theme Hot Wheels race sets. There are some that have neat dinosaur and jurassic themes, garage themes, battle themes, and just racing themes. Depending on what you're looking for, you may find that the child or collector may prefer a battle theme so that the cars can go head to head versus a race theme to see which car gets there first.

When looking for different race sets, make sure that you have fun because Hot Wheels is a fun toy that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.