Marcel Moix / MotorSportFiles.com

“…a utility tool for the Slotcar world”

At the beginning of 2014 start a project in form of website devoted entirely to classic cars and motorsport world. This is MotorSportFiles.com and, as the name suggests, presents archives as quotations, trivia, photos, news, annotations and dossiers for all motor racing fans.

It is no surprise that leading this initiative we find a long-Slot name, although now retired from the hobby. Is Marcel Moix, who sure many shall know more with his pseudonym "Nuvolari", usual for a couple of decades in all European Slotcar environments.



SlotCar Today -. Your relationship with Slot comes from afar, right?



Marcel Moix -. Well, yes. My father founded the first Scalextric Club in 1963 in Barcelona (and probably in Spain), the Escudería Montjuïc of Scalextric, which had its external track at the booths outside the Amusement Park of the aforementioned Barcelona mountain. I was born in 1965, and most of my first pictures were with a slot car or controller in hand. At three years I was given my first Scalextric set, at seven won my first trophy, and since then I did not stop: racing on all the fronts (5 Europe Championships), collectibles, etc.



SCT -. You were always willing to collaborate with any initiative concerning Slot racing.



M.M.- I am of those who think that actions speak louder. Even as a kid I helped to organizing competitions that were held in the Galerias Preciados Mall, in Palau Shop, those of the Exin itself, etc.. I was always ready to lend a hand and one thing leads to another. I created clubs, track layouts, championships, magazines etc.. Thanks to my professional work, which made me travel a lot, I met several of the slotcar gurus (Steve de Havilland, Peter Morley, Philippe de Lespinay ...) and that opens your prospects for your hobby.



SCT.- And then came a time when the Slot disappeared from your life.



M.M.- When you're in the front line for many years and you're getting older, there are other aspects of your life that take priority on detriment of hobbies. On the other hand, I must admit that I have had some disappointments with the hobby that led me to a total rethinking of my life. Wore more than 30 years pressing the trigger, many weekends away from home, involvement with manufacturers and distributors, writing for magazines and books, the management of largest slot forum ... There came a day on which I met a collection of more than 6,000 cars that I did not enjoy, with discussions on circuits about absurd matters, and I decided to end my relationship with the hobby. Those who know me know that sometimes I am very drastic with my decisions, but I never look back.



SCT.- A tough choice, I guess ...



M.M.- Well, of course. Despite that it is carefully thought, you know that you will never live some environments, that something that was part of your daily life will leave a huge void. But it remained the most important of Slot: friends. Some of my best friends I made them through this hobby, we first met as boys at the championships, and we've shared key moments of our lives: weddings, children, deaths, etc.. For me the most important things in life are people, are those that enrich you and will be there if you need them or they need you.



SCT. - And at that moment you decide to create MotorSportFiles.com?



M. M. - Not immediately. For me the automobile is a passion, but a reasoned passion. So I've always wanted to document myself properly about what put in the showcase or on the slot track. Since teen I started buying car magazines, and as I got older, I began to buy books. Then there was no Internet and good sources were written in other languages, so my hobby helped me learn and improve in several languages, something that has always been very helpful in my professional life. Over time I have come to more than 5,000 volumes that are now my collection (apart from my virtual file, approaching 1TB), and still growing ...

Since 2008 I had in mind to offer my knowledge file for all fans and enthusiasts who want quality information about motorsport, but for professional reasons the time has come now.



SCT- - It could be said that today does not make much sense to purchase books with all the information that the internet offers.



M.M.- That is a recurring argument I would like to clarify. Browsing the stormy ocean of virtual content, one will see that there is little structure in the data, that are many articles not elaborated, that is missing the truthful certification of submitted documentation, etc.. I do not mean by this that there are no good websites and blogs dedicated to the classic car, but they are not common, and even less in Spanish language.

You know well that I love paper media, we work together at the time of MiniAuto and SlotMiniAuto magazines and I had already worked with Juguetécnica, GSR, MasSlot, etc.. Currently I write in Exclusive Classics, where I have a fixed opinion column and do some articles. But it is obvious that media on paper suffer severe cuts in its sales volume, the rise of internet is unstoppable. Aside, Internet offers an immediacy that goes with the times we live.

So comes a day that one wonders: How I can work to try to improve this situation? And it is not a pretense self-promotion question, but the result of a desire to share with all the knowledge acquired over a lifetime motorsport love and reaching out to those interested a document collection accumulated over 30 years, and constantly growing.



SCT. - What offers MotorSportFiles.com that no offers other motorsport sites?



M.M.- If the name contains the word "files" (archives) is precisely because this is the main point of difference: the presentation of periodic dossiers dealing with specific topics in greater depth and seriousness possible. These dossiers normally will consist of 4 to 12 pages, with some case up to 24 pages, and are original production, i.e., gathering the necessary documentation of different not virtual sources that are cited in the bibliography. Such dossiers, sometimes may be collectible and together constitute an equivalent volume of a book that will be downloadable through a micropayment.

Yes, I realize that this will not be liked by all and we live in the era of "all free", but it is a fair exchange for the work involved. To show its potential and as a measure of launch during the month of March these dossiers will be free.

In addition, the site presents free content changing daily, with the aim of livening up the visit and present challenges to the knowledge of the visitors:



Quote of the day: motorsport and their characters have produced thousands of quotes to remember, from the comic to the most sarcastic, which should not be forgotten.



Photo of the day: a photo always tells a story, and they abound in our little world. The photos are of quality, contrasted provenance, ready to be saved by the visitor. The image is accompanied by the story that puts in context what happens there.



News: classic car industry is producing more news than ever, and some of them go unnoticed or late known. Here is their loudspeaker with the in-depth treatment possible.



Mystery car: a contest with monthly prizes. Simple: it comes to hit models that will be presenting, a special "bookworms", although there are skillful online scuba diving. Many Slot fans are already featured ...



Did you know ...: a corner devoted to the motorsport curiosities, which are numerous.



This is all provided in a first phase. Later other spaces will be added, always with the aim of creating an active community who enjoy sharing their knowledge of the subject that we love. Because this cannot and must be the work of one person: collaboration is needed and welcome.



SCT -. Think you may be a utility tool for the Slotcar world?



M.M. - Naturally. Over time I've met fans that are looking that their scale models are as faithful to their real counterparts. The success of resin models is based largely on the ability to offer fidelity of their creations thanks to the lower cost of the molds, and that demands it the discerning collector.

On the other hand, I've always worked with manufacturers who have asked me specific decorations, details difficult to see, even texts to supplement their models.

Everyone who needs some documentation that may be useful, simply go to the web mail and will be treated on what required. And anyone feels free to do so, many queries, whether they are reasonable, do not imply any cost.

There is also space for Automobilia, with emphasis on the comments of essential books for the real enthusiast, but also will talk about modeling, and certainly more than one Slot car will appear.

At the same time I offer other services that are intended for 1:1 car as Collector Consultancy and Motor Heritage Management, and certainly do not have much interest for this hobby.

Oh, and finally, a message to Slotcar-Today readers.

Thanks in advance for visiting our new website which I hope will become a small daily habit, making me worthy of your trust.