Upgrades at Crossroads Speedway

[btaylor]

Spent some time this weekend getting some things done that were long overdue. I had been wanting to add some banking to my Speedway, and just had not gotten around to it. I cut 20 tapered 1x4's, 22 inches long, and 1 1/2 high at the big end. these were attached to the table top, and the track secured to them. It is not a true banking, but it gives me a nice bowl effect at each end with a smooth transition into the straights. I cant say lap times were reduced, but the driving sure is nice! Still able to drift nicely, but it seems to be more controlled with the banking. I don't know if these pictures show the effect as well as they could, but here they are.

[dreinecke]

Looks great Bob. I did the exact same banking on my small oval and it really helps plant the cars a bit better.

[vonsirius]

It's really a cool track!!!
:music-rockout:

[HomeRacingWorld]

Yes indeed, well done!

[slothead]

btaylor

How do you run races on that oval? Years ago I raced with a club on a track like that and there was such a discrepancy between inside and outside lane lengths we made the faster cars start outside. That is, the leader in points was in lane 6, and the lowest guy in points who qualified for the feature was in lane 1. It made it hard for anyone to dominate a season. Amazingly, we never thought to rotate lanes back then.

Later on a 4 lane oval we started features using the same inverted system, but on each caution for an accident we rotated lanes with the leader on the pole (inside lane), 2nd place in lane 2 and so on. If you were leading and deslotted you went to lane 4 and had a long way to go to get back up front.

I'm always interested in slot car oval racing to see how different people and clubs do it.

Slothead

[btaylor]

Slothead, when we do have a serious race (if there is such a thing) we use the round robin format.
But most of the time we just run whatever lane we choose. and race away. there is not much difference in lap time from one lane to the next, as the tighter corners cant be taken near as fat as the wide sweepers.
Two good drivers can run fender to fender on any lanes.

And thanks all for kudos on the banking! it has made it a lot of fun.

Bob

[Retro Racer 44]

[vonsirius]

Pictures of the minidrome!!!! :banana-gotpics:

[Racie35]

Is that track Artin with copper tape?

[btaylor]

Yes Sir, that's taped Artin, with channel connectors, and latex paint surface.

Bob

[Racie35]

Is it taped to smooth it out or for connection purposes?

[chappy]

Looks great Bob.
I bet its a hoot to drift around those banks now.
Bob

[btaylor]

Bruce, The copper tape helps connectivity, as well as helping eliminate the " clickity clack" noise that plastic tracks have.
There is no need for jumper leads when you have taped the rails. I have full power anywhere on the track, all lanes.
With a few simple cheap mods like this, a plastic track can perform almost as well as a wood track, and still have magnetic quality for beginners and kids. It works for me pretty well.


You bet Bob! it changed the whole dynamic of the Speedway with banking. It has a very controllable drift now.

Bob

[Racie35]

So, if I can find an American Thunder track (4lanes) I,ll have which in relation to yours? The inner four lanes or outer 4 and how wide will it be? I have 16ft routed now I wanna go over as a table so I'm guessing I could just but straights till long enough?

[gonegonzo]

Bob >>> you have a PM