12 replies to this topic

[Antiochdave]

Hi there,

 

Well, as some of you may already know, I'm selling my new plastic track layout that I just built to make room for a new four-lane 1/24 20' x 8' wood oval track.

 

I would really like some advice on what the dimension should be as well as any other help you can give me. 

I will be running 1/24 Late Models, wing and non-wing Outlaw and American cars.

I always enjoyed watching local dirt oval races.

I can't decide to go with a color gray track or try to see if I can find a paint that looks like the red-dish/brown color dirt that we have here in Tennessee. 

 

I would also like if you can attach pictures of your home ovals or other that you race on, this would be helpful as well for me.

 

Thanks for your help,

 

Dave

[Eddie Fleming]

Dave do you see your new oval track as being flat or with some banking?

[Antiochdave]

Dave do you see your new oval track as being flat or with some banking?

 

Hi,

 

With a small 1.5* to 2* through out the whole track - 

[Bill from NH]

YouTube has several recent videos of a 4-lane home track oval with a slight amount of banking built by a fellow named Marty Ford of Two Lines Slot Cars. I believe he lives in the Midwest. A search on his name should list his videos.

[Brian Czeiner]

  I would recommend the dirt look. Particularly if you primarily plan on running dirt type cars. It will add to the experience. I am assuming you will route this one from wood since you were asking about color.  I would suggest trying larger banking at one end vs the same all of the way around for a little bit of technical variety. Banking isn't that difficult to achieve. A 10-15 degree bank doesn't change your overall diameter that much. I know there is a mathematical equation to figure exact but I don't remember what it is. Maybe another track builder can chime in?

On an oval it doesn't really matter because the other end can increase an degree or two in banking to make the straights align.

I would also recommend elliptical routing. The track will be a little quicker, much smoother to run and add more to the experience when you dive into the corner.

 

As for size, make it as big as you have space for. The same with lane spacing. You can sacrifice some gutter width in the straight for extra space between the cars. Using the elliptical routing you can gain the outer gutter space when you dip into the corner. The extra lane space helps prevent a bull ring. Especially if your track will have short straights for passing. 

 

If you don't like the banked idea, consider a mild tri-oval for some variety and technical challenge. Putting driver stations along the kinked straight will also improve visibility without leaning in front of each other.

 

This is all just my two cents  and maybe some food for thought.  Brian

[Antiochdave]

  I would recommend the dirt look. Particularly if you primarily plan on running dirt type cars. It will add to the experience. I am assuming you will route this one from wood since you were asking about color.  I would suggest trying larger banking at one end vs the same all of the way around for a little bit of technical variety. Banking isn't that difficult to achieve. A 10-15 degree bank doesn't change your overall diameter that much. I know there is a mathematical equation to figure exact but I don't remember what it is. Maybe another track builder can chime in?

On an oval it doesn't really matter because the other end can increase an degree or two in banking to make the straights align.

I would also recommend elliptical routing. The track will be a little quicker, much smoother to run and add more to the experience when you dive into the corner.

 

As for size, make it as big as you have space for. The same with lane spacing. You can sacrifice some gutter width in the straight for extra space between the cars. Using the elliptical routing you can gain the outer gutter space when you dip into the corner. The extra lane space helps prevent a bull ring. Especially if your track will have short straights for passing. 

 

If you don't like the banked idea, consider a mild tri-oval for some variety and technical challenge. Putting driver stations along the kinked straight will also improve visibility without leaning in front of each other.

 

This is all just my two cents  and maybe some food for thought.  Brian

 

 

Hi Brian,

 

Thank you for your suggestions.

Yes - Routed wood track.

My first thoughts are to make the track a dirt color. I have been thinking on how I can give the track more of a realistic look than just to paint it light brown. 

I'm interested in the elliptical routing technique that you'll talking about, I don't really understand how it helps the cars in the corners, it seems to me that curve would be more abrupt.  

I'm planning a 4.5" space between the lanes with a 5' outer run/gutter on the out side lane.  The track will be 20'x8' with 4 lanes.

I like bank turns but I want to make it as close to a real dirt track track as possible.  I don't know what a real dirt track have in degree wise at their corners, you'll right about each side of the track corners should be a little different. 

 

Thank you!

Dave - 

[Dave Crevie]

This is the oval the Bensenville club used. Built by Norb Jillich, it has an 8 X 16 foot footprint. We had a lot of fun on this track.

 

 

 

 

The turn on one end is banked, the other turn has a squeeze to bring the lanes closer together. IIRC the spacing on the straights was 3 3/4s, and opened up to 4 1/4 on the bank. On the squeeze turn, it necked down to 3 inches. This layout made for some pretty exciting racing. You had to slow a bit to get through the bank, but you had to watch out who was close to you going into the squeeze. You couldn't pass there, and could get nerfed by someone coming up from behind. 

 

The builder is the guy in the white shirt in the center photo. The track came apart in 4 sections for storage.

[Pappy]

Dave,

 

Use a minimum 6" on the outside gutter. 5" on the inside would work great and allow for cars to pass a car sitting up against the inner guard rail.

If you want to make each end different make one turn wider than the other. Be careful with banking, you don't want to make it a punch bowl.

[Brian Czeiner]

 

 

Hi Brian,

 

My first thoughts are to make the track a dirt color. I have been thinking on how I can give the track more of a realistic look than just to paint it light brown. 

I'm interested in the elliptical routing technique that you'll talking about, I don't really understand how it helps the cars in the corners, it seems to me that curve would be more abrupt.  

 

I like bank turns but I want to make it as close to a real dirt track track as possible.  I don't know what a real dirt track have in degree wise at their corners, you'll right about each side of the track corners should be a little different. 

 

Thank you!

Dave - 

 

 

A more realistic surface color can be achieved two ways. 

1. use foam rubber tires and you will eventually get tire marks from running the cars around. It won't take long

2. You could use multiple shades of brown and a dry brushing technique. This is where the paint bristles have nearly no paint on them and leave thin streaks of color. Kind of like when you are painting and run out of paint. The paint isn't even Train modelers have done this for years to simulate dirt roads or dust/weathering on buildings and such. The best part of this technique is you can't make a mistake.

 

Elliptical routing creates a smoother entry and exit from the straights. Once in the corner, the radius is consistent.  Really is effects the straight more than the corners as the straight becomes slightly arched at each end. On shorter tracks, you might only have 3 or 4 feet of true straight lanes. It may seem otherwise on paper, but it works. 

 

This is a heavily exaggerated version but you can see the entry coming onto the straight is a much softer radius and less abrupt to the change of car direction..

[Antiochdave]

This is the oval the Bensenville club used. Built by Norb Jillich, it has an 8 X 16 foot footprint. We had a lot of fun on this track.

 

Screenshot 2025-03-10 114042.png

 

Screenshot 2025-03-10 114216.png

 

Screenshot 2025-03-10 114300.png

 

The turn on one end is banked, the other turn has a squeeze to bring the lanes closer together. IIRC the spacing on the straights was 3 3/4s, and opened up to 4 1/4 on the bank. On the squeeze turn, it necked down to 3 inches. This layout made for some pretty exciting racing. You had to slow a bit to get through the bank, but you had to watch out who was close to you going into the squeeze. You couldn't pass there, and could get nerfed by someone coming up from behind. 

 

The builder is the guy in the white shirt in the center photo. The track came apart in 4 sections for storage.

 

 

Hi There,

 

Thanks for the pictures, that's a really cool looking track!

 

Dave - 

[Antiochdave]

 

 

A more realistic surface color can be achieved two ways. 

1. use foam rubber tires and you will eventually get tire marks from running the cars around. It won't take long

2. You could use multiple shades of brown and a dry brushing technique. This is where the paint bristles have nearly no paint on them and leave thin streaks of color. Kind of like when you are painting and run out of paint. The paint isn't even Train modelers have done this for years to simulate dirt roads or dust/weathering on buildings and such. The best part of this technique is you can't make a mistake.

 

Elliptical routing creates a smoother entry and exit from the straights. Once in the corner, the radius is consistent.  Really is effects the straight more than the corners as the straight becomes slightly arched at each end. On shorter tracks, you might only have 3 or 4 feet of true straight lanes. It may seem otherwise on paper, but it works. 

 

This is a heavily exaggerated version but you can see the entry coming onto the straight is a much softer radius and less abrupt to the change of car direction..

oval.jpg

 

Hi Brian,

 

I see what you'll saying now about the corners.

I like the color of your track, it looks good.

 

Thanks,

Dave - 

[Brian Czeiner]

That track belongs to one of my old customers. Brian

[Brian Czeiner]

If you want to avoid a punch bowl, put a low wall on the banked corner. Cars would fly off the track and out of harms way.