The mirror image thing is the norm in Spain and Italy when running enduros with large numbers of teams. Four such tracks is usual. I believe you rotate across all tracks. Sometimes with two tracks the layout is arranged so that the long straight runs along one edge and then the two are laid adjacent such that they form a 16-lane straight!
We had a track here on long island in the '60s called, IIRC, Hobbytrack in Levittown. They had twin, mirror imaged Englemans with the two straights against each other. Made for lots of fun trying to watch your car among 16!
Jeff Morris
"If you push something hard enough, it will fall over." Fud's 1st law of opposition
This picture was taken in Rockdale, Texas during the summer of 1982 when I built the track pictured, and ran my own raceway for six months. I was not a very good raceway owner, and my location sucked, but life goes on.
At 135 feet, "The Farm" was designed to fit the space available, and incorporated several design elements that I personally like in a good slot car track. The turn at the end of the main straight (the window turn) has a dual radius, the second being shorter than the first so the turn becomes tighter. The lower straight disappears under the upper level esse turn, into a blind left hander. And there are split driver stations, something you don't see every day.
Does it still exist? I don't think so... I understand that after a short stay in San Antonio, it was returned to use in the Dallas area in the early 90's and disappeared shortly thereafter.
I raced on one just like that but it was in Las Vegas in '66-67...
"TANSTAAFL" (There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.) Robert Anson Heinlein
"Democracy and socialism have nothing in common but one word, equality. But notice the difference: while democracy seeks equality in liberty, socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude." Alexis de Tocqueville
"In practice, socialism didn't work. But socialism could never have worked because it is based on false premises about human psychology and society, and gross ignorance of human economy." David Horowitz
Here's a couple of pics I lifted from Steph Slotandgo's Facebook page:
There was no info on where this track is or was, but I'm thinking this was located near Hickory, NC. Does anyone recognize it or have any further info?
I'm absolutely certain that this was a "horsepower" track... LOL!
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Gregory Wells
Never forget that first place goes to the racer with the MOST laps, not the racer with the FASTEST lap
Several other track pics from Steph's Facebook page. No info was provided for any of these images.
Clearly a rally track (notice the snow section), but I can't tell if this is a home/club track or located in a commercial facility. My guess would be the former due to the decorations.
Got to be a home or club track, due to the copper tape and the scenery. Not too many places where passing can be accomplished. Bet this would be a blast to race on.
Without a doubt a basement track and congrats to the builder for shoehorning a four-lane sectional tracks of that size into that space. Don't even want to think about marshaling this track...
Peter Horvath likes this
Gregory Wells
Never forget that first place goes to the racer with the MOST laps, not the racer with the FASTEST lap
The middle pic above is "Master" slot track builder Dave Beatty! He's built custom tracks for Jay Leno, Bobby Rahal and many more of OUTSTANDING appearance!! This is his home basement track with an AC2C system to run cars on AC---you can get 2 cars per lane controlled individually. That's why there's so many lanes beside each other. I think he can get 6 or 8 cars racing on his track at the same time!! His companies name is "Slot Mods"---check it out.
Here's a couple of tracks I actually know something about...
The Club ICAR, in Barcelona, Spain, started in 1976, was all outdoor R/C until 2011, when the ICAR club emabrked on the INDOOR ICAR project and added slot racing to their activities.
Here's their 64 meter (210 foot) 1/24 track:
And here's their 47 meter (154 foot) 1/32 track.
The indoor facility also contains a track for 1/12 and 1/18 electric R/C cars and Mini Z cars.
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Gregory Wells
Never forget that first place goes to the racer with the MOST laps, not the racer with the FASTEST lap
I like the idea of the elevated drivers stations. I think that's something that should be done for a lot of tracks, since it always seems you need to stand on a box when you're on the gutter lanes.
A couple of my contributions, with help from Monty Ohren and Gary Gerding.
The square track was commissioned in 1999 by Paul Kalemkiarian for the Unkle Kal's Underground Raceway 1999-2005. It was designed by myself and master track builder Monty Ohren and built by the entire Ohren family and myself. Custom made to fit in a basement space. We put as much track in the space available. It was 92' but we called it 95'. It is currently in use in Modesto, CA.
The little "bowl of spaghetti" track is the Nightmare designed by myself and Gary Gerding. Gary and I exchanged 16 drawings getting as much track in a small space as possible and making it challenging without being impossible for beginners. Gary Gerding built it in his shop in Omaha, NE, and trucked it down here.
Seems there is a slot car club in Igualada, Barcelona, Spain, called Tim Comarca Slot Racing Team and if I understand the Google Translate of the info correctly, this is the longer of two tracks at their facility. It's listed as 67 meters (220') long. The website also lists a 30 meter (98') track but I didn't find any pictures of it.
Peter Horvath likes this
Gregory Wells
Never forget that first place goes to the racer with the MOST laps, not the racer with the FASTEST lap
Here's a track that is about as unqiue as they come and it's for sale. You see, it's built into the basement of a house in Australia, in the Blue Mountains, near Katoomba, about 100km west of Sydney, and can't be moved.
The owner has titled it "Pretzel Logic, since he's a huge Steely Dan fan and well, the name sure fits, doesn't it?
The asking price is a rather dear A$695,000, but it does include a free house! LOL!
It's real hard to get a good overview of this crazy track, but here's some pics and a video anyway.
This seemingly was the original three-lane, 45 meter "Speedway" track design:
And after it was finished and operational, the owner decided to add a two-lane, 48 meter "Hillclimb section.
(This pre-build plan may not exactly match the Hillclimb section as constructed, but does give an idea about the addition.)
You can read the track build thread, which began in October 2007, over on the Auslot forum HERE.
Note that most of the pics shown above show the track in partically finished states. Eventually the track was scenic'd and lighted, but I couldn't locate any overall pics showing the track in its final form.
Peter Horvath likes this
Gregory Wells
Never forget that first place goes to the racer with the MOST laps, not the racer with the FASTEST lap
Well, there's two responses: (1) you don't need 'em if you don't fall off, and (2) maybe it's just casual practice.
From what little I've read/heard about European slot car racing, they are much more in tune with the concept of no deslotting = more laps than many American slot racers are (myself included... LOL ).
Richard L. Hofer
Remember, two wrongs don't make a right... but three lefts do! Only you're a block over and a block behind.
This track is located at Mobile Raceways Slot Car and Hobby Centre in Dandenong, Australia, and if I understand their Facebook post correctly, it is a temporary joining of two tracks that will soon be split apart into their original formats. The info is that this track is 83 meters (272 feet) in length, so they're terming it the "2K Black".
(I attempted to contact Mobile to confirm this info and to confirm their info in Slotblog's Raceway List, but the contact email address on their website bounces and there has not yet been a response to my inquiry via Facebook. Unfortunately having email addresses on websites bounce is not at all uncommon...)
Wonder how mnay marshals would be needed for this giant? LOL!
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Gregory Wells
Never forget that first place goes to the racer with the MOST laps, not the racer with the FASTEST lap
