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Headmaster of the asylum
Posted 17 December 2020 - 09:48 PM
I'm not sure Butch knows how many tracks he's built over the years, but he sold the one he had when I last visited him a while back because he wanted to build a new one with six lanes.
Here's where he's at with his new track. Butch says, "The wiring is almost all done, then I'll test it and close up the inclines with 1/8" baltic birch plywood."
This is a heck of a good-looking track, if you ask me!
Gregory Wells
Never forget that first place goes to the racer with the MOST laps, not the racer with the FASTEST lap
Race Leader
Posted 18 December 2020 - 05:02 AM
That is a great-looking track... No closing your eyes while racing on that one.
On The Lead Lap
Posted 18 December 2020 - 07:52 AM
Another great-looking track! How long is it?
Headmaster of the asylum
Posted 18 December 2020 - 08:08 AM
Butch will have to answer that question, as I don't know.
Gregory Wells
Never forget that first place goes to the racer with the MOST laps, not the racer with the FASTEST lap
Checkered Flag in Hand
Posted 18 December 2020 - 08:11 AM
That is a HOME track! 
Posting Leader
Posted 18 December 2020 - 08:20 AM
Love the extra space on the outside of all the turns.
Beautiful track and room.
Mid-Pack Racer
Posted 18 December 2020 - 08:24 AM
Wow! Just flat out awesome!!
Mid-Pack Racer
Posted 18 December 2020 - 08:26 AM
Are my eyes seeing correctly? Is that entire track on wheels/casters?
Grand Champion Poster
Posted 18 December 2020 - 08:53 AM
How long is it?
Thom,
The footprint is 12' x 30', with an average lap length of 111'-9".
Anything you want to know about the track you can find HERE.
Jim "Butch" Dunaway
I don't always go the extra mile, but when I do it's because I missed my exit.
All my life I've strived to keep from becoming a millionaire, so far I've succeeded.
There are three kinds of people in the world, those that are good at math and those that aren't.
No matter how big of a hammer you use, you can't pound common sense into stupid people, believe me, I've tried.
Posting Leader
Posted 18 December 2020 - 09:22 AM
Love the "balloon cams" in the ceiling to follow the action.
Great-looking track.
Posting Leader
Posted 18 December 2020 - 09:37 AM
All of the above.
Age scrubs away speed!
Posted 18 December 2020 - 10:56 AM
Are my eyes seeing correctly? Is that entire track on wheels/casters?
Your eyes are fine, Robert, that track is on wheels. During construction, I asked Pappy if he could move it by himself, and he said he could. The track has polarity switches too, so it can be run in both directions.
The polarity switches have been disabled, maybe even removed.
Builder
Posted 18 December 2020 - 11:29 AM
Paul Wolcott
Grand Champion Poster
Posted 18 December 2020 - 11:57 AM
I love his combination of high speed flow and driving "squiggles" and turns! It's FAST but will require a bit of driving--really beautiful work!!
Keeper Of Odd Knowledge
Posted 18 December 2020 - 01:12 PM
Magnifico! 
Cheers
Bill Botjer
Faster then, wiser now.
The most dangerous form of ignorance is not knowing that you don't know anything!
Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity
Race Leader
Posted 18 December 2020 - 02:19 PM
I have been following along and talking with Butch through most of the build of this track. The amount of work he put into this track is incredible and it came out beautiful. Well worth everybody's time to have a look at his build thread, if only to see the work that was done to get this track off the ground.
Well done, Butch!
Grand Champion Poster
Posted 18 December 2020 - 02:33 PM
The track looks great.
Lots of racing action in that space.
A good example why six lanes is a good idea.
I love the tiered driver's panel.
Mike Swiss
Inventor of the Low CG guide flag 4/20/18
IRRA® Components Committee Chairman
Five-time USRA National Champion (two G7, one G27, two G7 Senior)
Two-time G7 World Champion (1988, 1990), eight G7 main appearances
Eight-time G7 King track single lap world record holder
17B West Ogden Ave., Westmont, IL 60559, (708) 203-8003, mikeswiss86@hotmail.com (also my PayPal address)
Note: Send all USPS packages and mail to: 692 Citadel Drive, Westmont, Illinois 60559
Grand Champion Poster
Posted 18 December 2020 - 02:55 PM
Well done, Butch!
Thanks, Steve. Coming from you that's quite a compliment.
Watching your builds and your advice helped more than you will ever know.
Jim "Butch" Dunaway
I don't always go the extra mile, but when I do it's because I missed my exit.
All my life I've strived to keep from becoming a millionaire, so far I've succeeded.
There are three kinds of people in the world, those that are good at math and those that aren't.
No matter how big of a hammer you use, you can't pound common sense into stupid people, believe me, I've tried.
Posting Leader
Posted 18 December 2020 - 03:19 PM
Well you've really done it now Butch, you went and used every bit of available floor space for your beautiful new track! If I come by your place to stay for the night It looks like I'm going to have to go "old school" and sleep under the track! 
BTW... Love the stair-step drivers panel!
Jay Guard
IRRA Board of Directors (2022-Present),
Gator Region Retro Racing Co-Director (2021-Present)
SERRA Co-Director (2009-2013)
IRRA BoD advisor (2007-2010)
Team Slick 7 member (1998-2001)
Way too serious Retro racer
Grand Champion Poster
Posted 18 December 2020 - 03:52 PM
Jay, I think you'd be more comfortable sleeping on the shop side under the table saw. There's more space there than you think. It still needs to be pushed back about three feet so it's against the wall.
Swiss, I bought the Volteq HY 1550 EX power pack that you recommended. I still have some loose ends (literally) to tie up, the braids at most of the joints still need to be stapled to the cross members. Then I want to put a 30 amp circuit breaker in the electrical panel between the positive wire from the power pack and the relay just to be on the safe side. Then I can hook the power pack up and turn it on. To me that's the scary part, I always worry that the track will have some weird quirk that really screws up the flow. On my other track I actually put it off for about three days and just did other touch up things because I was scared it would turn out to be a piece of crap track.
Jim "Butch" Dunaway
I don't always go the extra mile, but when I do it's because I missed my exit.
All my life I've strived to keep from becoming a millionaire, so far I've succeeded.
There are three kinds of people in the world, those that are good at math and those that aren't.
No matter how big of a hammer you use, you can't pound common sense into stupid people, believe me, I've tried.
Grand Champion Poster
Posted 18 December 2020 - 04:16 PM
Mike Swiss
Inventor of the Low CG guide flag 4/20/18
IRRA® Components Committee Chairman
Five-time USRA National Champion (two G7, one G27, two G7 Senior)
Two-time G7 World Champion (1988, 1990), eight G7 main appearances
Eight-time G7 King track single lap world record holder
17B West Ogden Ave., Westmont, IL 60559, (708) 203-8003, mikeswiss86@hotmail.com (also my PayPal address)
Note: Send all USPS packages and mail to: 692 Citadel Drive, Westmont, Illinois 60559
Grand Champion Poster
Posted 18 December 2020 - 04:47 PM
What a fantastic read.
Your track looks great. 
On The Lead Lap
Posted 18 December 2020 - 04:54 PM
I love the very simple Stan Engleman innovation to fix the fatal flaw of almost every hillclimb. The slight flair outwards coming out of the bank allows every driver a clear view of the entire track surface.
Posting Leader
Posted 18 December 2020 - 07:40 PM
Jay, I think you'd be more comfortable sleeping on the shop side under the table saw.
OK, Butch, that's a deal, I'll bring a broom! What you probably don't know is that I've been doing woodworking projects with my dad since I was 10 so even though I'm not even in the same ballpark as you with respect your awesome woodworking skills I do have a bit of sawdust in my blood!
Hey, I'll feel right at home under the saw! 
Jay Guard
IRRA Board of Directors (2022-Present),
Gator Region Retro Racing Co-Director (2021-Present)
SERRA Co-Director (2009-2013)
IRRA BoD advisor (2007-2010)
Team Slick 7 member (1998-2001)
Way too serious Retro racer
**Numb Thumbs**
Posted 21 December 2020 - 12:03 AM
Butch, I only have one thing to say about that.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Oh that's two things. Sorry.
