26 replies to this topic

[Tim Neja]

IF anyone want's to race HO cars--  HOPRA SS or Viper cars---let me know.  I'd be happy to hold some race days on my new little track!  Don't know if there are any HO racers in the Central Coast--but we can have a place to race if there are.

 

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[993]

Congrats on the new track, looks like Fun Tim!

What size is it?

Did you order it complete with most options?

Looks like you saved on shipping and picked it up in Utah in person?

Set up my 5x9 ping pong table HO track.

Considering a new Viper routed track or a good used routed HO track.

A 3 lane with a track mate system may be good choice for me too.

 

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[Tim Neja]

Hi Mike

Yes I picked it up in Lehi Utah where Dan has the factory operations!  It's a GREAT design, very flowing and quick.  Lot's of fun--

it's a 3 x 10 footprint to fit in my 13' wide room!  I ordered the "ready to run" version--so all I had to do was literally plug n play!!! I really LOVE IT--  I've always been a fan of 3 lane tracks as they give lot's of racing fun on the smallest footprint possible. 

[993]

Tim your post cost me a few bucks, lol.

Saturday I enjoyed running laps on a 4x14 Viper track just 10 minutes from home.

I'm ready to box up the AFX track forever!

 

Next week Viper racing has scheduled their CNC machine for our new 4x16 Viper Gamechanger RTR track.

In a month or so the new track should be ready for pick up.

 

Viper scale racing has been outstanding on communication and pricing seems fair.

https://viperscaleracing.com/

 

In preparation for the new track my AC guy is installing a mini split ductless AC/heater in our attached 2 car garage.

The AC is rated for 500sf and the garage is 400sf, should keep it comfortable.

 

Pack your HO cars next time you make a run for the border. 

[Tim Neja]

Hahahah-- Yeah--but the track is SO complete and perfect it's worth every penny!!  You can't beat the cars he makes too!! There's nothing better than his simple Spec cars and if you want to go really quick the mods.  All around great products from a guy that loves racing-- I'm really happy with mine.

Yeah--I have a mini-split in my "man room"!  It's 15 x 30' -- and well insulated!! It works GREAT!!

 

Enjoy-- and yeah--If I get to SD I'll check in with you to see if you have time for some laps!! 

[993]

Sneak peak, almost done.

Viper Scale racing Gamechanger ready to run.

3 spare track sections create 4 different layouts.

https://viperscaleracing.com/

 

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[Tim Neja]

Oh yeah--that looks great!! You're going to have big fun!!  Too bad I"m not closer--love to come play!

[HarV Wallbanger III]

Tim,

Good to see you got a beautiful track ..... So when I come visit... Are you planning on a 1/32 track too?

Mike your track is huge! And beautiful!

[Tim Neja]

Eventually if the cost of plywood etc comes down a 1/32 track is in my future.  For now--the HO is a LOT of FUN!! 

[Paul Lindewall]

Very nice track! I hope you have better luck attracting some racers than I did. I ended up selling my Viper track after a few years of race attendance dwindling to zero.
 

[993]

Paul great looking track. What size table is that?

Living in San Diego with we are fortunate to have just enough interest to hold races.

Perhaps the pandemic hurt your attendance? It's been a strange year and half.

What do you have in mind for the space now?

Maybe try I-racing and get a simulator, always someone to race or practice with on I-racing.

 

We just did a nice 20 hour round trip drive from San Diego to Salt Lake City and brought home a new Viper 4x16 Gamechanger track.

Towing in Utah is the best.

My favorite part was from SLC on 15 south to St George for nearly 4 hours climbing the hills at the posted speed limit 75 to 80 towing with a Ram crewcab dually diesel with a 26 foot enclosed trailer.

This my 3rd routed track, but my first HO scale routed track.

If you ever make it out this way you can race with us. 

[Paul Lindewall]

Paul great looking track. What size table is that?

Living in San Diego with we are fortunate to have just enough interest to hold races.

Perhaps the pandemic hurt your attendance? It's been a strange year and half.

What do you have in mind for the space now?

Maybe try I-racing and get a simulator, always someone to race or practice with on I-racing.

 

We just did a nice 20 hour round trip drive from San Diego to Salt Lake City and brought home a new Viper 4x16 Gamechanger track.

Towing in Utah is the best.

My favorite part was from SLC on 15 south to St George for nearly 4 hours climbing the hills at the posted speed limit 75 to 80 towing with a Ram crewcab dually diesel with a 26 foot enclosed trailer.

This my 3rd routed track, but my first HO scale routed track.

If you ever make it out this way you can race with us. 

 

Table size is 40" X 15', although the track footprint is 3' X 15'. The extra 4 inches was towards the wall, and had a non-functional pit lane/garage area. 

I offered an IROC class, with Wizzard Storm cars and DS electronic controllers supplied at no charge. There was also no charge to race, snacks and sodas were provided, and trophies were handed out. I advertised races on community BBs, invited scout troops, took out FaceBook ads, had a track FaceBook page (since taken down), and had an ad running in the local community interest magazine. Even pre-pandemic, there just wasn't any apparent interest. My largest turnout was 5, most times I was lucky to fill all 3 lanes, but at the last race, not a single person showed up. (The good news is that I won that race. I always held back from winning, because it's never a good idea to beat your competition at your home track.  ) 

For now, I'm using the space to set up my indoor bicycle trainer and ride along with Zwift. With the Delta variant now surging, a lot of organized outdoor rides have been cancelled, and after being hit by a car while riding alone a few years ago, I no longer ride solo. It's been my experience in the past that a lot of kids treat i-racing like a video game, rather than a simulator, and just seem to have fun seeing how many cars they can crash into.

There is a commercial 1/24th track locally making a go of it, but to be honest, I'm a bit hesitant to invest in new equipment. I really have to see how many guys are showing up for races there. 

[993]

Funny 15 years ago I had an 8 lane 1/24 scale Hill climb track in an 8 car garage.

The track took up a 4 car garage and the pit area the other 4 car spaces.

We ran 3 month long race series with races every other Saturday eve.

On the biggest night we had 30 guys racing.

I was victim of the tracks success and was overwhelmed with hosting races.

My race garage had turned in to a Hobby shop.

After 2 years I sold the track, it was a lot of work and never made money.

 

So my plans for the new track are to keep it small.

With 4 lanes all I need is 6, 7 or 8 guys to race.

I expect most the racing will be IROC style.

I hope my race car friends, slot car friends and just friends over for the a few hours will try a couple races occasionally.

Just keeping it low key other than posting it here. lol

 

I racing is a little more serious than you think.

The tracks and cars work very well.

I practice on I racing tracks that I race my real race car at and it is very helpful.

I was able to get in 400 practice laps at Street of Long Beach on I racing before my real Vintage race event on the streets of Long Beach.

My first Long Beach race session felt like my 3rd session thanks to I racing.

Also in I racing you use your real name and they have points system that keeps goofballs from creating carnage on purpose.

 

You should race 1/24 at your local place!

Go in rent a car and controller takes very little commitment.

Enjoy it while its around, if its gone in 3 years so what at least you supported it and got to enjoy racing slot cars.

That is where you network and find others that might want to race at your home track.

 

Once in a while someone on I racing takes out a car on purpose...  

[993]

Slot car racing is so much safer.

[bbr]

online racing can be very addicting, I know guys that are on for hours. I have a full motion CXC rig, it was a lot of fun for a while

[993]

Viper scale racing and Dan the owner have been very helpful.

From order to delivery for a ready to run track with cars, controllers, variable voltage transformer and a laptop with track mate was only a couple months.

Fortunately I stumbled into a great group of 8 local drivers that will fill the lanes and my garage.

Although this track is going to be on the down low I wanted to share my praise for Viper scale racing.

Got the track home plugged it in and it works perfect.

Thank you Dan and Viper scale Racing!

https://viperscaleracing.com/

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[Rich Joslin]

Wow, that sure does look nice Mike. Congratulations.

[993]

First race tomorrow with a full field of local experienced slot car racers.

It's funny I had a buddy over the other day and powered up the track and he did not even take one lap?

Really no interest or intimidated at being slow?

Makes me appreciate the slot car crazy drivers that can't wait to race!  

 

 

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[Tim Neja]

Looks like a lot of great racing in a small space Mike!!  I loved your old hill climb track--good to see you've gone back to slot racing too!! Have FUN--- Joe Cormier is still down there in Ramona-- you might convince him to come racing HO!  

[993]

Looks like a lot of great racing in a small space Mike!!  I loved your old hill climb track--good to see you've gone back to slot racing too!! Have FUN--- Joe Cormier is still down there in Ramona-- you might convince him to come racing HO!  

 

Agree the old Hillclimb suited my driving style perfectly.

But the 1/24 scale track foot print took up a 4 car garage.

Then on a full night the pit area took up another 4 car garage.

Took an 8 car garage to accommodate a race on the 8 lane track.

Now it all fits into a 2 car garage with heating and AC. 

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[Paul Lindewall]

First race tomorrow with a full field of local experienced slot car racers.

It's funny I had a buddy over the other day and powered up the track and he did not even take one lap?

Really no interest or intimidated at being slow?

Makes me appreciate the slot car crazy drivers that can't wait to race!  

 

 

 

I hope you have a great event!
My grandsons came to visit. I showed them the track, fired it up, ran a few laps. They never even picked up a controller, just went back downstairs to play video games on their phones. 
I took them out of the will. (Just kidding.) 

[993]

Racers are rather lucky in San Diego as it seems we have 4 or 5 HO routed tracks within 45 minutes of each other.

Besides the one in my garage the next Viper track is only 5 minutes away.

Then there is racing every Friday night on the San Diego HO routed short track 20 minutes away.

So hosting a race will take some scheduling to avoid race day conflicts.

Maybe a series next year with IROC racing at each track?

 

First race on this new Viper track was a success.

My friend Masher Matt and I having had 400 practice laps in the last couple weeks used our home field advantage.

The 6 other drivers did well for the first time on the new track.

Still our home court advantage was not enough to slow the first race winner Stevie, on his first race on a new track.

 

Plan is to change the layout and get in 400 practice laps    then schedule another race.

Several boats were capsized by flying race cars. 

[tonesua]

Great times thank you for hosting!

[Paul Lindewall]

Racers are rather lucky in San Diego as it seems we have 4 or 5 HO routed tracks within 45 minutes of each other.

Besides the one in my garage the next Viper track is only 5 minutes away.

Then there is racing every Friday night on the San Diego HO routed short track 20 minutes away.

So hosting a race will take some scheduling to avoid race day conflicts.

Maybe a series next year with IROC racing at each track?

 

 

I envy you! If you have that many tracks within 45 minutes drive of each other, the track owners should absolutely get together to establish a rotating race series with a set of common, IROC style rules. I ran Wizzard Storm cars - stock chassis and tires, all bodies are the same with several different colors available, or you can paint your own custom. This group has been doing that for many years now with great success: IndySlotCar



 

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[993]

Wow Paul that INDY car link was impressive.

Obviously there are few accountants that race and like keeping all the numbers in the right columns. lol

Looks like a decade of results of hard core HO racers.

 

sent you a pm.