Forever Track Build Journal
Belive it or not, these two pieces of plywood are NastiNati Racing’s Future Testing Facility. This two lane drag track will hopefully improve my team’s 0-4 record in it’s one and only event last month at America Muscle 2. I have thought long and hard about what needs to go into a quality race track. Besides being plumb, level and straight, using 3DBotMaker Starting Gate and Finsh Line, I want to include an electronic servo to the Starting Gate, LED track lights, and camera mounts. I hope to have the track done in time for at least two months before Mustang Summer for NastiNati Racing and Summit Racers entries testing and tuning. Stay tuned for more posts. Please feel free to give me comments, I’m sure I will need them.
Discussion
Yup...me too! Sounds like you have a solid plan. Hope you share your build photos as you go!
When the difference between winning and losing sometimes being 1 1000th of a second having a quality test track is essential. Plan sounds awesome good luck
I have started the planning process.
- Ahhhhhhh!!!!! Wow (as I wipe the drool from my mouth) that is going to be quite the endeavour. Please please please post pictures of the build. I think I speak for many when I say I want to follow the build thread. That is going to be an epic track based on the drawing. I like the track reset into the plywood and the led lights are going to be an awesome addition. — 41-14
- Yes I will post many pics, along with questions that I will need you cats knowledge to help answer. — NastiNatiRacing
Help me with the downhill start of the Forever Track. Let me know if you guys think A, B, C, a mix of the bunch or +/- in the measurement is the best design for the track. In drawing A and B I will build a smooth transition, I wanted to show the angel of the downhill to flat section. Thanks for your past comments and enthusiasm in my track build.
- LeagueofSpeed - C — NastiNatiRacing
- Definitely C is you can figure it out. I have a B style on mine but use a guide to make it as curved as possible at the transition. — redlinederby
- Everyone - C — NastiNatiRacing
- Design C it is! — NastiNatiRacing
- I’d say B. With a smooth transition. Kind of like Tobacco Road at LoS’s. But that’s my personal preference. — 41-14
Here are the transisitions for Tail of the Dragon(top) and Tobacco Road/Bootleg Run(bottom)...I'd say B for the easier build, but C with the proper wood working tools/machine would be unique and set the Forever Track apart.
- Yes...I think we all want a pinewood derby style C curve but B is a lot easier to achieve and, honestly, not horrible at all. It's all about materials and budget at that point. — redlinederby
- I wish I had the a) tools, b) time, c) mind, and d) money to make a proper derby track. Color me jealous if you have all of them (or even 3 out of 4). — redlinederby
What is the best way and/or what amount of distance do I need to gently stop the cars?
- You don't need a lot of runoff, it's more about the material doing the stopping. If you have some foams or whatever, the cars should be fine. — redlinederby
- I'm wondering if your 4-foot length of downhill is too short...? If you have 20ft of space to play in, I might make that hill 5 or 6 feet and ease out that curve a bit. — redlinederby
That 4' of drop will accelerate the cars nicely...I don't think they'd have any problems running 20'.
I think both of you guys have good points. I don’t really want to make the start any taller, mostly because my 4yr & 6yr old boys will have a hard time setting their cars in the starting gate. I think I am going to leave the height where it is. I have over shot my landing a bit. My basement is not quite long enough for the current design length. Measure twice cut once hu. Think I will take two feet off the end. Thanks for the advice!
- The stop box I use on my track. It has two layers of memory foam 1 1/2 inches thick. That F-150 weighs in at 130+ grams. Nice soft controlled stop. — 41-14
- Thanks. I think I’ll plan on building something similar. — NastiNatiRacing
Looking forward to following the build