Outdoor track?

Finkle_and_Sons Friday, 8/21/2015

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Hi people,

I've had some fun in the past few weeks hacking up and painting cars.  Seems like it is time for me to construct a track.

I see many of you guys have fantastic home-tracks.  And it seems like some of you set up some neat tracks for outdoor events.  But does anyone have a permanent outdoor track?

Finding space in the house could be tricky.  I do have a backyard that may be conducive to a track though.  Wondering what surface would be best for outdoor use.  I live in a part of the country that has a moderate amount of rain and extremely limited ice and snow.  Need something I can just sweep the debris off of.


Discussion

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72_Chevy_C10 8/21/15

Hi Finkle!

The track that I use is made of Drag Tack sections...I no longer use the starting gate or finish line. I use a Smitty starter and a 3D Bot finish line. If you check out the videos from the Bare Muscle II race, you can see my track.

You can order just the extra sections of track from Jegs.com

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fordman 8/21/15

if finkle needs a smitty starter let fordman know ...


  • Not sure what a Smitty Starter is, but I'm interested. http://www.redlinederby.com/topic/home-made-smitty-starter/1060 — Finkle_and_Sons
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redlinederby 8/21/15
Site manager

Wow...outside permanent track, that sounds like a daunting task but a wonderful one. Imagine a public park even where you go and there's just this structure ready for cars and racing.

I'm guess aluminum might be the best material for building...and I don't even think you'd have to have plastic track, just run them on the bare metal. This seems to be the norm over in Indonesia where there's a good racing following. And from their pictures it's pretty basic setup too...


Not sure exactly what that aluminum part is...maybe some sort of window frame or door slide...something...but if you could find a part similar and built a permanent support structure for it, you'd be set. The start/finish could be removeable when you need. Wanna race? Just walk outside...


  • Having trouble figuring out how to share a picture, but I have a retaining wall that can serve as the support for the starting point. — Finkle_and_Sons
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redlinederby 8/21/15
Site manager

Found this old topic about alternate materials, worth a review too...

http://www.redlinederby.com/topic/alternative-track-materials/1109

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fordman 8/21/15

 sold a rat body to a contractor... he had 10' strips of alum. siding in the truck... i asked about the width of the [track] ... he said he bends them where he want's at his shop... just a thought...

  don't forget that the metal scrappers will steal anything made of alum. off your lawn.. to turn in at the scrap yard !


  • I understand your concern, but the only people who can see my back yard are neighbors and I trust them. No one hops the gate. — Finkle_and_Sons
  • Ratrod? — Finkle_and_Sons

And if it is outdoors you can do crazier things like have the cars jump through fire. :D


  • Yes! Flaming hoops of doom! — redlinederby
  • Talk to Smitty about his Flaming Drag Tracks Hoop, lol — 2seven
  • we can come up with sompin... — fordman
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CrzyTrkrDude 8/22/15

Idea:  if you do build outside, purchase ( or locate somehow cheaper) a  20 foot length of six inch sewer pipe ( or ten feet). And split it down the middle length wise. 

This can then be placed over the track to prevent sun damage when not it use.

Good luck!!


  • great idea ! — fordman
  • You could probably use small diameter PVC pipes as lane dividers too — redlinederby

Aluminum, if you can find in the right form, or bend yourself seems like the best idea.  But, wood is easier to work with for a DIYer.  And with enought paint and clear coat, almost as durable.  Plywood or MDF is flexible enough to make a proper slope.  Yeah, MDF outdoors.  Just have to incase in paint.  That paint and even clear coat might not be as slick and slippery as a plastic track, but if you finish with one of those once a year type car polishes, like NuFinish, it will be.  6 coats of primer and paint, sand between, two of clear coat, sand the first, probably just 400 grit by this point, and then two applications of NuFinish every spring and you can probably do a MDF track outdoors.  

There are 100 year old houses in my neighborhood still with their original wood siding.  Maintenance.  


  • Make it an open track, or, if you insist, do lanes with quarter inch square strips. Get a laser to keep them in line as you lay down. — MoHasAFastCar
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redlinederby 8/22/15
Site manager

Or...just pour concrete :)

I was a public park not long ago and they had poured permanent cornhole flats out of concrete. Pretty neat idea...all you need to bring is the bean bags. 

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o2eX0AmLQmw/T05e2zVkeXI/AAAAAAAAAEw/MHSF_AIOspo/s1600/B.Y.O.Bags+with+Ben+...


  • BTW, random photo, not the park near me — redlinederby
  • Not to make myself sound dumb here, but what's a corn hole flat? — KandORacing
  • http://www.cornholehowto.com/how-to-play/ — Finkle_and_Sons

Thanks for all your input guys!

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tomoci24 8/27/15

can check this

http://www.redlinederby.com/topic/using-aluminum-as-tracks-tomoci-mini-racing/1124



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