Track Designs

[Wacker2]

Hello guys,

Fantastic days racing for our debut meeting of the 2009 outdoor season last week.

However, still much can be improved. When building the track last week, we were having to decide where we wanted it to go as we were building it which took time and held things up a wee bit.

Therefore, this is a call to all of you that find 5 mins on your hands to draw some track designs, inclusive of where you want the ramps and table top to be... bring them with you this saturday and we'll decide which one we want to drive. Once we know where everything is going the track build will be much much quicker - giving more time for car preperation, club preperation, earlier kick off and of course, MORE RACING!

Lets be organised, lets be proffessional, and lets be the best regional on the 2009 calander!

Look forward to seeing you all there, fingers crossed my new batteries will arrive and I'll be able to actually race with you!

JB

P.s, feel free to post your track designs on here to get opinions and ideas, but ultimately we will need to have them printed off and with us on Saturday!

To start things off, I've quickly bashed up 2:

(R = Ramp, TT = Table Top, L = Loop)

[Wacker2]

Just done another couple, really only takes 5 mins.

Dont worry if you dont think your track design is very good, there is no such thing as a bad track design as all can be used as ideas to make a fantastic track.





My designs may look very square and boxy...thats just becuase its easier to do on the computer that way - They are only templates that we can modify slightly as we make it.

JB

[Wacker2]

Thought I'd try and replicate the track from Saturday as I beleive most people liked it... we can use it again in the future!



JB

Enough from me... lets see some of yours!!!

[warr2]

A few points.

Which side is the rostrum?

Which way do you plan to run the tracks?

My suggestion is that we put the straight on the opposite side of the track to the rostrum, as it lets you see the twisty bits more easily as they are nearer. - I'd also add metre or two to the width of the straight compared with what we had last week . - Doesn't make any difference to the lap at all, but easier for people to move out the way when being lapped etc.



Table top should be directly in front of the rostrum if possible to maximise visibility. - It also could do with being a little shallower imo. - Maybe some ramps stuck under the ends like weused to with the old table top?

Also find it easier to just lay the thing rather than all this plan business. - The whole point about hose, is you can make nice curvy tracks. In fact I'm a fan of making the "straight" 4-5m wide and making the whole thing gently curved.

[JamesG]

I took JB's drawings as if you were stood on the rostrum that was how the track would be laid out in front of you the direction isn't important and can be ran either way. Also having a bit of a track plan would help speed up setting out in the morning but it was quite amusing watching you trying to figure it out on Saturday.

I understand what you are saying Dave with having the straight on the other side of the track but the marshalls need to be on the more technical parts as that's where most mistakes are made, this could cause problems with visibility.

I'll have a bash at a couple of designs.

[JamesG]

I've knocked up a couple of designs, I've tried to include spaces for marshalling. The one with a diagonal straight makes a change from most tracks but it's probably best left towards the end of the season.

[Wacker2]

Great stuff, tracks luk great!

Keep em coming!

JB

[Dale]

Hi Guys,

ONe thing we do need to do is make sure the width is correct. We need to have (I think) 2 or 2.5 meters around the track.

Warr can confirm this I am sure!

I would liek for us to have nice wide tracks encouraging overtaking if poss.

Regards

Dale

[JamesG]

14. THE TRACK
14.1 Safety procedures as detailed in General Rules 6, 8 & 9 must be adopted. The rostrum and steps must be of sound construction. The design of steps should conform to recognised dimensions. Guard rails of suitable strength and position must be in place.
14.2 Tracks will be laid out so that there are no hidden areas when viewed from the driver’s rostrum area.
14.3 Track markings must be placed to define the track lay-out and to minimise any corner cutting.
14.4 Tyres will not be used to define the track at BRCA National and Regional Sanctioned events.
14.5 At all National format events outdoors, tracks will be a minimum of 3 metres wide and minimum 130 metres in length.
14.6 At Sanctioned events, other than Nationals, tracks must be a minimum of 2.4 metres wide.
14.7 The straight for starting finals, will be a minimum of 20 metres long, with no obstructions, including any form of jump, sudden rise or fall.
14.8 Start and finish lines must be marked. A ‘penalty line’ must be marked 2 metres in front of and parallel with the qualifying start line.
14.9 All tracks will have a designated ‘pull-off’ area for cars that have completed a race.
14.10 At all National events, there will be a designated ‘stop go’ penalty area.
14.11 All finals will have staggered grid starts at 2 metre intervals and two rows of cars. The top qualifier will choose which side of the grid they wish to start from.
14.12 The track will be closed to any kind of use, whether for race events or practice, by anyone, including the club’s own members, for the whole of the seven day period immediately prior to the commencement of a National event.

I've highlighted the rules that really apply to regional's, I suggest we run to these rules as a matter of course anyway. My designs were only sketches so I have no idea of scale.

Also rule 14.1 mentiones guard rails, is that something that we should be thinking about even though we can't fall very far from our rostrum?

[Dale]

Thanks for the rules etc.

The guard rail is not an issue due to the height of the wall (this is what we agreed with the school and their strong health and safety stance etc).

I have agreed for the college to let us in from 11am now so we can get their early and start the build early. I say we go for 2.4 meters wide.

Did we have enough tent pegs etc?

Regards

[warr2]

Plenty of tent pegs.

Go for 3m on the track width (as per national regs.)

Also remember this is a minimum value. - i.e you set the apexes of you tightest corners at that distance but everywhere off line should be wider.

Always used to make the straight 4m wide or more at the boys club with the straight on the far side.

With regards to the rostrum, I was planning on dragging out some wooden blocks on Saturday and making it higher, as it was a little low.

[Dale]

OK David on the blocks etc.

As per track please liaise with the builders and agree between you etc. I am happy either way.

I have purchased many burgers and sausages etc, so the BBQ is on for tomorrow!!!!! Hope you are hungry! lol

Regards

Dale

[Wacker2]

OK David on the blocks etc.

As per track please liaise with the builders and agree between you etc. I am happy either way.

I have purchased many burgers and sausages etc, so the BBQ is on for tomorrow!!!!! Hope you are hungry! lol

Regards

Dale

I'm starving... put me down for breakfast reservations!

JB

[Martyn]

"master smacker track builder" will be there tomorrow to to help build the track

Martyn

[The mad1]

OK David on the blocks etc.

As per track please liaise with the builders and agree between you etc. I am happy either way.

I have purchased many burgers and sausages etc, so the BBQ is on for tomorrow!!!!! Hope you are hungry! lol

Regards

Dale

im gutted i wont be there tomorrow but il defo be up for one next week