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Electric Backyard Offraod Track in Marengo -- Race Announcements -
05-17-2008, 09:52 PM
Well, here is a "track". What should we do with it?
also see, in case you have not looked there already: Electric Backyard Offraod Track in Marengo, IL - R/C Tech Forums 
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05-19-2008, 04:07 PM
Id love to make my way over to ya! unfortunatly Ill be working the next 14 days so Ill catch up to you in 2 weeks! lol My trusty rusty would like to get some dirt time and we will see if the mini quake can get a lap or two under its belt.
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05-21-2008, 06:31 AM
Rusty,
I know what you mean with work. I think I might actually be able to "not work" this Memorial Day weekend. I would like to get out there with my shovel and start adding some elevation. Drop by sometime and see if you think it can be made into a workable track. If it looks too small, I can just scoot further out into the field next year. Best, Bob
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05-21-2008, 07:42 PM
I am glad you asked. I am trying to figure this out along with everybody else. It is definitely for electrics only. I am sure as many times as I have said it is for electrics only, I will have someone show up with nitro and get PO'd at me, but that is one characteristic of the track that has been set in place -- electric.
Since nobody has showed up yet, there is no routine, so I am open to somebody posting here or PMing me and saying they would like to come out at a certain time. Since it is my backyard and I don't know you yet, it would be good if I had a heads up. We also have a T4 and could run it with yours. One of the plans I would like is that eventually, there would be a few regular guys in the neighborhood who acted responsibly and helped me nurture the track and could be trusted to come and go as they wished, and then we might figure that Sunday morning standard racing hours would be established, maybe every 2-3 weeks if not enough interest for every single week. Maybe a weeknight schedule would prove more popular. I would like to just say "racing is Sunday with doors open at 8am and racing starts at 10:30. Wednesday night from 5-9 is open practice." This might get folks into a certain frame of mind what to expect. But since we are just starting out, I don't want to give the impression that more than 1 person might show up at those designated times. I will ask here for some guidance on if/how I should describe the schedule and nature of this new racing program -- any suggestions?
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05-21-2008, 11:13 PM
I agree and fully understand, Ultimatley it is still your home so to have just any starnger show up would be definitley. I say you are on to something good as far as times go, having practice days and dedicated racedays, I am sure that it will catch on electric or no electric, I fully understand that it is electric and would abide by that rule. I would more than love to get out there I would say in 3 weeks or so with my electrics, of course I would not feel right just to walk up and start running my truck again the more the marrier, I have another good friend that I know would go up there with me, I live in Cary and he lives in Gilberts so were not too far away. Thanks for the info and I will contact you to see when I can get up there.
 I'd rather be Single on the weekends.
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Memorial Day Status 2008 -
05-26-2008, 04:01 PM
Here are today's pictures from the Memorial Day Race at the backyard track. Well, OK, I just ran around on it myself. I have a driver's, er, uh, "stand" that helped out after it got over 24" high. Still looking at the next steps for a stand.
After the heavy rain last night, here was the dirt, still nicely moist, but not muddy and no pools. I put in a closeup of the dirt where I had driven over it. I might not have "the" tire yet, but I think a xxx4 with a MambaMax 5700 is probably too much for this track -- unless you love drifting. pictures are: 1) looking east 2) looking southWest 3) Driver's View Left 4) Driver's View Right 5) Dirt, up close
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Railroad Tie Drivers Stand -
05-28-2008, 06:09 AM
I could use some feedback. I think it is time to make a better drivers area for the backyard track. I have looked at pallet rack, picnic tables, dirt mounds, trailers, etc. Then I came up with an idea that I have not seen done before, and I am ready to do it unless someone points out some major problem that I overlooked.
Railroad ties: 7" by 9" by 102". Lay down 2 ties like they are skis, conceptually in a 102" by 51" rectangle area. Take 2 other ties and cut them in half and lay them equally in a second layer, 90 degrees to the first layer. These firt 2 layers are using the 9" side for extra height. Finally, a third layer is 5 ties running the 102" length, parallel to the first ground layer, laying on their 9" side with 1.5 inches of gap between them. Overal, roughly a 4' by 8' by 2' box. Each of these units is 9 ties at $8 each from Menards, for $72, plus rods/bolts/etc to fasten them together. Up to 3 of these units could be built as needed and placed in line with each other. No railing or built-in steps are figured in. Any comments?
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05-28-2008, 09:28 AM
Wow, looks like you thought about it really good, Im all for it, Hey I am thinking of getting out there not this weekend but next, would that be ok with you?
I'd rather be Single on the weekends.
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05-28-2008, 10:03 AM
Bob,
Just a crazy thought here, but the Aurora Hobbytown just closed, and they had a parking lot race setup that had a drivers stand trailer...maybe you could get your hands on it cheap? Anyway, back to RR ties. I would think that even at 24" elevation you would want some fall protection railings, at a minimum on the back side, so no body steps off backwards...forwards wouldn't be so bad because it's right in front of you. The idea of "cribbing" up to a deck height with RR ties would work, and the weight of them would make it sturdy and stable. Pallet racking or scaffold systems would have to be tied into the ground to make them stable at any height. If you had a source for a good quantity of wooden pallets, I know we could design a system of interlocked pallets (think house of cards) that would get you 40" off the ground, but then you would need plywood decking and railings.
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