Oval ideas

[indybob007]

[Gameover]

:text-bravo: :text-welcomewave:

yes i have built an artin 4 lane oval for my kids to race on. there is alot more racing and less crashing :) glad to see ya here! there are a lot of oval guys on this site. just wait a few minutes and you will get alot of advice! im new to the oval and i thank harry and shotgun for talking me into it!!!!!

[Nor Cal Mike]

The funnest thing about having an oval is that you can then start building oval cars. There are so many types and sizes of oval cars raced over the years that you have pretty much limitless canvas to work from. I am not that familiar with plastic sectional track but am quite sure that you can put together any of the configurations that you mentioned. I agree with you about not using the Carrera banked track It is simply too much banking IMHO. Building your own much milder banking is better to me, I like running catch fences or having an infield to keep the cars off of the floor. You know how Murphy's Law goes. But that is your call.

[HomeRacingWorld]

Yes welcome.

Here is a basic plan you can expand on.


Might help you with ideas.

I agree on the banking...make your own :)

[indybob007]

Thanks Guys. Really like the site. I cant beleive I have not found this site before. Thanks Harry that is what I was calling a quad like oval. I like that alot. I was going to put the long straight against the back wall. I was going to put 2 controllers on each of the smaller straights on each side. My only problem is that half my cars are group C slotit cars that never really race on ovals. But what the heck. I have many stock cars and F1 CARS that look like indy cars so it really does not matter to me. I get back later. Thanks again for the welcome and help. Indybob

[sixtiesracer]

You can have a five turn oval by putting a dog-leg on the back straight before the third turn. And slight banking so you have to "drive" the cars around the track.

[indybob007]

I will keep the back straight as long as possible. I just love a long straight. I know many do not but I think it lets those with the faster cars compensate for those with better handling cars on the turns. Even outs I guess. Thanks

[munter]

I reckon this site is the home of Oval tracks.

After no home track for four years I built a single lane rally loop of 14metres but the oval design/style came under close consideration.


Maybe I will build an oval and have two tracks.

Can a fun oval be built on an 8 x 4 sheet of mdf? 3 or 4 lanes?

[Xr4ti]

Welcome to HRW, indybob. This is a fun place. 8-)

http://slotcarillustrated.com/portal/fo ... bumid=1829

Ovals that are embellished with just enough right turn action, make for a perfect combination track IMO. They're easy to learn and challenging for life which I find very satisfying.

All four straights are a different length, two doglegs (not technical, I hate technical tracks where you have to always be thinking) and lots of left turns make racing any class of car you happen to own, fun. More fun time spent racing & less hassles, it's how life should be. :D

Xr4ti

[HomeRacingWorld]

Munter, sure it can.

[munter]

Thanks Harry.

[RichD]

I have found that when you run by yourself a regular oval can quickly get boring, that is not the case when you actually race on an oval however. I can configure my MaxTrax HO track as an oval or a roadcourse, after I do an oval race I always put it back to the road course configuration right away.
One of the Shoreline Model Raceways tracks is an oval and it is modular. Here is the kinked oval configuration, which is more challenging than a regular oval.

[HomeRacingWorld]

Always like that seeing that track.

But I suppose I am one of those people who do not get bored. The same can be said for running solo on road courses. I do a lot of solo running and I enjoy it.

Having a lap timing system adds as much interest to a track as adding a few right turns might be for others. Now you are racing against the toughest competitor you know :) Going back to the bench and trying to figure out how to milk another tenth or 3 out of the old ride, then back to the track to work on your entry and exits. The same thing solo racers do on a road course.

In any case, not meaning to hijack. I have grandchildren and the fun we have on our oval priceless as you can imagine. I turn the volts down and they have a great time watching the cars zoom around. My oldest is a sharp driver and he is starting to give me a good race, in fact the last time we had a race he was almost impossible to beat.

You highlighted one important aspect. Perhaps the most important of all: It is more fun racing than wrecking. Constantly chasing deslotted cars is what really gets boring, so designing your track to minimize that is a very smart approach.

Please let us know how it goes.

[woodguy32]

Big or Small they are a Blast..






Wood

[indybob007]

Thanks Richd for that pic. I assume that is what they call a dogleg like in golf. That is what I am looking to do. Open bench work like that. I could do a larger version of that. I would add some places for my grandstands and pit garage but that would be it. Also Harry great comments about a oval being boring. Heck any track no matter how difficult gets boring in a way when by yourself if you let it. I always use trakmate and that makes solo and tuning cars fun by your self. To me the only boring thing is having cars and track voltage set where one can hold the trigger down all the way around. Still debating though on a oval or another road course. Oval is winning right now. I think for my age group and older guys who do not race alot the oval would just be more fun over all' with less wrecks and closer racing. Thanks Indybob