Least Favorite Tracks

[mike coleman]

wuss i have to use 10 characters

[buzzgok]

I hate any track that goes out of business

[PitStopGuys]

I have an abiding dislike for the stupid yet seemingly immortalized insistence of track designers to place a crossover immediately after a turn (King, Orange, some Hillclimbs, etc). This leads to numerous track calls while the come-offs are swept out or numerous high-speed encounters with hidden obstacles.

My second peeve is the lack of regard for sightlines.

[JohnEngland]

There is an old saying .... its called "he is as crazy as a run over dog".
ever seen a dog hit by a car and then get crazy? Its not a pretty sight.

You ever watched 8 people run a race on a 40 foot tri oval? their heads just sit there and go around and around. Racing on a 40 or 50 foot tri oval will make you as crazy as a run over dog......lol

very small tri ovals are my least favorite tracks

[brassrodman]

Got the rec-room all cleared out with the exception of the oval! Am excited about getting my "Daytonal International" style track built by you. Wanker any idea on the pick up date for the oval???

[johnford]

also does anyone have a good picture of a King Cobra track. I recently aquired one and i have one grainy picture of one and that is it.

Page 11 in the Floor Plans book has a computer drawing of the King Cobra track along with dimensions, etc.... jf

[Mike Wyatt]

I could guess: from a commercial standpoint, raceway owners think they have to have a big, impressive track to see through the windows (King) and an Oval because Nascar racing is the #1 spectator racing sport. Another consideration is that a high-banked track is easier for newbies to learn vs. a flat track.

If I was a raceway owner (some of these ideas after talking with you one time a few years ago), I would have ALL 6-lane tracks for the roadcourses and ovals, because it makes it more likely to always have Marshals, and the raceway looks busier, plus the footprint is smaller.

The configurations would be:

1. an Orange. Big enough for wings, swoopy enough for newbies, and at a 50% less footprint than a King.

2. a Dragstrip. Just because guys who spend money like drag racing.

3. an oval- for the reason above, AND newbies find them easy (but I have observed that they can never seem to make the transition to a road course after running the ovals for any time at all.)

4. Later, Year 3: a flat roadcourse to keep my serious road racers from the Orange interested, (UK Black) then...

5. Year 4: sell off the Orange, to replace the high-use track, and keep 'em interested, maybe get a Paperclip.

6. Year 5: move. Start the cycle over.


Keep replacing the Orange, then a Paperclip, then ??? to .

What say you, Mr. Gerding??

[johnford]

I like any track that has a few copies of Scale Auto Racing News laying around it.... jf

[qtupro]

Red at Cycle Smithy's in Chicago..... hated the doughnut and the bumps in the straight.

[Quickerthanu]

Every style of track is a good track. My least favorite track has to be one that has not been maintained and has gone into poor condition.

Now thats a good answer! lol

[SlotCar1]

8< ...least favorite track has to be one that has not been maintained and has gone into poor condition.
8<

If one remembers the King that was at Slot'n'Wing in Champaign/Urbana they have seen a perfect example. When I asked the owner why the track was in such poor condition and why it was not maintained he suggested I provide the expense needed for repairs.

The door did NOT hit me in the arse. IYKWIM.

[kwoody94]

I hate the Poccono at Acworth Speedway. We call it the meat grinder. High speed, two tight turns and big swoopy bank. Massive plastic busting on FCR NASCAR night

[okibonoe]

so why is the drag strip in the lead?

[fl_slotter]

Every style of track is a good track. My least favorite track has to be one that has not been maintained and has gone into poor condition.

Now thats a good answer! lol

Quickerthanu,

I'm sorry but that is NOT a good answer!

Actually it is much better than a good answer, probably bordering on a great answer.

Yes, it is a bit of work to properly maintain a track so that it is in proper working order. Cleaning it regulary, putting down the correct amount of glue to keep the track running fast, checking the braid and ever rebraiding a track when it is necessary are all maintainance items that must be taken care of to keep a track running well.

Those tracks where the operator is too lazy or non-caring to maintain their tracks so that you can safely race on them are the ones that I do not like. I have seen tracks where the braid is stapled in place in some of the turns. I knew it would not be a good night of racing and unfortunately I was correct. I saw cars that would hit the staples and then launch straight up the banking collecting cars in their paths and causing "The Big One" on a regular basis. I just throttled back to about 9/10s and continued on in the race. I just chose to not let myself get taken out in the banking. I just looked for and found a spot on the track where most of the field was not at. Then kept myself there for the remainder of the race. Early on I found out that the fastest car does not necessarily win a race, but the one with the most number of laps on the counter at the end always wins. I hate races like there, ones of survivorship. Too bad that are a lot of tracks around like that.

Of course they must fall under the "Slot Car Darwinian Theory of Evolution" - those are the ones that don't seem to stay around. Time will always tell you of good raceways - they seem to stay around, mostly in the same spot for many years! Congrats to all raceways that fall into that criteria. You are doing what you need to do. Thank you.

[Kgalasso]

Any track that is poorly maintained and a race facility that is filthy.

It's no fun and it wrecks your equipment. Marketing, advertising, etc., mean nothing if you don't have a clean raceway and you don't maintain your tracks.