"Zen Garden Raceway"

[markbt73]

I always wanted to build a backyard track, but there was no good place to do it at our old house. It was easy to set up a rock-crawler trail, so I did, but I never pulled up the grass in the back yard to do a proper track. I just drove on the grass.

In our new house, we have a side-yard area where the old owner used to park his RV. It's all gravel and weeds and a couple of small concrete pads. But it's out of the way, the dogs can't get to it, and we don't have an RV. So I decided to claim it for RC purposes. I call it "Zen Garden Raceway," because I did most of it with a rake, and it's where I go to relax...



I got this far last night, working for about an hour. I raked the gravel off the surface and built outer berms with it to define a not-quite-oval track (it's sorta kidney-shaped). The space isn't very big, only about 30 x 15 feet, so I don't have room for much more. Lanes are between 4 and 6 feet wide, depending on where you are. Room enough for 2 or 3 cars, which is plenty.

Took "Ol' Blue" for a quick spin last night. Wow is this surface loose...







Still lots of gravel to sweep off and weeds to pull and I think I'll need to make a more solid barrier than the gravel berm. But it's a start.

[GoMachV]

Good start! If you decide to stick with an "oval" I may have to finish a runner Dominator

[Incredible_Serious]

Awesome little running area!!!!! Wish I had something like that in my yard......

If you're open to suggestions, here's my two - consider them 0.01 each.....

1. I'd be looking to remove the very last concrete block in the middle area... looks to be right on the apex, and would be the perfect thing to break an old, fragile arm if hit at speed.

2. In the far bottom corner (last picture), you could consider building up a nice half-metre high (or more) berm out of dirt/clay, and extending the track in that corner right back to the fence. Will give more area to run, as well as a more interesting aspect of the kidney shape.


Of course, you could just ignore both of these ideas and run your cars as it is..... either way, I'll still be jealous

Alex

[Halgar]

You know, if you load up that shed with parts, you'll have your very own track side parts house! At the very least, a covered driver's stand for when it's too sunny, or too liquidy sunny.

[markbt73]

Zen Garden Raceway had a special visitor today.... or is he a guest start-finish line?



Wasn't scared of the car at all. I drove around him a couple times to try to startle him off. Didn't move until I made a move to pick him up, then he finally slithered away.

[Incredible_Serious]

Didn't move until I made a move to pick him up, then he finally slithered away.

Guess you need to work more on your pick-up lines....