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Like a lot of people, my yard is grass and no way, no how, is my wife gonna let me tear it out and build a racecourse for solid axle truck racing. Actually, my wife is super cool and probably would let me, but I digress...I also run nitro trucks, and while my neighbors are cool with me doing testing and whatnot, I'm not sure they'd be cool with me and my friends spending an entire day tuning and running these things.
Most times if I'm going to run my rc nitro vehicles, I'm off to a ballfield. We have many around where I live, and in other places I live. Usually I can find an empty one, set up, and run around my jumps and what not. I've seen some of the Trigger King portable courses, and thought I would build one, complete with a timing system.
The layout I thought of that would work well is the typical MJ J-hook style, so I started whipping up a plan.
There would be four main components to build: Starting podium, Finish line speed trap, and two jumps.
Secondary components would be obstacles on the j-hook turn points like old cars.
I built one of the jumps a while back. I might redo it with some lighter wood, but it's ok for now.
Next I took on the starting podium. This was to be designed using the Traxxas DTS-1 timing system. It had to be large enough to accommodate two 1/8 scale trucks, and the timing system. Materials needed were 2 24x48 1/4 inch plywood sheets, and two 10x1 8ft pine boards. Also needed were a lot of wood screws, and some lexan sheets to use as barriers to keep any nitro spray off of the reflectors and apertures. I also got a bunch of L shaped brackets to use as something to hold the timing system in place, and hold the lexan sheets.
Started off cutting and screwing the main pieces, and adding the platforms for the reflectors as well as the brackets to hold the timing tree.
Next I painted it up, and assembled the timing system. Note that I screwed the reflectors in place after getting it lined up and tested.
Lastly, I put up the lexan barriers, and made sure everything fit as intended. Looks pretty good for 1/8 scale trucks. A clod or SMT10 would fit easily in comparison to the Mad Crusher and T-Maxx shown here.
There's just enough room for these guys to fit pre-stage, and then inch up to stage. The rear is unpainted because I will add a ramp-up to that piece that is attached with latches, so that it can be ported without needing two people to carry.
Next I'll work on the speed trap. This part is a bit harder, and I'm still working out exactly how I'm going to construct it, but I've mostly got it worked out. It's essentially two ramps that would be 24x24 split by a 6 inch center section, so overall 54 inches, and larger than the starting podium. I think 24 inches on each side is wide enough to make it reasonable to send a truck through.
Most times if I'm going to run my rc nitro vehicles, I'm off to a ballfield. We have many around where I live, and in other places I live. Usually I can find an empty one, set up, and run around my jumps and what not. I've seen some of the Trigger King portable courses, and thought I would build one, complete with a timing system.
The layout I thought of that would work well is the typical MJ J-hook style, so I started whipping up a plan.
There would be four main components to build: Starting podium, Finish line speed trap, and two jumps.
Secondary components would be obstacles on the j-hook turn points like old cars.
I built one of the jumps a while back. I might redo it with some lighter wood, but it's ok for now.
Next I took on the starting podium. This was to be designed using the Traxxas DTS-1 timing system. It had to be large enough to accommodate two 1/8 scale trucks, and the timing system. Materials needed were 2 24x48 1/4 inch plywood sheets, and two 10x1 8ft pine boards. Also needed were a lot of wood screws, and some lexan sheets to use as barriers to keep any nitro spray off of the reflectors and apertures. I also got a bunch of L shaped brackets to use as something to hold the timing system in place, and hold the lexan sheets.
Started off cutting and screwing the main pieces, and adding the platforms for the reflectors as well as the brackets to hold the timing tree.
Next I painted it up, and assembled the timing system. Note that I screwed the reflectors in place after getting it lined up and tested.
Lastly, I put up the lexan barriers, and made sure everything fit as intended. Looks pretty good for 1/8 scale trucks. A clod or SMT10 would fit easily in comparison to the Mad Crusher and T-Maxx shown here.
There's just enough room for these guys to fit pre-stage, and then inch up to stage. The rear is unpainted because I will add a ramp-up to that piece that is attached with latches, so that it can be ported without needing two people to carry.
Next I'll work on the speed trap. This part is a bit harder, and I'm still working out exactly how I'm going to construct it, but I've mostly got it worked out. It's essentially two ramps that would be 24x24 split by a 6 inch center section, so overall 54 inches, and larger than the starting podium. I think 24 inches on each side is wide enough to make it reasonable to send a truck through.
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So now I have the really cool wife, but our yard is just too small and neighbors too close. But I cannot complain, my new house has a nice river less than 1/4 mile away to fish in 
