Progress on Laguna Seca will be posted early next week, right now all of the lumber is leaning against my spare bedroom wall. I have some of the foam I need but not all, it'll take about a month to do the elevations by stacking sheets.

The track pieces are on their way from Scale Auto so the complete track will be here by next week at least. That will allow me to lay it out to see where I need to carve the foam. Something I didn't take into consideration was that since this track has elevation changes it also changes the length somewhat, so I may need additional track in places. I won't know until I get the elevations done but I should be able to tell with what I have coming.

I've been working on car classes and have two ways of thinking about this. I have the SCCA 1960's sports cars which I have been focusing on, but I'm also looking at an amature class allowing some sedans. 1957 Chevy's, early 1960's Fairlanes and Galaxies, those kids of cars. I'm sure at one time or another they have turned a wheel at Laguna Seca, so they will be looked at again. Also I've been thinking about Magna-Traction/X-Traction Can-Am cars, that would be pretty cool too.

2008 is almost a week old, time to get back on track with the things needing to be done...like racing. :)

Hello Pete i've been following the progress of your track build. good luck. I was thinking, i bought a couple of DVDs from a guy in indiana with coverage from three great races from Laguna Seca in 1965/66 and other races. They weren't expensive ($10 each) and have great footage from all around the track showing the terrain and layout. The races are also fun to watch. USRRC at its best. Here is his email check it out if you like. Ask for the Chaparral/ Laguna Seca DVD. I thought it might help in your project. mj
MBishop950@aol.com

Thanks! I bought two hard cover books that cover a lot of the racing of the 1960's with SCCA and other sanctioning bodies. There were sedans racing in the late 1950's and early 1960's several times a year. I can actually envision racing classes that were there from 1957 when the track opened all the way until the mid 1980's when it was lengthened. I won't have all of the spectator bridges though, just the drive-in for the infield over between turn 2 and 3.

We talked about the old days of SCCA and Trans-Am and looked through the stuff I had printed from 3R and from BRS. We talked mainly about expense, and after looking at some of the DASH bodies and AW Releases and things I think we're going to get back to some simpler rules.

I love the cars that 3R has, but a body kit costs what we can get a complete car from Brian with a very nice DASH body. This is a T-Jet designed track so T-Jets will be our primary class, but we don't want to make it so expensive that guys can't race for under $20. And that's not to say that X-Tractions won't be raced, they will, as will Champ Cars with magnets eventually (at a reduced voltage).

We may limit body classes but that's pretty much it. Skinny tires, silicones, box stock bodies (repainting is fine) and closer racing at a decent cost. We will certainly have a class for the DASH '55 Chevy's, and we will continue to discuss GTO's, Camaro's and Avanti's sharing the track.

Which champ cars?

Probably SG+ cars, running on 9 volts or less. Right now I'm making a list of Model Motoring, JL, DASH and T-Jet 500 pull back bodies that would make decent racers. Man, there's a lot of them out there from 1960-1971. I'd post a partial list but I'll keep looking until I can get one that is more complete.

Pete, since I wasn't there this time here's my opinion if it matters. If you're going with injection molded bodies instead of resin cast just stick with Trans-Am rules. 1967-1969 Camaros and Firebirds, 1965-1969 Mustangs and Cougars, 1970/71 Cuda and Challenger and the 1970 AM Javelin and AMX. All of these bodies are available for T-Jets, Patto's has nice decal sheets for them and there are a lot of external reference sources for all of them. Since they all raced at Laguna Seca you won't be out of your ability to make it realistic. I understand the cost of building "loaners" is your issue but even with decals you can make a car for right at $20. Plus you can cover all the major car makes and everyone will be happy.

I haven't found the Javelins yet but that's a pretty good idea. I think the Mustang fastback is an early model, like a '66 but the rest are 68-70.

BRP has a Javelin

Roger Corrie

Found them, thanks. Also looked at the AM Javelin's Trans-Am site which had some pretty nice video from 1968. Definately one choice.