Here are some pics from the latest additions to Sequoia Speedway.

This is an overall of the track from turns 1 and 2. The pine trees line the outside of 1 and 2 and down the backstretch like palm trees do a certain track in Florida. More of these Sequoia trees will be added outside turn 2 as that will be the new location of Pete's Christmas Tree Farm.

http://sequoiaspeedway.googlepages.com/DSC00013.JPG/DSC00013-large.JPG

Just outside of turn 1 is the mechanics pit area and the small track administration building. It houses the medical center and two security offices. During the races the rescue unit and the track roll-a-way remain there on station. Also parked nearby is some of the construction equipment used in keeping the clay of Sequoia in great shape. The porta-pottie is there for the drivers, but many use the side of the parked Sheriff's unit to relieve themselves.

http://sequoiaspeedway.googlepages.com/DSC00009.JPG/DSC00009-large.JPG

Parked at the entry and exit to the pits is a wrecker and some track marshals. Outside the pit gate are two CHP cars, who provide Sequoia with the needed security and traffic control during Saturday night events. The dark green building at the extreme left is the new souvenir stand which has yet to open.

http://sequoiaspeedway.googlepages.com/DSC00010.JPG/DSC00010-large.JPG

And outside turn 4 is another CHP unit keeping an eye on the rowdiest part of the track. Just outside the fence in the "pocket" outside turn 4 is our fire rescue truck and it's crew.

http://sequoiaspeedway.googlepages.com/DSC00011.JPG/DSC00011-large.JPG

Lookin' good, Pete :thumbsup:

That's cool :thumbsup:

Diggin' the tree-lined backstretch.

Very nice work Pete and Sarah ;)! Looks great and its really coming together nicely! When's the next race at Sequoia?

Keep up the great "therapy" Pete!

PD2:thumbsup:

Very nice, the only things missing are the big horn speakers and the smell of corn dogs and french fries.

Wow Pete, that's awesome! I'd love to see what you could do with something bigger! We need to have one of those "makeover" shows like my wife is always watching on TV where someone's house get's redone.... You can come up to Seattle and hook my track up.

MARTY'S HOME TRACK MAKEOVER!!!!

I like how that looks.... :)

AFX, speakers and lights are coming. I'm looking for some very small headphone ear bud type speakers for the PA system. And the track condition lighting will be HO scale traffic lights placed at turn one and turn three. I want to burn a CD of ambient crowd noise and have it play in the background.

Paul, the next race won't be for a few weeks, except maybe some testing between Sarah, Jim and myself. I'm still trying to work out some tire issues with these new Tyco cars. We get great traction for about 4 or 5 laps then the cars get very loose. It might be the fact the track surface is very smooth, no texture at all. I called John Hamilton to see if he still was interested in racing but he was caught in a stolen vehicle and is going to be locked up for a while. I guess even good kids go bad if they're not mentored.

Marty, I'd be happy to make you a grandstand, Hobbytown USA is trying to restock their scratch building supplies, when they do I'll pick some stuff up. Let me know how big you need it.

I finally made it into the Christmas Tree Farm last night, I was running in turn 4 and hit the cushion wrong. The car launched, hit just the upper part of the catch fence before bouncing off one perimeter tree and landing outside the turn. The tree's were put there to replace the billboards that were erected to keep the cars from getting off the layout, seems they will serve the purpose well.

Your layout is looking good Pete ! Really nice details too.

Paul, the next race won't be for a few weeks, except maybe some testing between Sarah, Jim and myself. I'm still trying to work out some tire issues with these new Tyco cars. We get great traction for about 4 or 5 laps then the cars get very loose. It might be the fact the track surface is very smooth, no texture at all. I called John Hamilton to see if he still was interested in racing but he was caught in a stolen vehicle and is going to be locked up for a while. I guess even good kids go bad if they're not mentored.


I can't believe that! John did that?!? Oh man - now that just sucks! He did seem like a good kid from what you had said. Geez man, that just sucks. Maybe you guys need to pay him a visit and find out what happened? When your well enough, of course.

Hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving bro!

PD2:thumbsup:

Pete,
thanks for the tour. Looks to be coming together nicely. :thumbsup::thumbsup: rr

Thanks for the overall view, Pete!! That track looks awesome!!! AAAA++++ in the detail dept!! :thumbsup::thumbsup:

UtherJoe

Pete, About how long is your layout? Just curious. It looks nice though. Now that I'm doing mine over I might do something like yours in the middle.

T-bolt, it's on a 3'X6' layout because when it was built that's all that would lay flat in the back of my Escape Hybrid. I have a Ranger with a 6' bed now and it still would fit with the tailgate up and tonneau cover down. I'm not sure of the distance per lap but the straights are 39" and the corners are 9"/12". Laps with 440X2's without traction magnets and hard tires on a BSRT 12v G-Jet transformer are in the 2 second range, TR is 1.97 seconds by yours truly.

Finally started to figure out the tires. I think these new Tyco tires are not the same material as the old flat tires from the '80's, or even what we called 'humpers", the tires that had the raised section in the middle. These are harder, they don't sand well and seem to loose the sticky pretty quick.

I soaked a set of my tires overnight in rubbing alcohol, dried them with a lint free towel, sanded them and ran some really fast laps with pretty good consistancy. I got 20 laps in before I started getting loose, taped at lap 35 and ran another 20 laps without mouch of a problem. Tonight the rest of the cars are soaking their tires too. I didn't have the computer hooked up but I was probably turning laps under the current record with clean tires.

I had the guys from Bakersfield up for the day, we ran maybe 500 laps between us, worked on some sections of the track and vacuformed about a dozen cars for them to take home. We're supposed to race on the 27th but we'll see, I have 8 cars total for my local racers and they'll need to get theirs built up before then. Of course, I didn't tell them the tire trick....

Finally started to figure out the tires. I think these new Tyco tires are not the same material as the old flat tires from the '80's, or even what we called 'humpers", the tires that had the raised section in the middle. These are harder, they don't sand well and seem to loose the sticky pretty quick.

I soaked a set of my tires overnight in rubbing alcohol, dried them with a lint free towel, sanded them and ran some really fast laps with pretty good consistancy. I got 20 laps in before I started getting loose, taped at lap 35 and ran another 20 laps without mouch of a problem. Tonight the rest of the cars are soaking their tires too. I didn't have the computer hooked up but I was probably turning laps under the current record with clean tires.

I had the guys from Bakersfield up for the day, we ran maybe 500 laps between us, worked on some sections of the track and vacuformed about a dozen cars for them to take home. We're supposed to race on the 27th but we'll see, I have 8 cars total for my local racers and they'll need to get theirs built up before then. Of course, I didn't tell them the tire trick....

I've heard of doing that before - many guys have done that in 1/32. Except they used lighter fluid - wonder if there is much difference? I've never done it, but I have and sometimes do use this product called Tiger's Milk. Not sure where you can get it other than the local 1/32 slot car track by my place here, but it has helped me out a lot to run my 1/32 that had zero traction.

Sounds like you are having lots of fun Pete! Enjoy and continue to do well on your slot car therapy!

PD2:thumbsup:

T-bolt, it's on a 3'X6' layout because when it was built that's all that would lay flat in the back of my Escape Hybrid. I have a Ranger with a 6' bed now and it still would fit with the tailgate up and tonneau cover down. I'm not sure of the distance per lap but the straights are 39" and the corners are 9"/12". Laps with 440X2's without traction magnets and hard tires on a BSRT 12v G-Jet transformer are in the 2 second range, TR is 1.97 seconds by yours truly.

Pete , thats great. Actually I think I will build one like that in the middle of my layout that I am rebuilding now. I have enough room to make it longer as well so I'm going to give it a try.