RC Grass Track

[ahr43]

Hey guys,
Ran a partial practice session today for the RC10T3. She's next up to run an event third weekend of March. My backyard track. Scale 1/4 mile oval. Lane definition in the image is difficult to see. This time of year, grass is dormant.

 

[Tunedfrog]

Looks like fun and great lookin rig.

 

[ahr43]

Turf maintenance is ongoing to keep it healthy and growing for a good racing surface. Broadcast a bag of bonus S last month.

Since then, registered with the Scotts Lawn Care website. They offer a program to tailor lawn care to my specific yard, and more importantly, track requirement. What they came up with for a recommendation is a 4-times a year application: Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. Cost wise, that comes to a little north of $100 for the year. It gets broadcast over the entire back yard, so it is not just the track that benefits. But the track gets an extra pass to keep weeds down and growth healthy.

Disclaimer. Not a Scotts promotional here. Just what I use. Certain other law care sites offer similar programs.

Shown in the images is part of corner 1 and turn 2 of the oval. This time of the year with grass dormant, on-and-off track definition is a bit tough to discern in these images. Pretty tight, but a comfortable do with a 2WD ST.

Putting this up here for those that may be thinking of having turf as part of their track. Turf takes a bit of commitment and TLC to keep it race ready. Cheers and Regards. 'AC'

 

[ahr43]

Good news is: close cut the track last Thursday for this weekends scheduled event. With longer days and warmer temperatures, the track surface, infield and out fields are beginning to show good definition.

Bad news is: rain moved in Friday and continued through today. Event suffered its second rain out of the season. January and March rained out. February event went o.k.

Looking now to the April event. Track will get a different cut to support an endurance event with all four trucks in competition. Plan on cutting two dog leg corners into the infield with a 22in lawn mower width narrow straight between. Before then will lay down another bag of fertilizer/weed killer.

Cheers. 'AC'

 

[Tunedfrog]

Looks like you have been running there for awhile...

 

[ahr43]

Looks like you have been running there for awhile...

Hey Tunedpipe. This is second season for the track. Last year 16 events. This year 8 Events + 2 Special Tests for 10 races total. Fewer events and less laps. Scheduling more test sessions and practice sessions between events. Front straight shows wear because it doubles as family foot path and path the dog takes.

'AC'

 

[Tunedfrog]

Sounds fun...

 

[ahr43]

RC10T3, race #4, event Parc Ferme (Impound) for weigh check. Passing at 62oz, truck earns a provisional place 10 [P10] finish and one (1) point for last weekends rain-out. Rain-out additionally qualifies the '4 Truck' for double points at its scheduled fall event. Both actions are allowed by current rules package and approved by RD. Cheers. 'AC'

 

[ahr43]

Hello RCers,

Ran off a two-day qualifying session ending yesterday. Track is coming together well and providing a good, durable racing surface. Qualified four RC10Ts of various models and one TRX Rustler. This was going to be the month of the endurance run-off, but did a complete switch and ran an entirely new format based on 4-lap speedway motorcycle racing. Only four of the five trucks transfer to the next two race events. Rusty bumped the T4 '72-truck'.

 

[ahr43]

Hmmm. . . been a while since posting to this thread. Thought I'd started one here. Took a bit of scrolling to find it.

Back then it was a 2s Stadium Truck grass track oval. Fast forward four years and it re-emerges as a 2s Open Class scrambles track tri-oval. Small before, it's even tighter now. But the tri-oval config makes it seem faster.

Anyway, bringing all of you in on the end of Event 5 2024 season. Finals are set. Senton 2s 2WD buggy running off against the TRX 'Blue Streak' 2WD ST. Senton had the better semi-final time so gets push-to-pass for one of its two final 10-lap features.

Good having this backyard track back in operation again. Forgot how much fun it was. -AC

 

[ahr43]

Senton 2WD prevailed in the final run offs Friday and Saturday. Senton "77" laid down a record 2min:30sec combined time assuring victory over Rusty's combined time of 2min:59sec.

Rusty filed a Time and Lap Count protest on Friday. RD and T&S stood by the Senton results and disallowed the protest, deferring it to UTRL Competition Committee for final adjudication. Urban Turf Racing League (UTRL) concurred but did allow Rusty P-T-P in its second session run. Under review is Push-To-Pass (P-T-P) settings for future events. -AC

 

[ahr43]

Been four months since turning an RC wheel. Cleared off and close cut the tri-oval yesterday for a test-n-tune of the 'BluStreak ST.' During the break upgraded it from 2.2 ST wheel set to 14mm 2.2x3.0 SCT wheels and tires. Swapped in a hi-torque servo to get rid of the front-end push (which it did). Pitched the stock servo saver and installed an aluminum servo horn. Ran a full 2s shorty pack thru her. Felt good to pull trigger again after the long break. -AC

 

[Beer_Goggles_RC]

I’ve been tempted to cut an oval into my backyard, but I’ve put quite a bit of time and money into my lawn theres a deck for a drivers stand and the lawn is relatively level. does the grass grow back well?

 

[Doom!]

I’ve been tempted to cut an oval into my backyard, but I’ve put quite a bit of time and money into my lawn theres a deck for a drivers stand and the lawn is relatively level. does the grass grow back well?

View attachment 206831

Man, ya gotta get your priorities straight, you don't want it to grow back! You scrape up the sod strips to use as berms and add a few jumps and your set for life. Plus everyone knows having an rc track in your backyard will make you the coolest kid on the block, while adding resale value to your home.

 

[Beer_Goggles_RC]

Man, ya gotta get your priorities straight, you don't want it to grow back! You scrape up the sod strips to use as berms and add a few jumps and your set for life. Plus everyone knows having an rc track in your backyard will make you the coolest kid on the block, while adding resale value to your home.

Don’t temp me! I’ve been fighting these urges like a 15 year old boy in Victoria’s Secret

 

[ahr43]

Hey Beer. What a great backyard you have for a grass track. Yes, I can see you have a lot of time effort and money invested in your back yard.

Answering your question, yes grass recovers nicely and stands up to the abuse an RC grass tracker lays down. At least the St. Augistine type grass here in Houston. It has runners rather than roots so is more susceptible to tearing damage than the rooting grass found up North. Your not having to deal with privacy fences aids in air circulation to keep grass healthy as well.

To further prevent track damage, limit my cars and trucks to 2s power and generally run 50-60% THR setting on the radio. After two consecutive days of running, usually allow a four-day rest and recovery period for the grass until running again. By then it needs a cut anyway. Hope this helps and answers the mail. -AC

 

[ahr43]

Another redeeming factor of a backyard grass track is its easier to convince your significant other of the need to have one. Us guys salivate over a raw earth track. The ladies, not so much so. And, BIG AND, no permanent damage is done to the yard with a grass track. Track falls into disuse? No landscaping recovery issues.

Caveat. Cutting a grass track will leave a lingering pattern even after growing back. At least for a while. Not normally visible to the viewing eye, but the overgrown track pattern will show up as "memory" in photos. Again, at least for a while. Eventually that goes away too.

Good luck, Beer. Looking forward to what you come up with. -AC

 

[ahr43]

On a roll with a fresh track, so did a throw down with the AE MT10X. 10 laps each direction with a cool down in between to knock out the pine needles. Track image is MT10X pit lane on its out lap for TnT.

Recently fit up a set of Amain Upgrade RC 'Saw Blade' MT tires. Wanted to check out their performance. A.O.K. hook up. Thought maybe they might be too aggressive for the grass, but surprisingly not. Gearing was another concern. Geared 13/54//4.15. Thought it might be a bit high with the taller tires. Not so. 3660/3800Kv motor 120A ESC never broke 100deg F. 2s x5000 100C battery.

Track gets a rest now for four days. Hopefully we'll get some rain to encourage fall growth. Grass is getting a bit thin.

 

[Chubaka]

I’ve been tempted to cut an oval into my backyard, but I’ve put quite a bit of time and money into my lawn theres a deck for a drivers stand and the lawn is relatively level. does the grass grow back well?

View attachment 206831

I give you an "A". You didn't recieve an A+ because a few crooked lines and a few passes you seemed to go back over in the wrong direction resulting in a few mis matched stripes.

 

[Tunedfrog]

I’ve been tempted to cut an oval into my backyard, but I’ve put quite a bit of time and money into my lawn theres a deck for a drivers stand and the lawn is relatively level. does the grass grow back well?

View attachment 206831

The wife just looked at your pic and told me to get busy.