Blast From The Past Bash
Well thanks fo the advice but i dont have a big enough table but i asure you it will be well lit. Also im usin the outside to lanes so the dont get stuck on the start. The lanes r 1 and 4. If the lanes rnt fair what do u suggest doing?
Just work on calibrating your track as best you can. Take 2 of the same casting and roll them and just make sure they're close and consistent when you switch lanes.
As far as what to try to get them close...check the transition, that's where I've always found the problem to be. One lane is curved just a bit different than the other so one lane has better run off than the other. Just keep at it, trial-n-error, my friend.
I too second the 2 lanes in a row winning while alternating, it's fair even if it can take a long time (which is why I've switched to single elimination). Plus that's motivation to get the track fair as you can.
The bend is pretty even considering im using the 4 lane race way.
I might have to change up the track a bit (it will still be a 25.5' drag) but ill have elevate the track, b/c the 4lane isnt getting the cars far enough so ill just put up a long piece of wood and use that as my drop
If you post photos of your track set up I am sure that some folks will be glad to give you some pointers that would be helpful.
I'm considering entering this, though I do have a couple questions....
1) Do you have any pictures of your track and catchbox? Showing what the catchbox looks like is helpful (which I say since I know you're new here) since it shows people what their cars will be hitting/landing on/in at the end of the track.
2) Would the following casting of Thunderbird NASCAR count? I'm not entirely sure what year it's from. It looks like it raced in the 1990's, but the car itself may actually be from the 80's ... if you have time, feel free to look it up and make an objective decision:
First i would put pics on here but i cant figure it out they will be taking there anger out on my pillow, itll be secured. The nascar works but i would hold off bc im going 2 b doing a nascar event later this year. Date&name,tbd. The stocks and mods will race seperate. Therell be a winner for both then the winners will race each other. So if you entwr 1 of each car u can win all 3 prizes.
I like the enthusiasm I see here...I raced my Hot Wheels A LOT when I was a kid. I always had my 'Top 32' cars across the top of my roll-top desk (that desk is still my workbench...some things never change). So, if this site had existed when I was your age, I would have been all over it!
That being said, I'd like to offer some 'words of wisdom' for hosting a race. First of all, treat the cars very carefully...people have spent a lot of time making these cars fast...dropping them, or mishandling them can undo hours of work. So, please be careful with the cars.
Having a fair track is really important. You don't see me setting up my track before a race, or checking it. I leave my track up at all times, but I still check it over very carefully before each event. If one lane is faster than the other, it makes it very hard to have a fair race. You should also have very fair start and finish lines. The 3D Bot Maker stuff is really nice.
In order to win a race, I feel that a car has to win 2 races in a row on alternating lanes...no matter how many races that takes. This goes back to keeping the lanes accurate. If the track isn't dead straight and you have two cars that are really close, it can take 20 races to determine a winner...and that's no fun to watch.
And, lastly (and then, I'll get off my soapbox), you should have a good system to record videos. My track is on table and well lit, which makes it much easier for me to shoot pretty decent coverage of the races. I do it all on my phone and I shoot at 1/4 speed for the slo-mo.
I'm really happy to see new faces on here, and I wish you luck with your racing. Sorry for going on about the rules and such...I just want to be sure that all the racing is as fair as possible (I used to be the 'official' race director on here...I'm not sure, I might still be).
See ya in lane 2!