Pete
Here in Cols Oh we use clay/pulverized topsoil 40/60. we never use an additives indoor or outdoor we change track layout completely every 5-6wks so maintenance is .... often automaticly dealt with.
Watering ....WOW is there alot of opinions on this.
1st- traction is prefered over loose surface, so we feel watering is important. 1 thing we have noticed is when watering if only top 2-3in are gettin water then track will get tore-up. We are developing a method of watering the dirt under the track to keep moisture and surface tougher.
2nd- watering must be done as a 2part spray method, water 60-70% of desired water 1st time around track then go back to starting point and track looks and is dryer then water again. you end up given it more water than any other method and it is deeper in soil. The 1st pass soaks in and when you come back around dirt is wetter deeper and sucks it even further in to soil. Another method used at an outdoor track near Cincinatti is pulverized mulch (much finer than what u put in a garden) mixed in 2 adv 1> it allows soil expansion and contraction 2> holds moisture and adds traction.
Soap we find it does hold moisture and seems to allow water to penitrate dirt faster and deeper, but careful soap and water can get slippery.
The harder the surface the more it tends to eat tires and chewup chassis, I cant afford to replace $60-80 sets of tires either.
Poorly maintained track surfaces is a key reason why 1/10 nitro is all but dead and 1/8e is growing. If trend continues we will all be runnin 1/5 so we can get over the fricken pot holes
Just thoughts that work for us.
Last edited by nitrohead1; 07-02-2009 at 07:06 PM.