wes862

Is it me or is indoor carpet offroad growing in north america?

Seeing allot of black carpet offroad events pop up on my news feed.

Allot of indoor clay guys are stating that its not real racing....

My timeline feed shows the opposite.

Debating taking some old gray crc carpet out and giving it a go locally

What are your thoughts?
Is it growing?

Silverbullet555

iTrader: (16)

It's popular for sure. The soaring RE prices made it more challenging from a cost perspective, but more tracks are popping up. Some good ones are closing. Several of the tracks that have closed didn't close because of a lack of business.

If you do it, I'd try to diversify though. Up until next month, our local track only runs carpet off road. They are adding oval and roadcoarse which will bring in different types of racers. More racers is better.

wes862

We currently rollout and set up every other weekend onroad.
Debating adding indoor offroad to the mix with our old gray carpet.

RobS

Everybody wants to run with high grip these days... Car's don't get dirty. Track changes take a fraction of the time and are likely more frequent. Track maintenance is minimal and track is more consistent compared to dirt. I can only see carpet racing continuing to gain popularity despite the reservations some hardcore dirt racers have about it.

wes862

Can't seem to find rental spot that would allow indoor bobcat use unleess its industrial ( on the regular )
Indoor carpet seems to be the hit thing for offroad..
Consistent. 1/10th of the time for a track change.
Seems like a good way to keep things going during the cold months and maybe weeknights During outdoor season.
Keep onroad track, maybe switch to weeknights during the summer aswell.

Will see allot of ideas up in the air....

Silverbullet555

iTrader: (16)

There are a ton of options. In the Northern zone where it's been near freezing day and night for a couple weeks, indoor is the only option and carpet provides a ton of value. Then you have the ones that roll out for a weekend then go back into storage. Turf is another cool option as well. I have kids and keeping them corralled indoors is so much easier. And, my wife doesn't freeze when she comes to the track. I remember my mom coming to the track in the 80's and freezing while we raced.

Cain

iTrader: (294)

Agreed here on the ease of carpet indoors versus a dirt based track. Easier to setup and change, cleaner cars in general as well as the location, etc.

biggest thing though is cost of the facility location if you can get your foot in the door. A Hobbyshop that has some creative ways to support the space can make it happen. I have heard a big track in the region based on sales of its food items generates either a large portion or all of what is needed at least for the track portion of the location.

kevinsreell

iTrader: (7)

I stopped racing clay offtoad due to the tire costs. Seems like clay tires would last 1 - 2 weeks racing. If you ran 3 classes it would easily be $100 a week just in tires. Carpet/astro tires last longer and are less expensive.

MX304

iTrader: (21)

That depends on the turf or carpet being used. I have been to an astro track that killed tires as fast, or faster, than clay. My personal favorite is the black CRC carpet with a tire rule that mandates slicks and no tire sauce. Tires last a long time, several race weekends in some cases, grip is a little less than a pin tire, but still high grip.

Bcollins82

iTrader: (2)

This is absolutely the way forward… Not only is carpet a million times easier to deal with for an indoor track, easier to find space to put it in, easier track changes, more types of racing on the same area (oval, road course, off-road can all share 1 racing surface) easier on car maintenance, you couple it with a slick tire rule, and carpet wear goes down, and all the dirt guys can bring their cars inside for the winter and be competitive without building carpet specific rides, along with longer tire life. It’s a winning combination if racers will accept that it’s the most sensible way forward for indoor RC in urban areas instead of turning their nose up at it.

b-man777

Hey all: other than rc madness in CT and some tracks in Europe why so few indoor or outdoor Astroturf track? Thanks…🤔😎🐝

Cain

iTrader: (294)

What exactly is the tire you all are using with those rules and how are you teching for any sauce being applied to the tires or tires that have been conditioned, etc?

ChocoTaco73

iTrader: (5)

At the NCTS4 race here in March tech basically just checked that your tires were dry, it was a no sauce race and most everyone was using Fuzz Bites.

dbracn

iTrader: (28)

Another reason at least in the Midwest with dirt/ clay is the moisture and mold. Most landlords don’t want the dirt for that reason plus takes time to change. Carpet is more popular due to ease of setup/change, variety of classes that can be run, off-road on road, and easier to rent space. Cleaning is about the same with dirt or fuzz but tires are a little easier to use in carpet compared to dirt and having to sand sauce and burn.

Cain

iTrader: (294)

thanks, was thinking more so the slicks the MX304 mentioned.