SoCalMitch

Which surface do you think would draw the most and keep the most racers for a local indoor track?

Carpet: easy on rubber tires, 12th scale friendly, cheaper and less work to install, more big races on carpet now, etc..

Asphalt: feels more like real racing, better image toward new drivers, better grip for rubber tires, etc..

94eg!

iTrader: (17)

Oooh, that's gonna be a touch call. I've only race asphalt (parking lot) so i'm not gonna be much help...

I12PonU

iTrader: (10)

Carpet is much easier to tires than asphalt. Easy on the cars and keeps the chassis plate clean. Not always, but in my experiene, carpet would have less rocks or debris to mess up your drive train and gears. Most importantly, carpet generally has better traction than asphalt. Carpet doesnt give tire squeals like asphalt, so some may be turned off by that. Some may not like carpet becasue of the need for tire traction compound.

Foxxrocket

+1

But I enjoy the unprodictable irregularity asphalt has on the outcome of a race.

Francis M.

iTrader: (2)

IMO, indoor asphalt would draw more people in the Socal area....

SWTour

iTrader: (9)

Years ago I visited an indoor flat track that was just the concrete floor that had something similar to a tennis court topping texture painted on to it.

It had great traction, didn't have the expense of ASPHALT, nor carpet. The owner said it was easy maintenance too....

Maybe an option?

jiml

iTrader: (3)

Go check out the 360 RC Speedway thread in the racing forum. They opened a year ago. They have an asphalt base and run carpet over it. They run on carpet in the winter, and on the asphalt in the summer.

So many racers whined about the lack of grip on the asphalt they put the carpet down early.

yyhayyim

iTrader: (26)

Not all carpet type work...if you don't have the good ozite carpet, it will not work as good.

Carpet hairs get wound up all over the drivetrain- the carpet fuss/hairs get in the axles, diffs, pulleys, etc, and its a pain to take out. Cant just blow it off.

Tubaboy

iTrader: (9)

Eh that happens to Ozzite from CRC as well though. I've pulled out enough carpet from race days to make my own little 1x1 foot track it seems.

Just kidding... but seriously, ozzite fuzzes pretty bad too. maybe not so bad on the newer stuff with the thicker backing though.

Paul

ALBERTO

iTrader: (23)

get ya facts straight!!! carpet went down early so people can prep for the Vegas race....

gees this information comes from someone who resembles Santa clause..... comes around once a year to race !!!!!! LOLOLOLOLOL

RCSteve93

iTrader: (11)

I was going to say something.

giantbill

Me too.

under200

iTrader: (9)

I race both. Carpet is much more predictable since parking lots have lots of surface irregularity. Plus carpet can be used year round and for 1/12 scale like you mentioned. Even minis can race on carpet. Key is not to cheap out on carpet and get good stuff like the stuff CRC sells. Carpet is expensive and you only want to put it down once.
Like others said, carpet is much more gentle on the cars. Note that cars are way faster on carpet too. Lots of traction. With rubber outside you have to worry about temps and having lots of different tires to match the temps. Inside the temp is controlled and it is easier to dial in the car.

Tony

Adis

What about wood? Some guys convert indoor basketball gyms into tracks

Hebiki

iTrader: (26)

me too. plus with carpet.. traction compound eventually builds up.. then you have CRAZY traction. asphalt has the option of being washed down to remove traction.

+1