Proposed model car racing track

 

 

What can be used to race?

Radio controlled electric and (IC) petrol model cars.

 

When will racing take place?

Club meetings will take place every other Sunday from about 9am to 4pm.

Up to 10 national races per year to cover various scales of car, these would take place on a Sunday or over an entire weekend.

Club members can also use the track to practice on at other specific times, including Saturdays and occasional early evenings during the summer months.

 

Who and how many will take part?

Young and old all participate in this sport at different levels of competence.

Non club members are welcome to race and practice as guests of the club. We request that individuals become club members after three meetings as a guest.

Sunday club meetings can vary in numbers between 40 to 80 drivers.

The size of the track can effect the number of racers that will attend club meetings and use the track; 1/8 and 1/5 scale models can only be raced on large circuits due to their size.

 

Track location and size

Any piece of unused, relatively flat land not adjacent to neighboring properties will be considered, the potential site can be of literally any shape as a track can be designed to suit the location.

As far as size is concerned, the development of a new race track would require a piece of land ¾ the size of a football pitch. This would be quite adequate to accommodate the smaller scale models and local model enthusiasts.

Moving on a little a site of 1 ½ to 3 acres (1 acre = 4400 square meters) would be required to cater for all scales of models, including 1/8 and 1/5 IC models and also have enough space for parking, camping and the sighting of essential buildings.

There are many different factors, which need to be taken in consideration when looking for a suitable location, some of these include: -

Vehicles access to track.

The sighting of permanent or temporary buildings, (Essential and other).

The nearest residential building should be at least 500 meters from track.

Drainage and water availability.

Hard standing foundation for new track surface.

 

Track and Club considerations

The details above touch on a few of the points that will need to be considered when finding and planning the development of a new model car race track. Detailed below are some main factors that would be essential for the development and running of a basic club. Other points address issues that only need to considered when planning a track that is able to accommodate national and even international meetings.

1. Club members will require vehicle access to the track.

2. Parking should be adjacent to any track location.

3. Camping availability for a maximum of six national events during any year.

4. Water and drainage accessibility on site, for the location of toilets and wash facilities.

5. To ease the issue of planning, the site should ideally have an existing building on it of some nature so that the erection of new buildings does not alter the landscape.

6. To enable the club to operate on race days it will require the erection of permanent or temporary buildings; these include a race control, rostrum and pit area.

 

The noise issue

All model car racing clubs within the United Kingdom all adhere to the British Radio Car Association noise standard.

The club membership is split 50/50 between electric and IC model cars. Electric cars generate no noticeable noise and only some (IC) petrol cars generate higher levels of noise.

Possibly locating the site within an area of high background noise, e.g. adjacent to a motorway or busy main road would disguise the element of noise that is generated whilst racing these models.

The use of a public address system may be required at some events to relay updated race information.

 

Funding & sponsorship

Bournemouth Radio Auto Club requires additional sponsors to assist in the development of a new track. We already have the backing of several major UK manufacturers of IC & electric cars.