I decided to build a track in my back yard this winter, as there are no tracks near to where I live and I am bored of using my car in the same place every time. I have attached a picture of what I want it to look like.

The track will be made of garden soil, and logs will form the edges. I might add a few obstacles if it works well. It will be a private track, used only by me and my friends and family. I will be using my Savage X SS on it, and I will also be converting my Savage X RTR for on-road use (see Savage XDrag™ thread) at the same time. I hope to have it finished by late March, and I will update this thread periodically.

If you have any suggestions or comments, please post them, as I am interested in all of your opinions!

Looks good, although I would add a few more jumps if I were you. If you put them just before the corner it makes it harder, as you will very quickly get bored of an easy track. It means you need to learn a new skill to jump fast and then slow down and get the speed right for the corner. Just makes it a bit more exciting.

It seemed as if something was missing; now I know what it is! I will add a jump or two to the track, and I will move the first jump closer to the turn.

Can I use normal garden soil / compost (the stuff used in flower beds and pots) for my track, or will it be to soft? I have loads of the stuff lying around, and it seems like a good idea...

Might be a bit soft, at BMX tracks they use a layer of granite dust to stop it all getting messy, you could use that.

I made a track by hand, but it came out way too small, so make sure you have one big enough, or you will get bored.

Maybe next time I should use my tractor...

I agree with a guy who wrote into a magazine. He said that MT tracks should have multiple surfaces because that's what they're made for. It might be a lot of work, but it would be fun to drive! Grass, dirt, concrete, asphalt, gravel, rocks, and anything else you can think of. I'm just jealous you're gonna have a track in your backyard.

Boy try to find a good tire that with handle all those well!!!!!!! I would stick with packed dirt.

I'll see which dirt I can use. 46u, I will be using the Dirt Bonz that come with my Savage X SS.

Mate, what size have you got to work with?

I don't know about them, but Pro-Line Mashers look pretty verstile as far as what surfaces because of the treads. However, since he's going with dirt, I guess it doesn't really matter. Are you going to be racing a stock Savage, or are you going to lower it and modify it for dirt?? Some good jumps would be great for your track. Hope it turns out well for you.

I will be racing my Savage X SS, which will be specially set up for the track.

SpikeX, what size area have you got to make the track....

I don't have a really big area because we are moving house in just over a year, so I cannot make the track permanent (no digging etc.). I would say a tad over 20m x 15m (65ft x 50ft), with part of the area going sharply down. [>:]

UPDATE: I have changed the plans a little to make more use of the space available. I will post these plans soon, along with pictures of the area I have to work with.

Here are a few pictures I took today of where the track will be built. There is a problem with my scanner so I cannot post the new plans.

The first picture is where the main part of the track will be. As you can see, in the top of the first picture, the ground turns sharply right and descends. This is where I took the second picture, looking down, and is where the other part of the track will be. The third picture is the same as the second, but looking up from below. Sorry for any confusion!

You got a nice plot to build your track.

It looks a bit small.
I thought my garden was small for a track but if it works out for you then shouldnt be a problem for me.
Although im not planning on making one anyway.

Thanks. I have a couple of questions:

Are logs suitable as barriers for the side of the track? Most people use PVC pipe but it is very expensive, and (this may sound stupid), is also very bad for the environment.

Because I don't have a very large area, I would like to make the lanes 1.5m (5 feet) in width, instead of the normal 2.4m (8 feet). Will this be too narrow? There will be a maximum of three cars on the track at one time.

Should I use wood to make the jumps and then cover the wood with dirt, or should I just make the jumps out of dirt?

That looks pretty small for a real, curvy track. I'd just make it a lane down and a lane back with turn-arounds at the ends(so, a long oval).., and instead focus on the jumps. What would be coolest of all would be to bank the ends..

On a side-note, not that I've ever raced, but I think a BMX track would be the ideal track, with banks and BIG jumps, and not all these little snaky, bumpy, flat things I see in the vids.. That's why the whole world is going to truggies I guess..

PatrickBW, I have changed the layout completely to make the best use of the space available. It has a lot less turns, but more obstacles, including jumps, a set of doubles, shark's teeth, and moguls. I forgot to say I am making the ends banked anyway, especially the bottom, so I can maintain some speed during the corners.

I think you could make the lanes narrower, but maybe widen it up a bit for the corners. Actually, that would be good, wide corners, but then goes think down the straights, so the only over taking to be done would be on the corners.

Logs is a really good idea. People seem to forget about the enviroment in this hobby... If not logs, you could try some wood, stick it in the ground upright, and use that. But remember when using wood for the jumps and the sides, it WILL rot after time. If you do use wood, paint it in the cheapest gloss you can find. Give the bits that tough the ground 2 or 3 coats, and it WILL make your wood last a whole lot longer, I say double its life, at least. Worth it for some real cheap paint down the hobby store. I would make the jumps out of soil, but that will take a lot of digging, so it would be a lot easier to use wood. Depends how devoted you are.

I will make the lanes 1.2m (4 feet) wide then to save some dirt for the jumps. I already have a 30cm (1 foot) high wooden ramp that I made, and it has already been treated against rotting, so I think I will use it.

PS, I will not have to do any digging because I am buying the dirt from a garden centre, as I am not allowed to dig in the back yard (we only rent our house).

Sorry to sound like a complete treehugger in my last post. The truth is, even though I am only 12, I care a lot about the environment. I think it is so idiotic of some people to hunt whales, club seals etc., mostly for fun.

I want to make my track as eco-friendly as possible, such as using dead logs (we have a forest next to our house) for the sides of the track and a mixture of compost for the dirt etc.

I like to preserver the enviroment too. I'm 14, and think its a good idea. If we dont do something, we wont get much of a life otherwise. I mean the oil is expected to run out in OUR lifetime, so saving oil by using dead logs instead of plastic is a very good idea.

Since we moved house, there have been a lot of things such as old beds, wooden boxes etc. that we don't need. So, I disassembled (or destroyed) what we didn't need and put it in a corner of the garage. I have been able to build 3 ramps (various sizes) and 2 stands for my car (one broke) out of the wood I have in there, and I still have more than half left over. I will use some to make a drivers' stand and markers etc. for the track.

I think it is a great way to re-use materials and save money.

Also, I do the same to old electronic equipment that we don't need. I had an electric crane that I had had since I was five, and obviously I didn't use it any more. So, I disassembled it, and I managed to salvage 4 electric motors, electrical wires, and a speaker, from something that would have otherwise been thrown away. Who knows what I can build from those parts?

I will start laying everything out for the track tommorow and will post pictures and plans as soon as them become available.

If it was from a crane, the motor is strong? Could always make a winch to mount to the front of the savage?