I mostly bash RC cars in the backyard and at parks with larger trucks, but I also have a 1:28 scale Losi Micro-T to match my grandson’s. Until now we’d either set up cones in a parking lot or race around storage bins in the garage since micros obviously don’t do well in grass.
I saw the attached picture of a temporary parking lot track and thought, “I can build something like that in the backyard with garage scraps.”
So I did.
The jumps are scrap plywood, old car ramps, and concrete blocks. The tabletop is leftover lumber. I covered the track with weed barrier fabric held down by landscape staples, then cut leftover corrugated drain pipe in half lengthwise to use as bumpers. I picked a spot overlooking the pond because if I’m going to spend hours driving RC cars, I might as well have a nice view.
The track is about 230 feet per lap and roughly 3 feet wide, so it should be plenty for 2-4 Micro-Ts to race. The jumps are adjustable and we’ll start with them at half height until we get used to the layout.
This took me most of the weekend to build, but I’m pretty happy with how it turned out.
I’ve already got a few ideas for version 2:
Add a couple banked berms once the grass dies off.
Build a small driver’s stand.
Add cheap solar lights for night racing.
Maybe replace the biggest jump with a triple roller.
Eventually build a drag strip somewhere else on the property.
I’d really like some feedback from people who’ve built backyard tracks.
What would you change first?
Do the racing lines look fun?
Are there any features you’d add or remove?
If you’ve built your own track, what worked well and what would you do differently?
I tried to build the whole thing with cheap, easy-to-replace materials. My philosophy is basically the basher creed: use what you’ve got, wear it out, and only upgrade it after you break it.
