For each rally there are 5 different circuits (or 'tramos') which are set up by club members. At the moment we have two people on each one which usually means that the whole job can be done in about 10 hours. I work along with fellow racer/club member Marc Sanchez and we are responsible for the 3rd of the five circuits. Here you'll find photos and descriptions of some of the circuits we have done.
| Here's the latest track which is just about finished. It's meant to simulate a rally stage from the Welsh Rally - so plenty of curves, changes in elevation etc. Photo courtesy of Domènec Quintana AKA Le Freak Photography. |
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| We have just finished setting up the first rally of the season - the Montecarlo Rally. First some photos of the early stages in the preparation. Once the boards are in place, the various ramps and bridges are positioned so that the circuit is not completely flat. It all gets covered with brown paper which helps later on in the decoration. Track pieces are added to make a total of between 130-140. Lap times usually fall between 13-16 seconds. Then comes the wiring - about 12 cables run from the track to the transformer/power supply. Then it is checked so that everything works properly and fixed with either small nails or staples. Finally, we add the decoration: stones, tree bark, moss, gravel, cork walls, houses, cars, spectators etc etc. This is practically the same method for each rally. The only differences are that we try to simulate the real thing - in terms of type of track (flat, uneven, fast, tricky), type of surface (asphalt, snow, gravel) and, of course, decoration. Let's hope that the punters appreciate all the hours we have put in and enjoy taking part. |
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| The Swedish Rally. Lots of polystyrene, lots of snow (flour!). Should be fun! I'm building a car dealer's as part of the decoration. See photos below. The main feature is the effect we get from using sheets of 5cm thick polystyrene. Sections of the track are placed on top of the polystyrene, marked and then we cut around them. Once the bits that correspond to the actual layout are removed, the track ends up surrounded by 'snow banks'. So that nothing gets wasted, the left-overs are used to create more relief. Looks great, especially when the flour is added! Here are three pairs of images showing the start of the snowfall. Finally the same curve during the rally. |
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| Fine gravel and lots of bumps in Finland. Three sharp interiors to start with then a slight dip leading into the long curve around the first lake. The long straight is not flat! (2 bumps) Three more curves and you are into the parallel straight - again more bumps to the tighter left hand curve around the second lake. The rest is fast - down to an interior, back up and then all around the edge until the S bends just before the finish. |
| Not quite flat with a hill climb for the Acropolis. A long straight section at the start into an interior, followed by three fast parallel interiors and around the edge to yet another interior. Then back to go round the big rock - another tight curve that we call 'the melon' (std curve, 2 interiors, std curve) followed by a long fairly straight section before climbing up to the church. Finally a tricky right-to-left descent into a wide left and right combination before finishing the lap. |
| Tight curves and very uneven for the Tour du Corse. Easy start up the hill but a very tricky bit where the hill flattens out! Work your way back down again - sharp left, sharp right, sharp left and wider right) into two interiors, then a fairly long straight before finishing the lap with a complex combination of interior curves around the rocks and the farmhouse. |
| Flat but tricky in Catalonia. |
