Oppo Challenge: Rallycross Course Design

"Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney" (braddelaparker) 09/21/2020 at 12:25 • Filed to: None

0

16

My mom’s family has owned this piece of land since the late 1800s; it’s now (mostly) hers and she’s really itching to start doing something with the land for our family to be able to enjoy on the weekend. Had a conversation this weekend and, lo and behold, my grand master plan to cut a rallycross course into our property has been approved. The hunt for a beater Subaru has begun!

Ergo, if anyone is interested in helping me brainstorm how to design a track for the property, I would appreciate any input! I’m thinking a mini-Le Mans replica around the perimeter of field 2 for now; we still have someone farming a little bit to keep our ag exemptions, but we’re going to let that lapse sooner than later.

Also, if anyone has any thoughts on physically cutting/grading the track into the property, that would be great. I’m thinking one weekend this fall I’m going to rent a bobcat and move some dirt around and see what happens; I’ll need to bring in outside fill gravel or something at some point, but we’re taking baby steps here. For drainage reasons I’m thinking I should make the course proud of/crowned on the surrounding dirt, not cut the track into and below the existing property level, although that also sounds like more work

Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney 09/21/2020 at 12:57

1

And I cannot stress enough that this thing will represent a standing open invite to all oppos once ready. Location is about 45 minutes south of Dallas, TX.

Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney 09/21/2020 at 13:03

1

My initial distorted Le Mans layout. The more fiddly bits between the Porsche Cruves and Tetre Rouge would probably be simplified into a simple slalom, but overall I like the idea here. It probably shouldn’t run too close to the pond/creek as there’s a good dropoff there, but it’s such a nice view that I want to incorporate it.

3point8isgreat > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney 09/21/2020 at 13:18

3

Property with that kind of space is the stuff of dreams.

Are some of those turns too small to be reasonable? The bits in the top right look super tiny.

Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney > 3point8isgreat 09/21/2020 at 13:31

0

It’s pretty cool to have access to. In the real world it’s a bit of a “meh” property because it’s not particularly valuable, it’s not big enough for large scale growing or for a real “ranch” and it’s not in an exceptionally beautiful part of the state for turning into a pure weekend getaway, but my brother and I have managed to turn it into just a bit of fun 45 minutes from the city that we can go camp at, ride bikes around, shoot some sporting clays, and just relax . Really trying to make more use of it now that I have a kid who adores being outdoors.

Yes, you’re 100% correct, i’ve ridden dirt bikes out there and they’d even struggle with that section at the top . Most of the fiddly corners will be smoothed out or turned into a straightforward slalom section. Mulsanne corner in the bottom left will have to be significantly widened too.

3point8isgreat > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney 09/21/2020 at 13:39

0

Having just moved to the DFW area this summer, I feel like I’d consider that land expensive. But I guess being a ways outside of town it probably is less than I’d initially think. Land back in kansas was just silly cheap.

Are there any gaps in that tree line divinding the fields? Might be neat to have the option of opening it up across both.

Fuckkinja > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney 09/21/2020 at 13:40

1

1 mile lap around the outside of the field. I just drag a 12’ harrow when the bumps get bad. Going around the edges gives me the ability to farm the rest. Also I have Almost 2 miles of 50” wide quad trails brush hogged through the woods.

Start by  mowing your track. Hoon it until it gets rutted and breaks up the grass. Then get a tractor to add or remove dirt. A farm tractor with a loader bucket and a back blade works the best. You can tilt the back blade for banked corners or drainage. 

CaptDale - is secretly British > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney 09/21/2020 at 13:43

0

Hey that is pretty cool!

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney 09/21/2020 at 13:46

1

I like your Le Mans idea, but you can easily fit Daytona and its infield layout inside it too. Gotta have a simple dirt oval and some more fiddly technical bits.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney 09/21/2020 at 14:11

1

i don’t know how crazy you want to get raising the whole track or just corners, but I would plan on more than a weekend. My deadbeat cousin and his friends ignored the stay at home and spent a couple weeks building, riding and partying on their homemade track.

I would try building in sections so you can enjoy and not hate what you’re doing . Also how are straights on a rallycross? without a baja runner I would guess your spine maxes out before the car? idk I imagine more corners = more fun.

Taylor Martin > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney 09/21/2020 at 15:24

1

Full disclosure: I don’t know a damn thing about track design . I haven’t even really been on one. I just wanted to doodle a scribble.

T he only thing I see fit for that top section of the property is a gravel drag strip, though I’m not sure how smart that would be, or how possible that is, but it’s just a thought.

Whatever you do decide to do, and however the track turns out, I’ve found a reason to get down to Dallas. If t he completion of this track comes around the time Covid is a distant memory, it could serve as a fantastic venue for an Oppo meet.

Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney > 3point8isgreat 09/21/2020 at 15:55

0

It’s south of Waxahachie, so not nearly as valuable as the stuff north of town. It certainly wouldn’t be cheap to acquire today , but I guess I (mistakenly) always think of it not being valuable because when I grew up going out there it was literally worth almost nothing, and because it’s not going anywhere during my mom’s lifetime anyway.

Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney > Taylor Martin 09/21/2020 at 15:57

0

Probably won’t touch the top section as that will be left for planting sunflowers or something of the sort to attract dove, but I definitely considered the dragstrrp.

Dig your doodle, though, that’s much more in line with what more traditional rallycross tracks look like and would keep the speeds in check.

100%, shoot me a message if you’re down here after all this junk is over and if I’ve actually followed through on this dumb idea we can go blast around.

Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas 09/21/2020 at 15:58

0

Oh I know it will certainly take more than one weekend to get things going. I’m going to start in sections like you suggest, to test my commitment to the idea, the viability of how i want to do it, and just how much time I’ll make to enjoy it once I commit to it. A buddy suggested i do it like the MSR tracks in Houston/Fort Worth where you have a bunch of random sections of track that you can stitch together in myriad different circuits.

Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas 09/21/2020 at 15:59

0

Spine will definitely max out before the car, you make a very good point. Single biggest task here will be moving enough dirt around to smooth out the really big undulations (Texas soil is horrific, I cannot believe my ancestors ever farmed on this clay junk for a living).

Taylor Martin > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney 09/21/2020 at 17:30

0

I always felt like more lines means more track which means longer laps which means more time behind the wheel for anyone looking to have a hoot. Kinja needs a messaging system, the only way to get in touch with folks on here is to comment on one of their posts. Keep us updated if you do go through with it (which you should, you’d be the coolest kid in school).

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney 09/21/2020 at 23:37

1

the mini tracks linked is a neat idea. Can mix it up so not getting bored.