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Thanksgiving Day Demolition Derby
If you were a kid in the '60s or early '70s, whenever you heard that the Wide World of Sports was on location in Islip, New York, you knew that meant only one thing - DEMOLITION DERBY!!!!
Flash forward 40 years, when I found out that my 4 year old nephew, and 6 year old god son were both coming to Thanksgiving dinner, I new that I needed to have a track up for them. This also seemed like a great opportunity to use the intersection track, and several large-radius curves that I had picked-up at the slot car show in September.
After a little work with the Ultimate Racer circuit design module, I came up with the circuit shown above. Ultimate Racer's library does not include an intersection track, so I had to fool it with overlapping 9" straights, but it all turned out just fine.
I set the concentric turns up just like you would a 4-lane track. I locked the track sections together so cars on the outside lane of the inner curve could slide onto the R15" curve sections. I was concerned about the young racers getting a little crazy and launching cars off the big turn, so I added a 3" high mylar wall, attached with A/FX billboard clips. This kept everything on the table.
Not to be outdone, I used the old A/FX billboards on the R9" curve on the other end of the track. If you look carefully, you can see the "Daytona Stripes" on the wall. Lots of good racing here!
This was also an opportunity to use my new terminal track/driver's station. Not everybody has a curved terminal track!
This was a fun circuit to run on: lots of speed in the large radius curves, a nasty R6" 'S' turn, and the occasional collision at the intersection.
With Christmas coming, the layout table had to go to make room for the tree, so I'll have the opportunity to build something new in January.
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Demolition Derby...
Posted by Big-T on Thu, 2011-12-15 19:34Demolition Derby...
I loved watching those on TV as a kid.
So tell me, how do you get these cars to run backwards? :-)
Big-T
Always fun
Posted by aussie ho on Fri, 2011-12-16 01:38The intersection tracks are always spectacularly fun! I have a dedicated set of cars which are Paddock Bashers intended solely for this kind of track. I have demolished quite a few bodies over the years but in the name of wholesome fun, I'm cool with it.
I may actually have the two rare intact Tomy AFX Demolition Set cars. They have specially modified spring loaded bodies which fly off on contact.
Let me know anyone if you're interested.
Special demolition cars
Posted by tabco on Fri, 2011-12-16 10:15No, I did not stay true to the prototype and run the cars backwards. I did select very common, mostly destroyed, or easily replaceable bodies for the fun. Sadly, there were very few collisions. I suppose the more modern version would involve several of the Auto World S'cool Buses.
I saw the demolition cars listed in Bob Beers' book. I think I would be more afraid of breaking the demolition cars, than of destroying the cars I decided to use. Truly a sad state of affairs for an "action" toy.
That is fun but...
Posted by Mark 67 on Fri, 2011-12-16 13:52To add one more element of excitment, try adding an HO train to the mix. Our current track has an
intersection followed up quickly by a train intersection. I think the kids have learned the lesson that
in a train vs. car match up, the train wins. Everytime.
But it does make for some excitement if you can squeak past the train and your opponent has to sit and
wait.
Silly!
Posted by Serge on Fri, 2011-12-16 15:11If you are going to get silly, why not do the Addams family thing and set up some explosives, rigged to a plunger! DUH!! ;)
S
PS I love it Joe!
"That's all I can stands cause I can't stands no more" Popeye the Sailor
Nice Joe!
Posted by mgbbrown on Fri, 2011-12-16 18:36GREAT article Joe and a wonderful layout! Glad to see those controllers being used Laddie! I know you enjoyed the carnage as much as the kids did! My brother and I never made a demo track, as our Grand Prix senic layout coud kill a car if it launched-Permacal scenery just was not that kind or forgiving! We did do a figure-eight layout though with our Lionel O-gauge train, but that does not count. All we could do with that was to launch a rocket from a platform rail car to hit an exploding box car-not too fun by slot car standards. We never went to a Demolition Derby or saw the Jack Kochman Hell Drivers at the North Carolina State Fair, but I know it would have been fun. God Bless! Tony mgbbrown
Always drink upstream from the herd. -Will Rogers
I remember..
Posted by Admin on Fri, 2011-12-16 19:37..my Dad took me to see Dan Fleenor and the Hurricane Hell Drivers - is that the same thing? I think it was at the Ohio State Fair. I may still have the program.
The more complex the mind, the greater the need for the simplicity of play.
-- Kirk in 'Shore Leave'
Same Thing Boss But Different Company
Posted by mgbbrown on Fri, 2011-12-16 19:48I am sure Boss that there are MANY of these Hell Driver teams as just about every county in every state is having a fair in the Fall, not to mention each of the individual State Fairs! They are stunt driving teams that travel endlessly I believe. Here is a picture of Dan Fleenor and the Hurricane Hell Drivers even! God Bless! Tony mgbbrown
Always drink upstream from the herd. -Will Rogers
That's pretty much what the
Posted by Admin on Fri, 2011-12-16 22:08That's pretty much what the cover of the program looked like!
The more complex the mind, the greater the need for the simplicity of play.
-- Kirk in 'Shore Leave'
Every year...
Posted by afx_guy1 on Fri, 2011-12-16 22:37Every year I would go to a local summer fair where there were nightly demolition derby races. When I think of the demolition derby I always think of the Happy Days episode with the infamous Malachi brothers and their Malachi Crunch maneuver. After a car was disabled, the Malachi brothers would get into position on either broad side of the car. In unison they would speed in reverse and 'crunch' the disabled car in between.
Happy Days to All,
Chris