# San Francisco Grand Prix Circuit



## Pete McKay (Dec 20, 2006)

My 4 lane oval is currently being sold, and part of the proceeds will be used to build a dedicated T-Jet street course based on streets found in central San Francisco.

This is a fictional course, and the whole idea for this is to link a series of hairpins with a decrease in elevation between them for the Lombard Street switchbacks. This is a famous landmark, known as the "Crookedist Street in the World" has been seen in the original Love Bug in the 1960's and many other films. Imagine racing vintage sports cars through that mess.

Here's how the city course would be laid out actually in San Francisco:










Using some GPS measurements and GOOGLE Earth I've determined this would be a total of 1.93 miles in actual distance. About average for a real world street course. Today I laid it out using 6" radius corners for the hairpins to get an idea of the track pice count. Because this file covers a big area I'm just going to offer the image link instead of posting it here:

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z262/FresnoPete/SFGP.jpg

This uses a LOT of the 6" corners because simply those corners are pretty sharp. Now, I reall want to use the 3" hairpins for the Lombard Street switchback but I didn't have an accurate image of them in scale with the rest of my track pieces. Ulitmately it will use the 3" instead of the 6" once it's laid out, but this was to get a general shape and how big the layout would wind up being. Which is only a 12' X 5' layout, well within my 15' X 10' area I have to work in. 

Elevation change from the top of Hyde Street to Powell Street is only about 6" to 9", with a 1" elevation change between the Lombard Street switchbacks. All of the elevation changes will be made with expanded (styro)foam boards because of the ease of working with it and weight. There won't be a lot of buildings on the inside of the roadcourse because it would block the drivers view, but along the outside and in the background there will be a generous amount of row houses and images of the downtown San Francisco city skyline. 

The start of this project is dependant on the sale of my oval, which should come pretty quickly at only $250 since I'm also throwing in a bunch of cars. Track alone is going to cost about $200, I will be going with the G-Jet power again and using Parma 90 to 110 ohm controllers because of the complexity of the track. I'm hoping to get it laid down by summers end, basic landscaping maybe this fall and completetion by this time next year. 

Racing would be with T-Jets primarily, vintage cars like 1960's Jaguars, Cobra's and Ferrari's, maybe a few Mustangs (Bullett anyone?) and Corvette's. I wouldn't rule out a magnet or G-Jet race once in a while too. 

I'll keep everyone up on this project as it progresses.


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## [email protected] (Jan 25, 2007)

*Lombard at 500 MPH*

Great Idea!! I live in the Mission and am into G3 cars. If you have a mailing list please keep me posted as I would like to hook up with some SF racers to help hone my car building skills. michael j [email protected]


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## roadrner (Jul 21, 1999)

Pete,
Bring on the pixs!  rr


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## Pete McKay (Dec 20, 2006)

Michael, I used to live at Lawton and 19th over near the park, I love The City and my oldest daughter still lives in the Nobb Hill area. I found a better set of track diagrams and will be mocking it up with the 3" hairpins shortly. I'm considering a chicane right there on Bay, a 90 degree left onto Jones followed by an immediate off-angle right onto Columbus and then a 45 degree back onto Bay. Also since you live there you know how steep that grade is on Francisco between where it doubles back and Hyde, I'm trying to figure a way to have that be really steep on the track too. It will actually be a lot cheaper to build with the 3" hairpins than with the 6" radius corners and it'll allow for a longer (and yes, more high speed) straight on Lombard to Columbus. The switchback onto Francisco will also be a 3" hairpin. 

For those of you that have never been to this area of SF, the streets where this takes place are for the most part concrete and at anything above the posted speed limit you car will be rattled apart. I had considered a course based in Haight-Ashbury but the contact high the drivers would get from driving past the grandstands wouldn't be condusive to racing.


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## Pete McKay (Dec 20, 2006)

OK, using a different set of templates here is what I came up with using the 3" hairpins:










The straight on Lombard gained 15" using this diagram, Hyde also gained a 15" straight but I'm concerned about how the course actually will lay out. This is only used as a guide and to get an idea of the layout size and a general track piece count. It gained a foot in width but it's still only 12' long so I'm still OK. 

The cost dropped by about $40 since the use of the 6" radius corners was removed by half. The "Oh $#!?" factor went way up with 5 hairpins though. This may prove to be an insane roadcourse for the T-Jets to be sure.


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## Crimnick (May 28, 2006)

Lived in half-moon bay for 6 years...if I still lived out there I'd be looking up the guys who currently have the Katz-spa-ring set up somewhere in San fran...

I think your track will rock pete....


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## tjd241 (Jan 25, 2004)

*This will be a cool build...*

The hairpins will be very interesting intermingled with the straights. I think GREAT for your tjets though. Not great with XT's, but that was on my layout and I run 99.9% tjets anyway. The SFGP is ready to break ground!! :thumbsup: .... Go for it Pete. dave


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## Pete McKay (Dec 20, 2006)

OK, here's the parts and price list:

Track pieces (Scale Auto): 1x 15" terminal, 11X 15" straight, 10X 9" straight, 1X 6" straight, 3X 9" 1/4 radius, 16X 6" 1/8 radius, 5X 3" hairpins. Total: $172.25

I'm also going to order a pair of 3" straights just in case my template will need tweeking, so add $4.50 for those.

90 Ohm Parma Controllers, alligator clip connectors: $35.00 each.

BSRT G-Jet power pack: $25.00

Total for the layout portion is: $271.75. I haven't priced out the wood but I can add another $60 for that. It's still coming in under $350 so that's pretty good.


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## scooter72167 (Dec 9, 2005)

I think you will get tired of those consecutive hairpin turns real fast. You will constantly be pushing and resloting cars there. maybe 6" turns would be better and then less straight after (or before depending on which direction you run.


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## Pete McKay (Dec 20, 2006)

Scooter, that's my thinking too, and the 6" turn track is being built by an associate of mine. The parts were ordered this week. He's not going to landscapre it either, it will be a flat track, but still pretty intense. I may do a road course of my own, maybe based on downtown Fresno or something.


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## Montoya1 (May 14, 2004)

Pete McKay said:


> OK, here's the parts and price list:
> 
> Track pieces (Scale Auto): 1x 15" terminal, 11X 15" straight, 10X 9" straight, 1X 6" straight, 3X 9" 1/4 radius, 16X 6" 1/8 radius, 5X 3" hairpins. Total: $172.25
> 
> ...


I'm pretty sure i have seen some posts about that transformer for a lot less cash than that, just minus the BSRT sticker!


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## Pete McKay (Dec 20, 2006)

Deene, I already have the powerpack.  Everyone is wanting to borrow it because of the adjustable voltage, I may just buy another one.


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## Montoya1 (May 14, 2004)

Pete McKay said:


> Deene, I already have the powerpack.  Everyone is wanting to borrow it because of the adjustable voltage, I may just buy another one.


OK, save some bux on the next one though!! How are ya healing at the moment by the way?

DW


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