My Tracks Challenge #1 - Gillingham

[Flaming_Wuzzle]

In the late 1960s, Gillingham Raceway was built as a place for local auto enthusiasts to show off and race their cars. The track was a short blast at 1 mile (1.6 km), with laptimes coming in at around 35-40 seconds for most vehicles. The circuit enjoyed moderate success until 1981 when noise complaints from the nearby village forced the track's closure.

Over 2 decades later, the rights to the land on which the circuit was located was sold to new owners. By this time, the auto racing crowd had regrown and demanded a new place to race. The now-forgotten raceway nearby was in a state of disrepair, with grass growing through most of the tarmac surface. The circuit's new owners, both avid motor racing fans, proposed that the old Gillingham Raceway be revived and updated to serve the needs of today's cars. And thus, the search was on for someone to carry out this plan.

You have been selected to update the circuit. You have been given a plot of land to work with, the remains of the track being near the center. The owners have given you the requirements of the design:

1) You can't go outside the property's boundaries (the blue line)
2) The track needs to be lengthened, preferably to about double the original length, but can go beyond that.
3) Most of the original track should be used.
4) You must update the facilities, as well as make the circuit safe. Also, the owners would prefer that a new pit/starting area be built, or at least update the current one.

The challenge has been set, so have fun.

[Mike_Wooshy]

intresting layout reminds me of Westwood racing circuit .... ill give it a look later ive finnished off the vodie .... i take its flat ??? and there isnt much hills in the area we can use ???

[Flaming_Wuzzle]

Yeah, the area's flat, only height difference of note in the picture is the village, which sits on a small hill. Sorry for not clarifying that in advance.

[f1freak]

Well, here is my edit...



OK. All of the 'original' circuit is still in working condition, bar a few changes near the esses...

I've obviously added a lot of stands in. However, not all of them have to be there... (note the laziness on my behelf as most of them are rectangles and not on any angles )...

I'm rather happy with this edit, except for the Southern part of the track with the long straight and hairpin, however, it does suit the overall layout of the track...

I presure that the original circuit was clockwise. My edit of the circuit is indeed clockwise...

Also, minimal trees had to be cut down to make room for the extension, no total demolishing as seen at Hockenheim, just making room for the track...

So... What do you all think???...

[the_royksopp]

Nice, Freak!

Here are my thoughts,

[Mike_Wooshy]

both very nice im going to add mine up after tea ive been working on it all day.

[Mike_Wooshy]

okay there it is ... i havent thourght to much on the grandstands but this is what i had cam e up with .. but ill add more details later.

[the_royksopp]

Nice!

The figure eight is perhaps a bit small though? I'd figure a figure-8 has to be pretty much equal on each side in order to make it work. Otherwise, it's perhaps too expensive to build?

[Mike_Wooshy]

well yes it could be expensive but i was drawing insperation from oran park ...... and trying to get a track with many diffrent corners and to be diffrent and challenging for the driver, i didnt think as much about cost. but yes your right it would be expensive id imagine.

[the_royksopp]

Wait a sec? Didnt the original version go clockwise? I designed my version to do so.

[Mike_Wooshy]

yes yes clockwise ..... but the last corner kinda reminded me of the first corner at oran ... but going the oposite way ... of course mine has a cross over in it so its now anti clockwise.

[Alex Hodgkinson]

lol nice tracks

[the_royksopp]

Heh, thx .

I just realise, doesnt my version look slightly like Catalunya?

[mandretti39]

Here's my go at Gillingham Raceway...


I was trying to come up with something that was long and flowing.

The black box is the grandstands. The blue box is the paddock/garage.

[pirenzo]

I like TR's attempt a lot.

[the_royksopp]

Hehe, thx P .

[f1freak]

OK, here are my quick little opinions...

tr, indeed it does look a bit like Catalunya, but anyway... It seems like there are too many long medium speed corners... the track just drags on with them. Sorry to say, but if I think about it, it seems like it has a Hungaroring feel to it (...sorry, this is basically the worst comment anyone can make about anyones circuit, however )... Sorry, and please don't take this to heart, but I don't know. It's always best to be honest ...

Mike, I can see the resemblance to Oran Park, however I'd have to compare the circuit more to Assen. There aren't that many straights at all, it has a lot of these little mindless corners, which I like it circuits ... I like it, good job mate...

mandretti, as I said with Mike's go at it, it reminds me a lot of Assen. No straight, just corners everywhere, which is good. The track is very simple, and doesn't have a lot of technical challenging pieces in it. It looks like a breeze to drive, however I shouldn't get too cocky, because circuits which look easy, usually end up like a ***** to drive ... The only thing which I don't like about the circuit is the fact that you used VERY LITTLE of the original circuit, however, other then that, I like it...

[Mike_Wooshy]

Ive edited mine a bit ..... okay alot urm i dunno if its any better .......



whaddya think ???

[wensleydale]

In a fit of madness/boredom, i've decided to give the challenge a shot:



this scheme has focussed mainly on points 3 & 4 of the brief.

Originally Posted by Flaming_Wuzzle

3) Most of the original track should be used.

All of the original track is serviceable except for the last corner(s) which were modified to provide a larger pit-lane and paddock.

Originally Posted by Flaming_Wuzzle

4) You must update the facilities, as well as make the circuit safe. Also, the owners would prefer that a new pit/starting area be built, or at least update the current one.

The paddock area has been surfaced and the access road realigned to maximise available space.
Start/Finish straight has been lengthened and widened as has pit-lane, and gravel traps have been located at several corners on the circuit.
Roads have been built through the trees to provide access to stands (although pedestrians would be allowed to roam)
Two foot bridges have been provided to allow access to the centre of the circuit.

finally, as a little extra, i've added a link road so the circuit can be run in different configurations (or only built to this length if the budget is tight)

so, comments?

[Mike_Wooshy]

nice 1 Wensleydale, and welcome to our humble of ode (sp?)

[crozier74]

TR - Don't like that, soz Only one decent passing spot, and the rest just drags on mindlessly.

Mandretti - Nice Very old school, loads of fast flowing corners. Would use the old esses instead of your new tighter ones, but other than that, brillaint

Wensleydale - Very very nice, got a lovely shape and flow to it Again, could be a bit tricky to pass, but it'd make a perfect club track Welcome

Mike - Lacking in passing opportunities, but it's got potential for sure. Original use of maximising available land Oh, btw, "abode"

I'll maybe have a go soon.

[crozier74]

[Mike_Wooshy]

Hay croizer first of mate ... your track really good i love it flows really well ..... would be a tight fit in the land we had to use but great .

[the_royksopp]

Wens, nice!, Croz, pretty good too . I dont see how you can find a lack of overtaking spots in my circuit though?

[pirenzo]

My go, at last...