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Track Layouts
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This section provides suggestions for building several HO Scale Slot Car Racing layouts. All of the layouts described here have been built and tested by the author. Emphasis has been placed upon creating layouts that are both fast and challenging, while fitting a long lap length in the smallest available space.
All layouts are designed to be built using the widely available Tomy AFX track system. A few of the layouts, where noted, can also be built using Mattel Tyco plastic track sections.
If you are new to HO Scale Slot Car Racing, or only now returning after a long absence from the hobby, I can highly recommend the Tomy AFX Super International Race Set as a good first set. It includes an enormous amount of track, including an assortment of 6", 9" and 12" radius turn sections.
Enough track is contained in this set to build a 4-lane racing circuit with a lap length of over 25 feet. See the Race Sets page for details and all of the track layouts that can be built with just the track from this set.
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The Tomy AFX Super International Race Set, along with providing a good selection of track sections, also includes two 22 VDC power packs, four (4) controllers and four (4) AFX Super G-Plus cars. The cars included in this set alone often sell for up to $25.00 each, so purchasing this complete set is a truly great deal.
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Listed below is an inventory of the track, slot cars and accessories included in the Tomy AFX Super International Race Set:
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The Tomy AFX Super International Race Set includes Track Layout Sheets to recreate the entire Formula 1 season.
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Tomy has recently introduced a second 4-lane race set, the Tomy AFX 4-Way Split. While not providing the variety of track sections that the Super International includes it does contain a good number of 12" radius turns. Combining a Super International and 4-Way Split will allow you to build a layout with several wider turn radius sizes.
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The list below is an inventory of the track, slot cars and accessories included in the Tomy AFX 4-Way Split Race Set:
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Paper Clip
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This raceway also fits on a single 36" × 80" table like the Tuckaway 25 illustrated above. This particular layout incorporates an overpass section to provide for longer, faster straights.
In addition to a Super International Challenge set this layout can be built with (8) 15 inch straights, (6) 9 inch straights and (6) 12 inch turn sections.
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View Color-Coded Track Section Drawing
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The table below lists the Tomy AFX track sections required to build the Paper Clip raceway:
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Paper Clip Raceway Lane Lengths:
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Ravinia 35
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The layout illustrated below fits on a single 4 × 8 foot table and provides a lap length of 35 feet per lane. The infield section is fast and provides a challenging technical section. See the Construction section for step-by-step instructions for building this raceway.
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View Color-Coded Track Section Drawing
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Cars travel counter-clockwise on the outer portion of the track. The main straight leads into a 90 degree right-hand turn followed by a 225 degree hairpin section. Upon exiting the hairpin the cars must negotiate a pair of 45 degree left-hand turns before accelerating down the infield straight.
A decreasing radius turn at the end of the infield straight feeds onto a short chute followed by a sweeping carousel turn before exiting out and onto the back straight. A pair of 90 degree left-hand turns punctuated with a medium-speed straight leads back onto the main straight again.
This particular layout incorporates many of the turn styles as described in the Design section, while still fitting on a single 4×8 foot table. This 4×8 foot raceway is my favorite layout for a smaller, flat racetrack. See the Scenic Hills 33 above for my choice of elevated 4×8 foot raceways suitable for authentic landscaping.
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The table below lists the Tomy AFX track sections required to build the Ravinia 33 raceway:
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This design is ideal for modern Tomy AFX slot cars as well as older Model Motoring Thunderjets. If you're looking for a race track design that will be both challenging and still fit on a smaller 4×8 foot table this is a great raceway to build.
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International 39
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This next track layout also fits on a single 4×8 foot table and uses the Tomy AFX Super International Racing Set in addition to one dozen 15" straight track sections. This layout makes use of every track section contained in the Super International. This design packs a 39 foot lap length on to a simple 4×8 foot table.
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View Color-Coded Track Section Drawing
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If you own the Tomy AFX Super International Racing Set and are thinking about building a permanent HO race track this is an inexpensive layout to construct. Just add a dozen 15" straights and you'll have an excellent raceway. The circuit is comprised of three fast straights with a technically challenging infield section.
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The table below lists the Tomy AFX track sections required to build the International 39 raceway:
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HO Challenge
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This next track layout was designed for the now-defunct HO DL Challenge. This racing series allowed you to compete with other HO Slot Car racers from around the world using this standard track configuration.
Because the track layout remained the same for all racers, lap times could simply be compared to see who the World's Fastest HO Slot Car Racers really were.
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View Color-Coded Track Section Drawing
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This challenging 4-lane racing circuit has a lap length of 32.64 feet and can be built on a single 4×8 foot table using the Tomy AFX Super International Racing Set in addition to these extra track sections:
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If you have ever wondered about your driving skills or your ability to prepare fast HO Slot Cars this is a good means of testing your abilities against other HO racers from around the world.
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Whitefish Bay 43
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This next racing layout is a variation on the original Whitefish Bay 33 described above that provides a longer lap length of 43 feet with an infield comprised of two additional chicane sections. In my opinion this would be a better layout for older Aurora ThunderJets and A/FX slot cars due to its increased lap length and twisty infield section.
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View Color-Coded Track Section Drawing
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This challenging 4-lane racing circuit has a lap length of 43 feet and can be built on a single 4×8 foot table using the following Tomy AFX track sections:
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The Whitefish Bay 43 is also well suited to computerized lap counting and timing. The open area in the lower left-hand corner of the diagram above provides space for a computer display monitor. The 6" straight sections at the center of the straight on the left side is an ideal location for a dead track section or photo-cells.
The track is designed so that the cars circulate in a counter-clockwise direction. With the start/finish line along the left edge of the table, drivers can glance up at the computer scoring screen as the cars pass over the lap counter and head into the double apex turn.
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Random Lake 48
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This next racing circuit fits on a 4×12 foot table and provides a fast lap with a length of over 48 feet per lane. Each of the four lanes has exactly the same lane length. If you have the room, this is a great layout for landscaping. Four long, fast straights, a 180 degree hairpin and a sweeping carousel section make this an excellent layout for racing for modern or vintage era slot cars.
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View Color-Coded Track Section Drawing
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This track will test your driving skill as well as providing an interesting overpass section and elevation changes. If you have room for a 4×12 foot table this is a great layout for landscaping. See the Construction section for detailed photographs of the table building process.
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Track sections required to build the Random Lake 48:
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The pictures below illustrate the landscaping possibilities this layout provides. The first picture shows how an overpass can be landscaped to provide an interesting and visually appealing raceway.
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The second picture shows the carousel and hairpin sections at the opposite end of the raceway. These are actual photographs of Brian Ferguson's beautiful HO scale raceway.
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The Scenic Hills 33 described earlier is a shortened 4×8 foot version of the Random Lake 48 raceway.
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