Race Track Measurements and Requirements
An area that is one quarter of a mile square is equal to 160 acres. One square mile contains 640 acres, so divide that by four to get one quarter. Although a quarter mile is the best known measure for a drag track, many tracks are eighth mile tracks, and the premiere classes will run 1,000 foot races.
The race is begun from a standing start which allows three factors to affect the outcome of the race: reaction time, torque, and traction. Red is the most popular color for athletics running tracks, as it is the most UV stable and therefore won’t fade in sunlight.
A standard, Olympic sized track measures 400 meters around. A standard running track is 400 meters long. A mile is 1600 meters, so four laps around a track will equate to one mile.
The minimum area required to build a half-mile track is approximately 17.5 acres. RC tracks should have lanes that are 12-14 feet wide for 1/8 or 1/10 scale RC vehicles.
Economic Aspects of Track Ownership
Race tracks make money when people bet on horses. Tracks offer purses to attract trainers and owners.
For a 1⁄4 mile race track, the land cost is at least $400k on average. There is also cheaper equipment and parts for race cars that can be purchased, but staying competitive is much more expensive.
Asphalt is the material of choice for most high-speed racing vehicles. Whether you use concrete or asphalt, you should plan that your track will cost at least $200,000 to pave.
It costs approximately $10 million to build a NASCAR-sanctioned track. The cost of building a Karting track typically starts around $50,000.
In the US, building a 400 meter track from scratch typically costs around $1 million. Resurfacing an existing track usually costs about $300 thousand. The cost of building the Nurburgring was approximately 3.3 billion USD.
How much does it cost to drive on a track? It depends on the track and the type of event. To get the best sized tracks for motocross, you should have somewhere between 3 to 5 acres at minimum. Why are running tracks red?
Track Design and Dimensions
An official 400 meter oval running track has two 84.39 meter straights and two semi-circular ends with a 36.50 meter inside radius. An oval track is designed to be 400 meters around using the inside lane.
A 400 meter track is designed so the length of the measure line in Lane 1 is exactly 400 meters. A four-lane, 400 meter track has a 26,000 square foot footprint. An eight-lane track takes up 49,500 square feet. All lanes have a width of 1.22 meters ± 0.01 meters.
The inside area of the track accommodates field events and can also fit a standard 68 by 105 meter soccer pitch.
Sand is the best surface to run on.
Land Measurement for Tracks
A quarter mile is equal to 440 yards or 0.25 miles. In the US, quarters are commonly used to measure land.
One square mile contains 640 acres. A quarter mile square equals 160 acres. Further dividing into quarter sections, each is a half mile by half mile, or 160 acres. Quarter-quarter sections are 40 acres, a quarter mile on each side.
The cost to build varies. A NASCAR sanctioned track is approximately $10 million. An official 400 meter track in the US runs about $1 million, with resurfacing $300 thousand. The famous Nurburgring cost $3.3 billion.
Covering a quarter mile in ten seconds is very fast. Top Fuel dragsters run this in just over four seconds, costing over $500,000 each.
Expect a minimum of 3-5 acres for a motocross track and 17.5 for a half mile track.