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Here's a great photo of the field from Howie!  - Thanks Howie!

DC -
"The chassis shall consist of 3 pans only: 1 a center pan and 2 a right pan and 3 a left pan. If you make your own chassis it must be a copy of a Hanna chassis using 3 pans with no hinges and inline only - see example photo below. Side pans can move back and forth. No independent movement of the front end from the center pan. Front axle housing must be soldered to the center pan. No part of the chassis may protrude from the body. Front axle must extend through each front wheel and be one piece. Tires can roll independently and coated.  Maximum tracking front and rear: 3.250" measured from outside of tires. "

I like this controller hook-up for a number of reasons. The wiring is easily soldered to the hook-ups, no screws and nuts to loosen up over time. The copper tubing offers excellent electrical contact to the alligator clips. The copper tubing hook-ups are very solidly mounted. These set ups are very easy to make at very little cost. The use of the copper tubing for controller hook-ups was originally thought up by Hugh Ellsworth in the early '80s. Over the years I have refined his original concept.

This is what the driver's stations will look like when completed:

I need to finish painting the faceplates for the controller hook-ups for the other lanes.

I haven't posted an update for awhile so here it is. I've been working on the track most every day, mostly on painting. The track surface is painted, color sanded, and ready for the braid to be laid. The driver's stations are built and have three coats of white base color on them. Today I applied the first coats of color to the driver's stations to identify which lanes each serves. I also remounted the electrical track control center that houses all the relays and connections for the lap counting system.

COLOR!....Something other than tan or white!

As a track owner I DO NOT like having problems or issues during a race! It can happen but what makes it even worse is having to crawl around under the track trying to figure out the source of the problem. With the track controls mounted here with easy access, it will make performing any necessary diagnostics much easier! I am planning to redo/redesign all the electrical connections and hardware that connects the wiring to the track braid and controller hookups. Part of the plan is to use fewer nuts, bolts, and screws!

I can also bring an extra controller.

Zack, Geoff over in Bend has the set. I don't have details as far as "how much" but I'll text you his number.

Honest Doc, they were small.......but evidently they got hot enough!

Thanks guys!

I'm feeling pretty good about the amount of work I got done on the track today. Except for a few more screws and some paint work the driver's stations are pretty much done. I also got all the parts made for the controller hook ups.

These are the mounts for the copper tubing for the controller hook ups.

These are the copper tubes for the controller hook ups. The controller's alligator clips attach to these.

This is how the copper tubes attach to the mounts.

This is the faceplate that covers the tubing mount. This makes the copper tubes recessed which protects them from potential shorting.

This hook up is mocked up in place with a controller connected. The hook ups are slightly angled up towards the driver in an attempt to make it easier to connect controllers.