Welcome to Ultra Raceway 2020!

Abri Kohn

Hello everyone

We are extremely excited about the plans that are in the pipe-line for the Ultra Raceway revamp. After literally months of planning and research to decide what the best way is to redo the track, we believe we have a novel idea. The marketing presentation has been put together and will follow this message.

Firstly, what are we trying to achieve with the new track?

Exciting racing for all drivers. This means:

a beginner should be able to get around the track
an intermediate racer should be able to race competitively with the track not being too difficult, but enough of a challenge that he needs to put in the hours to get really competitive
difficult enough for the top guys to give them a challenge regarding lines and setups, BUT consistent enough to be able to run a 6-minute race without making a mistake. Let’s face it, we are not pros in our sport, so we need to find a balance in all aspects and cater for everyone.
The track should lend itself to some great, close racing. We want the racers to compete against each other, not to have a track too difficult that the racers end up competing against the track.

Secondly, we wanted:

an approach that is easily maintainable (to be honest, gluing and maintaining 2800 blocks of carpet was HARD work and quite expensive)
something that can be changed from time to time (this keeps it exciting, but also allows one to change the layout as and when high traction zones change. This will assist in keeping the longevity of the carpet.

Thirdly, what is our solution to cater for all of this:

demolish the entire track.
create a rectangular area of about 21m x 33m (track size itself will be 18m x 30m). This allows for a 180m of track if you use every meter available.
placing a mesh grid (made from flat bar) under the track, with blocks of 3m x 3m with threaded rods sticking through the base. (more on this in points below)
creating a smooth base of 100mm thick, lifting the track off the ground. This will help keep water away with the correct sloping of the base. The base will be rolled with a 2.8t ride-on roller, with a Bitcumin/Tar top to protect the base from water damage and sagging.
the entire 18m x 30m will be covered with RED (yes, RED!!) carpet.
75mm pipes will be fastened by means of the threaded rods. The layout can be configured in any way you want (preferably vertical or horizontal, but diagonal can be done if required).
moveable jumps built from metal will be placed on the track and also fastened to the threaded rods. This will provide consistent jumps at all times, but also allows flexibility in order to move / change the set-up as and when required.

More info will follow on some ideas on the jumps, layouts etc.

To reach all these goals, one needs the finances and unfortunately lots of it. In the marketing presentation, the estimated budget for this project is R200,000.

Obviously, the club does not have these finances readily available. We need sponsors and people willing to contribute towards making this project a success. The more contributions we receive, the easier it will be. If we are able to get people to contribute yearly, it becomes much more sustainable, and every cent that comes in, can be ploughed back into the club, to make the experience and amenities first class.

We have been VERY fortunate to receive a sponsorship for the carpets and chemical materials for the base which we are very grateful for

We are, however, in need of the following to complete the first phase of the new Ultra track:

80 cubes of G5/G7 soil
300m of 75mm pipes (similar to creepy pipes, just bigger)
R30,000 for the steel and building of 10 jumps as a starting point
2.8t ride-on roller for a day or 2
Bobcat to help clean and move the soil around
Paint to make our track and surrounding area stand out (attractive)
70 x 6m flat bar for mesh grid + threaded rods ~ R12,000
Curbing for the edges of the track
Gate motor for members to enter premises (no more keys)

Phase 2, we would like to extend the pit area and add spot-lights to enable us to host day/ night racing events

Phase 3, we would like to add a roof over the track

Enough about the track… what about membership fees?

We will have 2 options available:

Option 1: Full membership. R1800 for the first member of a family, R900 for the second member, and R450 for each member thereafter. This fee will then include all your club racing fees at Ultra’s club events. This has to be paid in the beginning of each race year.

Option 2: Race membership. R1000 for the first family member, R500 for the second, and R250 for each member thereafter. Race fees at race days are R80 for the first class, and R60 for each class thereafter.

You will get a key to the track with both options, and can practice as much as you want to. Should members not have a compatible remote control for the gate, a remote can be purchased at R100 each.

Non-member race fees: R120 per class on race days. R100 per day on open practice days.

Estimated completion date:

Should the weather permit and everything falls into place, the plan is to have our first race on the new Ultra track on 16 February 2020.

The calendar will be finalised asap – we would like to collaborate with the other clubs, e.g. Superbowl to establish how we can synchronise our calendars (which will be beneficial to all parties concerned). Or …. in order for all clubs to meet their objectives.

Other exciting!

We have had a new website designed with an online entry and payment system for racing which will allow us to move away from doing things manually. The aim is to get racers to enter and pay online and to manage all their racing events. News and results will also be shared on the site.

On the website we have created a page where individuals/businesses can make contributions should they show interest in sponsoring the club. These sponsors/contributors will be listed on the website as well as other social media platforms.

Please see the full marketing presentation on the website under the “sponsor” page should you need resources to convince sponsors to participate!

Is that all? NO!!

We have also created a very unique raffle system on our website where we will make raffle tickets available. Anyone can participate and stand a chance to win amazing prizes. We will raffle all types of RC equipment which will not only be limited to Jadrenalyne RC Hobbies but will include other brands too.

Check out the website as the first raffle is already active. We are raffling a Maclan HV V2 6000mAh battery for a mere R100 per ticket!

Let’s see who the lucky winner will be for our very first raffle!

If you have any questions, concerns, ideas, or wish to share anything else with us, please feel free to contact Abri or Jannie.

Racing regards!