For those that don’t know the Notts and Derby Off Road RC racetrack (NDOR), we are on the Burnham Sports Ground, just off the A610, about 5 minutes from the M1 near Nottingham.
NDOR is an all astro off road 1/8 scale racetrack and is part of Notts & Derby Model Raceway where there are also 2 on-road ovals. NDOR boasts various facilities such as covered rostrum, covered pits, mains electricity and fixed toilets.
In the latter half of 2023, considering the feedback received from members and other racers, we decided that some much-needed track remodelling and maintenance had to be done.
We started off by designing a new track layout with the primary focus onremoving the stop start nature of the oldtrack and creating a more flowing layout.
Ready to crack on with the work, we made the drastic decision to cancel the winter series and close for practice.
With the new track layout agreed and the track closed, over the next three month, blessed by some excellent weather (for the time of year), the members of NDOR came together to complete the re-modelling and maintenance.
We began by lifting the old piping and strapping to allow us to look at the whole track and decide which sections needed the most attention.
As we cracked on into the New Year, we started turning the back triple into a new larger scale double. Step-ups and drop-offs were smoothed, and the chicane at the end of the straight was removed to open-up the access into the berm.
Where necessary, the old astro was removed, the ground was smoothened and new Astro was laid, allowing improved racing lines.
Pipework, strapping and screws were re-cycled and re-laid where possible to keep costs manageable.
As January was starting to come to an end we were cracking on with the big jobs. We finished off the new double and we took the top off the elevated section in the right-hand corner to improve visibility.
February was the moment when we thoughtWOW - the end was in site. We finished laying and pinning the Astro in the new sections andfixing the piping in place. This week we knew NDOR was back!
3rd March 2024 . . .
NDOR FUN DAY! With over 30 drivers, including a number of new faces, a good day was had by all! Some excellent racing and great competition between everyone throughout the day, from various levels of skills! The day ran smoothly with three heats separating the drivers. We ran a seeding practice and three rounds of qualifying. After a quick lunch break with great food from the on-site cafe, thanks again Lindsey, we completed our first finals of the year!
The work is not fully complete and further track improvements are planned and will be completed between the race days with the aim to minimise disruption to practice sessions.
We hope to see you down at NDOR soon. The dates for our summer series are all on our website.
Thank you for reading,
NDOR Committee 2024
Written by Amy Paul
Edited by Steven Paul
