The 10th Annual Adrenaline RC Invitational is almost here, and the outdoor track is ready to go. After yesterday's look at the indoor layout for the 1/10 scale portion of the weekend, Jacob Hardison headed outside to walk the 1/8 scale track built by factory driver Lee Setser. It's a little more technical than some of our past layouts, it's packed with elevation, and the surface has been worked over to get it just right for race weekend.
A Track Built Into the Hill
The biggest thing you'll notice about this year's outdoor layout is how much it uses the natural slope of the property. Because the track is built into the side of a hill, a lot of the features don't look like a traditional jump on paper. A "tabletop" might really be a step up the hillside, and a roller section drops downhill on its own. The result is a track with a ton of character that's fun to drive and great to watch, without being so difficult that only the top drivers can get around it cleanly.
Lap Walkthrough
Front Straightaway
The lap starts on a full-length front straight, giving nitro drivers room to clear out their engines and electric drivers a place to hit top speed. Above the straight you'll see the new invite driver banners — each invited driver has their car featured on a banner representing one of their title sponsors, including Sparko, XRAY, Team Associated, Tekno, Sworkz and Cayote.
Opening Double and Switchback Chicane
At the end of the straight, drivers pinch into the first double. Expect most people to enter a little wide, come in tight and take off around the midpoint, jumping almost diagonally into a switchback chicane. There's plenty of lip, so it's an easy way to settle into the lap. From there, a small sweeper and a turn up the hill lead into the switchback section, one of the slower parts of the track.
Uphill Step-Up to the Back Table
Out of the switchbacks, the goal is to straighten your line as much as possible for an uphill step-up to the back tabletop. The lip isn't huge, so most drivers will likely jump just before the turn. Go wide and you can jump higher, maybe even throw a small whip to get tight on the corner. This is a spot to watch on main day: the defending driver will stay tight but scrub speed, while a driver on the outside can carry more momentum into the next double and set up a pass.
Ski-Jump Double and Downhill Rollers
Next is a downhill-ish double with tons of run-up. It doesn't have much uplift, but it has a lot of shoot-out, so it'll play like a ski jump into the landing. Drivers then sweep down through the top middle of the track into a double downhill roller section. It's not quite a staircase, but with the natural drop of the hill it drives a lot like one.
The Biggest Double on the Track
A sweeper through the middle of the track sets up the largest double on the layout, with plenty of lip and plenty of run-up as you jump up the hill. Drivers will turn slightly as they come off the face, and the landing is built at an angle — a bit pizza-shaped — so it naturally points you into the top-center 180, right next to the invite driver banners.
Downhill Run and Teardrop
Coming out of the 180, you'll carry a lot of speed back downhill. There's a slight chicane feel to this section, but there's room for a mostly straight line unless you come out of the 180 really wide. A tighter sweeper follows, then a teardrop turn that sets you up for the climb.
The Big Uphill Tabletop
From the teardrop there's plenty of room to jump straight up to the highest elevation on the track. The lip is big, but you're jumping uphill, so clearing all the way to the turn won't be easy. Depending on grip, most drivers will probably land just past the white line — we'll know more once practice gets rolling.
Off-Camber Corner Table and Final S-Section
From the top of the hill, drivers drop down into a corner tabletop that tapers the whole way. Nothing about it is flat — you'll be riding off-camber the entire way down to a slightly bigger drop at the exit. That leads into a small S-section and one last bit of elevation before ripping back down the front straightaway.
What's New Around the Track
- Sector timing: Timing boxes on the back section and mid-track will give drivers sector times all weekend.
- Redone pit lane: More wall has been added for a smoother pit entry and a better view into pit lane from the driver's stand. Speed bumps may be added during practice to keep pit lane safe for racers and spectators.
- Numbered driver's stand stones: Painted stones mark each driver's spot. Stand on the number that matches your position on the qualifying sheet.
- New Invitational banner: A brand-new outdoor banner for podium photos at the end of the weekend.
- Live coverage: Elite RC is on site handling scoring and live video for the weekend.
Invitational Weekend Starts Friday
The 10th Annual Adrenaline RC Invitational runs October 9–11, 2026 at Adrenaline RC Racing in Winchester, Virginia, with racing on both our indoor and outdoor tracks. Invited drivers include Brandon Rose, Lee Setser, Jonah Wilson, Camden Lime, Jason Schreffler, Douglas Shewfelt, Maddy Long, Ben Decker, Ethan Mackanick, and Jacob Hardison, with the Invite Nitro Buggy and Invite E-Buggy A-Mains racing for a $2,000 cash purse.
Safe travels to everyone heading our way — we'll see you at the track. Make sure you're subscribed to the Adrenaline RC YouTube channel for more from the weekend, and shop race-day essentials at adrenalinercracing.com.