How this all started

I've been racing in some form or another for almost 40 years now, so I've always been fascinated by race tracks. From the day I set foot on one, I was hooked. My day job was graphic design and printing prepress, so I found myself wanting to design my own vehicle graphics. Nothing feeds a young driver's ego more than seeing their name on a race car.

Racing with a few friends back in the day

So, I picked up a used 24" roll-fed cutter with obsolete software on an even older Dell laptop. It's actually still running today, somehow. It has a broken screen hinge, uses an ancient RS232 port, and a PS2-style mouse (no, PS2 doesn't mean PlayStation 2... it's an old serial port). It has a single USB port that limits my thumb drive to 16MB. Yes, megabytes.

I'd create my graphics in Adobe Illustrator, a program I've been using professionally since 1988. From there, I'd export it to an old EPS format and copy it to a small thumb drive. I'd fire up that old Windows NT laptop, import it into FlexiSign, and cut my graphics. Driver names, club logos—just about anything. I can't even count how much material has gone through that old machine. Yet, it's still chugging along, being as flexible as ever.

The Joy of Custom Track Maps

One of my favorite things to cut were track maps. Sticking track maps on my cars was always a great conversation starter. Sure, I could just buy them from the local track, but I always ended up with inconsistent sizes and colors. My biggest pet peeve was the track's line weight. All the purchasable vinyl track art would vary the line weight, which made displaying my tracks into something that didn't look coherent. So, I made my own track maps, where I could control all aspects of the design.

Eventually, because I added a cut-vinyl track of every track I visited, I wound up with quite a collection of artwork. I'm currently at 20 tracks driven, so when I decided to start up a 3D printing business, track maps were the first thing I thought of.

A few tracks I've been on. Can you name them?

Entering the 3D Printing Market

There's plenty of 3D-printed track map wall art on the market. Some are very creative and well-established. Certainly, I entered a mature market with plenty of niches. Formula 1 tracks are particularly popular as wall art, thanks to the exploding popularity of the amazing Netflix series Drive to Survive. My personal art collection didn't actually have many F1 tracks, as I've mainly been competing in local club and endurance races at non-professional tracks.

I've taken a spin around Monaco in a rental car and done a few laps in a Ferrari at Silverstone, so I've only drawn those two F1 tracks. Still, this was a logical place to start, so I launched MyTrackMaps.com with collections of Formula 1 tracks, despite Etsy being rather heavy in them already.

Smooth finishes & fine details takes obsessive attention and patience.

Crafting the Perfect Wall Art

Even on Etsy and eBay, I couldn't find the wall art I would want to buy. I had a vision for a clean, simple design, with depth and multicolor printing. I wanted finer surface finishes, with less pronounced 3D-printing layer lines. Most of the products on the market don't even attempt small colored type, which is understandable since it's quite difficult.

I used my manufacturing and engineering background to get the product just right. My tracks feature fine details not found anywhere else, no doubt the product of obsessive overthinking. The only way to get this kind of quality is to sweat the details and print them slowly. I think the final product on your wall is worth the extra time and attention.

Why Track Maps Matter

Track maps are more than just decorations; they represent memories and experiences. Each map tells a story of the adrenaline rush, the friendships forged, and the lessons learned on the track. For racing fans and track day enthusiasts, these maps are a way to celebrate their passion and keep the spirit of racing alive in their homes.

So, whether you're a seasoned racer or just starting, consider adding a track map to your collection. It's a unique way to showcase your love for the sport and personalize your space. Plus, it makes for a great conversation starter when friends come over!

And remember: always STAY ON TRACK.

-Benson

Tracks Mentioned: Monaco, Silverstone