Track Talk, everything about the tracks

K

KingGlamis

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Let's chat about the tracks. Anything track related is fair game. Let's face it, we root for the drivers but the tracks are where they race.

First off, I'll mention the tracks I've been to. I'm not a rich guy by any means so I have only been to a few tracks. Living in the west I have only been to some of the west tracks. I was at CA Speedway for their first race and went to every CA race for the first 6 years. I've been to Phoenix numerous times. Been to Vegas several times (including the first race). Unfortunately the tracks I've been to aren't known for having the best races "action wise" but I still enjoy going to any track.

I'd love to see a race at every track on the circuit but I doubt that is going to happen. However my parents are now retired and that is their goal, they want to see all the races in one season in person. To me, THAT is the ULTIMATE retirement goal. I hope they can do that next season, that would be so awesome. My parents have already been to Bristol, Talladega and Daytona, as well as all the west coast tracks. In fact, they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at Sonoma this year. That was way cool.

So anyway, how about the rest of you share your "track talk?" Thanks.
 
Martinsville is my favorite cup track. It is a more laid back atmosphere in my opinion a down home feel.
A few years ago pre race with the cars staged on pit road Chocolate Myers was out early adjusting the carb, or setting timing. That just seemed so informal, so old school, BTW Dale won that one.



Next for me would be Darlington. At one of the races I just knew Dale had the race in the bag, but Elliot ran him down late race. I think Dale used up his tires.


I saw Lake Speed get his only cup win there. Never was a big fan, but Speed was pretty good at Darlington. I wouldn't call it a fluke, he ran "scalded dog" fast all day. I was sitting in the covered stands turn 2 now, it was turn 4 then. Everytime Lake Speeds car the # 83 Wynns Oldsmobile came through 3 and 4, you could see that car eat. He killed them in that spot all day long. It was the race of his life, I never seen him look that strong ever again.


I loved Wilksboro. I think it was in 91, and Harry Gant was hot, on a 4 race win streak. In one race his car wrecked, and looked sort of like a modified minus some sheet metal.
Harry still won that one anyway, I think that was Martinsville but that wasn't the main story or memory.



Back to Wilksboro, and Gants streak. It was just a few years prior to his retirement. Gant was a great driver, but given his age I don't think many saw the four race win streak coming.


Harry was gunning for 5 in a row at Wilksboro. By all rights he probably deserved the win, he led most of the day and was the class of the field. Along with my friend we had to watch Dale run 2nd tit all day to him most of the day.


We were two reprobates around some good people that was rooting for Gant. I had a black truck at the time, and we even made a big magnetic white #3 to show the world how tacky we were. Man it was perfect at looking redneck, and white trash, we embraced it.



Well anyway Harry started having problems with about 50 laps to go. It wasn't severe but just enough to let Dale win. I wish I could find the pictures, I took one of Dale after the pass, and in the bottom of the frame you can see plenty of hands giving him the finger. That was a hoot.



As for the big hype tracks Charlotte would be my pick.
The 92 Winston wasn't Dales night. Davey Allison won in spectacular fashion. After the race you could here the helicopter taking to Davey to the hospital.


That was the only time I ever lost my car in the parking lot. We have always known how to get rolling quickly after a race. But after that one, we just wandered around, while folks joked us about Earnhardt's performance.


A few years later at the Winston Ernie Irvin tried the pass in the grass. I was sitting in the blue seats in turn 4. From there you could read or script it, Ernie's car didn't slide there, no Ernie aimed at the grass, or so it appeared. He hit the grass at about 180, it was an instant disaster, and they say the wreckers fired their engine up, as soon as Ernie aimed the 28 that way. The following week at the 600, a few "ass in the grass" shirts were seen.


Charlotte was the first superspeedway race for me in 1978
-Petty in a Dodge
-Pearson and the Woods Brothers
-Jr Johnson and Cale
-Donny Allison in the Hoss Ellington car that tangled with Cale at Daytona.
-Waltrip in the 88 Digard Gatorade car
-Benny Parsons in the LG Dewitt # 72
-I think Gant was in the Kenny Childers car.




I like Talladega too. The set up for me was watching Kim Burton with the binoculars when the cars disappear down the back stretch.



But the Busch races at Hickory were my all time favorites.


In 82 or 83 me and my cousin took off to see the All American 400 at Nashville. That was my first big trip without my parents or adult supervision. It was a six hour trip one way. We showed up just in time for the heat races, Alan Kulwicki won one of them in a yellow # 97 Firebird.


We had a big problem the gas and food bill was bigger than expected. We almost decided to sleep in the truck to cut out the hotel bill. Luckily we didn't, we gave up on the Sunday race. When we got home I had about one dollar left. I called the track the next day, and learned that Sennaker had won the race.
 
Dega baby! Been to Cup, Bush\Natiowide and Truck races

Nashville was a neat track. Trucks\Arca and Nationwide

KY Speedway, drove my 1st race car on the 1\5 ledgons track here. Saw Nationside and Cup races

MIS, very cool track, was in the area so we went to the truck race in 2004, and saw Travis K get Toyota's 1st win! kind of cool being there for that!

Been to a lot of dirt tracks, heres the ones i cant think of:

Kentucky
Paducah International (Raced here)
KY Lake Motor Speedway (Closed\For Sale) (Raced here)
Western Ky Speedway (Raced Here)
Windy Hollow

MO
I-55

IL
Belle-Clair
Highland
DuQuion

TN:
Camden (Raced)
Clayhill\Atwood (raced)
Duck River (raced)
Thunderhill (raced)
Milan (Closed, i think the track is gone)(tested)
Clarksville (raced)

IN
Kamp
 
Going to experience Martinsville next weekend. :beerbang:

Here's my list:

Florida:
Punta Gorda Speedway
Homestead-Miami Speedway
Daytona International Speedway (track tour)

North Carolina:
Rockingham Speedway

Virginia:
South Boston Speedway
Langley Speedway
Virginia Motor Speedway
Richmond International Raceway
Old Dominion Speedway

Maryland:
Potomac Speedway
Maryland International Raceway
Hagerstown Speedway
Mason-Dixon Dragway
Baltimore Grand Prix: The Streets of Baltimore

Maryland - defunct:
Marlboro Motor Raceway
Aquasco Speedway

Delaware:
Dover Downs International Speedway

New Jersey:
New Jersey Motorsports Park
 
Another thing I thought about today regarding tracks is the G-forces the cars pull in the corners. I have done two ride-alongs, one at Fontana and one at Phoenix. When I did the ride along at Fontana they were only allowed to go 130mph (that's what they told me anyway, I have no way of knowing how fast we were going). Which they pretty much did all the way around the track. The qualifying record at Fontana is 188mph, so we were going a LOT slower than race speeds.

Now keep in mind I have only ever raced off-road but have been a performance car fan my whole life, have driven many fast cars and ridden in other fast cars. Even got to ride in a modern Corvette at the GM Proving Grounds in Mesa, AZ (now closed) a few years ago, with GM's best drivers at the wheel (THAT was the ride of a lifetime, those guys can friggen DRIVE!!!!).

That all being said I wasn't really expecting to be impressed by a few laps at 130mph at CA Speedway. But HOLY COW!!! While the speed didn't impress me, the grip in the corners astounded me! I was literally perplexed as to how in the world those tires can grip that well?!?!?! It felt like the car should just lose grip and hit the wall at any moment. We never got loose, never got out of shape, it just felt amazing that the tires could hold that many G-forces.

Now when I did the ride along at Phoenix it wasn't near as impressive. Not near the G-forces. Still fun, just not the same. Even my wife, who also did a ride along, said it didn't seem that impressive.

Anyone else have similar experiences with other tracks?
 
Did the ride along at Texas.165 MPH.Ended up sitting on my right hand on the third lap cause the first two I couldn't pull it off the inside of the door going thru the turns.
 
mike honcho said:
Did the ride along at Texas.165 MPH.Ended up sitting on my right hand on the third lap cause the first two I couldn't pull it off the inside of the door going thru the turns.
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That's what I mean, some serious G-forces.

Another thing I noticed was how tight they pulled the belts. In the off-road world we use 5-point belts in all the vehicles, and we pull them tight. But in the ride-along cars they pulled them really, really, really, REALLY tight! I think the reason I noticed the difference is because off-road seats have a lot more "give" to them, so you can only tighten the belts so tight. Whereas the NASCAR seats are a lot more stiff and hold you better.
 
Celebrated my 50th birthday in 1996 with a ride-along at Charlotte. It was breath-taking and I loved every minute of it. Up against the wall was a blast.

I don't think I quit smiling for 3 days. I really want to do it again. :D
 
TexasRaceLady said:
Celebrated my 50th birthday in 1996 with a ride-along at Charlotte. It was breath-taking and I loved every minute of it. Up against the wall was a blast.

I don't think I quit smiling for 3 days. I really want to do it again. :D
Click to expand...

That's an awesome birthday present! Glad you got to do it.
 
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