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HRP vs. TMS, which is better?
No doubt, when SMI guru Brutun Smith built his Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track, he built the "Taj Mahal" of Dirt Tracks. I bet his Dirt Track facilities at Lowes and Las Vegas are just as nice.
But if you haven't been to Houston Raceway Park's Dirt Track oval, there's a lot that compares there but there's also some differences that may interest you. By the way, we race this Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Nov 29, 30 & Dec 1st just in case you missed that. (That has to be impossible by now, doesn't it?)
For example...
-- Track size and layout.
At it's original size, HRP was a big hi-speed, 3/8 mile oval at just a tick smaller than TMS's 4/10 of a mile. Like TMS, there was no making a mistake that sent you to the outside because that hard concrete wall was waiting right there all around the track and I've seen good cars get eaten alive by the wall at both tracks.
But at the end of the 2006 season, HRP management tore up the old track and made a new 1/4 mile layout in it's place. The outside of the straights at their centers are still at the walls but the turns have been brought in toward the center and the track has been made much wider than it's old 3/8 layout. The new layout allows for some "run-off" area over the turns now before you hit concrete. The straights are short making the track closer to a circle than a paper-clip, a true oval if you will. Still has more than enough speed though as you can "stick" just about anywhere in those wide corners and keep your momentum going. Excellent racing! That 1/4 mile is more what most of our weekly racers around the area are used to too.
-- Weekly racing at HRP!
This is an advantage in helping prep the track because they have more than twice a year to practice the art on the surface they're actually racing on. That helps keep the track smooth and multi-grooved. The ASCS, SUPR and weekly Modified races were fantastic at HRP. If you want to talk about The Grand though (some of you may have traveled to HRP for that) that's a different deal there and we'll have to talk about that one seperately. The rest of the season? Outstanding!
-- Similarities?
Both have NASCAR style catch fences all the way around.
Both have large seating capacties with really nice granstands. TMS is about 12,000, HRP at about 8,000. Both have suites upstairs, both have elevators for the staff and both have sections at the top of the grandstand that are partially covered. They look very similar -- almost like they were designed and built by the same people.
Excellent lighting all the way around both facilities and both tracks have electronic score boards.
Both tracks have large, paved pit areas for the racers too.
Both have excellent fire and safety crews staged and ready at their events.
You will see that both move their shows along very well and especially in the case of this USMTS show, bring in good people to do it!
-- any other differences?
With a NASCAR Super Speedway next door at TMS and an NHRA Drag Strip next door down at HRP, there's a nod toward TMS in parking in that, there is a bunch of paved parking in Fort Worth for the spectator side while most of Houston's -- all though roomy and plenty of it -- is gravel not paved. HRP's parking is free though.
While I wouldn't call HRP's concessions "cheap" by dirt track standards, I would give them a slight nod in the price category over TMS.
So, is Houston #2 to DFW again? (The city folk hate that down there by the way!) Well, there's only one-way to find out. Make the trip and see for yourself! I'll take half that 200 Modifieds they had at TMS in March and half that crowd and be very happy. It's a different kind of area down there as far as dirt track crowd goes though. They are big drag racing people there so we really need the out-of-town crowd to make the trip. You will not be disappointed as spectator! In fact, you'll be looking forward to the next USMTS show at HRP as soon as you leave out Saturday night!
What compares around the region to HRP and TMS? Not much but there are some really good facilities out there -- they just don't cost millions is all. I'd love to see USMTS get to Devil's Bowl sometime. That's a great show in the making there! Guess we'll never see Lone Star (Kilgore) open again. Ark-La-Tex may have the best facilities in Louisiana right now but it's just small in size compared to TMS and HRP. Magnolia Motor Speedway in Mississippi is a beautiful facility. Still some areas that these 2 big Texas tracks have more of but I'd like to see USMTS get to both Ark-La-Tex and "the Mag"! I like I-30, AMS and Monticello in Arkansas too but you still have to give the nod to Batesville Motor Speedway as being Arkansas's top facility. Maybe USMTS returns to all 4 of them tracks in 2008. In Oklahoma, State Fair is nice, just older and Tri-State ain't bad either. Never been to Outlaw in Muskogee but I hear it's nice. They've been dealing with "other" issues up there in recent years from what I hear. Enid and Clinton have their merrits too. Lebanon I-44 is a really nice track is southern Missouri. Bolivar's good too and I'll have to lay odds that Lucas Oil in Wheatland is another "gem" but folks...
If you like going to any of those places, you're going to love Houston Raceway Park! Cya this Thursday, Friday and/or Saturday!
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Logistics wise, for us in Oklahoma and those north of us, Texas Motor Speedway makes more sense as you would cut off at least four more hours (and a tank of gas going down) off the trip. This is also for the Woodward boys (seven of which could be back with the southern series again for 2008) and the three or five or so who would compete at TMS.
It has been since 2000 (I believe), when I was working for ASCS, that I was down at Houston Raceway Park. It is a great facility and even the sprints put on a good show back then. But again, logistics and gas would make it rather difficult on drivers and the all important "fan" base.
One major fault, as you mentioned, with TMS is the fact that they do virtually no track prep as they don't run on a regular basis. That is why some sprint car organizations don't wanna race there I believe.
If the powers to be (Texas greed-promoters) get their way and no more Pro Cuts or IMCA Texas Nationals, then turn around and stick it too those promoters and bring in USMTS three times a year and take their fan base for a weekend or two.
Again, personally, I would love to see Oklahoma City, Outlaw, Fort Smith or even Ardmore with a huge USMTS presense.
David Smith Jr.
www.oklahomatidbits.com
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Time of year can make a little difference in the HRP vs. TMS thing. For example, on average Houston is 6 degrees warmer than Fort Worth on December 1st. And the long race weather.com 10-day forecast for this Sat, Dec 1st has Fort Worth calling for a high of 60 and Houston calling for a high of 74 with a LOW of 60. Both have a 30% chance of showers too but 1. That ain't bad at all given those temps and 2. Too early to worry about it. I'll get back to you about Tuesday or Wednesday with the forecast.
Is Ronnie Gould interested in a USMTS date this year David?
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