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Topic: "Unique" tracks
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February 23, 2011 at
05:35:32 PM
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Reading one of the posts in a NASCAR thread about "cookie cutter" tracks made me start thinking about some of the more "unique" tracks in sprint car racing. There's certainly more diversity in track layouts in sprint car racing than stock cars, but even amongst sprint car tracks there are some unique designs. I immediately thought of the old Baylands Raceway in Fremont, CA, which was more of a tri-oval than an oval.
What are some of the other unique track configurations that you can think of that make certain tracks unique? I thought it would be a good starter topic for some memories/debate.
National Sprint Car & Midget Examiner
http://tinyurl.com/r4opgk
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February 23, 2011 at
05:56:39 PM
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I would throw Devils Bowl in there. The back straight is elevated 15 feet higher than the front. In turns 1 and 2 you're going uphill and turns 3 and 4 you're going downhill. It can make it a challenge on gearing your car.
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February 23, 2011 at
06:03:48 PM
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I believe that Perris is like that as well, with the backstraight being elevated to provide a sight line since the pits are in the infield.
National Sprint Car & Midget Examiner
http://tinyurl.com/r4opgk
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February 23, 2011 at
06:25:39 PM
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The now gone Atomic Speedway in Tennessee had a dogleg at the flag stand.
Mercer Raceway Park in Western Pa with it's egg shaped back stretch.
Belleville Kansas is close to circular.
Raceway 7 in Conneaut, Ohio used to have a bank on the back straight that the cars used to drive up onto.
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February 23, 2011 at
07:26:38 PM
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The old track at Kokomo. Flat as a pancake and turns tighter enough to make you think you were racing around a coke bottle.and a wall and catch fence all the way around. The new Kokomo is nice but its nothing special.
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February 23, 2011 at
08:28:43 PM
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Placeville is something different. Super high banks on a very tight 1/4 mile track (barley two lanes) and the pit area is up on a hill. They push the cars down a steep hill onto the track. Great local fans as well. They pack the place for the big 360 & 410 shows.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNF4UvDPx6c&feature=related
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February 23, 2011 at
09:06:04 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: SprintExaminer on February 23 2011 at 05:35:32 PM
Reading one of the posts in a NASCAR thread about "cookie cutter" tracks made me start thinking about some of the more "unique" tracks in sprint car racing. There's certainly more diversity in track layouts in sprint car racing than stock cars, but even amongst sprint car tracks there are some unique designs. I immediately thought of the old Baylands Raceway in Fremont, CA, which was more of a tri-oval than an oval.
What are some of the other unique track configurations that you can think of that make certain tracks unique? I thought it would be a good starter topic for some memories/debate.
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If memory serves me correctly Baylands was a pretty normal shaped 3/8 oval with sweeping turns (and freezing wind). Thinking of the old Skagit perhaps? Placerville is definitely a unique place. How about another red clay oval, Bloomington? I thing that place has a cool atmosphere.
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February 23, 2011 at
09:29:25 PM
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I don't know of any other "bullring" quite like RCS in Grand Forks. Its a wide D shaped track with high banked corners and a substatially banked back stretch. Over 15 drivers broke the track record when the outlaws were in town 2 years ago. Don't know too many 1/4 milers where the drivers don't lift. Track record is around 9.2 sec I believe.
Knoxville Natioanls attendee since '95
Favorite Tracks...River Cities, Knoxville, Cedar Lake
Favorite Drivers...S.Kinser, T.Kaeding, K.Madsen, S.Smith
Proud Canadian
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February 23, 2011 at
10:10:46 PM
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chico... no walls in the turns... cars sliding off and coming back...
marysville... 1 and 2 totally different the 3 and 4... kinda egg shaped....
placerville... will never forget sammy slammin the right wheel off the hill while passing....
skagit... with seats in the end zone.... 3 and 4...
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February 23, 2011 at
10:15:34 PM
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This message was edited on
February 23, 2011 at
10:16:49 PM by madsen
Yes, Grand Forks, like its sister track, not really, in Sioux Falls (sorry Brandon,SD), a super super fast track. When Meyers and 13 other people broke the track record 2 years ago, the track put a video clip of Johnny doing the call and 6 drivers breaking the record on their website for the winter. Someone posted the video here. Johnny must have got tired of saying "a new track record". Meyers set it at 9.23 seconds at 117 mph. Doesn't seem possible to keep a car on the track at that speed. Super late models and outlaw sprints plus midwest mods and super stocks, one great show. The only reason keeping me in in North Dakota: Husets and River Cities and of course the new 3/8th mile track in Fargo, but come one, no WoO show? Williams Grove though, to me is the most unique track layout. That first corner is something else, like a 90 degree turn.
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February 23, 2011 at
11:15:35 PM
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How come no one has mentioned The Grove?
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February 24, 2011 at
01:04:23 AM
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Why don't you go ahead and read that post right above yours again?
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February 24, 2011 at
01:42:10 AM
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The banking at peavley the first I saw it I couldn't believe it never saw nothing like it ,,standing in the in field and looking at the center of the top wings ,,
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February 24, 2011 at
09:33:34 AM
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Reply to:
Posted By: Oakland Sprint Fan on February 23 2011 at 08:28:43 PM
Placeville is something different. Super high banks on a very tight 1/4 mile track (barley two lanes) and the pit area is up on a hill. They push the cars down a steep hill onto the track. Great local fans as well. They pack the place for the big 360 & 410 shows.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNF4UvDPx6c&feature=related
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Speaking of unique tracks where the cars are pushed down a hill onto the track -- the WoO raced at Fox Ridge Speedway in Arcadia, WI around '03. The pits are directly behind (and slightly to the right) of the front stretch seating area on a hill. The push vehicles/4-wheelers nudge the cars in the direction of the downhill path leading down to the track (in the valley), turn around and go get another car. The gravity down the hill allows the cars to lock it in gear and go - never seen anything like it! The exit to get off the track? It is off turn 4, and the cars drive up a separate uphill path (in front of the stands on the hillside) to get back to the pits. The track was awesome too - high banked 4/10 - and racing just as good. Kraig Kinser started near the front and led just about every lap, but lapped traffed allowed 8th or 10th starting Jason Meyers (subbing for Dollansky - who got hurt at Indy in the Infinity-Pro car) to catch him and pass him late for the win. Great scenery around the hills and hollers of western Wisconsin too. If the WoO went back there, I would seriously consider going back - cool place.
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February 24, 2011 at
11:24:14 AM
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When I read the words Unique Tracks, I can't help but think Farmington, Missouri....................
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February 24, 2011 at
11:37:01 AM
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Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, GA is a true "Tri-Oval" track with a completely straight backstretch and has the Nascar style tri-oval down the frontstretch. The last time the Outlaws were there Joey Saldana & Craig Dollansky really put on a good show. Would love to see the Outlaws go back there. The place was jammed and was easily Dixie's biggest crowd of the season that year!
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February 24, 2011 at
11:43:25 AM
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This message was edited on
February 24, 2011 at
11:50:23 AM by PetalumaPits
Reply to:
Posted By: SprintExaminer on February 23 2011 at 05:35:32 PM
Reading one of the posts in a NASCAR thread about "cookie cutter" tracks made me start thinking about some of the more "unique" tracks in sprint car racing. There's certainly more diversity in track layouts in sprint car racing than stock cars, but even amongst sprint car tracks there are some unique designs. I immediately thought of the old Baylands Raceway in Fremont, CA, which was more of a tri-oval than an oval.
What are some of the other unique track configurations that you can think of that make certain tracks unique? I thought it would be a good starter topic for some memories/debate.
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Baylands and Baylands backstretch.
Ron
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February 24, 2011 at
12:00:27 PM
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for the california crowd the old fairgrounds track at grass valley was very unique,and one of my old favs was dixon.
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February 24, 2011 at
12:09:49 PM
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This message was edited on
February 24, 2011 at
12:22:28 PM by filtalr
Reply to:
Posted By: wvsprinter on February 24 2011 at 11:37:01 AM
Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, GA is a true "Tri-Oval" track with a completely straight backstretch and has the Nascar style tri-oval down the frontstretch. The last time the Outlaws were there Joey Saldana & Craig Dollansky really put on a good show. Would love to see the Outlaws go back there. The place was jammed and was easily Dixie's biggest crowd of the season that year!
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I was thinking of Dixie too as unique - I was at an All Star show there back in the 80's when it was so cold folks were building fires on the concrete grandstands and the track froze during the show. Cars were sliding into the turn 1 wall like hockey pucks...
Also Senoia, GA is one of the weirdest I've seen - FAST 3/8 that goes downhill into 1&2 and uphill to 3&4. Saw the All Stars there once back in the 80's and it was interesting.
Another weird one was Mount Lawn in IN - a little Pocono-type asphalt triangle built around a ballfield - never saw sprints there but midgets were interesting ... really hiking the left front in the turns.
Phil Taylor
home-theater-systems-advice.com
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February 24, 2011 at
12:31:01 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: mrmoose on February 24 2011 at 12:00:27 PM
for the california crowd the old fairgrounds track at grass valley was very unique,and one of my old favs was dixon.
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I'm with you on Grass Valley - one of my all time favorites. Before they took the front stretch dog leg out of it you had one tricky little quarter mile that tested the best of them. Even after they changed the track I still loved the place and am forever bitter that the fairgrounds horsey crowd eventually shut it down. Ernie Purcell Memorial Speedway (what Grass Valley was called) will always have a special place in my memory as will the people who were a part of it.
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