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Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

Topic: Top 5 Race Facilities (Minus Racing)
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HoldenCaulfield
November 08, 2017 at 06:09:12 PM
Joined: 03/22/2008
Posts: 2434
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Reply to:
Posted By: turn4guy on November 07 2017 at 05:31:38 PM

Port royal does not have concrete walls like the other tracks I've mentioned. Front stretch has crumbling concrete walls. The inside of the turns are jersey barriers. Just because they add bleachers doesn't mean the shit is new or as nice as Eldora or Knoxville or the other 25 tracks I mentioned. Williams Grove has had musco lighting for 15 years. Jersey barriers are a poor man's concrete walls. Look at the big white wall in 1 and 2. It's mismatch tin and different shades of white. I'll argue all day. Is it improved? Absolutely. Is it as nice the premier facilities around the country? Not even close. No track in PA is. 



You didn't list these 25 tracks. The jersey barriers with the advertising are on the inside of the frontstetch(turns are guardrail).They are new(a few years old) and they are concrete. The stage/also part of inside frontstetch is concrete and as already mentioned all the concrete walls have been upgraded/repaired and are kept freshly painted. Mismatched white paint on the tin? Seriously? Seems a tad nitpicky to me. They also had the pits redone/leveled. Other than upgrading and adding more concessions, I don't know what more Port could do to improve the place. Maybe add even more seating since the place was banged out/SRO for the tuscarora 50. I wasn't aware that Eldora added high rise aluminum bleachers with backrests. Last time I was there, half the crowd sat in lawn chairs around the track because there wasn't enough seating. The facility wasn't in the same league as Knoxville or what Port Royal is now, still loved it though.


A

GTigers55
November 08, 2017 at 07:29:50 PM
Joined: 02/13/2017
Posts: 420
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I love how this devolved into a pissing match over whether port has a nice facility or not. I've never been there, but everyone is entitled on to their opinion of how nice a facility is. Plus, if you're like me and have only been to say 10 or so tracks some tracks that may not be as great of facilities may still be listed on there.



egras
November 09, 2017 at 06:25:47 AM
Joined: 08/16/2009
Posts: 3913
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Posted By: blazer00 on November 07 2017 at 05:01:15 PM

You're on! And......can't go in to details, but it sounds like this years Nationals will be very special!



blazer--refresh my memory.  (I know I asked you this summer but I cannot find the info)

 

I may not be able to make the commitment until a month or so before.  

 

1.  How easy will it be for me to find camping?   

2.  Is the camping within walking distance of the track?  Onsite at the track?

3.  Will I have problems with seats/good seats if I wait that long?

 

Thanks in advance for any info!



blazer00
November 09, 2017 at 10:04:27 AM
Joined: 06/10/2015
Posts: 2420
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Reply to:
Posted By: egras on November 09 2017 at 06:25:47 AM

blazer--refresh my memory.  (I know I asked you this summer but I cannot find the info)

 

I may not be able to make the commitment until a month or so before.  

 

1.  How easy will it be for me to find camping?   

2.  Is the camping within walking distance of the track?  Onsite at the track?

3.  Will I have problems with seats/good seats if I wait that long?

 

Thanks in advance for any info!



Seating won't be a problem and there isn't a bad seat in the entire place. There is camping at the track, but I understand there is a waiting list for the sites with electric hookup. There are non electric probably still available. There are some very nice campgrounds in southern Jackson County. Is there a specific reason for the walking distance? If it's so you don't need to unhook, we go right past those camp sites on our way to and from the track. passengers would not be a problem.....depending on the number in your party. And I'm a designated driver, so no impairment behind the wheel.:)



egras
November 09, 2017 at 01:29:03 PM
Joined: 08/16/2009
Posts: 3913
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Reply to:
Posted By: blazer00 on November 09 2017 at 10:04:27 AM

Seating won't be a problem and there isn't a bad seat in the entire place. There is camping at the track, but I understand there is a waiting list for the sites with electric hookup. There are non electric probably still available. There are some very nice campgrounds in southern Jackson County. Is there a specific reason for the walking distance? If it's so you don't need to unhook, we go right past those camp sites on our way to and from the track. passengers would not be a problem.....depending on the number in your party. And I'm a designated driver, so no impairment behind the wheel.Smile



Two reasons I like to be within walking distance:

 

1.  If I have too many, I don't have to get behind the wheel

2.  I don't like to stress about getting out of the parking lot and don't have to be in a hurry to do so.

 

:)

 

I will be in touch if I do decide I can come.  Hoping my son has a weekend off of baseball games so he can come with me.  that is why I am waiting.

Thanks for the help!



The_Truth_Detector
November 10, 2017 at 01:54:15 AM
Joined: 05/17/2008
Posts: 516
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The "Big Track" Tulsa Speedway - Was nicer than Knoxville is today, 40+ years ago.

Lucas Oil Speedway - Nicest dirt track facility ever

PAS - Great overall facility - Best food

Knoxville Raceway - Great track, great lighting, great stands - Crappy infrustructure - Cartel like organization

I-30 Speedway - Just kidding!



tblange
November 13, 2017 at 10:22:35 PM
Joined: 02/26/2012
Posts: 31
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I'll post my opinion on the original topic, which is the race facilities, vs. quality of racing. I did note that Perris made an honorable mention in a few posts, and have attended sprint races there since opening day, ranging from a weekly basis while living nearby, to just attending the Oval Nationals the past 6 years now that I am over 6 hours east of there.  Now I am fortunate enough to take in that 3-day show in an RV.

The track and racing continues to be top notch, including the track prep, lighting, sound system, announcing, rescue crew....pretty much everything racing related, except for concession prices, which don't affect me anyway.

What I have noticed over the years is the deterioration of the fair ground facilites for the campers.  It has been a gradual, but noticeable downhill slide.  This year, a good portion of the electrical hookups were non-functioning, and the dump stations have been mostly unusable for at least the past 3 years.  But the camping fee is $25.00 a night, which in some (or many) cases, amounts to dry camping.  The flies are so thick that it is impossible to sit or eat outside, which I attribute to the leftover debris from non-race-related fairground events earlier in the summer.  Overall, one just gets the impression of a place that has fallen into disrepair.

I've been to 95 different race tracks during my life as a sprint car fan, and of the few that were fairgrounds operated, I regret to say that I can't think of any others that are at this level.  That doesn't mean that I won't be back, cause the racing always makes up for it. 

 



fiXXXer
November 13, 2017 at 10:55:36 PM
Joined: 10/26/2014
Posts: 2475
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Posted By: Centralpa410 on November 06 2017 at 08:18:04 PM

Last season Port Royal posted photos of them “repairing” the front stretch wall, they didn’t just paint it. They also replaced the wall on the pit lane leading onto the speedway. They added 3200 seats and added Musco lighting around the entire speedway and in the entire pit area. That ain’t lipstick. The big wall was not to emulate Knoxville, it was to keep clay and sprint cars from going into the town.  And as the original topic states, this has nothing to do with racing, just the facility.  And I guess this is a facility thing, so go to about the 1:08 mark of this video and tell me how this facility can be called elite with this problem.

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=B1V5Y7TImKI

 



All I saw in that video is a dustier version of what the folks at Port consider to be a "good" surface. turn4guy is spot on with all his points with the exception of the frontstretch wall which they did repair. Not only are the jersey barriers ugly, but I've been saying since the day they installed them that it was a major safety issue, especially for a track that runs sprint cars. All I can say is, I really hope there isn't much of a crowd in the infield whenever a sprint car uses one of those stupid things as a ramp going 120 mph because it won't be good. Also, the new lighting is nice but in my opinion, it's a pain in the ass for anyone unfortunate enough to be seated behind one of those huge poles because they block a good bit of the view. Williams Grove did it right putting it behind the bleachers. 



HoldenCaulfield
November 14, 2017 at 04:53:52 PM
Joined: 03/22/2008
Posts: 2434
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Reply to:
Posted By: fiXXXer on November 13 2017 at 10:55:36 PM

All I saw in that video is a dustier version of what the folks at Port consider to be a "good" surface. turn4guy is spot on with all his points with the exception of the frontstretch wall which they did repair. Not only are the jersey barriers ugly, but I've been saying since the day they installed them that it was a major safety issue, especially for a track that runs sprint cars. All I can say is, I really hope there isn't much of a crowd in the infield whenever a sprint car uses one of those stupid things as a ramp going 120 mph because it won't be good. Also, the new lighting is nice but in my opinion, it's a pain in the ass for anyone unfortunate enough to be seated behind one of those huge poles because they block a good bit of the view. Williams Grove did it right putting it behind the bleachers. 



Yeah but at the Grove they light up the bleachers as much as they do the track. That's annoying to me. Didn't really notice any obstruction from the light poles, the main obstruction of view is the handrails. That's why I try to sit in the middle instead of near an aisle. There aren't any fans anywhere near the jersey barriers that I'm aware of. You can't get very close to the track on frontstretch from the infield like you can on the backstretch. They use that area(old pits) to park track vehicles but it's mostly empty. 


A

Mr. Mac
MyWebsite
November 14, 2017 at 07:02:46 PM
Joined: 12/01/2004
Posts: 673
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Volusia County Speedway is top notch in February. Biggest letdown is the mini donut stand is gone! Good times huh MSPN and Tommy Bahama?



Paintboss
MyWebsite
November 14, 2017 at 07:10:06 PM
Joined: 12/02/2004
Posts: 2098
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Have never been there but I've heard Lucas Oil Speedway is about as nice as it gets.



fiXXXer
November 15, 2017 at 04:02:46 AM
Joined: 10/26/2014
Posts: 2475
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This message was edited on November 15, 2017 at 04:07:40 AM by fiXXXer
Reply to:
Posted By: HoldenCaulfield on November 14 2017 at 04:53:52 PM

Yeah but at the Grove they light up the bleachers as much as they do the track. That's annoying to me. Didn't really notice any obstruction from the light poles, the main obstruction of view is the handrails. That's why I try to sit in the middle instead of near an aisle. There aren't any fans anywhere near the jersey barriers that I'm aware of. You can't get very close to the track on frontstretch from the infield like you can on the backstretch. They use that area(old pits) to park track vehicles but it's mostly empty. 



Totally forgot about the handrails. They suck too. Take my word for it and try to avoid the light poles any time you're there. Got stuck sitting in the vicinity of one at the WoO show and it was not pleasant at all. The poles are huge. If you ever sit behind one, you'll totally see what I mean. As far as the jersey barriers, if a sprint car jumps one of those and goes airborne, it could end up going quite a ways into the infield. I've seen some videos of such a thing happening before and they can send a race car flying insane distances. Jersey barriers don't belong anywhere near a race track. I sincerely hope I'm wrong but lining the inside of the track with those things was a dumb move. I understand guardrail isn't as easy to install/repair and it's probably more expensive but it's a far better option. Seems to me they opted for style over substance when they did that.



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