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

IRA is at the Langlade County Speedway in Antigo, WI tonight.  I've been going there every year that IRA has run there, and man oh man the speed.  Got me thinking a bit about this track in comparison to some of the other "big tracks".  Come to find out you could just about drop Knoxville inside this place.  Williams Grove is shaped a little different, but also slightly smaller.  Eldora is the most comparable, but it still looks to me (sattelite images) that Antigo is the biggest track in the midwest.  Be awesome if the place could pickup a few more shows.  It's one we always circle on the schedule.  Fair food, cold beer, raw speed . . . love it!  

Eldora is shorter than Knoxville or the grove I believe. 

Not sure how Hartford MI or Belleville KS stack up against the Antigo track,  but those are the biggest I have seen outside the 3 one mile tracks. 

Some Google Earth measures inside of racing line to the and around the fence goes as follows:

Antigo = .45mi - .56mi

Knoxville = .50mi - .58mi

Eldora = .40mi - .48mi

The Grove = .48mi - .57mi

Hartford = .44mi - .54mi

Belleville= .49mi - .56mi

Resonable accuracy on those measurements. You might be .01 miles off max when measuring yourself due to number of clicks and trying to estimate inside berm while measuring. Belleville, KS wins for the most interesting track with Williams Grove a close second for opposite reasons. Belleville is a continous wide sweeping turn and Williams Grove has such short and sharp corners. 

JMO , Big 1/2 mile or 5/8 tracks are great for speed, but too many times the racing is follow the leader. WG and Port Royal are both quilty  at times of having freight train races. I get to about 60 races a year and I would prefer tracks 4/10 and smaller. Seems the racing is always better.

Oh I was a bit off on my calculations then, sorry folks.  I took snapshots from the same height above ground, and then saved them as jpg files, set a transparency and then one at a time, took turns stacking one on top of the other.  So tied for third biggest then.  I'll take that.  Still a big fast place to watch a race.  Gotta love that red looking clay too.  The Lion's Club cheese curd trailer is almost worth the trip itself!  

In no way is Antigo small. I would still consider it a big half as its well above .50 miles on the outside wall. With the exception of Eldora all of these track are quite large. I would guess with Antigo size, shape, and width that it is probably a fast track. Banking is the only thing I am not certain on. More banking is gonna mean more speed so it still could be faster. Williams Grove is so tight in the corners that lap times and overall speed averages are probably lowest of those listed even though it is nearly the biggest. The track listed are some of the biggest well known dirt tracks still around. Port Royal should also be on the list as it is .47mi inside and .55 mi on the outside.

Lebanon Valley (N.Y.) Speedway is very much like Williams Grove. The Valley is an iconic big-block Modified track that hosted an Outlaw date each year for decades until the couple years. I have been to Lebanon Valley several times and have friends that go there weekly. The first time they came to Williams Grove, they remarked how much it reminded them of home.

Williams Grove, 'America's Slowest Half Mile', used to see that on here every once in a while, lol....

When you look at Knoxville and the preferred line, you'll find the track is run as an oblong oval rather than having two distinct straight aways. I think that's what helps in having multiple grooves being run on most nights. My thought too, is that the drivers are able to set up for a slide job at Knoxville earlier than they would when coming off a distinct straight away in to a corner like at some tracks. Drivers would know more about that of course.

I've been to Lebanon Valley twice & it was total follow the leader both times. Local fans told me its the same way for their usual modifieds. Which is a shame because its a beautiful drive from my Mom's house up Rt. 8.... "olde New England"

Antigo has some banking, but not what I would call aggressive.  They did clock Travis Whitney at 144mph on the backstretch there a few years back!  This is the only track that I've witnessed vapor trails on a regular basis.  Too bad we're competing with Jackson tonight.  Not sure what our car count will be.  Either way it will be a fun night.  Trying to decide if I go with the giant burrito or the oriental chicken and egg rolls.  Fair food! 

The Valley can be very hard to pass, although Brett Hearn and Kenny Tremont are usually able to do so. Hearn and Tremont have each had seasons in which they won double digit features there depite being handicapped to the seventh and eighth row weekly. Hearn especially is in another world at the Valley.

One of things the Valley is also known for is how amazingly cheap their admission/food prices are. I believe the weekly show is still just $10 there to see big-block Modifieds. As of a coulpe years ago, they wre still charging $15 for pit passes for weekly shows. They also run a $17,500 to win Modified show each year that is $20 to get in and Outlaw shows there were always $5-6 cheaper than than anywhere else.

I have not been there in about seven or eight years now, but the last time I was there, they still had a dollar menu for a bunch of items at the concession stand.

Sounds like a heck of time no matter the car count! I got tonight off. Saturday Knoxville and Sunday Burlington. Gonna see a ton of cars both nights. I wanted to do Jackson but man 3 nights in a row right before 10 more in a row starting next Thursday.... I could do it but it would wear on my wallet, my wife, and my sleep

My wife and daughter and I usually pick out 3 or 4 races every year that are within a couple hours from us (we live 45 min north of Green Bay)  and then one "big" race where we'll stay overnight.  They always pick Antigo, and then Beaver Dam, Plymouth, and Francis Creek usually get the nod for the other shows.  This year we did the two-day show at Cedar Lake as our "big" one, and that was great.  Managed to convince them to throw Fri & Sat of the nationals in as well.  My ultimate goal some year though, would be exactly what it sounds like you're doing.  Start with the 360 nationals and stay all the way through the 410's.  Man that sounds awesome.  Have fun and safe travels!  

Whoa, I don't think I've ever looked at this track before. Its even more intersting than Willaims Grove. 1 and 2 seem more wider and less sharp than 3 and 4. Its also fitting its next to a drag strip! 

Lebanon Valley NY = .49mi inside? (hard to tell where the inside berm is) and .56mi outside

What are the specs on Salina?  That's a 1/2 mile, right?  That track is on my bucket list.  Love to get down that way and catch a race.  I've never done the eastern swing either.  Be fun to start with the Kings Royal and follow through PA for a while.  

Big on the pedal track.  Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Motor Speedway.  PPMS

Banked all the way around reminds me of Eldora.

Saw Tim Shaffer qualify at 145mph average for a Renegade race.

.40 miles on the outside. I believe it is considered a 3/8ths track but I have never been there. I too need to make it to a race down there. Outlaws in the fall go down there I believe but thats prime corn picking season :/

PPMS is .45mi inside and .55mi outside. Biggest difference between inside and outside of the tracks so far. That place looks wide averaging around 80' width of racing room around the entire track. To put in perspective I have always thought Knoxville to have a wide racing surface and they are around 65-70' width of racing room on average. The Grove averages 60-65' width and Eldora PPMS looks very symetrical where Knoxville really is not. It's really interesting comparing the designs of these race tracks. Keep in mind on width measurements that these can be very inaccurate due to banking and only being able to measure an overhead shot. If the banking is really steap the width or surface area of racing room is actually a good amount more.