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Topic: 1 mile tracks Email this topic to a friend | Subscribe to this TopicReport this Topic to Moderator
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RodinCanada
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November 12, 2019 at 07:40:29 PM
Joined: 07/24/2016
Posts: 1720
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Could today's sprint cars race safely on a 1 mile track and why dont they still have 1 in the schedule as a featured event?


Even though I may not know you, I 
care what most of you think!


JonR
November 12, 2019 at 07:46:53 PM
Joined: 05/28/2008
Posts: 872
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Have you ever been to a mile long dirt track?   The racing is not the best. 



mcweld
November 12, 2019 at 07:54:07 PM
Joined: 03/11/2008
Posts: 93
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Safety aspect yes.   Been to the Indy Fairgrounds a couple times and wasn't impressed at all and I am a diehard 410 winged guy. 


Gary Allbuagh


beezr2002
November 12, 2019 at 08:12:52 PM
Joined: 04/21/2017
Posts: 1116
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Reply to:
Posted By: RodinCanada on November 12 2019 at 07:40:29 PM

Could today's sprint cars race safely on a 1 mile track and why dont they still have 1 in the schedule as a featured event?



Go and attend a Silver Crown race on one of the dirt miles while we still have them.



chathamracefan1
November 13, 2019 at 07:38:25 AM
Joined: 08/03/2008
Posts: 241
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I wonder about the safety aspect.  I went to an Outlaw show at the Springfield Mile in 1998.  Sammy was fast time in qualifying at 24.7 something seconds.  Insanely fast & that was 20 years ago.  It would seem the cards would be on the edge of speeds that would cause major injuries or worse in a big crash.  And as mentioned, the racing was not the best.  Basically a high speed parade.  Still impressive to see because of the raw speed.

Sammy's qual lap remains one of the most impressive things I have seen in a race car in my life.  He basically never lifted or only slightly lifted for the corner.  



Paintboss
MyWebsite
November 13, 2019 at 08:11:09 AM
Joined: 12/02/2004
Posts: 2098
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After seeing Danny Drinan crash at Springfield in 91, Definately not for Midgets.... Even with the latest greatest Safety Equipment that was just way too Intense to walk away from.




Johnny Utah
November 13, 2019 at 08:18:13 AM
Joined: 07/15/2014
Posts: 1221
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Posted By: Paintboss on November 13 2019 at 08:11:09 AM

After seeing Danny Drinan crash at Springfield in 91, Definately not for Midgets.... Even with the latest greatest Safety Equipment that was just way too Intense to walk away from.



That was a scary ass crash.  Didn't he flatline in the helicopter a couple of times before they got him to the hospital?



EasyE
November 13, 2019 at 08:24:34 AM
Joined: 10/29/2017
Posts: 384
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If you think a good race isn't possible on the mile watch the video of kinser and haudenschild at Syracuse swapping the lead back and forth sometimes several times a lap.......



dsc1600
November 13, 2019 at 10:30:50 AM
Joined: 05/31/2007
Posts: 4373
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They tried to do an invitational in 2010 at Syracuse with the idea of trying to do a full show in 2011. According to Johnny Gibson, the front end of the cars couldn’t stay on the track and that was that. It’s probably for the best as the cars are much faster now than in 1995 and with most guys not having any experience on a mile it would be a huge safety concern.




Paintboss
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November 13, 2019 at 10:45:38 AM
Joined: 12/02/2004
Posts: 2098
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Posted By: Johnny Utah on November 13 2019 at 08:18:13 AM

That was a scary ass crash.  Didn't he flatline in the helicopter a couple of times before they got him to the hospital?



Yes he did. Amazed he was able to come back like he did.



linbob
November 13, 2019 at 03:12:49 PM
Joined: 03/12/2011
Posts: 1649
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Reply to:
Posted By: Paintboss on November 13 2019 at 10:45:38 AM

Yes he did. Amazed he was able to come back like he did.



I heard from him I think that he woke up in middle of night in hospital, pulled out IV and walked down hall and asked nurse where in the F*** am I.  Watch crash at DRINAN CRASH AT SPRINGFIELD.  Odd enough the Drinan frame never broke at all in crash and bent very little.



fiXXXer
November 13, 2019 at 04:43:00 PM
Joined: 10/26/2014
Posts: 2475
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This message was edited on November 13, 2019 at 04:46:06 PM by fiXXXer
Reply to:
Posted By: dsc1600 on November 13 2019 at 10:30:50 AM

They tried to do an invitational in 2010 at Syracuse with the idea of trying to do a full show in 2011. According to Johnny Gibson, the front end of the cars couldn’t stay on the track and that was that. It’s probably for the best as the cars are much faster now than in 1995 and with most guys not having any experience on a mile it would be a huge safety concern.



I have mechanical skill and knowledge of a #2 Dixon Ticonderoga pencil but I would assume that if the WoO were to begin racing at a mile track again, they'd almost need to have purpose built cars or at least highly modified versions of current cars. Back when they used to go to Syracuse, some of the aero shit they did was pretty cool but with costs already something that seems to always be an issue, would it really make sense in modern times to go there again? I don't think it would. Just look at all the differences between winged and traditional sprint cars. It's very hard to just rip the wing off of your winged car and be competitive so I can imagine running a mile would be no different. Maybe most of of teams on tour would have the resources but would it make much sense for locals to show up? Maybe just to start and park with the exception of the well funded teams like Brian Brown or KCP but I think car count would be an issue too for that very reason. I do think it would be pretty cool to see what those guys come up with but then we gotta talk safety as well and I think the speeds of todays cars would just make it way too risky especially when they make them even faster for the mile with modifications. It was cool back then but they quit doing it for a reason. I feel like that ship has sailed and I don't see enough pros vs. cons to bring it back again.




linbob
November 14, 2019 at 05:40:51 PM
Joined: 03/12/2011
Posts: 1649
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Posted By: RodinCanada on November 12 2019 at 07:40:29 PM

Could today's sprint cars race safely on a 1 mile track and why dont they still have 1 in the schedule as a featured event?



I think it was Van May that crashed at Syracuse and it took the whole roll crag off.  He survived , but sprint cars do not need to run on mile tracks.



saphead
November 14, 2019 at 06:32:08 PM
Joined: 11/30/2004
Posts: 1163
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WoO on the Indy mile was pretty cool. We used to sneak up to the fence underneath the main grandstand to get a sense of the speed. Steve passed Sammy on the last lap of the feature I believe in May of 92'.  Greg Hodnett flipped his you know what off that night in the family car. 

 



miledirtfan
November 14, 2019 at 08:19:50 PM
Joined: 11/11/2006
Posts: 739
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I agree that sprint cars on a mile is probably a thing of the past

But I love the champ cars on the dirt mile at DuQuoin under the lights.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGLSQ59ujFA

Last years race over Labor Day weekend was a good one.




Shortie12
MyWebsite
November 15, 2019 at 05:26:39 AM
Joined: 12/11/2008
Posts: 775
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Posted By: miledirtfan on November 14 2019 at 08:19:50 PM

I agree that sprint cars on a mile is probably a thing of the past

But I love the champ cars on the dirt mile at DuQuoin under the lights.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGLSQ59ujFA

Last years race over Labor Day weekend was a good one.



The speeds are just too great from a safety standpoint.IMHO the best races are on 1/4 to 3/8 mile high banked tracks, less track to maintain,easier to watch,less engine stress and the most agressive drivers like Haud usually do the best.Mason City Iowa had a large true 1/2 mile that they shortened to 1500 ft on the outside which will make much closer racing.



BigRightRear
November 15, 2019 at 09:01:15 AM
Joined: 11/27/2004
Posts: 3751
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Racing on half miles is often boring...Earl didn’t build his mile...and for good reasons you don’t see any mike dirt tracks being built. 

Longer races on a 3/8 is the wise choice with cars that are this evenly matched. 


Lincoln 1845 ft/.35 mile T1=118MPH 
Eldora 2287 ft/.43mile T3=135MPH
Port 2716 ft/.51 mile T3=TBD
Grove 2792 ft/.53 mile T3=135MPH
Selinsgrove 2847 ft/.54 mile T1=136MPH
"I didn't move to PA from El Paso in search of better 
weather." Van May

revjimk
November 15, 2019 at 11:12:45 AM
Joined: 09/14/2010
Posts: 7595
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Reply to:
Posted By: BigRightRear on November 15 2019 at 09:01:15 AM

Racing on half miles is often boring...Earl didn’t build his mile...and for good reasons you don’t see any mike dirt tracks being built. 

Longer races on a 3/8 is the wise choice with cars that are this evenly matched. 



Seems to me that shorter tracks are more competitive & fun to watch

But all the USAC fans seem to love the Silver Crown cars on the mile

Never saw that, so i can't really say....




Paintboss
MyWebsite
November 15, 2019 at 11:22:13 AM
Joined: 12/02/2004
Posts: 2098
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Reply to:
Posted By: BigRightRear on November 15 2019 at 09:01:15 AM

Racing on half miles is often boring...Earl didn’t build his mile...and for good reasons you don’t see any mike dirt tracks being built. 

Longer races on a 3/8 is the wise choice with cars that are this evenly matched. 



As far as Earls Mile. The story I heard from the Ansonia locals one year (And it could all be B.S.) After Earl cut that track out of the ground he had either Don Hewitt or a young Jack Hewitt go out and run the track and the reviews were: This track with the banking that he had in it was WAY to fast and it would be too dangerous and drivers would lose their lives on it!! Fact or Fiction I don't know, It's just the story I heard... So he pulled the plug on it....

 

I have walked from the road and up over the the hillside to what would have been one end of the 1 Mile track he started and OH MY GOODNESS it defininately looked like it would have been a deadly fast dirt track.



Dryslick Willie
November 15, 2019 at 12:25:22 PM
Joined: 12/17/2009
Posts: 2235
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Reply to:
Posted By: Paintboss on November 15 2019 at 11:22:13 AM

As far as Earls Mile. The story I heard from the Ansonia locals one year (And it could all be B.S.) After Earl cut that track out of the ground he had either Don Hewitt or a young Jack Hewitt go out and run the track and the reviews were: This track with the banking that he had in it was WAY to fast and it would be too dangerous and drivers would lose their lives on it!! Fact or Fiction I don't know, It's just the story I heard... So he pulled the plug on it....

 

I have walked from the road and up over the the hillside to what would have been one end of the 1 Mile track he started and OH MY GOODNESS it defininately looked like it would have been a deadly fast dirt track.



I read something similar to that, and I believe it was an article in Open Wheel many years ago.   He cut out the track and then stopped because he was concerned that speeds were already so high on the 1/2 mile.    





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