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Topic: Styrofoam Walls
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July 13, 2026 at
06:52:03 PM
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How much do the styrofoam walls cost? Like at Fremont...
That just seems like an extremely cheap way to save lives and race cars.
Brandon McLain
United Sprint Car Series Driver
2014 Season
National Rookie of the Year!
National Points - 8th
Southern Points - 3rd
Asphalt Points - 3rd
18 Races, 3 Top 5's, 14 Top 10's
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July 13, 2026 at
09:22:40 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: BMcLain21 on July 13 2026 at 06:52:03 PM
How much do the styrofoam walls cost? Like at Fremont...
That just seems like an extremely cheap way to save lives and race cars.
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There are probably very few dirt tracks in the country that could afford to upgrade to styrofoam walls and remain profitable. In fact, there may be none.
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July 13, 2026 at
10:32:15 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: BMcLain21 on July 13 2026 at 06:52:03 PM
How much do the styrofoam walls cost? Like at Fremont...
That just seems like an extremely cheap way to save lives and race cars.
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Is there something put on those styrofoam walls to add some fire resistance? Touch a match to a sheet of polystyrene (Styrofoam is a brand name, like Kleenex) and you have a quick, big fire. What would happen if you caught a foam wall on fire?
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July 13, 2026 at
11:23:37 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: egras on July 13 2026 at 09:22:40 PM
There are probably very few dirt tracks in the country that could afford to upgrade to styrofoam walls and remain profitable. In fact, there may be none.
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Well, let's see. How much was the initial cost to Fremont Speedway? You know some of those fair board members could tell you. How many years have those walls been there?question Probably the museum might have the answer.
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July 14, 2026 at
12:59:17 AM
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This message was edited on
July 14, 2026 at
01:00:45 AM by rrounds55
Reply to:
Posted By: Murphy on July 13 2026 at 10:32:15 PM
Is there something put on those styrofoam walls to add some fire resistance? Touch a match to a sheet of polystyrene (Styrofoam is a brand name, like Kleenex) and you have a quick, big fire. What would happen if you caught a foam wall on fire?
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Now that is a very good question. I also think once it starts on fire its hard to put out, but if we have any firefighters on here they should be able to answer that question.
Rod
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July 14, 2026 at
06:40:20 AM
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I beleive the annoucer mentioned they were $800 a block. That was 15 or 20 years ago, so who know what they cost now.
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July 14, 2026 at
03:27:38 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: trecraft on July 13 2026 at 11:23:37 PM
Well, let's see. How much was the initial cost to Fremont Speedway? You know some of those fair board members could tell you. How many years have those walls been there?question Probably the museum might have the answer.
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Jim Ford was Fremonts promoter and installed the soft walls, at his own expense, in 2001. All the credit goes to him. At the time, Fremont was one of the first, if not first, dirt tracks in the country to have them. It wasn't about money for him. He cared about saving the speedway and the looking out for the drivers. And that's exactly what he did. Fremont Speedway probably doesn't exist today if it wasn't for him. May he rest in peace.
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July 14, 2026 at
05:11:10 PM
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Anybody that's been to Fremont- do those things get torn up in a crash and need to be replaced?
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July 14, 2026 at
05:47:55 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: YRB12 on July 14 2026 at 03:27:38 PM
Jim Ford was Fremonts promoter and installed the soft walls, at his own expense, in 2001. All the credit goes to him. At the time, Fremont was one of the first, if not first, dirt tracks in the country to have them. It wasn't about money for him. He cared about saving the speedway and the looking out for the drivers. And that's exactly what he did. Fremont Speedway probably doesn't exist today if it wasn't for him. May he rest in peace.
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The first track I remember using them was Oswego in NY an asphalt track in the late 80s I think. But Fremont was the first dirt track I ever seen them used.
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July 14, 2026 at
09:35:51 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: Murphy on July 14 2026 at 05:11:10 PM
Anybody that's been to Fremont- do those things get torn up in a crash and need to be replaced?
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Yes, they do get torn up and have to be replaced. Not really sure how often, but before the 2024 season, they got a dozen or so new ones. Money well spent in most people's opinion. The soft walls have saved a lot of equipment and numerous drivers from serious injuries over the years
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July 14, 2026 at
09:51:35 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: trecraft on July 13 2026 at 11:23:37 PM
Well, let's see. How much was the initial cost to Fremont Speedway? You know some of those fair board members could tell you. How many years have those walls been there?question Probably the museum might have the answer.
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Ok, according to my research, they installed in 2002 or 2003. Its been 23-24 years. The cost now for a 1/2 mile track for example would be 1.3 million on the conservative end and 2.7 million dollars on the upper end according to multiple sources. So, I stick with my original statement. In an era where tracks are closing, attendance, for the most part, is down at most tracks outside of big events, very few, if any, tracks could remain profitable after installing the styrofoam barriers.
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