I have been attending races at the motorplex since 85. Never heard it called the Murder plex either.

one of the best racers in the country that is a friend of my son was there, told him about the 3 crashes and referred to it as murderplex due to the number of crash fatalities there over the years.

Oh I can see where that could be Ed, one of my racing buddies was actually one of the first fatalities at the motorplex. He actually passed away a few days later.I believe the brakes locked up and went directly into the end of a barrier that could opened for a turn off. Also it's been a long time ago but I believe that a very young Scotty Richardson was in the other lane.

Little chief - The first crash you are talking about, it was Scotty. I was in a suite with a new video recorder and probably have the only video. It was a horrific crash. So sad for the family, he was a very good racer also.

I will add my positive results from racing at the Motorplex. My count will be an estimate, approximately 9 race cars I built and drove at the Motorplex, won the final more than once in most of them, never an issue. I call it my favorite and home track.
A note of trivial, I drove in the pits before the track was finished and the pits were not paved. The construction foreman asked me what I was doing, I told him I was a curious racer. He said, "get in the truck with me." He gave me the complete tour, true story.

Another bit of trivia, the ashes of Little Chief's dad are sprinkled near the finish line, he loved that track also.

Mopar,It has been forever since I got to see Hank's awesome smile. Man he could row that 5 speed Nova

I too have many many memories from this facility back into the mid 80s. Wins/losses and crashes.

Had an incident in 2014 went into the wall in right lane lightly after mid 6 second pass at 206mph when a strut failed after the chutes came out. Very lucky for sure!

While I have complained about the gravel in the pits the racing surface was for the most part on point for 35 years plus.

I have been wondering for several years now.. Is there some kind of component that has been taken out of the glue per some regulation?. That perhaps makes it not as efficient? With NO blame on the glue manufacture.

Yall should enjoy those crosswinds on a motorcycle

quote:

Originally posted by TORQIN:
I too have many many memories from this facility back into the mid 80s. Wins/losses and crashes.

Had an incident in 2014 went into the wall in right lane lightly after mid 6 second pass at 206mph when a strut failed after the chutes came out. Very lucky for sure!

While I have complained about the gravel in the pits the racing surface was for the most part on point for 35 years plus.

Chris knows,it is a good safe track with long shut down and not so good pits. Had someone complained about the pits have to say, "Yes, they are a mess with all the gravel" But as far as track itself I have no complaints.

The crosswinds bothers some but it just is not an issue to me.

Traction compound? They were having trouble getting it a year or so ago but do not know if that is still an issue.

Crosswinds and grandstands are always a factor racing 1/4 mile at any National event facility that's on flat ground.

A brisk West wind at Indy feels like hitting the brakes at 700', in a smallblock powered brick.

I've raced there a lot and never heard it referred to as murder plex and I can only think of 2 deaths ,Jimmy Nix hit one of the score board poles and the one at the 86 bracket finals who hit an opening in the wall. Seen lots of crashes though.
One of the crashes this weekend looked like a blown engine and he scrapped the wall