There is a post about favorite tracks.Which are the worst?

You could make an argument that any track still open is still good,but which ones should be avoided?

there's a lot of shyt holes still in operation all across this country and those who call them their home track will argue the fact.

Ed is right but at least those shyt holes are open for those that can race there. Like I was once told, "set it up to work on the worst track you can find and you will be ok".

quote:

Originally posted by ferndaleflyer:
Ed is right but at least those shyt holes are open for those that can race there. Like I was once told, "set it up to work on the worst track you can find and you will be ok".

25+ years ago, I was at the old Carlsbad Raceway, outside San Diego. I ran a slow street car and had fun. But a friend of a friend came from Palm Springs area to run his car, which was a 10-second VW. Guy drove ~4 hours, unloaded everything, set up his pit spot, did all the normal stuff. Goes up for first time trial, hits the gas and the car spins the tires. He drives back to the pits, and gets out yelling about what a junk track it was and on and on. Right then and there, he loaded up his **** and left. This was a full-on, tube chassis, coil-over suspended, professional built race car and he didn't take a single second to try and make any adjustments, adjust tire pressure, nothing....now mind you, there are cars as fast and faster as his there making runs with no issues. I still think about that all these years later. I don't know if he didn't know how or if he was just that entitled.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: fivecentcharlie,

quote:

Originally posted by ferndaleflyer:
Ed is right but at least those shyt holes are open for those that can race there. Like I was once told, "set it up to work on the worst track you can find and you will be ok".

agree 100% and back when I had my Chevelle, I did exactly that in the early 2000s.

May who's cars don't work unless the track is super prepped and the weather perfect, complain about track prep.

Most these drag strips with the bent up armco barriers, all they need is straight as a string concrete guard rails and tuned modern timing equipment.

Look at Sunshine, place looks great.

That place will be a concrete palace before it's all over with.

I've ran at 2 different tracks that I consider pretty bad, the worst for different reasons.

One was in MI, the other in UT & we made the best out of both. The track in MI, I ran a 2-day race & managed a win that weekend. The UT track was well run by racers/competitors; the most fun I've had of the many tracks I've raced. I managed a couple championships out of that track.

2BKing

It’s not just track prep that’s the problem. Some of these tracks don’t have any type of EMTs at the track or still have deadly armco barriers lining the track. Or the staff treats people like garbage.

Couple of years ago a man from MD complained to high heaven about the track conditions at Piedmont. He had a high 5 second (1/8) car.

The night before cars were running high 3s straight as an arrow and this day many were in the 4s.....a few weeks later he was throwing the same fit at VMP while others were having no problem. If it don't work --FIX IT!

Back in the day,Speeds dragstrip in new hope Indiana was sketchy at best. Narrow, short and the fog would move in at night and couldn't see **** downtrack. I heard they have up graded some. Twice was enough for me.

Back in the day we came to Speeds (called something else then) for a 3 day race. After winning the first 2 days we gave the locals a chance and went on back East. That place wasn’t much.

quote:

Originally posted by ferndaleflyer:
Back in the day we came to Speeds (called something else then) for a 3 day race. After winning the first 2 days we gave the locals a chance and went on back East. That place wasn’t much.

That's funny, I did the same thing in Iowa 5 or 6 years ago. Won 2 of the 3 races I entered & decided to leave the 3rd for someone else to win. Got on the road for my final destination/vacation in MI & got a win there also!

2BKing

Texas Motorplex has a great track surface and tower, grandstands, they make it look really nice and fancy for the tv camaras but the pits are an absolute shyt hole and they should be embarrassed to have any racers park it that mess. They re did the rest rooms recently but have no hot water and never have had any.
Anyone who has ever raced a divisional or national knows what I am talking about.

quote:

Originally posted by Big Steve:
Texas Motorplex has a great track surface and tower, grandstands, they make it look really nice and fancy for the tv camaras but the pits are an absolute shyt hole and they should be embarrassed to have any racers park it that mess. They re did the rest rooms recently but have no hot water and never have had any.
Anyone who has ever raced a divisional or national knows what I am talking about.

I graveled part of my driveway with the rocks I brought home from there the last time I was there.

I always try to set up my car so it will go down any track any time. With that said some simply are not safe and not worth taking a risk in my car. There was one track with steel guard rails and a very rough shut down. Simply not safe. The track itself had a lot of camber and cracks in racing surface.

I have seen some very dangerous tracks and some did not have adequate safety on site. I always thought if they had NHRA or IHRA then they had to have an ambulance and fire truck on site. My home tracks always had a the proper safety but find that is not the case every where.

I drove from Las Vegas to Salt Lake City to race a Memorial day race when Rocky Mountain was still called Bonneville Raceway back in the early 90'S. Got there and pitted Friday morning in the rain in foot tall weeds in the mud. Rain finally quit Saturday morning, got a time hit, had to swerve to miss the pot hole in the left lane. Rain again, the rest of the day. Sunday morning threw in the towel, packed up to head home. As we passed St George Ut, we found out they were having a race that weekend. Pulled in there, set up and won on Monday. Had to buy the family dinner at the Virgin River Casino on the way home LOL. Drove 900 miles to win a race 120 miles from home.

The worst are the ones that are closed, there were a lot of small tracks around here that are gone.

In 1988 started racing at our local drag strip about 30 minute tow. Everyone complained about it, but it was the only track within 2-3 hour tow.
It eventual shut down due to lack of attendance, pressure from the local government, and the owner not willing to accept help or to sell.

In this case I think if the owner had been willing to sell or be humble enough to accept help we might have been able to save it, but maybe not?

If you can’t get your car down the track the only person at fault is you.

quote:

Originally posted by Tim Mitchell:
Back in the day,Speeds dragstrip in new hope Indiana was sketchy at best. Narrow, short and the fog would move in at night and couldn't see **** downtrack. I heard they have up graded some. Twice was enough for me.

New Hope ( Speeds) I spent a lot of weekends there and at Brown county Raceway, back in the early 70's. New Hope has had a lot of upgrades since then, Brown County looks the same as it did.
At New hope they filled in the 10 inch drop off between the lanes although it looks like the still have not moved the guardrails any closer than 10 foot from the track. Brown County still is narrow, but at least in dry weather you don't have to wait to return down the track.

Man, memories of my early days racing..lol

Guy's today are spoiled with the tracks available to race on..

Dave

New Hope was what it was call the time I was there. Long time ago!