I'm putting this out for discussion and am by no means pointing any fingers at promoters, tracks or track workers. I'd love for more experienced track prep workers to chime in.

We all race at that one track or possibly even a couple that seem like they are bad to the bone start to finish all day long deep into the night. Why?

Then we visit a world class facility or even a small track that has all the "right" equipment and the track has a reputation of "going away" in the late rounds.

Some tracks "never" drag or spray after the initial prep in the morning unless there is a major leak, wreck, etc. Then you have tracks that want to drag between every round and even more in the late rounds because there is more time.

And we have all been there when "It goes away" Believe me as a racer and promoter I understand it has to happen at some point if it is going to and someone is going to be on the losing end, which really sucks. No promoter or track guy wants this to happen is my belief, but if it does happen it's going to happen to someone. Just no way to know seems to be the problem.

With that said, I think most track prep guys try to do as much as they can especially in the late rounds. Is that the right thing to do? Seriously, are they trying to hard and creating the issue? Now I'm not talking when the dew is setting, I understand you can't let dew set on the track. But if conditions are dry. I don't care if its cold or hot out, My question is why does a track need broomed or drug when no cars are running. This process is not putting heat into the track or creating a stickier surface.

Then all of a sudden with a few cars left, after the tractor has been running for 20 minutes up and down the lane, the cars come out and cant go down the track and we "a s s u m e" the track has went away when one or more cars get loose, run .02-.04 over, etc.

Is the track just cold and does the tractor just not help or is the tractor hurting?

Do track workers not run the tractor when it's warm because they're not worried and then the track work and they a s s u m e it's because it's warm and don't think possibly it was because they "didn't" run the tractor?

Has the glue changed? Has our thought on track prep changed? Is it a tire issue?

This happens, and it seems as though it is happening more and more.

ONE MORE TIME this is something I've witnessed over the last few years and not at any particular venue and not because of dew, dust or pollen.

Love to hear some feedback.

SL...

Subscribing............

It's all about $!!

Tracks will get away with what their weekly racers allow and that will be their same level of prep when their facility is rented for a big $ race weekend, not weekend, RACE.

I can tell you for a fact that Numidia uses more traction compound in 1 month than most tracks use in a full season AND Numidia scraps the track after every race.

The ones that work the best around here are the ones that get left alone....

here's a hint to what lies ahead...when you see guys/racers walk out on the track in flip flops, the track is JUNK!

Different traction compounds require different treatment. PJ1 doesn't require near as much "work" as VP does. Typically, atleast here in the Midwest, VP goes away fast when the sun gets off the track, where PJ1 really starts to shine. VP, also requires more product to be used, and though it is cheaper per barrel, if you do as they direct, your costs will be very close to that of PJ1. Also you have to know what the tracks are cutting the compound with, and what percentages.

again, it's all about $!

quote:

Originally posted by 1320racer:
again, it's all about $!

^^^ YUP

quote:

Originally posted by 1320racer:


I can tell you for a fact that Numidia uses more traction compound in 1 month than most tracks use in a full season AND Numidia scraps the track after every race.

Similar to Bradenton, they take care of the track!

I don’t think it’s all about money though..we’ve got several mom n pop tracks that will flat out work an I can promise you there not spending a bunch of coins on vht...

quote:

Originally posted by 1320racer:

I can tell you for a fact that Numidia uses more traction compound in 1 month than most tracks use in a full season AND Numidia scraps the track after every race.

To scrap a track each race sounds expensive, probably easier to scrape,spray & drag.

Where do they put the scrapped tracks?



Just having fun!!!

Fwiw, I don't remember having a problem at Atco or Cecil County with my cars in the last 20+ years.

I wish all tracks were less than perfect all the time. Just saying, prep is so good most of the time a lot of racers don’t know what a marginal track is until one isnt 100 perfect.

I think the person prepping the track has an awful lot to do with it...I am blessed to have Wade Rich at my home track and he is acknowledged as one of if not the best in the southeast...cold or hot, there is never an issue when Wade sets the track up...

On occasion Wade is out of town and we all see a marked difference in the track...same chemicals and equipment, so there you go...

Tried to find a picture of Atco while we waited out a snow dusting for a Billy Mitchell race. If I remember correctly, it had Billy Duhs in the photo.
Can't find it though. I'm sure Dave Milcarek has it.

PS: I have raced at Cecil County for their Street Car Shoot Outs. Jim Halsey was always out there spraying each lane with a 3 gallon pump sprayer. I appreciate his effort and sometimes will drive past Atco Dragway to go to Cecil.

I'm done, again,I think!

Also have to differentiate WHERE the track is going away. Crews will work the heck out of the 1st hundred feet, and not look at the rest of the track. More attention needs to be done from 100-300ft.

Every track is different in how it reacts to compounds, sun load / heat, and the race traffic.

For sure, in most conditions, less is more.

Traction is really, really nice. But you know what? Any place that will even hold a regular and/or weekly bracket race these days is not all bad. Just saying. Take care. Tom Worthington

One of the main questions here in the original post concerns the tractor, and if the tractor going up and down the track between rounds is more of a hurt than a help. I honestly believe that it is a hurt. If the tractor goes out on the track between rounds and I am the first few pairs out then I am dialing up. I think tracks are truly best when prepped properly and then left alone. If the tractor needs to come out then a true re-prep needs to take place, not just running the brush on the tractor or dragging. The tractor should come out during spills and oil downs of course, but at that point we should pretty much be cleaning up and re-prepping the track right?

Scraping between races is important. The sun has baked out the good stuff on the top layer of the rubber and needs to be scraped to the soft oily rubber. If it has rained during the week then water sets into the rubber and the sun bakes the outer layer and traps the water between the rubber layers, once again needing to scrape to the good stuff.

Scrape, then CLEAN with a solvent, let it dry, use some good ole resin (the gold dust).. the more of the gold dust the better. The resin actually helps in terms of friction, not sticky, and can help pull off rubber for any bald spots. You should not drag the track until after the resin is down (the resin is attracting the new fresh rubber) After that then spray down the good ole sticky stuff. The hotter the track the less sticky spray since high heat can make it oily versus sticky

Some tracks actually have problems with water under the entire track itself that can soak up from the earth to the track and then out the top and onto the surface. This typically happens once the dew starts to typically set and the soil is getting wet. If there has been a lot of rain during the entire week up until race weekend then the soil may be saturated and can cause the same process to happen even after prep during the middle of the day. Those tracks need to be scraped, dried to pull out moisture, and then the prep process needs to begin.

After all of that then leave the tractor in place unless you are re-prepping

these are all my opinions and we know what they say about opinions

Fact is there are far more tracks that spend little $ and time prepping their track then there are those that do.

Your $ is green and good everywhere but most bracket racers will pull in the closest track to their house and then biotch about the track. I ain't that guy. I drive right past the track closest to my house every week and in the opposite direction of the 2nd closest, now closed, every week.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 1320racer,

I've never had an issue with my car picking up slowing down after the track has been drug at any point in the day/night with the dragster or door car. The issue I've seen/had is right before they pull the cars into the water box they spray or hand spray the track and 1 minute later start the round. Some track owners try to hard and hurt the track instead of helping. Watch them had spray and a dragster be first out and listen when he hits the fresh spray doing his burnout as it's like hitting water. After 4-5 pair it seems ok but why would you waste the money when the track has been good. My local track sprays before the race and only drags after that. Another track may or may not spray before every round of super pro. My cars are night/day difference in consistency between the tracks