I see some places heat and scrape all the rubber off each week. Then I see some leave it. Then spray VHT over it. I have seen tracks cut the glue with something-maybe methanol? Then the track is shiny black. There are some preppers that are just the best. How do you know what to cut the glue with and how much? Some people still bring a small bottle of clue to put in front of the burnout box. Its definetly harder to do then it looks

It takes time and $, the commitment to provide the racers with the safest and best racing surface and started 2 weeks ago at Numidia Dragway, 6 weeks before their scheduled season opener. Further, Numidia scraps the track after EVERY race day. You won’t find many that scrap after every weekend no mind every day.

What Ed said is true. I worked as starter at SilverDollar raceway for a few years. A good starting line is a lot of work not all jet on race day. The starting area needs to be scraped after every race. If it’s a big race with a lot of cars probably more often than that. Too much rubber build up on the surface can be worse than none at all. Temperature plays a big role. As far as cutting the glue, methanol is usually what is used to help make it spray out better. Some glues cannot be cut. Lots of factors come into play and they change constantly. That’s part of why staters seem so stressed out. But like anything the best do a lot of work behind the scenes that nobody sees or knows about.

Scrapped, sweeped, washed, mopped with MEK, dragged, sprayed with traction compound then repeat after every race day.

Yes but who will do that? But that is the correct way to work it. Whatever you do don’t let it sit overnight if you had any kind of an oil down. If you do your work just got much much harder.

Numidia Dragway and being done right now.

Byron dragway in Illinois scrapes sprays and drags the track daily and drags in between rounds till about 4th or 5th then its round robin so no need great traction great people running it

Good to hear there’s at least 1 other track owner in the country that has committed the time and $ to give his racers the best and safest track surface.

Some do a great job on the first half of the track but not so much on the last half.

Numidia track prep is the benchmark

The best in the world in track prep are right here from Denver, the Crispe twins, also known as the Traction Twins, Cale and Cody. Larry is the general track manager at bandimere and their dad. They have been all over the world doing track prep and their credentials speak for themselves. Larry is the one who invented the machine that uses reverse rotating slicks to put rubber down. Bandimere has one of if not the best track surface on race day in the world (Sorry Ed, but that's a fact). During the Nationals, they also connect up coolers to the first 300' of track to help improve bite and the keep the track temps manageable. You can call Larry at Bandimere pretty much any time and he'll help you. I know the Twins don't come cheap though, but if you want a track prepped right, they are the ones to call.

quote:

Originally posted by 1320racer:
Numidia track prep is the benchmark

I'll put South Ga, Orlando and Carolina up against Numidia

I'll take that bet, lock it in!

Personally, I think at least monthly, if not at least weekly, scrapping is is very important. Putting more glue over excess rubber is an exercise in futility. Just my opinion. Take care. Tom Worthington

South Ga. is the best I have ever seen. Lot of fast cars run there.

In the southeast, Wade Rich is recognized as the best in the prep business...he now runs the show at Bradenton...

I will second what Mark said about the Traction Twins at Bandimere. NHRA has brought them to numerous national events in other states to ensure quality track prep.

Locally here in the DFW area, Ennis is generally very good. And Galen Smith, at XRP may have the stickiest, most consistent starting line in the state. He is not shy at all about track prep, and spends a ton of both time and money to do it right. And not just the starting line, he sprays the entire track, and most of the shutdown area as well, (which most do not).

Gaylen Smith at Extreme Raceway Park is really good at track prep. He is a very good Pro mod racer and knows what he is doing.
That track has quickly become my favorite for sure.

quote:

Originally posted by 1320racer:
I'll take that bet, lock it in!

Done $500...Now you just have to show up down here to see if it's true or not to win. But that wont ever happen...

or you have to show up at Numidia but that won't ever happen.