Does the Drag Strip need to be separate from the Road Course?

[dirt racer]

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g14/dirt_racer/racetracks/hrpdiag2_edited.jpg

Hawaii Raceway Park has been criticized by "some" for having the drag strip integrated into the road course. According to "them", this type of layout makes it difficult to insure, and limits the use of the facility. However, the reality of the situation is that HRP provided for Oahu's racers for 42 years. AND ALSO, many successful tracks around the country use the same type of "integrated" layout.






Portland

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g14/dirt_racer/racetracks/Portland20International20Raceway.jpg



Brainerd

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g14/dirt_racer/racetracks/brainderd.jpg


Moroso

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g14/dirt_racer/racetracks/morosomotorsportspark.jpg



Pacific Raceways

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g14/dirt_racer/racetracks/pacificraceways.jpg


Lonestar

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g14/dirt_racer/racetracks/lonestarmotorsportspark.jpg

Grand Bayou Circuit

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g14/dirt_racer/racetracks/grandbayoucircuit.jpg

[punishum]

" A FLAKE is always a FLAKE and they never make it . . . " Michael Eisner

[dirt racer]

Hooo, I forgot Infineon - AKA Sears Point

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g14/dirt_racer/racetracks/framdragster2Ejpg.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g14/dirt_racer/racetracks/formula5Fxtreme2Ejpg.jpg

[straightliner]

The strip could be used as part of the road course. It would cut down down on the number of events able to run at the same time. Since you don't have alot of land to work with your number of events are going to be limited anyway. You'll also have to watch were the road course enters and nexts the strip. You could get a build up of rubber and junk in those places. As for hitting patches of built up rubber going down the strip it could pull the drag cars one way or the other. Making one scary ride.

So what? :confused: When? :confused: Still waiting to hear. Anything? :confused:

[Paradise Racer]

If it comes down to incorporating a dragstrip with a road course, each venue would be responsible for the cleanup of either track. The safety of the racers is a priority that the track managers will enforce. There will be safety rules in place that everyone must follow, so....there should not be any left over rubbish or rubber that may get in the way of our fellow racers.

Also, as for a status update....we are just waiting for the finialization of paperwork.... We hope to announce a SORT meeting next month with information on our upcoming temp-site.

Thanks for the continued patience and hang in there....It's coming soon!!!

[dirt racer]

"The safety of the racers is a priority that the track managers will enforce. There will be safety rules in place that everyone must follow, so....there should not be any left over rubbish or rubber that may get in the way of our fellow racers."


That was definately an issue between the various clubs at HRP. Effective management is the solution. Great post Jeanette! ;)

[kimdn]

You guys are looking at old Sears Point "Infineon" info. The dragstrip is now separate from the road course.

I have raced at Infineon when the dragstrip was part of the roadcourse; the traction on the rubber-covered section was sketchy at best in the dry, and unusable in the wet. At HRP, the roadcourse users were constantly cleaning up oil from dragracers.

IMO it is much better to have them separate. Being able to run both drags at the same time as other events on the roadcourse would certainly be nice; safer and more racing. Anyone who disagrees doesn't use a roadcourse.

[punishum]

Infineon had seperated the drag strip from the road course when they did the massive improvment program when SMI took over the facility. But the road course heading up the hill in front of the main grandstand still runs parallel to the strip. Which means they still cannot run multiple events at the same time at Infineon.

And this is what Infineon has:FACILITY FACTS: 1,600 acres, 900 of which is used for daily racing activities.

More than nine and a half million cubic yards of dirt were moved on the Infineon Raceway property during the $50-million Modernization Plan from 2000-2002. ( And that is JUST infrastructure improvments. The cost from scratch would be astronomical. Especially in Hawaii's expensive base cost just for the land and high labor wages and where majority of the supplies would have to be shipped in to Honolulu and then transported to the site. Impossible. )

The hillside terrace seats at Turns 2-4, 7 and 8a-9 have used a total of 140,000 concrete blocks. At 18-inches long each, that is almost 40 miles of blocks.

Approximately 121,176 gallons of concrete were used to create the 660-foot concrete launch pad on the renovated drag strip.

The renovation of the drag strip required 9,600 hours of manpower.

Ten tons of rebar cable was laid underneath the surface of the drag strip to reinforce the concrete launch pad.

Again that was just improvment costs to an already excellent existing facility and that was mainly just for the Drag Strip. Something like that would never be able to be duplicated here in Hawaii. The land requirment alone would be the main prohibiting factor and then the infrastructure cost factor. Vegas as well sits on over 1000 acres. Even someone who has experience in racetracks like Smith, Penske, or even the France family would never even consider Hawaii. People like George Hullman said they are not interested in Hawaii. Not even the Donald who wants to own a racetrack with his big ego and know how knows that even he, could not make a WCF track work here in Hawaii and be profitable.

HRP is something that everyone has to realize was and will be the only track here for Oahu. Aside from P24 and what SORT will add to the racing community shortly, HRP will be it. And everybody needs to cooperate together and just be happy with that fact.

[dirt racer]

You guys are looking at old Sears Point "Infineon" info. The dragstrip is now separate from the road course.

I have raced at Infineon when the dragstrip was part of the roadcourse; the traction on the rubber-covered section was sketchy at best in the dry, and unusable in the wet. At HRP, the roadcourse users were constantly cleaning up oil from dragracers.

IMO it is much better to have them separate. Being able to run both drags at the same time as other events on the roadcourse would certainly be nice; safer and more racing. Anyone who disagrees doesn't use a roadcourse.

Welcome to the board, and of course everyone should have their own opinion. What will allow multiple events at the same time is SORT's P24 project, because it is in different geographic location. You could, for example, have daytime dirt track testing at P24, while a road race is going on at HRP, without any conflict. Won't that be nice. :D

[dirt racer]

Infineon Track Configurations

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g14/dirt_racer/racetracks/facility_ama_irl_web.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g14/dirt_racer/racetracks/facility_nascar_web.jpg

[kimdn]

Some nice facts about my home track (nowadays). I'm not really sure why you brought it up, but they are interesting.

My response was simply to correct the mis-information about Infineon's dragstrip being combined with the road course. And to describe how any road course user feels about running on rubber/VHT.

You asked " Does the Drag Strip need to be separate from the Road Course"; it certainly would be nice if it were separate, obviously it doesn't NEED to be. I roadraced for 16 years with it "all in one", I'll do it again if I have to. Would be nice not to though.

I'm just wondering, is the purpose of this website mostly to bash on people, or is it to provide information that might be of interest/benefit to the racing community? There sure is a lot of shit talk in here; to the usual suspects, they probably don't even notice it. But to a forum visitor/non-regular, it seems pretty lame and the bashers actually look like poor sports losing their battle. Hold your heads high, and if you feel you are doing the right thing the right way, there should be no need to belittle others that don't share your opinion.

[Admin]

I'm just wondering, is the purpose of this website mostly to bash on people, or is it to provide information that might be of interest/benefit to the racing community? There sure is a lot of shit talk in here; to the usual suspects, they probably don't even notice it. But to a forum visitor/non-regular, it seems pretty lame and the bashers actually look like poor sports losing their battle.

This website was setup to provide a forum for racers in Hawaii to freely exchange information, ideas and opinions. And to promote the sport of racing in Hawaii at proper legal venues.

This Admin believes in free speech. You are welcome to criticize the forum as you see fit. Many others have criticized this site as well.

I can assure you that many of the posts on this site would not have been allowed on some of the other "racing" oriented sites. And not because it is "bashing", but because it is the truth. What has been allowed on other sites is propaganda and misinformation. Misinformation that has greatly harmed the racing community, and led to the closing of the major racing venue - HRP.

[Mud Packer]

Some nice facts about my home track (nowadays). I'm not really sure why you brought it up, but they are interesting.

My response was simply to correct the mis-information about Infineon's dragstrip being combined with the road course. And to describe how any road course user feels about running on rubber/VHT.

You asked " Does the Drag Strip need to be separate from the Road Course"; it certainly would be nice if it were separate, obviously it doesn't NEED to be. I roadraced for 16 years with it "all in one", I'll do it again if I have to. Would be nice not to though.

I'm just wondering, is the purpose of this website mostly to bash on people, or is it to provide information that might be of interest/benefit to the racing community? There sure is a lot of shit talk in here; to the usual suspects, they probably don't even notice it. But to a forum visitor/non-regular, it seems pretty lame and the bashers actually look like poor sports losing their battle. Hold your heads high, and if you feel you are doing the right thing the right way, there should be no need to belittle others that don't share your opinion.
Well, lets just say that everybody has their own opinion, if people want to bash on others, who gives a shit? And if you look back at what you wrote, sounds like you are speaking for all the road course users, not just yourself.

[Mud Packer]

Well, lets just say that everybody has their own opinion, if people want to bash on others, who gives a shit? And if you look back at what you wrote, sounds like you are speaking for all the road course users, not just yourself.
On this sight, its not too bad of a bashing ( its a truth bashing ) compared to another sight ( paranoid bashing ). But you gotta admit one thing, I rather bend over backwards for SORT, then just bending over.

[hileadfoot]

On this sight, its not too bad of a bashing ( its a truth bashing ) compared to another sight ( paranoid bashing ). But you gotta admit one thing, I rather bend over backwards for SORT, then just bending over.


Hahaha...you're too funny....truthful, but funny nevertheless.

[Paradise Racer]

We should say that we

"AGREE TO DISAGREE"

I don't think that bashing is the way to go....http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j180/jeanette96792/36_1_121.gif

[kimdn]

My point about "bashing" is that it never makes the "basher" look good, 'cept to his buddies. Otherwise it looks childish, immature and takes away credibility. I'm sure it is possible to make your point and/or give facts WITHOUT talkin' smack.

Given the option, wouldn't it be better to separate a drag strip from the road course? How is it better to have them combined, like at HRP? Like I said, rubber on the road course sucks. Oil on the road course sucks. The strictest rules about cleanup could be enforced, but even with the best cleanup efforts, the area will still be slick for a while. Just two weeks ago, I raced at the AMA event at Infineon. There was a crash that left oil on the course; it was cleaned with oil dry, torched, and other methods that were probably as good as it gets (Infineon don't skimp). But the area was still very slick--I had some interesting two wheel drifts when going through the spot. Not much fun since I only have two wheels!

[Paradise Racer]

Given the option, wouldn't it be better to separate a drag strip from the road course? How is it better to have them combined, like at HRP? Like I said, rubber on the road course sucks. Oil on the road course sucks. The strictest rules about cleanup could be enforced, but even with the best cleanup efforts, the area will still be slick for a while.

Hi Kim....We would like to have separate courses, if there is enough space. However, as temporary measures, we might just incorporate a multi-venue track.

Now, when the street bikers race on the streets (i.e. Cambell Indus. Park), don't they come across some debris on the road? I know that since the closure of HRP, there have been many bike riders out there that have been racing all over the place. I'm sure that many of them will be willing to give our track a try.

I hear what you are saying and agree fully that it has to be safe for all racers, and that is what we want to do.

When we have our SORT meeting, please come and give us your input....

[dirt racer]

There is no doubt that all the racers would want their own separate tracks. But looking at it from a developers point of view, it will cost twice as much, and take up twice as much space.

Mainland tracks with several hundred acres are still using "integrated" tracks. And here we are with 49 acres @ P24, and 67 acres @ HRP. Besides the extra space and asphalt, you're gonna need extra bleachers, and lighting, and safety barriers. By integrating the tracks, the investment in equipment, fixtures, and asphalt work is maximized.

[SM2-MSM]

My point about "bashing" is that it never makes the "basher" look good, 'cept to his buddies. Otherwise it looks childish, immature and takes away credibility. I'm sure it is possible to make your point and/or give facts WITHOUT talkin' smack.

I 100% agree with you on that one, I'm only a sideline watcher of the entire drama but I don't understand why one side constantly bashes the other.
This site is rampant with it, and I'd rather hear about progress then about "MOMAC" people. Who cares what they do, supposedly no one is supposed to interfere with the others cause, which is what it should be.
If there is a temp track, I'm there, if there is a reopened HRP, I'm there, if there is a P9, I'm there.