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The track was really fast this last week but the track in turn 2 has gotten worse & worse. Cars are hitting the ruts, bouncing around and tearing up equipment or having parts fall off due to fatique. (Not talking about cars involved in wrecks) Like on another topic, 6 pack stated he has a golf cart full of parts. We're lucky that no driver has been hit by the parts. Last week a brake caliper bounced off a car roof and this week a coil spring hitting my driver's side A pillar. This is no blame on anyone! The track has been usually smooth all the time, but something has changed. I don't do track prep. Don't know if it needs more clay in the low spot of 2 or packed tighter. Maybe it's the troll but just hoping we can get turn 2 smoothed back out. This is not a bash at the track by any means. Our car counts are great and keep growing. Safety and being able to keep our cars in one piece should be a priority. Maybe no one else feels this way but this is JMO. Hope to everyone on the 9th.

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The track was really fast this last week but the track in turn 2 has gotten worse & worse. Cars are hitting the ruts, bouncing around and tearing up equipment or having parts fall off due to fatique. (Not talking about cars involved in wrecks) Like on another topic, 6 pack stated he has a golf cart full of parts. We're lucky that no driver has been hit by the parts. Last week a brake caliper bounced off a car roof and this week a coil spring hitting my driver's side A pillar. This is no blame on anyone! The track has been usually smooth all the time, but something has changed. I don't do track prep. Don't know if it needs more clay in the low spot of 2 or packed tighter. Maybe it's the troll but just hoping we can get turn 2 smoothed back out. This is not a bash at the track by any means. Our car counts are great and keep growing. Safety and being able to keep our cars in one piece should be a priority. Maybe no one else feels this way but this is JMO. Hope to everyone on the 9th.

 

Taz...it was rough.. I must say it was the fastest by far this year...I know the ruts kinda upset our car in the turn making it get loose and sliding up the track.. Its decieving to other drivers when this happens but thats racing... I think you should bring the shot gun out and play target practice....LMAO you get to keep the parts you shoot.. LOLOL...

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Taz, I agree the track had 8" wide ruts in it. Not trying to bash but this is due to the front runners racing first since we don't pack the track anymore. Those small wheels eat up the corners like crazy. I'll be the first to say I don't want to race first, but the track needs to be packed. Doesn't the track have a large tire that they can pack the track with ? Ruts will always be a problem as long as the front runners run first without packing the track. JMO.

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There is no question that the track looked super fast. I'm glad to see there are a lot drivers who feel the same way. I sure hope the next race has the same type of raciness in it for the soldiers that come out to watch the show. In military terms, a dusty track would be a no go at this station...LOL

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Track was rough in 2, but it's not the norm. They do have 2 big tires they usually use to pack the track, but wasn't used the other night for whatever reason. On the other hand, it was fast. And Ray, If theLLM pack, so should everyone else. We all pay the same amount for fuel and whether your racing or packing it's still being used and everyone should have the opportunity to spend more. JMO

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Jaime, I know what he was saying. 10" verses 8". I've raced I37, STS, SOS, and TRP and when it came time to pack the track it was every class. That being said, I wouldn't want the front runners to pack with 4" tires, but everyone else could. I know it sounds like I'm upset about this, in a way I am, but been hearing the same suggestion for years. I just know what it cost to run my car on a normal night without any extra laps so everyone else can have a smooth surface. Be more than happy to pack as long as it's equal. Ok, off my soap box now. sorry if I offended anyone. Just remembered why the tires probably weren't used.(getting old, memorys going) They had a water line break so they couldn't fill em with water. I saw Jim hanging upside down in a 3' deep hole trying to fix it till right before the drivers meeting so the concession stand and bathrooms would have water.

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I understand what you are saying and I'm not trying to offend anyone here either. Fair is fair...LOL I do hope that the track is as good or better than it was this past race for the next race especially. The troops coming in deserve the best possible show.

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Being that we have a llm we dont mind making 4 or 5 laps if the rest of the llm do about 4 or 5 laps just to get the track alittle better quicker. Never thought it was fair to send the cars w least amount of motor, chassis and tire out first and tell them to race on it. Then be critical about how they go about racing. I know I would not want to run a heat race on it in any class. But I do think 4 or 5 laps with 12 to 14 llm would do the trick.

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Dont think lots of folks are remembering its been good...There was a problem this week and the big tires did not get used if i am correct..Dont need to pack when they use those monster tires,,I am sure that this heat is playing pure HELL trying to prep it....I saw ERIC on the maintaner right after the races...So it should not bake inn with the heat during the week...I am sure after being there ALL DAY in the HEAT, this is NOT what he wanted to do...But it shows the effort to give us a GREAT, SMOOTH track.....Frank t

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I see every week the effort they put in to make the track good.....and I can say it is not for lack of effort. Kind of the same thing with us...sometimes no matter how hard we try our cars dont work right. They cannot predict the future.... they can not say for sure everything there doing is going to work...but they are trying....I say thats all we can ask. I asked about packing the track....cause I thought it would help too....but their answer showed how little I really knew about track prep. First off its really unfiar to make just a few classes pack....puts track workers in danger (by showing cars where to pack) AND the BIGGEST thing was...how much of the track they lose....all those cars picking up mud taking it to the pits....away from the track surface....they actually have two instruments to pack the track....the large tires (old fuel buddies) and a packer trailer (dont know real name) with multiple tires....the large tires are getting old and lose water pretty quickly...and seem like a pain. From what I was told...the parking lot washes off into turn 1 and two...making them softer..so...ruts are inevitable...

 

I have to say..I almost never have to scrape mud...or hardly even need to wash the car...I barely use any race gas...and its really easier on me....so...to me...a track that is sometimes a little less than perfect is something I can live with....

 

The worst part to me is....the guys I see at the track bend over backwards trying to make the track surface good....and have to come on here and see all this....and can not respond. Im not saying anyone is bashing them...but think how you would feel if you was in their shoes....I suggest you guys talk to some of them in person...I bet you will get a new respect for all their doing for you. (But...this is just my opinion) AJ (evil dr wreckum....)

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With the current 'health' of the water truck, be thankful it's not a dust bowl...lol

 

But I agree running the Front Runners with the skinny tires is part of the issue...From the tower I can see them cutting ruts....It did appear they got packed down some by feature time after all the other heats....

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I wasn't there Saturday but knowing what the track has been like I would invite all of the racers to 281 speedway, HOT and on occasion TTS and see some real ruts, In the 3 years of racing(yes as stupid as I look I do have 3 years of driving), i will say I have never seen a track stay as consistant as 37, it may be slick, it may take rubber, it may get dusty, but it is almost always smoothhhhhh

joe

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I wouldn't call it negative criticism but more like more heads and ideas coming up with something that might be even better than before. I was there until the wee hours of Sunday morning and Eric had pretty much finished working the track so I saw the effort being put into it while I was sucking down some cold adult beverages; thank you Mr. Dinsmore and Mr. Fuller and crew.

 

I've said this before but if there was a way to get each class to coopertively roll in the "marbles" on the top side instead of racing around the track as they come on for their heat race that may help make multiple grooves for racing. It seems two fold to me: you work in the loose stuff and you eliminate a few extra minutes off of each race trying to get everyone lined up for their race. So instead of 3 or 4 laps before the green flag we are looking at 2 or 3. Add all that time up for all of the heats and your looking at like an extra half an hour or so. IMHO (yes those are ficticious numbers of laps and time)

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You know. No one said anything about bashing the track. Geeez We all have seen the effort the track has taken to give the drivers a smooth surface to race on every week. Yes Jim and I have had our "moments" but I'll be the first to admit what a good job they are doing. :)

 

Just saying something was done different cause it was rough in turn 2. And towards the end of the night, turn 1 was starting to break up.

The LLM's, mods and sport mods were bouncing around in those turns. Heck I saw 2 cars with both front tires off the ground coming out of turn 1. Jeremy mentioned his golf cart was full of parts that have come off the cars.

 

Maybe it would be a good idea to run a different class first other than the frontrunners.

Maybe all cars need to take a few laps to pack it in.

Get the huge tires back out there again.

 

Again, good job to Eric and Jim and everyone else who is involved in the track prep.

Looking forward to the next race.

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Whatever it takes keep it up. It beats the hell out of knocking off 200 lbs of mud after packing, 200 lbs of mud after hot laps, 200 lbs of mud after heat race and 200 lbs of mud after feature just so you dont drop it all over the freeway in front of someone. This year I have saved so much money on tearoffs compared to last year racing at another track its like having a sponsor. Me personal I wish it was dryer sooner so the track starts taking rubber even earlier. Lots of side by side racing last week for sure.

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A few weeks back we went to practice on a Thursday. Eric had just finished putting all the water he had on the track. BELIEVE ME, WE COULDNT PRACTICE. We ran in 3rd gear instead of second just to keep from spinning so much. If Thursday is the only day he can go water because of work or family issues then understandable. If more water is possible them I am willing to go out 1 evenng a week and do it myself to help out. Like I said earlier, if that track stays the way it was last week more cars will stay and more will show up. It was awesome.

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I know that Eric and Jim have been doing one heck of a job and shows by the increasing car count. i was just hoping that maybe something could be tried a little different in turn 2 to maybe lessen the ruts. Definitely love the drier track without the mud like Danielson commented. Turn 2 for some reason, if it gets too much water then it ruts up, possible lower spot. Oh well, enuff said, I'm sorry i even brought this up.I'll figure something out. Sorry! I guess i'm just a senile old fart.

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Taz,, it legit to talk about. I know the ruts cant be controlled by the track crew and props to them.. I do know that I would be willing to pack the track. The ruts caused me to get loose and almost get into trey a few times. I will pack if it helps....

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