Dirt vs. Asphalt

[sprintsrule]

I was just wondering about the differences between the asphalt tracks and the dirt tracks. First of all, I am not saying every difference applies to every track. As a whole, these are the differences I have noticed attending and racing at both type of tracks for thirty five years.

 

1) Dirt tracks do not have walls all the way around like asphalt tracks seem to.

2) Dirt tracks start the faster cars further towards the back during the feature.

3) Dirt cars seem to miss less races because of major car (frame) damage.

4) Dirt racers seem to help each other more when the competitors have trouble with their cars.

5) Dirt tracks seem to have more racing grooves.

6) Dirt racers seem to be having more fun while asphalt racers look at it like a business.

 

Believe me when I say I like both types equally. I just love racing. I would go watch three snails race if they would start the fastest snail in the back so there would be a little action. It just seems to me the dirt tracks are having more success keeping car counts and surviving. Why is that?

[Truck99]

I was just wondering about the differences between the asphalt tracks and the dirt tracks. First of all, I am not saying every difference applies to every track. As a whole, these are the differences I have noticed attending and racing at both type of tracks for thirty five years.

 

1) Dirt tracks do not have walls all the way around like asphalt tracks seem to.

2) Dirt tracks start the faster cars further towards the back during the feature.

3) Dirt cars seem to miss less races because of major car (frame) damage.

4) Dirt racers seem to help each other more when the competitors have trouble with their cars.

5) Dirt tracks seem to have more racing grooves.

6) Dirt racers seem to be having more fun while asphalt racers look at it like a business.

 

Believe me when I say I like both types equally. I just love racing. I would go watch three snails race if they would start the fastest snail in the back so there would be a little action. It just seems to me the dirt tracks are having more success keeping car counts and surviving. Why is that?

 

Just my thoughts:

 

1. Some do, some don't. THR of course has only 1 wall.

2. THR does this every week also (faster cars at the rear) - at least for the local classes.

3. Can't comment on that other than maybe the speeds are faster in the turns on pavement

4. Come hang out at the pits at THR on any weekend and you'll have a change of heart on this one.

5. Just the nature of dirt racing.

6. Can't comment on that one - we have an absolute blast.

[fast18]

I'm with Chase on this one. Other than THR the only track I spent a lot of time at was Longhorn and it did have hard walls all the way around.

[speed demon 7]

I was just wondering about the differences between the asphalt tracks and the dirt tracks. First of all, I am not saying every difference applies to every track. As a whole, these are the differences I have noticed attending and racing at both type of tracks for thirty five years.

 

1) Dirt tracks do not have walls all the way around like asphalt tracks seem to.

2) Dirt tracks start the faster cars further towards the back during the feature.

3) Dirt cars seem to miss less races because of major car (frame) damage.

4) Dirt racers seem to help each other more when the competitors have trouble with their cars.

5) Dirt tracks seem to have more racing grooves.

6) Dirt racers seem to be having more fun while asphalt racers look at it like a business.

 

Believe me when I say I like both types equally. I just love racing. I would go watch three snails race if they would start the fastest snail in the back so there would be a little action. It just seems to me the dirt tracks are having more success keeping car counts and surviving. Why is that?

 

1 Thunder Hill and Pensacola, no walls, Dirt tracks, lots DO Have walls. Think that is just is an area that cannot be compared because of how tracks are designed.

 

2. Dirt tracks draw a pill for heat races, Features are lined up according to heat race finishes, sometimes inverting a few rows based on a roll of a dice or drawing another pill.

 

3. Dirt cars are mostly full frame cars and speeds are not near what Asphalt is.

 

4. I have raced both and all racers are racers, they are family and will help anyone that needs help.

 

5. Dirt has more grooves when it is tacky because you can banzai into a corner, sliding around the other car without worrying about ruining your tires. Asphalt is all about tires.

 

6. Asphalt is as much fun as dirt. The cost is higher for tires, so you have to watch your tire bill. I think the cost of me racing asphalt has been less than dirt. Dirt, you get torn up and have to fix things more often. Asphalt, you have more control, therefore, you have less incidents. I ran both cars like a business, but that is just me. the asphalt guys I race with seem to have MUCH more money tied up in much more expensive cars. I know lots of DIRT guys that run their cars like a business too, I even have some telling me how much money they made off each car at the end of the year when they buy a new one, and sell the old.

 

 

Racing is racing, dirt or asphalt, as long as you have fun, and the fans come to watch.

[sprintsrule]

ss99,

Like I stated, all do not apply to all tracks. I think THR is a great place and that is why I would drive further to watch the races there than to watch the races at SAS. The wall (therefore less damage to the cars), the faster cars towards the back and the racers having more fun. Maybe that is why THR is still successful.

[PAPosse]

1 Thunder Hill and Pensacola, no walls, Dirt tracks, lots DO Have walls. Think that is just is an area that cannot be compared because of how tracks are designed.

 

 

Racing is racing, dirt or asphalt, as long as you have fun, and the fans come to watch.

 

Did they take the wall back out at Pensacola? I thought the last time i was there for the Snowball before moving to Cali ('97 or so) they had put one in.

 

That said - I've been to several dirt tracks that don't have walls....a few in central NY don't have them...at least used to be "wall free"

[speed demon 7]

Maybe it is Mobile, I am not sure, but I know McCurley slid his car into the trees a couple months back. I haven't been to either, but I have heard stories and sometimes I get them confused.

[PAPosse]

Maybe it is Mobile, I am not sure, but I know McCurley slid his car into the trees a couple months back. I haven't been to either, but I have heard stories and sometimes I get them confused.

 

Mobile is wall-less too...last I knew.

[CC57]

1) Dirt tracks do not have walls all the way around like asphalt tracks seem to.

HRP, Gator & 105 have walls all the way around (except in the entrance/exit areas)

 

2) Dirt tracks start the faster cars further towards the back during the feature.

Not necessarily. Feature usually lines up according to heat results. And then they sometimes will throw in an invert.

 

3) Dirt cars seem to miss less races because of major car (frame) damage.

I've missed less races on asphalt than I did on dirt. Actually, didn't miss any on dirt (that I planned to run), BUT I sometimes had to put out a lot more effort between races to fix "damaged" components after my dirt races

 

4) Dirt racers seem to help each other more when the competitors have trouble with their cars.

Haven't found that to be true. The competitors at both types of track have been just as willing to help in my eyes.

 

5) Dirt tracks seem to have more racing grooves.

This one I may occasionally agree with you on. For a few races during the middle of the season, the 2nd groove at HMP hasn't been used as much,but it's coming back in. But I've run a number of races on the dirt where the track went dry slick and everyone went to the bottom.

 

6) Dirt racers seem to be having more fun while asphalt racers look at it like a business.

Nope, seen both at both types.

 

I just wonder why dirt seems to draw more cars (even though there is prevalent the hue and cry regarding car counts at some tracks, in some classes). Percieved (real?) costs perhaps?

[sprintsrule]

Let me clarify number 1. Dirt tracks that have walls do not seem to have the walls as close to the racing groove as asphalt tracks. There is considerably more run off in case of a problem at the dirt tracks versus the asphalt tracks.

[dano36]

I think that racing like most other sports has ups and downs and right now it seems the downs are more prevalent in the asphalt racing than on the dirt. But dirt too in recent years has seen a downturn in their business and I believe the whole sport is suffering a bit right now. There will always be us old die hard fans that will always be there and to survive in this game, promotors must attract new fans to realize any profit, if there is such a thing, in racing. My younger brother works at a very popular track in eastern Ohio and he told me their car counts were down this season, so I suspect this situation is more national than just a Texas issue. I believe racing will bounce back as it always has in the past.

As for that cooperation among racing familys, its everywhere in the sport. I do not think there is any particular racing surface that would dictate this attitude. I would suspect more that this attitude would prevail among those really high dollar teams that will go out of their way to secrete their operations. But I've even seen those teams lend out tires, or a motor, etc. just so someone could continue racing.

As to debate which type racing is better, there will always be those who will argue their points. But to me, I simply love racing and the surface they race on means little other than the fact I will never wear a white shirt to a dirt track. As for my love of the sport; well, where will those snail races be at and what time do they start?

[speed demon 7]

HMP has a lot of runoff in the corners. On the straights, the wall is right there. Same with Gator, 105, Beaumont, Hot Rod Hill, and all these local dirt tracks I have been too. I broke a Right front Lower Ball joint at HMP going into turn one at about 100MPH, and I had enough room to slow down and barely touch the wall. If it wasn't for all the run off, my car would have been destroyed.

[PAPosse]

I think that racing like most other sports has ups and downs and right now it seems the downs are more prevalent in the asphalt racing than on the dirt. But dirt too in recent years has seen a downturn in their business and I believe the whole sport is suffering a bit right now. There will always be us old die hard fans that will always be there and to survive in this game, promotors must attract new fans to realize any profit, if there is such a thing, in racing. My younger brother works at a very popular track in eastern Ohio and he told me their car counts were down this season, so I suspect this situation is more national than just a Texas issue. I believe racing will bounce back as it always has in the past.

As for that cooperation among racing familys, its everywhere in the sport. I do not think there is any particular racing surface that would dictate this attitude. I would suspect more that this attitude would prevail among those really high dollar teams that will go out of their way to secrete their operations. But I've even seen those teams lend out tires, or a motor, etc. just so someone could continue racing.

As to debate which type racing is better, there will always be those who will argue their points. But to me, I simply love racing and the surface they race on means little other than the fact I will never wear a white shirt to a dirt track. As for my love of the sport; well, where will those snail races be at and what time do they start?

 

I agree with everything you said Dano - I know racing in my "home" region is suffering - car counts are down, a few tracks have closed, crowds are down...there is no easy solution. We, as fans, also need to continue to promote the sport in a positive way. I'm trying to talk a few of my co-workers into checking out the local racing scene. They have their toes wet by watching NASCAR on TV - now I have to get them off of their arses.

[RobbinsSr]

Let me clarify number 1. Dirt tracks that have walls do not seem to have the walls as close to the racing groove as asphalt tracks. There is considerably more run off in case of a problem at the dirt tracks versus the asphalt tracks.

At 105 the wall on the back strait will jump out and get you.

I have also Rolled my car when I climbed the wall on the front strait at Texas Thunder.

[sandersracing]

[quote name='mini9r'

I have also Rolled my car when I climbed the wall on the front strait at Texas Thunder.

If i remember right that kept you away from the track for a couple of weeks

[RobbinsSr]

[quote name='mini9r'

I have also Rolled my car when I climbed the wall on the front strait at Texas Thunder.

If i remember right that kept you away from the track for a couple of weeks

Just a couple but it was because of my kids activities. but I did go ahead and put a new front end on and fresh paint.

[sandersracing]

[quote name='mini9r'

I have also Rolled my car when I climbed the wall on the front strait at Texas Thunder.

If i remember right that kept you away from the track for a couple of weeks

Just a couple but it was because of my kids activities. but I did go ahead and put a new front end on and fresh paint.

I think the back strech at texas thunder is worse than the fround strech wall

[landlord]

The only racing I have ever found to be closed mouth is Drag Racing.Those guys aint helpin nobody!!!

[neon14]

One of them is more fun than the other.

[Nathan]

[quote name='mini9r'

I have also Rolled my car when I climbed the wall on the front strait at Texas Thunder.

If i remember right that kept you away from the track for a couple of weeks

Just a couple but it was because of my kids activities. but I did go ahead and put a new front end on and fresh paint.

I think the back strech at texas thunder is worse than the fround strech wall

 

I don't see any peoblem with the back stretch at texas thunder now. You can go alittle off and save it and if you do go over you can come back up the road below the track. back in the day the back stretch was a straight drop with bolders at the bottom. if you hit the front wall it will do some damage or will flip.

[Brad]

Maybe it is Mobile, I am not sure, but I know McCurley slid his car into the trees a couple months back. I haven't been to either, but I have heard stories and sometimes I get them confused.

 

Yeah Mobile has some mean trees in 3 and 4...all that banking without the wall is pretty cool to watch, just different I guess...and yea Pensacola does have a mean wall...2 great tracks.

 

I don't understand the intent of this topic but I enjoy the racing on both dirt and asphalt...Threads like this seem to come up every few months and turn into a bash fest. Support racing!!

[HiTech]

Maybe it is Mobile, I am not sure, but I know McCurley slid his car into the trees a couple months back. I haven't been to either, but I have heard stories and sometimes I get them confused.

 

Yeah Mobile has some mean trees in 3 and 4...all that banking without the wall is pretty cool to watch, just different I guess...and yea Pensacola does have a mean wall...2 great tracks.

 

I don't understand the intent of this topic but I enjoy the racing on both dirt and asphalt...Threads like this seem to come up every few months and turn into a bash fest. Support racing!!

i have not seen a bash yet ..i think everyone has been good ..

[ProTree]

what do you mean Landlord?

[sprintsrule]

Brad,

I do not know that I had a specific intent. Just curious why there are two asphalt tracks that are running in Texas and a whole bunch of dirt tracks. Just pointing out the differences I have noticed but that does not seem to be the reasons. Don't get uptight. No hidden meaning because I like both.

[badsonic]

Your right sprintsrule. The dirt track drivers are there to race and have fun. Yes it is way more cheaper than asphalt:less damage and TIRES is the main thing weekly, way more less laps. Went to the ASCS event last week started 16 sprints in a 1/4 mile track, most of the havent run there before (south texas speedway) these guys doing well over 110mph going in sideways into the turns and only 1 caution the whole main event.