txtom Posted August 24, 2008 Report Share Posted August 24, 2008 (edited) Went to the new track in Monroe, Louisiana last night with his largeness Big John, and trip sponsor Arthur "El Diablo" Alexander. Wanted to get a look at the size, etc. For the average driver, it is a solid 7+ hours from San Antonio if you don't stop for gas, food, etc. We went I-35 to Waco and caught 31 through Corsicana and Tyler, and back to I-20. We made better time on 31 than the Interstates due to all the left-lane Nazis. We made the trip under 7 hours, but anyone who has ever ridden with Arthur knows why! With a trailer, you probably better think about 8+hours. Graham Baker was there with Hannah, and he stated about 6 & 1/2 hours from Houston. We also wanted to watch Greg Davidson run there, but he had broken something in the rear end and left before we got there. As for the track, it was a big surprise. The aerial pics we have seen on the website exaggerate it a little. It is closer to a 1/4 on the bottom, and It might hit 3/8 on the top. The basic size looks like it would go something like this: Take the dogleg out of the Kyle frontstetch, make it look like the back, and that is about the shape of Monroe. It is fairly wide, banked about 12 degrees in the corners, with 6 on the straights, and the corner to straight transitions are exceptionally well done. It is BUMPY, and a sore spot is a big dip right at the point in turn 3 where you get off the gas and try to set the car. The bumpiness comes from laying concrete in sections, and it has the high spots between the sections. The pits were also gravel and dirt. They had a threat of rain; and we saw some dirt cars heading home from rained out tracks closer to Shreveport and Ruston, and the stands were maybe half-full as a result. The grandstands have well staffed concessions, and clean well done bathrooms. Pits were portalets. None of them appeared to have been run over. Car counts were 7 Crate late models, minus Greg and two regulars, about 20 sport mods, about a dozen regular mods, 5 or 6 hobby class cars, and a boat load of a class similar to our grand stock, and a handful of bandeleros and legends. Crates were running in the 15.4 to 15.5 range, Sport mods 15.4-15.5, Big mods 15.2-15.5 The best part of the night is the way they run the show. They started promply at 7, a little early due to the rain threat. They ran dash and heat races for each class, had an intermission for a couple street cars to race each other, then ran the mains and we drove out at 10:00. When one class is on their cool down lap to leave the track, the next class is already heading out. they ran the entire night, and never saw a car hit a wall. They had the odd spin, and two of them getting together, but they got back in line, did not play Kyle Busch on each other, and the track staff did not have to spend 3 laps trying to get a racer back in line. All in all a good fact finding trip, a great facility, and very well run program. Edited August 24, 2008 by txtom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobbinsSr Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 sounds like a good trip. Agood class of sport mods(hint hint THR ) and time not that far off the reg mods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
termite#99 Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 sounds like a good trip. Agood class of sport mods(hint hint THR ) and time not that far off the reg mods. You had a thunder, then you had a super, but never raced either one at THR. If they did run this class would you really race? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobbinsSr Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 sounds like a good trip. Agood class of sport mods(hint hint THR ) and time not that far off the reg mods. You had a thunder, then you had a super, but never raced either one at THR. If they did run this class would you really race? I Am running a sportmod now. the only reason I did not run those cars is because I would have been at the track by myself. My help(dad, brothe and nephew) stayed on dirt so I felt that I had no choice but to run the same track they did. I have(with the help of high gas prices) got them to switch over to run THR next year. We will be out there on the 30th to run the pro sedans with one of the mini stocks. I will be out there with my sport mod on friday for a little practice and also sat for anyone to check out. next season we will be running 2 pro sedans, hopefully a thunderstock and hopefully a sportmod at THR. So to awnser your question, Yes I would run the class I petitioned for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdillard Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 Thanks for supporting our track over in Monroe. I know its not as smooth as HMP, or THR but we are thrilled to have a place like this so close to home. Hope we can get a TSRS show or a Big Modified race so we can pull some of you texas cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montgomery Motorhead Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 TXTom..........I noticed you said the bathrooms in the pits were port-o- pottes. You would think that a brand new track not even a year old would have permanant bathrooms everywhere......................Are there any big Super Late Model shows scheduled for this year at Monroe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txtom Posted August 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 jdillard, We talked to the tech guy and he stated that they are looking at grinding the track, maybe in the off season. The bumpiness we saw is typical of any cement track, HMP was the same way until they had it ground. And while it is bumpy all around, none of them are as bad as the pit gate bump we used to have at San Antonio, or the tunnel bump at Texas World Speedway when we raced late models there. Another thing I was impressed with the the upkeep and appearance of the cars. A lot of the dirt car influence with some of the wild graphics, but almost all of them looked well maintained. MMhead, I don't think SLM shows are in their immediate plans. It is a haul to Monroe from about anywhere that has SLM cars, and there are not many in the area to fill the field. Once the economy inproves, and they get their crate class on solid footing, I could see them running a big crate late show. as far as the amenities in the pits, they are sparse, but I heard they have plans to remedy that in the off season. They put most of their effort into making the front gate customers happy, and they did a bang-up job there. Here is an idea, invite socket boy Wallace to Monroe, let him take out about 4 portalets, and then hit him up for 10 large to stay out of jail. Give it to the track to fix up the pits for next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jumbo Posted August 26, 2008 Report Share Posted August 26, 2008 would the promods here be legal to run with the open mods there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txtom Posted August 26, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2008 (edited) I don't know, and the rules for that class are not posted. The contact for the techman is: Tech Man: Bill Avant Phone: 318-366-2350 bill@monroemotorspeedway.com Edited August 26, 2008 by txtom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waco Racer Posted August 26, 2008 Report Share Posted August 26, 2008 On their schedule page is this quote - Modifieds/ Must follow IMCA OR Usmts Modified rules. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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