NickHolt Posted March 19, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2004 Mel -- I'm not trying to introduce a negative into such a positive move for THR. Just want to see the track & racers enjoy the season without any problems with the pavement coming up. If the new asphalt were in the corner I would agree with you. The lateral forces experienced that high up the track and that far away from the turn 1-2 apex are no where near as great as those felt lower and nearer the apex. That being said, everyone knows that laying asphalt is a tricky science and that there was WAY too much rain and wet conditions immediately prior to the asphalt going down. I guess the only way we will find out is to get out there next Thursday, Friday and Saturday and find out how it will hold up. Randy5249 -- Why dont they make it where you can run lower in turn 2 the new asphalt on the back stretch is good but your still going to force cars off the top of track coming off of turn 2. We discussed that very idea months ahead of the project. Several of us thought that by cutting turn two would enable drivers to "diamond" that turn instead of hugging the bottom of the track. Unfortunatley, in order to do that and keep the same banking as the rest of turn 1-2, we would have had to excavate down several feet with the new goove a couple of feet lower than the rest of the turn or rebuild the entire turn. In addition, that area of the track is the corner where a good portion of the moisture ends up and an extensive drainage project would have been needed to carry that project out. Needless to say, such an expense would have made the entire improvement project impossible. Also in turn 4 You Used to hit a bunch of tires and not tear up a car extremely bad now that you made it flat cars are history granted it is in the same spot the moved the tired there is nothing to stop the car before it goes to a flat wall. We will be installing a tire barrier in front of the relocated wall after it is painted this weekend during the THR Volunteer Work Day set for this Saturday beginning around 9:00 a.m. (HINT) I find it rewarding to see the public and private input about this project. It proves to me that people do care and that Brian and Jim are justified in spending a pile to make the place a better place to race. Nick Holt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy5249 Posted March 19, 2004 Report Share Posted March 19, 2004 If you put the bottom of turn 2 there where you can drive on it you sill make it almost like houston you come off the turn hit the falt and run it can be done without excvating several feet down if you watch racing at houston it is the same way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh42 Posted March 19, 2004 Report Share Posted March 19, 2004 Randy has point I did it in houston with our truck on both ends of the track more in four than two. Is the aapron that is goin to be down there in turn 2 is gonna be smooth or yall goin to install like rumble strips in it to keep people from turnin that into a place for people to diamond the corner. Cause I know for a fact that if yall make it smooth I'll use it to my advantage to diamond the corner and dont be surprised if you see a bunch others doin it to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted March 19, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2004 Randy5249, If you put the bottom of turn 2 there where you can drive on it you sill make it almost like houston you come off the turn hit the falt and run it can be done without excvating several feet down if you watch racing at houston it is the same way. The rumble strip that has always been there through turns 1 and 2 at THR is still there. It has not been removed. The new five feet of concrete will begin where the rumble strip leaves off and will be relatively flat. The concrete will be going in on Saturday during the THR Volunteer Work Day. (Hint) Some drivers already cut turn 2 and get their left side tires down onto the existing rumble strip, so I imagine that they will continue to do so with the new configuration. But keep in mind that if they decide to use some of the new concrete in an effort to diamond the track, they will have to cross the rumble strip twice - once getting to the new flat concrete and then again getting back onto the asphalt. The likely end result will be that there will be more lines at THR than ever before. This should be fun to watch. I honestly think that the same line that has always been fast at THR will continue to be fast, but there will other grooves that will be almost as fast. Thus, there should be more ways to get around a car that is slightly slower. I think we'll see more and more teams setting up for the outside groove to take advantage of the wider back straight. Nick Holt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvette john Posted March 19, 2004 Report Share Posted March 19, 2004 Well I have to say from experiance , the way the wall was in turn 4 was dangerous, I hit it about 70 and ruined the frame of my car. With the way the change is you would have to be wide open power slidding to hit it. I think cars will hit it sure, but won't be near the cars like before.. Good Job... Hobby stocks will go fast enough to use the new pavement, at least I will and the guys who raced me hard for the front spots, passing on the outside was hard on the back stretch, I think it will be much faster and alot more passing. Will be hard to stay in front when the cars behind you are faster. Before they could hold you up and keep you back, because there was only 1 1/2 good lanes.... NOT any more.... I can wait to run that track without trying to lift lolololo. Guess I won't need to replace the brakes after all...... The Red Sharks ready.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt5858 Posted March 19, 2004 Report Share Posted March 19, 2004 Well John, I hope you and all of those FAST hobby stocks use the new pavement, and when you do I will drive right under you. LOL John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy Posted March 20, 2004 Report Share Posted March 20, 2004 Hey Mel, Check the schedule again. THR is only off the weekend of the TMS race. We are racing on the 10th of April. That is one week off, not two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel Posted March 20, 2004 Report Share Posted March 20, 2004 Woops....sorry Kathy....Glad you're here to keep me in line! Tanks......Mel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
champ1796 Posted March 21, 2004 Report Share Posted March 21, 2004 I hope they achieve what they are trying to accomplish, but I do wonder why they didnt do this after the end of last season. Just makes more sense. JMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.j.&s.racing Posted March 21, 2004 Report Share Posted March 21, 2004 hey champ1796 we are getting the car back to gether for houston next weekend. johnhenry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tqj3 Posted March 21, 2004 Report Share Posted March 21, 2004 Champ1796- Maybe the reason they didn't do it at the end of last season is that the money wasn't available until the beginning of this season... Just makes sense to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racegirl15 Posted March 22, 2004 Report Share Posted March 22, 2004 It doesn't really matter when they did it, it just matters that they are doing it. We will all get to race @ an improved track...isn't that what everyone wanted?? Hats off to those who have invested their time & money into the track!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTR73 Posted March 22, 2004 Report Share Posted March 22, 2004 hEY THE TRACKS LOOKIN PRETTY GOOD SO FAR BUT IS IT GONNA BE READY BEFORE THIS WEEKEND? dOES ANYONE KNOW WHY THE WALL WAS MOVED I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT? BUT YEA TRACKS LOOKIN GOOD?ANYONE GOT GOOD SPONSORS THIS YEAR? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted March 22, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2004 TTR73, Yes, the track will be ready for practice on Thursday and Friday and for opening night on Saturday. I guess you didn't read the discussion in here on TSZ about the turn 4 wall being moved to give drivers a better chance of using a new run-off area. Nick Holt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Posted March 22, 2004 Report Share Posted March 22, 2004 Does Anyone know who is Paving the track? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted March 23, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2004 The Dude, I heard Brian mention who the contractor is, but the name escapes me now. I'll ask Brian next time I talk to him. Nick Holt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProTree Posted March 23, 2004 Report Share Posted March 23, 2004 who paved the track?- i know him-he does a great job- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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