Iowa track unsafe?

[Sig]

You're right, you can't control everything in life but you CAN make intelligent decisions about track layout and safety precautions.

You should be able to wreck and at least have a shot at not hitting a hard wall.

Tracks are TONs better than what they used to be looking at old photos but that doesn't mean that they can't improve further.

[Court Jester]

as long as the organizations keep renting the tracks, the track owners have no reason to make changes. the only way the track will change anything fast is if the organizations as a hole come to the agreement that they aren't going to use that track until the owners make changes.
personally i think it's bullshit that the track organizations have to buy the air fences. it's like walmart making a guy in a wheelchair paint the handicap parking spaces before he goes in to shop.

[gonecrazy]

The way I look at it If you dont like it dont go. goto blackhawk that weekend. Me personally, I dont even think about walls and what not..

The voices in my head blur anything out

[r1owner]

as long as the organizations keep renting the tracks, the track owners have no reason to make changes. the only way the track will change anything fast is if the organizations as a hole come to the agreement that they aren't going to use that track until the owners make changes.

I don't know what it is, but Gateway could give two shits if someone rents their track.  I think it sits idle a hell of a lot more than it's used.  I see your point, but most tracks don't care a whole lot about bikes.  Everyone keeps saying they make their money off cars.  I don't know why that is.  Do car orgs. rent the track more than motorcycle orgs?  I imagine the fee must be the same for both orgs.

personally i think it's bullshit that the track organizations have to buy the air fences. it's like walmart making a guy in a wheelchair paint the handicap parking spaces before he goes in to shop.

That's only for the illegal alien in a wheelchair.  They won't let an American do that.

[r1owner]

The way I look at it If you dont like it dont go. goto blackhawk that weekend. Me personally, I dont even think about walls and what not..

The voices in my head blur anything out

I think about them, I just don't push it as hard in that area.  That still doesn't mean I'm not going to crash there...  You either want to race or not.  All there is to it.  People raced at RA prior to them taking out the Billy Mitchell bridge.  That was just as dangerous.

Fact is there are problem spots pretty much at every track that could be addressed for motorcycles.  It just isn't happening.

I remember sitting in the riders meeting at Gateway and someone (I think it was Super Dave) saying the airfence for the chicane was too far back.  They didn't move it and sure enough someone ended up hitting the wall.  If you can't even get them to move something so portable, I'm not too optimistic about them moving concrete.

Let's face it, at Gateway, they are not going to be able to move walls at the chicane.  T1 however should be taken down, I don't see a good reason for it.

[Noidly1]

Here is the deal.

When developers build a track, in particular, ovals, they only concider the so called " primary" use of the facility. then add to that.

What is F__ked up about that is , they don't realize the truth to the matter.
Roundies are only held once or twice a year at that facility and the majority of the time is held by AMA, SCCA, BMW and the like on the road coarse. which Should be their "Primary" and Roundies "Secondary"...

Take a look at all of the tracks that are "DUAL PURPOSE", The developers are interested in the "View of the coarse" of the potential spectator, Not the racer.

Now look at the dedicated road coarses, Great tracks, POOR spectator viewing pleasure.
It would be great if we could have a track like Miller that had seats all over with plenty of "Viewing Pleasure".
Now;; What would work is if a track developer designed a road coarse first, then built the oval around it  second.

Also, It would be great if a developer would seek the imput of racers first, then build it.

[racrx451]

So let's say you are out there not really pushing it in a race, maybe you are just racing to get in track time......

Who is to say somebody won't lay it down right in front of you or hit you from behind, or cut you off and cause you to wreck....etc etc etc.


Riding within your limits isn't going to keep you safe always.

like what happened to me at RA.. I got taken out in turn 8.. still nursing a re-cracked rib...

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

Roundies are only held once or twice a year at that facility and the majority of the time is held by AMA, SCCA, BMW and the like on the road coarse. which Should be their "Primary" and Roundies "Secondary"...

Difference is, Nascar & ARCA nets more $$$ per event for the track more than likely. Look at the stands. Does a CCS, AMA, SCCA, PCA, IMSA event fill those stands like nascar or arca does? Not a chance.

Jester, one reason I can think of that race orgs (CCS) buys the airfence for BHF is to protect it from the car guys. A car hitting the air fence would destroy it. Its not designed to handle cars. Luckily the track owner of BHF IS a racer himself and does try to fix issues.

[Noidly1]

Difference is, Nascar & ARCA nets more $$$ per event for the track more than likely. Look at the stands. Does a CCS, AMA, SCCA, PCA, IMSA event fill those stands like nascar or arca does? Not a chance.

One word; "ADVERTIZING"

Also; NASCAR is "FOR PROFIT" they have the funds to advertize.
To make money, you have to spend money, on ads to sell tickets to make money to advertize.. Catch 22...

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

One word; "ADVERTIZING"

Also; NASCAR is "FOR PROFIT" they have the funds to advertize.
To make money, you have to spend money.

When CCE owned CCS they had the funds to advertise it. They just wouldnt. But yet they'd advertise their motocross events and monster truck events on their radio stations every weekend. Road racing in the US isnt as popular as oval racing. Personally I dont give a damn about nascar or IRL. Only time I go to oval events is the local stock car track and thats just because they are there having fun.

[Sig]

Alan Wilson had a great post on the WERA board a while back about track construction and how he's always limited in what he can do. He said the closest he's ever come to doing what he wanted was Barber because he wasn't restricted by money and he only had to make sacrifices due to land. Ironically it looks like they are coming back now and are going to purchase more land to make the track longer like he wanted it to start with.

I guess what I'm saying is a lot of time the original design gets compromised but I do think runoff for bikes has to be more paramount to a tracks design and not JUST if cars are safe. The problem you run into is that cars usually bring in a lot more money, just ask VIR.

[Noidly1]

You are both right.

First,  You are not going to be popular if no-one knows about you.
Second, you have all those "Safety Nazis" screaming how "Dangerous " bikes are and should be banned, but no, keep dirt bikes, They're "Entertaining....