Heartland Park

[RCR_531]

Has anyone been on the track since it was redone? I was watching a race on Speed the other day and turn 1 looks to be a lot faster. It also made the wall outside of turn 2 look awfully close to the track.

[Super Dave]

Couple times.  I think times will be six to eight seconds faster.  They keep moving things.

[YellowRacer]

I've cornered worked HPT a couple times. But not since they changed the course. Turn 1, and 8 (corkscrew) were redone. They are now, a high-speed turn. The car guys were complaining... Damn car people: P

   The only thing that worried really was turn 6 I think. If you didn't turn right, you were going into a wall. And turn 8. You left turn 7 a slow left turn, and up the hill. Then a blind right to another straight to the corkscrew. On turn 8 there was wall all along it.

[Super Dave]

Turns one and two were changed in addition to eight.  The old configurations can be used. 

Turn five is a right.  If you go straight, you continue up the road that is part of another HPT configuration that leads to the straight between seven and eight.  We used that portion of that with CCS in 1997 along with turn one being a fast left hander off the straight.

[RCR_531]

From what I have heard turn 1 will be the only new part we will be using. Hey Dave on 4-14-08 will there be at Trackday going on too?

[Super Dave]

Should be a track day on the 14th.

[steve p]

Hey Rodney,  I was watching the same race and thought the
same thing.  Looked like turn 2, the concrete wall was too close
for comfort.

[ccs117]

The wall at the chicane on the backside is more of an issue than the wall at turn one.  Atleast for me, but I've only rode it once since the new work has been completed.

[Jack_Brock]

The wall at the chicane on the backside is more of an issue than the wall at turn one.  Atleast for me, but I've only rode it once since the new work has been completed.

Brent, when was that?  I went up for a day and watched the SCCA Runoffs and the cars didn't slow down much for the chicane.  It looks like on a bike you'd be well over 100mph and headed straight for a wall if you mess up.  I can't imagine running the new pavement there.

[RCR_531]

I think we use the old chicane but the wall outside of turn 2 is the one I was thinking of. I have not been there and sometime on TV things look worst then they are. We are going to be caring some unreal speeds through 2 and heading into 3 from what I got watvhing the race on SPEED. I guess I will see in March or April when I make it over there.

[ccs117]

Brent, when was that?  I went up for a day and watched the SCCA Runoffs and the cars didn't slow down much for the chicane.  It looks like on a bike you'd be well over 100mph and headed straight for a wall if you mess up.  I can't imagine running the new pavement there.

The Monday after MAM.  I believe it was October 15th day after the Runoffs.  The new chicane was much faster and the wall there could come into play.  For me, more of an issue than turn 2.

[Spooner]

Brent-remember that day it was wet coming out of 2 so we were down on speed by a big amount-the wall wasn't moved coming out of 2 so it would be a short trip into the wall if you tossed it there...

[Burt Munro]

Here's an onboard video (with Ray driving!!) of 2 laps using the new configuration at 1/2 and 8.   

http://www.hpt.com//store/catalog/video/2_laps_hpt_07.wmv

[LMsports]

Thanks for the video. Funny how quickly changes are made when the cages complain...

[Super Dave]

The AMA asked for changes too.  Those were part of those results.

[LMsports]

I don't buy it. I don't see AMA coming near the place as long as there are questionable walls. When runoff room is improved then maybe we'll be a step closer.

[Super Dave]

AMA races where the sanction fee is paid, and they have room on the schedule.

As for run off and the AMA, please see Road Atlanta turn twelve.  Or the previous Road America carousel, the previous Kink, the current Bend.  California Speedway?  Mid-Ohio snafu's and run off issues.  I could go on, but I would fill up a whole thread.

[bigreid]

I can't wait to run the new setup, I saw it today on speed.  Walls are only there if you let your mind think they are (I also enjoy Gateway).

AMA coming to Topeka? That would be sweet!

[Garywc]

maybe in 2009 its not on the AMA schedule for 2008

[rogers1323]

Walls are only there if you let your mind think they are (I also enjoy Gateway).

Are you serious?  Because I hope you're joking.  Walls are only there when you crash and hit them.  This has nothing to do with perception of danger.  The only issue to be discussed is actual danger based on run off room, and if you are willing to take the risk.

[smite1]

I also enjoy Gateway.

Me too!  Check out this vid of Gateway in the rain!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kfmWx0tYRV8

[bigreid]

Are you serious?  Because I hope you're joking. 

Yes and no.  I really do enjoy Gateway but I do understand walls are dangerous.  I'd like to see HPT have plenty of  runoff  room on the new higher speed sections. I know old turn 8 has plenty because I have tested that out several times.

[motomaniac]

Some of the walls in that video have already been moved, as well as a light pole.  We rode it in October.

[LMsports]

As for run off and the AMA, please see Road Atlanta turn twelve.  Or the previous Road America carousel, the previous Kink, the current Bend.  California Speedway?  Mid-Ohio snafu's and run off issues.  I could go on, but I would fill up a whole thread.

Dave, what you said is all true. But those are all tracks that the AMA has been running at for some time and are already in the schedule. When a new track wants to be added an AMA representative visits the track and makes a determination about the feasability of hosting an AMA event. Usually even tracks that are safer than tracks that are currently on the schedule are given lists of significant changes that would have to be made before AMA would return. Obviously the AMA still goes to Road Atlanta every year, but if Road Atlanta were trying to get a date for the first time, or trying to get a date again after not hosting an event for a few years then the AMA would most likely turn them down. A great example is Brainerd. Brainerd hosted AMA events for years, now they are trying to bring one back again and have a laundry list of changes that need to happen before they come back. So new tracks are held to a higher standard than those that seem to be "grandfathered in" based on already being a part of the regular schedule.

[Super Dave]

Brainerd's problem was that the AMA subsidized there previous sanction fees.  The AMA was not willing to do that.

It's a very complicated issue.  I won't go into it anymore.