Firebird video??

[hisideterry]

We (the SW and Pacific region) have been racing at this venue for years, and years, and then some. If you don't want to race there, then don't.

Again back to Buttonwillow, there have more career ending injuries there than at Firebird, and again... no walls.

I'll be there.

And just FYI, before AMP was shut down, Randy was out checking it out for future CCS races. Had it stayed open, I'm sure we would have been racing there with CCS. Luckily I did get to race there several times with TARRC before they were shut down.

[Mongrel]

What's so funny about this whole thread are the folks that have not raced the main much or ever are far more against it, then those of us that have cut our race teeth, and crashed on that track.  As far as no run off goes there really are only a few spots on that track that run off it a real big issue.  The exit of turn 2, exit of turn 4 (I crashed here and went into the bales), and the turn 6 - 7 area (I feel this is the most dangerous area on the track).  While the tower turn seems real bad, the over all speeds for everyone are pretty low, and I have seen plenty of bikes go down in this area and never even reach the wall.  Ask Mr. Palmer sometime about brushing the wall, he does it on purpose. I think the big issue with the track will be the surface condition, but count me in I will be there.

[tshowrench]

Mr Hymer,

I am a wrench, I rode the track on friday afternoon on our pits bikes, and saw it was dangerous then...

Ask Jamie James about hitting the walll exiting the drag strip.

3-4 MPH faster than you?? You are telling me that no one has more corner speed than you do, only by 3-4 MPH?? Sorry dude, Ive been to Fired bird and watched.. 20-30 mph easy...

I know... NO ONE has to worry about walls.. Ask Craig Connell, im sure HE would have only had 2-3 MPH on you when he hit the unprotected wall at  Mont-Tremblant.

from Roaciracing World.com
"Connell's manager, Bill Syfan, told Roadracingworld.com that Connell suffered a broken right femur, broken right tibia, broken right fibula, broken hip socket, a fractured pelvis and several broken ribs in the crash.

Connell was stabilized at a local hospital and then sent by ambulance to Sacred Heart, where surgeons inserted rods in his femur and tibia and repaired other damage. The surgery started at 2:00 a.m. and lasted until 7:00 a.m. Saturday morning, Syfan said.

Connell crashed in a fast part of the track that lacks adequate run-off room, hitting and sliding underneath an Alpina brand inflatable soft barrier placed in front of a concrete wall."

That was WITH the air fence in place... If there was no wall there, tell me , what would his injuries have been??

I for one would never run there, or encourage any of my riders to run there, it just isnt worht it for a club racing trophy...

[RAY_HYMER]

A lot of what you said has no bearing on Firebird.  I doubt Conneell would have slid under the haybales!  :-/
TEXT
As far as the speed difference, let's do a test.  Get a radar gun and check the cornering speeds in the tower turn.  Your estimate of 20-30 mph difference is so ridiculous that you should start doing gymnastic judging.  You would fit right in!!  :o

[digitalRoost]

Holy cow. What I initially started this tread for was to find video of firebird so I can see the "infamous" walls and also do a little pre-race preparations. It turned into a venue for me to piss off the people who go above and beyond to make CCS work as well as it does (especially considering their hands are pretty tied) -- once again, I insert my size 12 into my mouth -- and a venue for everyone to start arguing online. No-one wins in online arguments....we all just look dumb.

Before people starting throwing permanent jabs, can we focus the conversation a little? Anyone have video? Even a roll call of who's going and whos not would be acceptable.

I'll be there (although maybe only at 80-90% speed)....assuming I don't get tarred and feathered for misunderstood and mis-stated earlier comments.

[RAY_HYMER]

I'm going, but I am going to somehow find 20-30 mph in the tower turn!!   Maybe Will could show me!!  Oh, no, he would actually have to ride a bike then.  He might break a nail or something!  ;D

[Mongrel]

There is no way anyone is 20 and 30 mph faster through the tower turn.  It just in not that fast of a turn.  Ray is right only 3 to 5 mph mabe 6 if you talk about the slowest person onthe track.  Now turn 1 that is a diffrent story.

[cstem]

1)  Dig Roost- I fully accept and appreciate your apology.  I really hope you believe that and thank you for clarifying your point- see you at the races.

2)  MZ girl is correct about writing a well thought out letter to the upper management.  You could even have one person write it and many people sign it.

3) We have looked at many race tracks to expand to.  AMP will never-ever reopen for competition.  I presume the next motorized vehicles there will be earth movers.  New Mexico- I have been in contact with Roger at ASMA and he would love to hook up with CCS- but her realizes some improvments to infrastructure must be made first and he is tryin gto get that sorted.  I could see us racing there someday.  Fontana- not safe- walls and a rider killed there by another motorcycle-not a wall!  Not sure but may be cost prohibitive.  Pahrump-not enough facilties-wise yet.  Inside of Vegas Speedway- too much money.  CCS is always looking for new places to race- it means more choices/competition for CCS dollars which can lower rents and please racers with some different tracks to run.  The tower turn wall is covered by bales at the exit as far as we can without compromising racing lines.  Faster guys rub the wall on exit and others decide to not make time there but somewhere else on the track.  It is a riders choice.  It is one track out of four that we race.  It is one race a year. Temper the throttle hand.  Go faster is the esses and not matter what, when or where- racers will find a way to hurt themselves- it is some kind of sick law of nature!

[tshowrench]

Ray,

You will never get to make your radar comparison, as you wont be seeing us at that track, like I said before, its not a safe place to race.

If you one only down 2-3 MPH in corner speed, you REALLY need to be running AMA, and not CCS with a performance index in the 300's.

If you can carry the same cornerspeed as even the fast CCS guys, then you are ready for the AMA..

Good luck...

[digitalRoost]

Fueling the fires on AMP (again), but I heard a rumor that the city of Glendale is getting into the fight now and trying to annex that land so they can re-open it. They don't want to loose Luke Air Force base and they see the track as a means to ensure favorable neighbors. The agency that closed the track was the county, but they'd have to bow to the city if Glendale is successful. Here's to hoping and dreaming of racing at AMP again!


Btw: I'm not seeing how Arroyo Seco has any less facilities than Firebird East. Can you clarify Cory? Don't get me wrong, I personally don't like the Arroyo track much (probably because I crashed my only time there), but it is a safe place.

[racen123]

I'm going, but I am going to somehow find 20-30 mph in the tower turn!!   Maybe Will could show me!!  Oh, no, he would actually have to ride a bike then.  He might break a nail or something!   ................................hahahhahahahahahahahahahahhahahaahahhaahhahahahahahaha

[duc995@aol.com]

Hey...I saw Mr. Hymer at the track today and he was riding and NO finger nail damage! ;D  He was there doing his best Rossi imitation with the rest of us! ;)