A Drag Strip INSIDE a NASCAR Track? (2 Viewers)

[blackbeard]

i just had a quick brain-storming marketing idea. why not build a drag strip INSIDE a large NASCAR track? think about it:
1) seating capacity would quadruple
2) there is no doubt crossover fans would flock to an event like this
3) ESPN would give this type of event MEGA coverage
4) NOISE, NOISE, NOISE!

some may say, well you would have to build it in a very large oval track. yes, a drag strip would not fit inside Bristol. but i went to google earth and did some quick measurements. Indianapolis Motorspeedway has 4,842 feet of room inside the track. Indianpolis Raceway Park is 4,250 feet from the very beginning of the staging lanes to the very end of the shutdown area.

it's probably a dumb idea, but hey, it might be worth thinking about.

 

[Sean D, shondoo]

I've thought about the same thing Lance. And although you're right in that the seating capacity would dramatically increase, the arrangement of the seating for the circle race would likely be too far away from the drag strip part if you layed it right down the middle. So, unless you had separate seating that would be closer to the strip, I don't think it would work out very well. I realize that shoots the capacity bonus in the arse, but I still think the theory is a good one just from a real-estate preservation standpoint.

SD

 

[Marchboom]

The OLD Ontario, CA motor speedway (approx 25 yrs ago) had that configuration. The drag strip was on the infield side of the NASCAR track. That's too far away from the action IMO. But it does warrant serious consideration, especially with the value of real estate and the ever present noise complaints.

Many of the NASCAR facilities could be used for the drag racers (garages, rest rooms, concession stands, seating, parking, lighting, etc.

 

[Shazam]

If we're dreaming big, how about an inside strip someday.

How awesome to have a National event on New Years weekend in a controlled environment?

 

[d'kid]

OMS...

been there done that, from the pit side the view was okay, from the 'stands', coming out of turn four was okay... anything pass half way down the real front stretch... yeah right

But the track wasn't too bad for running on Pit Road
d'kid

 

[d'kid]

If we're dreaming big, how about an inside strip someday.

How awesome to have a National event on New Years weekend in a controlled environment?

Arthur,

Did have races the first week of Jan at OCIR, a four race series leading up to the Winternationals... Some years it started the last weekend of December

d'kid

 

[BaldyLochs]

If we're dreaming big, how about an inside strip someday.

I've been saying that for years - Tell me ithat if we got Don Shoemacher, Connie Kalitta, Forrest Lucas, Bruton Smith and Evan Knoll all sitting around a table that this couldn't be done!

 

[Wes]

Penske was seriously considering doing one inside Michigan just a few years ago. I think the killer was that they would have had to erect 25,000-30,000 seat in the infield for the drag strip which would have further obstructed arguably the worst view at any NASCAR oval.

 

[d'kid]

Okay, A building 5 Stores tall, approximately 750 to 1000 feet wide, free spand at least 500 feet by 3000 feet long? The air exchange in the building would be unbelievable.

d'kid

 

[Bullet]

Okay, A building 5 Stores tall, approximately 750 to 1000 feet wide, free spand at least 500 feet by 3000 feet long? The air exchange in the building would be unbelievable.

d'kid

We could pump it with oxygen rich air for record runs every event!

 

[PJ]

I like the indoor track idea. We could also have the surface be 2 sides so if the top gets oiled down we push a button the entire racing surface flips 180 degrees. The bad surface in now underground and the umpa loompas could then go to work cleaning it while racing is still going on up top


Imagine how freakin loud nitro would be bouncing around the walls of a dome. For us cold weather folks indoor racing sounds awesome.


The answer to the nascar track would be to have a straightway long enough to have the racing surface and shut down area right there next to the stands. That way only a set of infield stands would need to be built. It would also be a little different for nascar to go through a stretch with seats on both sides.

 

[Jeff]

Isn't there a partially covered strip in the UAE (or one of those countries in the oil rich Gulf region)? It would be neat to have all weather racing.

You could always pave under the Barrett Jackson tent.

 

[Alan]

Imagine how freakin loud nitro would be bouncing around the walls of a dome. For us cold weather folks indoor racing sounds awesome.

No doubt!!!! I've been to tractor pulls indoors, and can't even imagine a couple of fuelers on 90% in a dome!!!

 

[john]

Gene Argeness was going to build a $350 million retractable domed dragstrip in CT at the old dog track site. The town of Plainfield's "Save the Town Commitee" killed it after the town fathers got it approved. Now they are going broke and can't even rent the land to a flea market.

 

[.]

If we're dreaming big, how about an inside strip someday.

http://www.nitromater.com/nostalgia/12573-southside-winternationals.html

 

[Terry]

http://www.nitromater.com/nostalgia/12573-southside-winternationals.html

Brent, thanks for sharing that! Even though unfortunately I go back to that era, I never had heard of the Southside Nationals! That musta been some show!

 

[Horsepower & Heels]

I couldn't imagine the green cloud in an indoor facility. Yikes!

 

[Rajunz]

I have a 1/2 hour video of an IHRA or AHRA National Meet held on the pit road of Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1973, it was an 1/8th mile event, and they went into turn 1 with the chutes blossomed...................................
Bob Vandergriffs dad ran in Top Fuel, Chi Town Hustler won over Shirl Greer in Funny Car.

 

[blackbeard]

or here's another idea: at the finish line, put in a roller-coaster style loopty-loop

 

[PJ]

I couldn't imagine the green cloud in an indoor facility. Yikes!

but think we could make the tree huggers happy. A good indoor vent system and state of the art air scrubbers and it would lessen any potential pollution that could be released