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elevated shut-downs (2 Viewers)

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I think elevated shut downs are extremely effective, however as most of us realize it is not feasible by most the tracks on the tour. Which is why I think the new sand trap is a blessing to us drivers. It did a great job with Marty and Alexis at Etown and first caught my attention to how good it was when Randy Eakins got dirty in Pomona. Despite harming the car, drivers were all safe and unharmed....can't beat that!

Best shut downs on tour, IMO, is Gainesville and Sonoma...as far as safety. Sonoma is a little bumpy but the upward slope keeps the cars out of the sand with ease. It's also a pretty long shut down. But Gainesville is super long....something that all tracks for future building should take note of.
 
Registered member said:
I think elevated shut downs are extremely effective, however as most of us realize it is not feasible by most the tracks on the tour. Which is why I think the new sand trap is a blessing to us drivers. It did a great job with Marty and Alexis at Etown and first caught my attention to how good it was when Randy Eakins got dirty in Pomona. Despite harming the car, drivers were all safe and unharmed....can't beat that!

Best shut downs on tour, IMO, is Gainesville and Sonoma...as far as safety. Sonoma is a little bumpy but the upward slope keeps the cars out of the sand with ease. It's also a pretty long shut down. But Gainesville is super long....something that all tracks for future building should take note of.
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Of course since phoenix was paved its not too shabby either. Welcome to the 'MATER' newbie :)
 
The shutdown area at the Radford track was lengthened before this season. A classic example of an older track that used to be plenty long, but not any more.
 
Registered member said:
The shutdown area at the Radford track was lengthened before this season. A classic example of an older track that used to be plenty long, but not any more.
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I don't understand why any track owner would shorten his Shutdown area?? I'm sure Real estate and Property issues play a role, but I don't think I've ever heard a racer complain about TOO long of a shutdown!
 
Registered member said:
For uphill, Medford, oregon. The track goes up at a huge angle. On our fuel bikes, which can't make the chicane at the last turn out, they run the bikes then have them all coast back down the track towards the start line and you get picked up by the tow vehicle somewhere on the track. I can get coasting back down the track fast enough to make it all the way to about the 300' mark. probably doing close to 40 mph coming back down the hill. Even at 200 mph you can almost stop without brakes before the top of the track.
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Here is a shot of Medford, the West Coast Outlaw Pro Mod Association runs there. As you can tell there are 3 turnoffs (was 4 but they closed off the one before the safety crew). So, the safety crew is at the first, then theres one not too much farther up and the last one is at the very top.

In the image below, the 6.38 @ 225 with 1 chute will easily make it to the second one with little brakes. If you dump both chutes, make a full pass and get on the brakes as you normally would, the cars have made the first turnoff (where the track crew is).

No one has done it but i would be willing to bet a 220-230 mph Pro Mod pass could slow down and make the top turnoff without any chutes...Its a pretty neat track...

Although this pic makes it look like the track runs down-hill.....it does not.

wvpe2s.jpg
 
Registered member said:
Isn't the strip in Salem, OH (Dragway 42?) downhill?
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Dragway 42 is in West Salem, OH. Quaker City Dragway is in Salem, OH, and although I have not been there is many years, it had a slight down hill slope back in the 70's. Not sure about today.

BTW and FWIW, West Salem and Salem are about 70 miles apart, maybe more.
 
Is Coos Bay Oregon still open ?
That one was up hill and they would put chutes on the FC and push you down return road could coast all most all they way back to your pit.
 
Registered member said:
Dragway 42 is in West Salem, OH. Quaker City Dragway is in Salem, OH, and although I have not been there is many years, it had a slight down hill slope back in the 70's. Not sure about today.

BTW and FWIW, West Salem and Salem are about 70 miles apart, maybe more.
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Thanks, Dragway 42 is what I'm thinking about. I was there once in the early '90's when a friend had his TA/FC. I remember that we had to drive uphill and around a curve (Staging Lanes) to get to the track and then the track was slightly downhill. I don't remember the shutdown area, but I was thinking that was uphill. We (I) only went there once. I have a starting line photo from then on my wall. In the other lane was a little known man in a NAPA sponsored car. You may have heard of him, Tim Wilkerson... ;)
 
Thunder Valley in Marion, SD has an uphill shutdown too. I remember one of the last times we ran there, the return road was in such bad shape that we come back down the track after our rounds.
 
Registered member said:
Thanks, Dragway 42 is what I'm thinking about. I was there once in the early '90's when a friend had his TA/FC. I remember that we had to drive uphill and around a curve (Staging Lanes) to get to the track and then the track was slightly downhill.
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That sounds amazingly simliar to Quaker City...YouTube - Quaker City Dragway NHRA event run

Are you sure its not just an optical illusion that the track goes downhill? I always thought that too but maybe the shutdown is just inclined?
 
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