Worst and Best Tracks (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Tybamf
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Surfer Ed
Nitro Member
My friend Andy Bissett wrote an article for eurodragster.com as a guide to European fans considering an NHRA race. It is a bit out dated, but a very interesting insiders view of the tracks on the circuit.
Andy Bissett's insider's guide to NHRA Powerade Series venues.
Andy Bissett's insider's guide to NHRA Powerade Series venues.
my friends call me Zappy
Nitro Member
Charlotte
Joliet
Norwalk
Joliet
Norwalk
FC138fan
Nitro Member
Folks including Joliet... now I've only been to Norwalk in the IHRA days, Joliet & Brainerd, with Brainerd being my 'home track'
Joliet... nice facilities... but fan expierence was plain and simple... nothing off the track to do other then the usual stuff. I never did find a beer tent, just bottles at various vendors, food was plain, nothing really good. If you're there just for the racing it was awesome though.
Norwalk, back when I went, nice facilities again... don't recall much other then the race was awesome. Back then though, the fence was about 5 feet off the track to about half track. Outrageously dangerous but outrageously awesome.. they've since fixed that giving the usual buffer zone. Thinking back, they had guardrail down teh track, not J barrier. I recall a Pro-Stocker going through the guardrail just past the spectator fence.. woulda been ugly had it happened earlier. This was probably 1996 or so.
Brainerd... nice facilities. the grandstand has the sun at your back. They are tall and long. The difference maker is the overall expierence. They have awesome food vendors, state fair style... fresh cut fries, Papa Johns, burgers are OK, and a beer tent.. actually 2 beer tents. Not to mention the zoo... bring a tent and camp on site, sit around a campfire, watch fireworks, check out the bands at the grandstand, get fall over drunk and have a good time with total strangers, checking out zoo vehicles etc. etc. etc.... racing is only half the fun. If you don't plan on spending the night at the zoo, then maybe it'st just an average track, but add the zoo and its over the top a great weekend!
clwill
Nitro Member
A lot of this depends on what you mean by "best" or "worst". For the fan? The racer?
I've been to quite a few tracks, but not nearly enough. Used to think Vegas was the best, with all paved pits, good staging lane arrangement, plenty of shutdown, good grandstands, reasonable bathrooms, a ton of parking, no curfew, and so on.
Then I went to Norwalk. I'm not sure I can imagine a better place. Great track, with outstanding prep every day. Your choice of super clean paved pit areas or park-like grassy pits each with a picnic table. And 300 powered pits -- generator-free racing, holy cow! Wonderful concessions ($1 ice cream), clean bathrooms, great grandstands, a PA system you can hear (perhaps even too much). And clean? Disneyland clean. Owners who understand racers and fans. The whole place is stunning.
As for the bottom of the barrel -- well, there's plenty of competition for that honor -- even if we're only talking National Event tracks. Best not to name names, but let's just say my nominees are already mentioned in that other thread...
I've been to quite a few tracks, but not nearly enough. Used to think Vegas was the best, with all paved pits, good staging lane arrangement, plenty of shutdown, good grandstands, reasonable bathrooms, a ton of parking, no curfew, and so on.
Then I went to Norwalk. I'm not sure I can imagine a better place. Great track, with outstanding prep every day. Your choice of super clean paved pit areas or park-like grassy pits each with a picnic table. And 300 powered pits -- generator-free racing, holy cow! Wonderful concessions ($1 ice cream), clean bathrooms, great grandstands, a PA system you can hear (perhaps even too much). And clean? Disneyland clean. Owners who understand racers and fans. The whole place is stunning.
As for the bottom of the barrel -- well, there's plenty of competition for that honor -- even if we're only talking National Event tracks. Best not to name names, but let's just say my nominees are already mentioned in that other thread...
tx_trojan
Nitro Member
I've only been to Pomona, Vegas and Houston with any regularity... I'd have to vote Vegas as 1, Houston as 2 and Pomona as 3 for these tracks in particular. I hear Norwalk is insanely awesome from most accounts I've heard and as noted above. Personally, Bristol is on my bucket list - best visually looking track the way its carved into the mountain, imo...
vegasnitro
Nitro Member
I have not been to Charlotte or Norwalk (though we are towing the camper to Norwalk for the National event in a few weeks). I have been to most other National Event tracks, and for me, Vegas is number 1 and it is a looooonnnngggg way down to number 2. I am not a racer, I am talking strictly fan experience here.
All things considered, Charlotte and Vegas should rank very highly on any list. They are the newest tracks, and the newest tracks should have the best to offer fans and racers alike. Kinda hard to hold Indy or Commerce to the same standard as Vegas when they 40 plus years older. Then again, Daytona has been open since '59 and it stacks up against any of the newer facilities for the roundy-round guys.
All things considered, Charlotte and Vegas should rank very highly on any list. They are the newest tracks, and the newest tracks should have the best to offer fans and racers alike. Kinda hard to hold Indy or Commerce to the same standard as Vegas when they 40 plus years older. Then again, Daytona has been open since '59 and it stacks up against any of the newer facilities for the roundy-round guys.
vegasnitro
Nitro Member
That was a great article. Thanks for the link.
Luke Nieuwhof
Nitro Member
Quoted for truth!
mastertone
Nitro Member
Best fan friendly track? Norwalk hands down.
Norwalk seems to mesh the best for racer and fan. Only drag strip and one of the few businesses that I have ever been to where I actually feel appreciated as a customer. I have 3 tracks closer to me but consider Norwalk home. Friendly, clean, great facilities, amazing shows, cheap ice cream. I've never had a bad time there.
ZMax is nice but I would never want to sit on spectator side, way too far from the action.
Joliet is nice if the weather is great as performance is good. The 20 mile walk from parking lot to the pits is rough.
Went to Bristol for the first time last year. I really liked it. Nice track.
Gainesville, Indy, Columbus, E-town just for the historical significance.
ZMax is nice but I would never want to sit on spectator side, way too far from the action.
Joliet is nice if the weather is great as performance is good. The 20 mile walk from parking lot to the pits is rough.
Went to Bristol for the first time last year. I really liked it. Nice track.
Gainesville, Indy, Columbus, E-town just for the historical significance.
rick
Nitro Member
I would say Norwalk as a racer and a fan it's the best for me. Bristol is a close second due to the facility and the evening/night qualifying for tHe fuel cars is a must see because of the mountains there and the sound bounces off of them. next would be Joliet. Joliet's facility kind of reminds me of Norwalk, but like pJ said... the walk can be brutal.
Indy is the closest national event for me and I go to it due to the close proximity plus the historical aspect of it. the facility there definitely needs some updating however.
Indy is the closest national event for me and I go to it due to the close proximity plus the historical aspect of it. the facility there definitely needs some updating however.
Sean D, shondoo
Nitro Member
Like several on here, I just don't see how Norwalk can be matched for the overall experience. I'm sure you could nitpick the facility with that of the "Super Tracks", but even then, you couldn't do it by much. And anything you could gain by that nitpicking will quickly get steamrolled by the experience they provide for both the spectator and racer.
This team "gets it", period.
Sean D
This team "gets it", period.
Sean D
NitroRichFire
Nitro Member
Best track, I'm going to have to give that honor to Bristol. The stands are close to the track and they are angled, plus the stands are sandwiched in between the 2 mountains, putting your seat close to the action. Yeah you may not see world record runs there unless the right cold front comes in, but the beauty of the track is just top rate. ZMAX-Sonoma-Las Vegas the stands are too far back from the action.
bing
Nitro Member
If I wasnt excited enough already this thread has tipped me over the edge, I get to tick off what appears to be the best 3 tracks in the world in the next few weeks. I loved Pomona and Firebird so am guessing I am in for a real treat.
Lookout America, 13 days til I leave!
