FWIW, they had 'bathrooms' even back when I raced there. This was late 80's and early 90's. The trick was to pit UPWIND of them. Fun layout, but needed a good repave, even back then. Still.......good times !!!!!
Because it's an extremely fun and fast layout. You're on the gas, nearly the entire lap. I think most everyone knows a repave will make it faster, where run-off improvements are needed first. The issue is well documented, as there isn't room to do it in the places where it's most needed. Chicanes and other suggested improvements in the past would only take away from what makes the track fun in the first place. Ultimately, it's going to take money. A good chunk of it. And perhaps added land, as you mentioned. Funny that the 2016 schedule thread has been pulled. People were complaining about no schedule over there before it was posted, and those posts were removed. I even hopped on and invited people to come race a WERA event - which was also removed, once the schedule was posted. Now it's all been removed.
Hey Eddie current rumor is the new owner is going to close the track for the entire year. Remove all of the tires and fix the run off. Level all of the old buildings and put up new garages and repave the entire track...sort of creating a Pitt race type of facility...time will tell if this rumor is true or not. I've been racing at this track since 1989 so it will be interesting to see what happens with new ownership in place.
Remove the tires - that will be a monumental and expensive task. 1- There was a number floating around that there wer in excess of 1 million tires there. 2- Tires are covered under Ohio Revised Code, Chap 3734, "Solid and Hazardous Waste." Pretty sure the EPA would be looking in on things also. Cost of disposal would be ginormous. The regulatory agencies might get huffy and toss in a few fines also, Maybe Dits could look at Ohio law and give an opinion if he is done defecating in chicken yards.
I'd imagine there are licensed disposal companies who deal with things of that nature. Just takes money....
How much would it take? After spending the night working on various and sundry equations, factoring variables such as number of tires, energy costs, permits, environmental assessments and the like, I figured out it would cost... A cubic ass-ton of $. That's US$, not canuckian
It would seem unless you have a private backer, or cash on hand, which plenty of people do, you'd likely have to make sure the property is clean for a bank to touch it. Id have no clue about what it would take financially or logistically. Anyone who buys the property for any another purpose is going to have to deal.with the tires. They can't stay there for ever. It's totally doable.
Great track but it needs about damn near everything. More run off, the shitters are full, the mosquito infested tires, repave. . . a track with a great history and name but it's going to cost. I'd rather buy Brainerd, easier fixin' without callin' in mojo nixon.
Wonder what the traction properties are of asphalt made with crumb rubber. Maybe just use it to pave the access roads and pits?
I agree that simply repaving would only make it more dangerous. It needs improved runoff or reconfiguring of the layout (which would suck because I love how fast the current layout is) Whatever they do, it's going to take a while to do it right. I was going to race there this year and it really stinks that they waited so long to pull the plug on the season. It's been a long time since I raced with WERA but I'm looking forward to getting out to Pittrace and maybe mid ohio with y'all.
My wish list starts with a gravel trap right there. The pavement looks good, hope to see runoff improvements next. It's great they're still working on it!
I didn't take the photo, but that looks like the exit of the carousel, entering the back straight(?) still really narrow.
T4 although it has been a long time since I've been up there and spent my time working corners rather than on track so my perspective is off.
