NC Track

Of the people who have ridden there, how much distance would you say is between the straight and that turn? Can't be more than 60' or so.

 

According to Google Earth it's 50 ft at the shortest spot. But as you can see that image was taken in 2009. There is now a guardrail that runs through there. So it's not so much of an issue of running back onto the front straight, it's getting that wall padded with airfence.

 

I'm not gonna argue with you Mr Clark, all one has to do is peruse this forum a bit and see you have never been wrong about anything. I had just hoped your motivations had shown through. Considering what you know about risk assessment and management I feel that your comments about the track based solely on a satellite photo are an obvious accusation that TPM is intentionally putting it's members in harms way. Cheap shot, you couldn't wait to judge.I just want everyone to know, it's not a scary corner, the speed is low there, and wait to judge it's safety I'm done here, I've been told nothing good would come of this thread.

 

As a safety side note to anyone that is interested the track is 40ft wide everywhere. This may lend to the lack of anxiety about the "offramp" turn. We come off of T4 relatively slow, then even if you run wide or some one forces you out, there is a ridiculous amout of room to stay on the track.

 

Seriously? Is that accurate?

It seems to me that the over-riding concern should be preventing a bike from going airborne over the top of the barrier and into the front straight. What's the speed on the front straight there at the closest point?

 

Take a look at the picture again. The entrance to the corner does not have you pointed anywhere near where the red lines are. Riders "should be" on the inside of the corner and practically 90 degrees from the direction of those red lines. The areas of concern are actually beyond the point outlined in that pic.

 

Sean, where in my post did I defend a group? Where in my post did I defend the track? Where in my post did I even discuss safety?

You sir are indeed biased, it's fine, we know it. The only one who really seems to have a problem with admitting it, is you.

Doesn't make you a bad person, I certainly don't question your sincerity in wanting to focus on safety. But the fact is you don't know shit about NC because you haven't gone there and ridden the track for yourself, which is the only way you could possibly have any idea what the problems might be and where they are.

The simple fact that not a single person other then someone who has been there has brought up the biggest concern on the track just proves that looking at an aerial photograph is basically worthless.

 

Not sure I follow. To the best of my knowledge TPM is only running the track clockwise.

No you won't. You're not allowed to race there. Gov't property and a test facility. No racing allowed.

Are you evaluating the layout from a track day perspective or a WERA racing perspective? We all know the gap between a race environment and a track day environment. If you evaluate the layout from a track day perspective you don't come to a different conclusion?

I know, narcissism is tough to get over. I have the same issue. It's okay to admit you're wrong once in a while though. But let me ask you about Jennings. Is that track safe? How about Pocono East? TPM used to run a no passing zone there in the name of safety. Never heard such strong opposition to Pocono East. Summit Main? Loudon?

Again, I'm not stating that this track doesn't have some issues it needs to address. All I'm saying is that it's no worse than many of the region's most popular venues. I also believe there are other motivations at play when shouting down this facility.

Let me ask you Mongo. You and Glen Goldman hang out much? Chat on the phone? Go to dinner every once in a while? Any history there?

No matter your opinions or experiences with Glen, in this case you have to admit that he's at least trying to do something. Something to keep the business and track days in general moving forward. Which is more than you can say for other organizers who are either jumping ship or just barely getting by while waiting for someone else to make a move. I think NCCar will be just fine. But if it doesn't pan out, at least somebody gave it a shot.

Ever hear the story about 4 monkeys in a lab experiment? Researchers hung a banana from the top of their cage and every time one of them reached for it they would receive an electric shock. The monkeys soon stopped reaching for the banana. One monkey was removed from the experiment and replaced with a new one. The shocks were also removed from the experiment. The monkeys were free to grab the banana whenever they wished. Yet when the new monkey reached for the banana, the other 3 kicked the shit out of him. Even though they didn't receive a shock.

You think any of that might be going on here?

 

If we are going to split hairs, no race track is safe on a motorcycle, but they very greatly vary in degrees of danger. I haven't ridden all the WERA tracks, do they all have unlimited runoff for bike or are there areas that you to use airfence to protect your riders? I would never argue your credentials in the field of track safety but blasting the track with nothing more than a crappy photo has most of us assuming you have an agenda more than concern for our safety. I never thought for a minute I could get you to open you mind, I only hoped to keep others from taking your opinion as gospel, considering the lack of information about the track that you actually possess.
Let me recap for those here that aren't sheep. 30ish riders,many of them racers, went to the track with the same anxiety about that corner.all were told by management to pay attention and give them feedback about barrier placement. We had none set up yet. Within a few laps none of us were concerned about that corner. We rode all day without barriers and regularly discussed were and how many would be placed. Unless someone makes a hard right at turn in, impact in that airfence or getting a bike over it would be a hugely unlikely occurrence .
On the subject of "no way I could pass that one up", "walked away from $100,000 profit at pocono", damn, you should give bigger trophies !

 

Airfence.

There are no GP Moto events scheduled at that track.