Pick a Track

[Greg Phillips]

I'm not volunteering for anything. That said I do have a few suggestions. For a number of years I helped unload the trailer, load the trailer, throw the track, rope the track, sweep the track and chalk mark cones. I know from whence I speak.

All of the above is a lot of work requiring a lot of hands, a lot of corners and a lot of corner workers, all of which is in short supply. Because the "Q" is continually deteriorating some changes are necessary and hopefully repairs to those areas would be forth coming.
What I suggest is setting a standard track utilizing all the best features of the West lot. Off camber turns, elevation changes, wide sweepers, etc. Throw the same track all the time. Use fewer cones and and fewer corner workers. Participants would become proficient with the lay out and watch their skills and times improve. For safety have the track and the timing lights facing away (the other direction) from the pits, instead of having a tight corner before the end to slow the cars, causing them to spin and endagering the timing equipment and spectators.

The AX Chair and the Safety Chair are responsible for the track layout. At the last event I did the track walk and while the drivers were listening to a narrative by the CDI some of our more outspoken members were relocating apex cones and braking cones, whats with that?

If you want to keep running the same track, that is what the DE & TT is for

I walked after the CDI group, but usually one of the jobs of the group with the CDI is to locate the apex and braking cones. The apex and braking cones are just advisory and don't change the safety of the course.

Not sure how to become an outspoken member, but there is the well-spoken man on Top Gear

Greg

[gocart]

some of our more outspoken members were relocating apex cones and braking cones, whats with that?

I indeed reset a few cones on the track walk.
Why?
I was one of the ones that created the track the afternoon before. During the track walk I could see there were potential problems that we had not noticed the day before. It's a lot easier to get the track right before the cones are chalked.

[Mmagus]

ted,

What you suggest does have merit . Unfortunately something else you mentioned makes the idea nearly impossible. The instability of the Q's lots is such that we really have no idea what area will "bow up" on us during the event. We have had areas that gave no indications or issues whatsoever become so problematic that we have had to rebuild the area part way through the day. We feel very fortunate to get one event through without a rebuild.

[Ted Myrus]

Greg,

You're partially right, but you missed the point. Some race tracks are fixed, others are flexible. You can run just the infield or include part of the oval; others have optional routes like bus stops or can be run clockwise or counter clockwise. My suggestion was to establish a standard course requiring fewer cones and fewer corner workers. This would still maintain the main challenging segments of a good course. Not everyone is ready to transition to TT or DE or want to. A weekend away can cost as much as a season of AX. I have spent years of $1,000 plus race weekends. Most of these folks are just there for enjoyment. There is only one top time of day and one winner in each class, so the other 100 people are just there for recreation.

Regarding course changes to turn in, apex, turn out, and braking cones they are of course advisory and it depends on the driver and car as to where you position your car. In the not too distant past if there was a concern about track lay out or safety a member would advise the AX chair and things would be addressed. I didn't know anybody now has the authority to make changes on the run.

[JivenJim]

In an AX, I like the unknown. This teaches me to learn. I know all the local big tracks, (not that I can't learn them more/better..) I also like the idea of minimizing the effort of workers and new set up. The use of series of best known tracks is also very cool. The Course team is fluid to the changes of the Q and always works hard and is underappreciated. I agree that the timing lights have sometimes been put in danger. I told both of my students that last week. I told them that this is the one part of the track not to mess up. The danger part, makes it more fun. Naming the Tracks is awesome. I love the "Frenchie" Great job crew.