Latest Atlanta AMS Labor Day Race gossip..

[Agitator]

Guys,
Sorry I didn't get to meet any of you this weekend. I spent most of those sultry days chasing issue after issue with my vee. Finished second Saturday after bouncing off of SRFs, but the engine gave up the battle before turn two of the pace lap Sunday! Anyway, what little I got to watch of you guys on the track looked like fun.

Here's the latest I've been able to find out about the Speedway race on Labor Day weekend. Got it from Stevan Davis in an e-mail this morning (not responsible for its reliability!):

"Furthur negotiations with Atl Mot Speedway has brought better
arrangements, will be running our double SARRC and PRO IT races as
usual for the 3 days. This is all in question tho as the track will be
inspected Monday and if passes , we will be running the full event as
planned. We also may be doing a test day on Friday. You will hear when we
know further."

Doubt I'll make it because this latest problem probably ends my season. But hope (for you guys)it turns out that this latest info is true.

James
Agitator FV #19

[RussMcB]

Thanks for the update. Hope your problems are easy to fix.

If the Monday inspection was yesterday, maybe someone knows if it's on or not.

[Purple Frog]

I heard...
Racers will go clockwise on the oval. Through the "D" , through NASCAR 4, then 3, then the chicane, then Nascar 2, then 1, and then into the infield.
Word is you will not be allowed on the banking. You will have to stay below the white line.

All of this info is worth what you paid for it.

[Tom Sprecher]

I spoke to Fletcher just before Barber and the above is true. The exact course layout was not discussed other than running clockwise. Since he was in charge of the negotiations he would be the one to contact. I start my vacation in less than 5 minutes so I'm not going to call him.

[formulasuper]

You will have to stay below the white line

Does this leave room for passing, or in my case, room to be passed?

[RussMcB]

I sent an email message to Bob MacIsaac, Atl RE. I told him I was wondering about track configuration so that I could decide whether to go, if the track would be hard on my low car, and was trying to get an idea about what gears to install. He responded:

"We will be racing on the Oval but will stay below the white line, on the apron. This will eliminate the transition problems from the banking onto the chicane at Turn Two and the entrance to the infield course at Turn 4. We will be racing in a clockwise direction. I don't believe that the course will be any harder on your car than Road A. As for speeds....that's a tough one. You'll have the long straight on the back side of the oval, but Turns 7 & 8, in the infield, will be a slow 90 degree left handers. I don't think any of us will have a feel for speeds, and appropriate gearing, until we run it. There will be a test day on Friday, which will help.

"We should have a track map up on the website some time this coming week. I'm still trying to finalize the supps as we speak."

I sent a follow up question asking what was different about AMS compared to other banked tracks. I haven't heard back yet (but not much time has passed).

[formulasuper]

Last time we ran it a some years ago the transitions seemed normal. I guess that infield track was dug up and a new one built so could be worse transitions.

[Mark H]

The main reason to race a "Roval" is to run on the banking ie. Daytona or Lowes, I was on the fence about this one and still am?
Maby the tin tops would have problems without the bus stop but I sure would like to run the full oval.
I say get rid of the bus stop, run the full NAZCAR track + the infield and just titghten up the nutz behind the wheel to go flat out?
And I think AMS has the Safer-Barrier anyway.
With Atlanta being the fastest NAZCAR track they think us SCCA guys can't handel it!

[Bob Wright]

FWIW- The F2000 absolute fastest lap speed was recorded on the banking at AMS by a Swift DB6 at 156mph a few years ago in a Pro race.

So yes, SCCA can handle the ovals...However, ovals in FC's are all well and good until you hit something. Likely as not you can plan on throwing away the car after hitting a wall at oval speeds. [img]graemlins/skull.gif[/img]

[RussMcB]

I don't disagree, but that's comparing apples to oranges if the pro race ran only the oval, probably with the foot to the floor for the whole race.

Maybe the AMS race will be fun even restricted to the apron, but I'd be looking forward to it more if we ran the banking.

I'm still curious about the actual reason (not our guesses) for not allowing SCCA racers to run the oval. It makes me think that there was a concern about a specific section. I can't help but wonder what it was and if we'll still be dealing with it but in a different way?

[Daniel]

Just a guess, but they may be trying to keep cars as far from the safer-barrier as possible. I've heard it costs alot to repair that stuff and they may be afraid the average SCCA guy won't make good on the repair bill. Remember, if you go off track and damage something, you are responsible for repairing track property as well as your car. Barber Motorsports Park reportedly billed individuals from the Porsche Club over $20,000 (total) for repairs after their club race there. One guy was billed $5,000 for bending a small section of barrier.

[RussMcB]

Another response from Bob MacIsaac:

"The decision to not use the banking was more of a logistical one. If we want to use it(and we very well might, in the future), we would have to create a chicane on the back straight. Given the time constraints and available resources, we felt it would be better to omit the banking for this event. We intend to look at using the banking next year, when we have more time to plan and engineer for it."

I appreciate Bob's quick and informative responses.

[carnut169]

Just a guess, but they may be trying to keep cars as far from the safer-barrier as possible. I've heard it costs alot to repair that stuff and they may be afraid the average SCCA guy won't make good on the repair bill. Remember, if you go off track and damage something, you are responsible for repairing track property as well as your car. Barber Motorsports Park reportedly billed individuals from the Porsche Club over $20,000 (total) for repairs after their club race there. One guy was billed $5,000 for bending a small section of barrier.

CMP billed me $112 for hitting the tire wall...
funny thing was that was my first thought after hitting it!

[formulasuper]

CMP billed me $112 for hitting the tire wall...

$112? Was that the fee for refilling the tires with mosquito water?

[Mark H]

About Barber,Did you notice that all the tires used in the tire walls were NEW tires! I wonder why they charge so much for everything there?

[Purple Frog]

Word on the street is that Barber charged the Alabama Region $14,000 for guardrail damage after the event. It seems that the event steward and the track manager drove the track after the event and signed off that everything was OK, then the next week AL region got the big bill.

Needless to say, SCCA probably won't be going back to Barber. Which is a shame. With 270 entries, all not carefully parked, the paved paddock was only about half full. Neat venue.

[Tim FF19]

I was hoping to go to Barber next season to check it out. It sounds like a fantastic place. I hope that Barber can figure out a way to keep the place in perfect condition without putting the region on the hook. Maybe they could publish a cost per foot for guardrail and charge the individuals for the repair costs. $14,000 sounds like a lot of guardrail, did the entire GT-1 field crash in separate places?

[jattus]

Scott-
Did CMP bill you for hazardous removal and reseeding of the grass?

He "accidentally" poured a 1/2 liter of gas on the car which spilled onto the grass

Bet you went to Wal Mart and got a spill pan

[formulasuper]

Hawkeye, Hush your mouth. Mum's the word.

[Purple Frog]

I kind of got the idea that if there is paint smudged on the new galvanized guardrail, they replace it.

[jattus]

During my famed SARRC driving career I made it a point to visit at least 1 tire barrier or wall for each track in the Southeast [img]graemlins/skull.gif[/img]

Never got a bill...


Say what was this thread originally about

[RussMcB]

Track map is available on the Atl Region web site. It's a Word document with some info.

www.atl-scca.org

The web site says registration is available, too, but doesn't appear to be when you follow the links.