[jontheturboguy]

I've been thinking about this for many years.

We'd need some volunteers from all sides of the fence:

-Both TQ groups
-Equipment operators
-Fans
-Fair Board cooperation

We'd start with a track like this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pNLDSu1Xbk

Flat. Hard to pass. Rough. Rockey. Old. Rusty.

Then, we'd...

-Dig out the infield
-Put up plywood sheets (painted with sponsors) around the guard rails, around the entire race track.
-Use a dirt sorting machine to classify all the rocks, bumpers, and tractor parts out
-Add some clay if needed
-Mix well
-Bank the race track. The turns won't really get any higher. The fact that the infield will be dug out, the turns will be banked
-Reset the corners. Physically make the corners hemi-spherical using a little measurement, some rope, and some of that black plastic drainage pipe instead of tires
-Prep the track

What we would end up with is this (or at least better than what we started with.....awesome TQ racing from New Zealand)):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2uwLG9OWGQ

So what say you?

MTQRL? UMRA? AMSA? Fellow racers? Rushville Fair Board?

[racegurl68]

It would be great if this would work AND we could get cooperation from everyone. I just don't see that happening, especially from the fair board. They just don't seem to care much about midget racing anymore.

[SP Motorsports]

Don't take this as gospel or exactly accurate, but it is what I was told by one of their fair board members Saturday night.

The fair board would like to change the surface. There is clay that has been donated to the fairgrounds, but it is not located there and would have to be trucked in. The estimate to have it hauled in was $72,000. The price is much higher than they can afford.

Again, I wouldn't live or die by this information, but it was direct from a fair board member.

[racegurl68]

So did they say where the clay is located? Maybe some race families or even county workers (since the fairgrounds is county oriented) can donate trucks and time to help haul it in. If it wasn't too far away, that would be something we might be interested in helping with to make a better track IF you could get enough people to help.

[767]

Originally Posted by SP Motorsports Don't take this as gospel or exactly accurate, but it is what I was told by one of their fair board members Saturday night. The fair board would like to change the surface. There is clay that has been donated to the fairgrounds, but it is not located there and would have to be trucked in. The estimate to have it hauled in was $72,000. The price is much higher than they can afford. Again, I wouldn't live or die by this information, but it was direct from a fair board member.

A little more to show they are tring to improve the place.... Brand new drainage put in the infield. Last week we had like over 8 inches of rain in 4 days. As everyone know the track is a lake with any decent rain. It did not turn into a lake until the drainage ditch backed up and into the the track. Then most of the water was drained off that night. Racing surface, did not have water standing on it.

[Dabeef53x]

Just bought and ran my first TQ race this weekend in Illinois. I have raced sprints for years, still do...and I cannot believe this sport hasn't exploded, YET. What a better way to have affordable and exciting racing on a working man's budget. I was surprised at the top speed these things got on a tiny track. My uncles, cousins and Dad all ran TQ's, and I would love to get my hands in and help this grow. There are many tracks over here in E Iowa and W Illinois that are great places for them, Burlington, East Moline, Davenport, Quincy, Aledo, Avon, Macomb, and there are many places over where you guys are that are great, I have run some of them also. But what about tracks in between? Peoria, Danville, Shepps, Jacksonville, Pike County? Maybe schedule some two day events along I-74 on the three Holiday weekends so all the TQ clubs can come together...with decent payouts. With midget and sprint costs at an all time high, this is a BIG eye opener to me. I never really gave TQ's a second look. But with some intuitive ideas, this could get really FUN!!! I would love to volunteer if anybody needs some help, in all areas, there, here, and in between...and have MANY friends willing to do so as well. I love the NZ track, that would be amazing ot have a facility like that to race at...Beef

[Brewer 14]

Jon and others,

I didn't see anything in the videos to make me think that the New Zealand track would provide better racing. It looked to me like one of those tracks where you stick your foot in it and don't come off the bottom (kinda like 16th street speedway was). From what I could tell no one used more than a lane and a half in turn one and two.

I turned a lot of laps at Rushville during my time in TQ's. While the track often left a lot to be desired it was still the place that (in my opinion) the TQ's put on the best show. It seems to me that both Indiana TQ organizations are running plenty of tracks that are not suitable for them. They go to these big tracks and get all strung out and the show from the stands is not as good as the ones they put on at the small fairground tracks.

Don't get me wrong, as a driver I loved to go to the big tracks. But it was not until I drove a sprint car that I realized that those small fairground tracks are the ones that teach a guy to drive in close quarters. While a places like Bloomington, Brownstown, North Vernon, and Putnamville are huge for a TQ it is not for a sprint car. Therefore if you can't run in close quarters you are going to have a tough time in whatever you race.

I do think that Running a TQ at Shelbyville or Madison could compare to running a sprint car at Paragon. Also, I think you could compare Rushville in a TQ to a Bloomington or Putnamville (without the banking of course).

So in my opinion (which isn't worth a whole lot) I say:

- Keep the configuration at Rushville the same.
- Use greater care in Prep. (although I have yet to find a track that is prepared to perfection everytime and stays that way all night long)
- If it needs new clay then get it put down.
- Keep the TQ's on the fairgound facilities.
- Most importantly, HAVE FUN cause there sure isn't any money in it!

These thoughts are just my opinion and I realize others will have a different opinion. That said, enjoy what you have.

J.L. Brewer

[jontheturboguy]

Originally Posted by Brewer 14 Jon and others, I didn't see anything in the videos to make me think that the New Zealand track would provide better racing. It looked to me like one of those tracks where you stick your foot in it and don't come off the bottom (kinda like 16th street speedway was). From what I could tell no one used more than a lane and a half in turn one and two. I turned a lot of laps at Rushville during my time in TQ's. While the track often left a lot to be desired it was still the place that (in my opinion) the TQ's put on the best show. It seems to me that both Indiana TQ organizations are running plenty of tracks that are not suitable for them. They go to these big tracks and get all strung out and the show from the stands is not as good as the ones they put on at the small fairground tracks. Don't get me wrong, as a driver I loved to go to the big tracks. But it was not until I drove a sprint car that I realized that those small fairground tracks are the ones that teach a guy to drive in close quarters. While a places like Bloomington, Brownstown, North Vernon, and Putnamville are huge for a TQ it is not for a sprint car. Therefore if you can't run in close quarters you are going to have a tough time in whatever you race. I do think that Running a TQ at Shelbyville or Madison could compare to running a sprint car at Paragon. Also, I think you could compare Rushville in a TQ to a Bloomington or Putnamville (without the banking of course). So in my opinion (which isn't worth a whole lot) I say: - Keep the configuration at Rushville the same. - Use greater care in Prep. (although I have yet to find a track that is prepared to perfection everytime and stays that way all night long) - If it needs new clay then get it put down. - Keep the TQ's on the fairgound facilities. - Most importantly, HAVE FUN cause there sure isn't any money in it! These thoughts are just my opinion and I realize others will have a different opinion. That said, enjoy what you have. J.L. Brewer

Thank you JL for your input. We miss seeing you and the family at the races. :-)