Ocala Problem?

annrobbins75 · 1/15/12, 10:53 AM

Ocala pictures say a thousand words. The walls are not very high, the fences are not very strong. We attended the Florida non-wing show in October. One car went through the back stretch fence, two cars in a double flip tore down the fence in front of the little hot dog stand on the front stretch, then during the late model feature, one late model got on top of the steel guard rail on the back stretch and caught the blunt end of the steel guard rail sticking out and tore the bottom out of his car. It was so bad that he had to hire a roll back to get it home, couldn't get it in the t railer. If this track were in New Jersey, there would be no racing at all until the problems were fixed. If you do go, just beware of where you sit! I will probably go myself if USAC is there or some type of non-winged sprints.
Falconeddie

Wayne Davis · 1/15/12, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by annrobbins75

ocala pictures say a thousand words. The walls are not very high, the fences are not very strong. We attended the florida non-wing show in october. One car went through the back stretch fence, two cars in a double flip tore down the fence in front of the little hot dog stand on the front stretch, then during the late model feature, one late model got on top of the steel guard rail on the back stretch and caught the blunt end of the steel guard rail sticking out and tore the bottom out of his car. It was so bad that he had to hire a roll back to get it home, couldn't get it in the t railer.

this is all true but...it is good racing as far as the track surface....you can point out issues all day long but until something bad happens....there will be no changes....just like the 600/750 fmsa mini sprints are racing there....way too fast a track and is crazy, but when they kill someone it will be.....oh we should not have raced there or we should have made it safer

ossuks · 1/15/12, 2:27 PM

When the banking was added did they also add the old fence and guard rail? It appears that there are several open ended guard rails that are a safety issue? Also, with the cable behind the fence polls, the fence gives way, the poll does not move with the fencing, thus, causing the vehicle to contact a stationary poll? Why would you add old open ended guardrail and fencing issues, or, were they overlooked last year?

jim goerge · 1/15/12, 3:04 PM

Wasn;t Terre Haute just a double guard rail like forever before they put in the present wall ? How many times did USAC race there with that set up ? Yes I know a bunch of cars went out of the ball park but that didn't stop them from racing there did it Not looking to agrue am just saying

Wayne Davis · 1/15/12, 3:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim goerge

Wasn;t Terre Haute just a double guard rail like forever before they put in the present wall ? How many times did USAC race there with that set up ? Yes I know a bunch of cars went out of the ball park but that didn't stop them from racing there did it Not looking to agrue am just saying

Jim at THAT there was not trees 10ft. from the track and entering 3 the hi-way is less then 50 ft....just saying and notice the I-beams stick up above the the guard rails.....Bubba should take care of this before race day though....the track itself will be very very fast!!!! he also has made and is making many other changes!!!

dirtnonwingfan · 1/15/12, 6:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Papa Outlaw

Jim at THAT there was not trees 10ft. from the track and entering 3 the hi-way is less then 50 ft....just saying and notice the I-beams stick up above the the guard rails.....Bubba should take care of this before race day though....the track itself will be very very fast!!!! he also has made and is making many other changes!!!

I was not going to jump into this, but I can't let a completely untrue statement go with no response. There are trees in turns 1/2 at THAT and I would guess some are less than 10 feet. Not only that, but there are times when cars are parked right outside the turn, again perhaps less than 10 feet. I remember the announcer in one of the races in 2010 (I think), announcing that there was good news and bad news after someone went out of the track. The good news was that the driver was OK. The bad news for the driver of the Buick which was parked outside of Turn 1....... Needless to say, that got a hearty round of laugher. Also, during the county fair, the fair is set up outside of turn 1/2 and it appears to be a lot less than 50 feet. You can see most of the rides from the grandstand or infield. Rides = people walking around.

I choose not to express an opinion on the safety of Ocala because I don't know, but I would like for us to make sure that we are considering facts, not erroneous statements. If my perception of the distance any of these things are from the outside wall, please let me know.

smith19 · 1/15/12, 6:30 PM

i like the new banking. did they change the shape of the track since clem has taken over? haven't been there in twenty years and thought i remembered trees outside 1-2 kinda close??

hupp#9 · 1/15/12, 6:57 PM

This is coming from a racer I dont know if any of you or all of you are racers or fans that are commenting on this problem, but from a racers view we know going to any track there are dangers and we all know the risks that's part of racing. I've seen many cars go out of THAT and cars land in woods at paragon and LPS to me this is no different.. The gaurd rails are a bit of a scare and maybe they will put some kind of barrier up like at THAT or something. But I say let's us race if someone thinks it's not safe to race they probably won't go that's their choice.

Logan

Posted via Mobile Device

interpreter66 · 1/15/12, 7:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smith19

i like the new banking. did they change the shape of the track since clem has taken over? haven't been there in twenty years and thought i remembered trees outside 1-2 kinda close??

they changed 3 and 4 and made it wider since last year also. the car that went out of the track during the top gun non-wing show had the fence post go thru the side of the body and hit the braided fuel line which kinked, but stopped it from going any further (thank god) and taking out the driver's ankle

CTtoPA · 1/15/12, 9:26 PM

If only USAC was always this safety conscious. They used to run on tracks with ruts deeper than the radius of the wheels on the car, at tracks with posts for rails, and at Langhorne. Not to mention the whole cageless "thing"! They used to treat deaths as an inconvenience to completing the show!
On the other hand, just let the racers race!

Posted via Mobile Device

1/15/12, 6:30 PM	#17 Re: Ocala Problem?
smith19 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 1,940	i like the new banking. did they change the shape of the track since clem has taken over? haven't been there in twenty years and thought i remembered trees outside 1-2 kinda close?? __________________ CHRIS SMITH

1/15/12, 10:53 AM	#11 Re: Ocala Problem?
annrobbins75 Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 13	Ocala pictures say a thousand words. The walls are not very high, the fences are not very strong. We attended the Florida non-wing show in October. One car went through the back stretch fence, two cars in a double flip tore down the fence in front of the little hot dog stand on the front stretch, then during the late model feature, one late model got on top of the steel guard rail on the back stretch and caught the blunt end of the steel guard rail sticking out and tore the bottom out of his car. It was so bad that he had to hire a roll back to get it home, couldn't get it in the t railer. If this track were in New Jersey, there would be no racing at all until the problems were fixed. If you do go, just beware of where you sit! I will probably go myself if USAC is there or some type of non-winged sprints. Falconeddie

1/15/12, 2:27 PM	#13 Re: Ocala Problem?
ossuks Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 995	When the banking was added did they also add the old fence and guard rail? It appears that there are several open ended guard rails that are a safety issue? Also, with the cable behind the fence polls, the fence gives way, the poll does not move with the fencing, thus, causing the vehicle to contact a stationary poll? Why would you add old open ended guardrail and fencing issues, or, were they overlooked last year?

1/15/12, 3:04 PM	#14 Re: Ocala Problem?
jim goerge Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 29,877	Wasn;t Terre Haute just a double guard rail like forever before they put in the present wall ? How many times did USAC race there with that set up ? Yes I know a bunch of cars went out of the ball park but that didn't stop them from racing there did it Not looking to agrue am just saying

1/15/12, 9:26 PM	#20
CTtoPA Senior Member Race Count This Year: 6 Race Count Last Year: 4 Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 489	If only USAC was always this safety conscious. They used to run on tracks with ruts deeper than the radius of the wheels on the car, at tracks with posts for rails, and at Langhorne. Not to mention the whole cageless "thing"! They used to treat deaths as an inconvenience to completing the show! On the other hand, just let the racers race! Posted via Mobile Device