Originally Posted by treecitytornado:
95Kart, it's Not surprising, that it went 1 lane again! Unfortunately, as far as I know, they are still using the same dirt to build the track year after year.
It's wore out! My only crack at the Chili Bowl as a Driver was 2009 & the track was fabulous all week, but that's 12 years ago.
I pulled a couple legit wheelies because the track had that much bite!! This was on my Friday night, Preliminary. Definitely awesome back when it stayed great for longer.
I was able to watch most of the preliminary night A and B mains this week and I thought the track was great for most of the races. They do a great job for the number of races and cars in my opinion. Tuesday's A main was definitely the worst track, maybe from doing the IROC that night.
Originally Posted by 95KART:
I was able to watch most of the preliminary night A and B mains this week and I thought the track was great for most of the races. They do a great job for the number of races and cars in my opinion. Tuesday's A main was definitely the worst track, maybe from doing the IROC that night.
Rubber washes out and so does sand. I think they added about 100 loads of new dirt too it about six or seven years ago. The top dirt can't always be on top. Im sure it gets mixed around a ton being brought in and taken out every year.. Seen lots of wheelies all thru the night, Every Night.
A few years ago during the question & answer session out at the Zink Ranch Emmett said they have to get 8 to 10 loads of dirt every year to replenish what they lose. He didn't elaborate on where he gets the dirt.
Silver Crown Championship Dirt Cars properly driven on a one mile dirt track are classic poetry in motion. Using that analogy, Jack Hewitt is one of the greatest poets of all time.
Originally Posted by treecitytornado:
95Kart, it's Not surprising, that it went 1 lane again! Unfortunately, as far as I know, they are still using the same dirt to build the track year after year.
It's wore out! My only crack at the Chili Bowl as a Driver was 2009 & the track was fabulous all week, but that's 12 years ago.
I pulled a couple legit wheelies because the track had that much bite!! This was on my Friday night, Preliminary. Definitely awesome back when it stayed great for longer.
Technically, yes, it is the "same" clay as they do store it year after year. Some of it came from the original Tulsa Fairgrounds track (adjacent to the Expo Center) which dates back to the 60s. But again, technically speaking, most of this clay dates back centuries if not eons (in nature), so I don't know if it really "wears out". Pretty sure it has more to do with how deep you put the water, how loosely/tightly packed the clay is and how dry the ambient air is. No surface winds to deal with, no sunshine to deal with, no big wings pulling the moisture off the track, so it's really pretty predictable compared to an outdoor track.
Hanging out at the Freeway Cafe a couple of years ago after the Saturday finale and Emmett was holding court. He was most excited about "finding" some new clay to add to his stock. It's a science and a passion for these guys.
Originally Posted by Pitdad:
Technically, yes, it is the "same" clay as they do store it year after year. Some of it came from the original Tulsa Fairgrounds track (adjacent to the Expo Center) which dates back to the 60s. But again, technically speaking, most of this clay dates back centuries if not eons (in nature), so I don't know if it really "wears out". Pretty sure it has more to do with how deep you put the water, how loosely/tightly packed the clay is and how dry the ambient air is. No surface winds to deal with, no sunshine to deal with, no big wings pulling the moisture off the track, so it's really pretty predictable compared to an outdoor track.
Hanging out at the Freeway Cafe a couple of years ago after the Saturday finale and Emmett was holding court. He was most excited about "finding" some new clay to add to his stock. It's a science and a passion for these guys.
I dont know if you could call it "wore out", but clay will take rubber, and sand over time, and that will take away the clay's ability to hold moisture the way it did without rubber and sand in it. Every night of racing will add rubber to the clay, and there really is no way to get rid of it. Get the grader out, and mix it in, and over time, it just is not good clay anymore.
