I would argue that Tri City would actually work better as a venue for the Champ Cars under the new configuration. The 1/2 mile was too narrow, and the banking on the new track would allow the big Silver Crown cars too build up the momentum they need to put on a good show.

Don't get me wrong, I like the big miles, but that's part of their problem: They're big. It seems like the cars are racing in another county when they're on the back stretch.

And if Tri City would work for these cars, why don't we throw Lawrenceburg into the discussion? Both tracks have adequate grandstands to support a large crowd, and both are relatively near metropolitian areas.

(The only thing about Tri City would be that USAC would have to put their foot down and insist that Kevin Gundaker didn't try to run a gazillion support classes to pad the back gate, thereby insuring that the headliner race doesn't hit the track till midnight or later. He is getting notorious for doing that kind of thing.)

Yes it was that shape, Derek. When it was redesigned in 1982 they merely lopped off the turn leading into the backstretch and moved it in a couple of hundred feet. The race in December was due to delays getting a Certificate of Occupancy for the grandstands. They were hastily put up and there were concerns resulting in delays that pushed the race back. Vicari caught a huge break with the weather. Norm for December there is around 30 or so.

A SC car is no bigger than a late model, so why limit to a 1/2 mile? Late models run on all size tracks. The good thing about a SC car is self starting and a transmission. Most race fans really enjoy sprints and midgets but HATE restarts with all the push trucks and time wasted that goes with it.I would go to watch a SC race on a 1/4 mile dirt as long as the racing is good ,I'd be happy.

Late model engines also tend to have a lot more cubic inches than a Silver Crown car. (Although with the injection on the champ car, it might be a wash.)

Starting 30 cars on a 1/4 might be difficult. Granted, they start 33 sprints on a 1/4 mile at the Little 500, but that's in 11 rows of three. 15 rows of two might prove a tad congested.

I like everybodies ideas I almost think that if they were to go to a quarter farmer city in illinois would be wide enough and it would deff groove up to have a top and a bottom.

Duke I was probably was in the stands in Okc when you raced there. I went to both the NCRA vs USAC races. I was in the 9th grade when it came to town. Unfortunately, the 1/2 is now growing grass on it and Okc is using a 3/8 as its race surface.