Hells Dark Lord
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posted September 20, 2005 12:06 PM
Race tracks
Anyone know of any race tracks in western TX near El Paso?
Sherm? Jon? Anyone?
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kz2zx
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posted September 20, 2005 01:52 PM
Arroyo Seco, in Deming NM, about 93mi west of Paso.
www.asmaracing.com; forums are active, so ask questions there, and I'll help to answer 'em.
ASMA AM #969
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redelk
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posted September 20, 2005 05:17 PM
kz2zx pretty well nailed it when it comes to something close to El Paso. Here's a couple good links for ya...
Link to Arroyo Seco Raceway - http://www.arroyosecoraceway.com/
Link to Race Track Locator - http://chasinracin.com/track-locator/
The RTL is fairly up to date and you can search by state via a map that includes all types of tracks or you can search by specific track features (dirt, paved, oval, drag, road, etc.). Most of the tracks listed will also be linked.
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There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.
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Hells Dark Lord
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posted September 21, 2005 01:42 AM
Thanks fellas, found both those sites last night.....looks like some club racing might be in order.
I just got orders for Ft Bliss, report there in January.......
How is that track kz? I found a few more one in NM, and 2 more in AZ, all within 400 miles. I had to laugh that the tracks in AZ were closer to El Paso than the ones in TX......lol
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kz2zx
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posted September 21, 2005 05:53 AM
Arroyo is tight, technical, and flat, with the most smooth runoff of any track you'll ever see. The clubracing atmosphere is excellent - everyone is friends with everyone else. The track supports us well, the owner is a racer there, too. Michelin, Pirelli, Sunoco, and Tucson Motorsports for trackside support, race series are sponsored and competed in by Edge Kawasaki and Rio Yamaha as well. I've recently had cause to see how good we have it there.
Sandia Mountain is just east of Albuquerque, but I hear (never been) that it has walls. Some of the ASMA racers race there, you may want to ask them.
The Phoenix tracks (Firebird) suck, in my non-professional opinion. The East track is probably the best of them in pavement, but I can't really get out of fourth gear there. The West track has some unsafe corners and shitty pavement but is more technically challenging. The Main track has that LOOOOOOONNNNNNGGGGGG (top-it-out-in-sixth) straight, but it's slick on the entry to that straight, has walls, and dangerous runoff (bridges, culverts) in some areas. East and West tracks are basically loops - East is mostly RH turns, West is mostly LH turns. There is some weird Christmas-tree-and-elf display (no shit) going up on the East track, they're putting concrete pads all around it to base the trees and light displays. They're supposed to be covering that stuff up with dirt before races but... man.
ASMA is, this year, a CCS affiliate, but we may not be next year, it's all still unclear. We vote on that in November.
CCS SW as a owned-by-clearchannel-region is ending next month, and the officials operating the series are starting a new affiliated club (RoadraceSW, and will be called CCS SW next year). They have two dates in Vegas confirmed for next year, but it looks like the majority of the remaining dates (and we haven't yet heard how many) will be held at Firebird unless something changes.
To put it in perspective: I will race the entire Arroyo season this year, and plan to again next year. I also plan to run WERA in some of the SoCal and Vegas events; I'm not sure about wanting to run at Firebird - and it's in my backyard, as it were.
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redelk
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posted September 21, 2005 07:46 AM
I hear ya kz. BMR feels the same about Texas World in College Station, TX and have chosen not to race there. It's not in our backyard (1,000 round trip), but it's just too dangerous to run there and the track management offers NO support. CMRA will likely dump the track in '07.
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There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.
-Ernest Hemingway
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k bryant
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posted September 21, 2005 08:33 AM
IMHO - Firebird shouldn't be raced on with bikes. I raced there many times when I was younger and foolish.... Had the fever and just didn't think about the consequences. So you race where the races are. They don't have Pro races there anymore for a reason. Fred Merkel basically had his career ended there, and I know lot's of club racers who've experienced the same fate. As you note, the last turn coming onto the front straight is a joke. Banked over going over either the launch pad or burn-out area for the drag strip..... yea.... The other "obstacles" are even worse.
Listen, I know first hand how tough it is to "just say no". It's in your backyard and the convenience factor is very high. Temptation is at an all time high when you want to race and the fever burns very hot and affects your better judgement. As a newer racer, do yourself and your family a favor; wait until they make improvements and/or install airfence, or drive to another racetrack. Peace.
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Hells Dark Lord
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posted September 21, 2005 09:58 AM
thanks fellas. I am just looking to get as much tracktime as I can. I wanted to do some club racing in 2004 but ended up moving to KY, so it didnt work out. As fate woudl have it I traded off my Zx6RR and got the ZX10R. I dont mind doing some club racing with it, just have to see hwo things line up. With Arroyo in my back yard as it would seem, being 109 miles from Ft Bliss, I will be spending lots of time on that track.....
and as I am not as young and foolish you can keep the crappy tracks, I like my health the way it is... I rode RA for a trackday about a month ago, and have no love for it at all. Patches in all the wrong places.
I really liked Putnam, was a great track for the ZX10 as its smooth and fast, only one really tight corner, the bus stop they call it. most everything else is pretty fast. Kinda reminded me of Roebling Road, only a better track surface and the bus stop. Roebling was all 3rd gear and up for me on the 10.
Not sure what the requirements woudl be to get into one of the local clubs for racing, I looked on some of the websites I found but nothing was comprehensive. I see some of the clubs have schools you have to attend. I attended Ed Bargys school in 03, and am fully track certified, according to him anyway....lmbo Will his school suffice for that? Or do I have to pay more money and take one of the local schools?
Just throwing stuff out at everyone, mostly kz2zk I guess as he seems to have the inside knowledge on this?
I hear ya Kerry loud and clear. I am just basically trying to find a way to get some track time, and trackday prices at Arroyo seem reasonable. I am just thinking the club racing might get me some more time on the track. I addmit it, I am addicted.....some one please hide my trackpipe.......:P
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kz2zx
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posted September 22, 2005 05:21 AM
HDL,
Ask Roger Heemsbergen, the track's owner, (Kerry, do you know Roger?) about the license. Even if it's been too long for the Bargy school's certificate, you can do a trackday/school for $150 (half-day school, half-day tracktime). Right now, a license is all of $35 (until the new year). Each race is $40, including the Formula (GP money) classes.
We have practice/trackdays on Saturday, and race on Sunday. You only need to show up before 8 to sign up, and you can preregister.
Also, there are a number of ASMA racers in Paso and Cruces, and they're all really decent folks who can help you out.
When do you PCS? If you come in Oct, I'll be there Oct 8 & 9 for our next races, look me up. If you come in Nov, I'll be doing a 4-hour endurance race on Friday Nov 11, sleeping in the pits that Saturday, then racing sprints Sunday the 12th.
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kz2zx
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posted September 22, 2005 05:29 AM
quote:
Listen, I know first hand how tough it is to "just say no". It's in your backyard and the convenience factor is very high. Temptation is at an all time high when you want to race and the fever burns very hot and affects your better judgement. As a newer racer, do yourself and your family a favor; wait until they make improvements and/or install airfence, or drive to another racetrack. Peace.
KB, wise words. I am skipping this week's races at Firebird East, I have no points championship to chase in CCS.
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beansbaxter
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posted September 22, 2005 05:53 AM
kb...what is so bad about firebird?
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Hells Dark Lord
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posted September 22, 2005 06:51 AM
kz thanks for the info..I wont be out there until January, wont be ready to get on the track until prolly febuary or march....
looks like i need to race prep the the ZX6R of the wifes.....lol
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k bryant
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posted September 22, 2005 08:07 AM
quote:
kb...what is so bad about firebird?
Very little run-off and concrete walls..... At many points, they didn't even have tires or haybales in front of them (let alone airfence....). And as I mentioned about coming out of the last turn to the front straight, your not only heading towards the concrete wall, you are leaned over on the gas going across the dragstrip staging/starting area.....
What is ironic, is that my "home tracks" were Laguna and Sears Point (Infinion). And in the 70's & 80's, those were considered very dangerous tracks. But we raced there anyway....
But we even thought back then that Firebird was even more dangerous because of the stated reasons.
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Hells Dark Lord
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posted September 22, 2005 09:52 AM
sounds like Road Atlanta.....I didnt like comming under Suzuki bridge, and down the hill, right at the wall on the front straight.
I watched a guy over shoot turn 5 and end up on top of the tires along the wall.......didnt care for that.....
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beansbaxter
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posted September 22, 2005 10:04 AM
Doesnt the raceway in Portland have concrete walls at the end of the straight section...I think I have heard some riders getting seriously injured there as well.
Spokane has a helluva straightaway but more runoff at the end just in case you miss that corner.
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k bryant
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posted September 22, 2005 12:33 PM
True - I raced Nationals at Portland for alot of years. The only spot I thought was "really" dangerous was coming out of the last right hander onto the front straight (again, somewhat heading into the front straight wall). When we raced there, there was no chicane like the Indy cars have. It was WFO all the way to turn one! That was a long straight (similar to Brainard). I had a big crash coming off the back straight into the left hander. Lost the countershaft nut, sprocket came off and locked the rear wheel just as I flicked it in... Got high-sided into orbit. I was out cold, and somehow both my boots came off in the impact. No broken bones though. Just a concusion (but I raced the next day anyway because we needed the money).
Seattle was similar. Coming onto the front straight headed you towards the wall, but it seemed the angle was less. Always exciting though going into that right hand jog at the end of the straight-away... What I thought was more dangerous was going down the hill into the trees; no run-off at all it seemed. Then the chicane thinge coming back up the hill. Then that stadium type left hander just before going onto the right/front straight. That left hander was really stupid... But so was I at that point (had the fever bad..).
Whatz ironic again, is that since I came from being a street racer, both Rich Oliver and I loved the dangerous tracks when we traveled to the Nationals; especially in the rain!!! Portland, Seattle, Louden, Road America. In those days, it was the only advantage we had over some of the other guys. We were just foolish enough to hang it out. Sometimes we were hero's; sometimes zeros with crashed bikes and broken bodies..... Ah, the good ol days.... 
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Hells Dark Lord
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posted September 23, 2005 01:28 AM
ROCK ON kERRY....
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