Ever wondered what all goes into prepping a dirt track?

[Returning to Dirt]

http://insidedirtracing.com/david-bryant-describes-the-process-of-preparing-smoky-mountains-track-surface/

There's a lot of work that goes into prepping a dirt track. Here, David Bryant goes through the process day by day.

Also, see which World of Outlaws star has recently tested at Smoky Mountain.

[GEAR_HEAD]

That is the lazy way to do track prep. The proper way is to disk it every week to get the water into the surface. He should ask Helfrich or Sargent for track prep advice.

[powerslide]

Some places will get holes if you disk it up. All dirt is not created equal.

[Clayton_Wetter]

That is the lazy way to do track prep. The proper way is to disk it every week to get the water into the surface. He should ask Helfrich or Sargent for track prep advice.


Bingo!!!...

[Hoosier_Dirt]

How many tracks have you guys actually prepared?

[GEAR_HEAD]

How many tracks have you guys actually prepared?

Helfrich and Sargent have prepared many.

[25drtrkr]

No disrespect meant for David, but his numbers don't add up. Coming from an agriculture background, I have witnessed 20 plus years of poor track prep, mostly from the wrong amount of water used. A track that size has roughly 3 acres of racing surface. To put just 1" of water would require approx. 80,000 gallons. "One load" (probly 5-8000 gals) would be like pissin in a 5 gal bucket. That would barely cover the dust to keep it down. From my experience, the amount of water used is the biggest mistake track preppers make......JMO

[Hoosier_Dirt]

Helfrich and Sargent have prepared many.

I meant the people on this thread.

[t3r3e3]

That is the lazy way to do track prep. The proper way is to disk it every week to get the water into the surface. He should ask Helfrich or Sargent for track prep advice.

Helfrich and Sargent are among the best. That being said, Smokey Mountain is typically a very racy joint. What those guys are doing seems to work for that track.

[Returning to Dirt]

The track is almost always smooth and fast. Obviously, unexpected weather can upset the balance but what they're doing seems to work.

[Scott Boesel]

Someone told me that the week prior to the Knoxville sprint natls they start there track prep and farm the track 24/7 thats crazy but cool i also heard Boone does the same thing with the imca super nationals

[Late_Model_Mark]

Gearhead, your post is a real classic example of not knowing geography when it comes to dirt. The red dirt here in the South is way different than your stuff up in the Keystone State. Southern red clay is way more difficult, fickle, and way harder to prepare than your dirt up there. You just can't water it to bring it back or tear it up during a break in racing. It comes up it giant clumps. As one who works at Talladega and other tracks, knows the track prep people at dozens of Southern tracks, it is a different animal. Sun is such a huge evil for dirt down here, that is why we don't start at 5 or 6 like you folks up there.

When the dirt is right, like Talladega was Saturday night, it is incredible. To call David's track prep lazy is a exercise in being dirt uninformed on regional dirt prep.




Late Model Mark
Talladega Short Track Announcer

[hygty]

watch the video from tri city last week and tell me what you think

[plunks7]

Headaches galore!! D A M N E D if you do D A M N E D if you don't. When dealing with more than 1 you get bit in the A S S by the others. It's a thankless job for sure!!!!!!

[GEAR_HEAD]

Gearhead, your post is a real classic example of not knowing geography when it comes to dirt. The red dirt here in the South is way different than your stuff up in the Keystone State. Southern red clay is way more difficult, fickle, and way harder to prepare than your dirt up there. You just can't water it to bring it back or tear it up during a break in racing. It comes up it giant clumps. As one who works at Talladega and other tracks, knows the track prep people at dozens of Southern tracks, it is a different animal. Sun is such a huge evil for dirt down here, that is why we don't start at 5 or 6 like you folks up there.

When the dirt is right, like Talladega was Saturday night, it is incredible. To call David's track prep lazy is a exercise in being dirt uninformed on regional dirt prep.




Late Model Mark
Talladega Short Track Announcer

I've been to Smoky Mountain before, one race was below average and the other was decent. You could tell though that they try to keep the grader parked as long as possible. That is the absolute easiest way to prep a dirt track. Pack it into asphalt, then try to water a rock. The problem is you can't water a rock and mother nature is your only hope to get the track to hold moisture. My point was if you want to see how good track prep is done go to #FALS, Macon, Jacksonville's summernats race, Tri-State, Boone, or Knoxville. Those tracks never miss the mark. Lets give a little bit of credit to the true track prep masters.

[Highside Hustler25]

I've been to Smoky Mountain before, one race was below average and the other was decent. You could tell though that they try to keep the grader parked as long as possible. That is the absolute easiest way to prep a dirt track. Pack it into asphalt, then try to water a rock. The problem is you can't water a rock and mother nature is your only hope to get the track to hold moisture. My point was if you want to see how good track prep is done go to #FALS, Macon, Jacksonville's summernats race, Tri-State, Boone, or Knoxville. Those tracks never miss the mark. Lets give a little bit of credit to the true track prep masters.

Most of the tracks you mentioned do hit the mark. They also look more like mudbog tracks prior to hot laps. Some tracks just plain don't use enough water. I'm sure the type of dirt plays into the equation some. When I see the push/pack trucks unable to stay up on the banking without sliding down, I know it will be a good night.

[buster83]

lot of tracks just do not use additives to keep moisture in and the dust down.

[GRT62]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uUpirSqyH9I

[Speed Zone]

One thing I do know adout track prep is you have to torn it deep right after your last race for the night.

[MotoMatt]

Can't believe you lumped Boone into the category of "good track prep"...They never, NEVER, let the track slick over. There are about 25% wood chips to hold moisture and they "farm" it at least once a night. During supernationals it may be necessary to tear it up with that many races going on, but on a weekly show all they are doing is taking skill out of it and letting the big HP guys run it. Don't get me wrong, lots of good racing there, but it's always hammer down fast...not my kind of show. I always like East Moline, IL, that little bull ring would go black from the top to the bottom and stay racy the entire night.

[Clayton_Wetter]

How many tracks have you guys actually prepared?

Is that requirement? If so then what's their excuse???

[Clayton_Wetter]

When you show up to a track for the second day of a two day event and the track is smooth with a black groove on it from the previous day and all that is being done is watering and more packing with a tractor trailer loaded with concrete items that ain't how you prep a dirt track. Saw that during my last race trip to Bulls Gap over a decade ago.

One of the weakest lame track prep excuses ever is the cost of diesel fuel keeping the water truck from being used enough excuse. IF a track owner can't afford diesel fuel for the water truck you sure don't need to be opening the gates to host races! :rolleyes:

And it don't take an actual track preparer to observe that reality!!

[Hoosier_Dirt]

Is that requirement? If so then what's their excuse???

Not necessarily a requirement, just wondering how many on here (if any) have actually prepared a dirt track. Myself, I have helped a few times, on different tracks, and there are so many variables that go into it, its not just cut and dry as some think. Some things work better on some surfaces than others.
My feeling is that if the poeple complaining were handed the keys to prep a track, they'd see its not so easy.

[HoosierDirtFan]

Someone told me that the week prior to the Knoxville sprint natls they start there track prep and farm the track 24/7 thats crazy but cool i also heard Boone does the same thing with the imca super nationals

I seen a video on Youtube on Boone Speedway about a year ago and it was really good and a new promoter could learn a thing or two from it.

Here is the video of Boone (Iowa) Speedway track prep.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUpirSqyH9I

[HoosierDirtFan]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uUpirSqyH9I

Did even see this post but just posted the same video of Boone Speedway in Iowa. All tracks have their own way of prepping the racing surface some are just better then others.

[Speed Zone]

You CAN NOT beat the effort Boone puts into their track. Period!

Them boys know what it takes and take the extra measures to get it done.

I would pay extra to see a summer nationals race at Boone!

[Clayton_Wetter]

Not necessarily a requirement, just wondering how many on here (if any) have actually prepared a dirt track. Myself, I have helped a few times, on different tracks, and there are so many variables that go into it, its not just cut and dry as some think. Some things work better on some surfaces than others.
My feeling is that if the poeple complaining were handed the keys to prep a track, they'd see its not so easy.

Sure it's not an easy job, but a lot of tracks do put in a pretty good effort and the ones that don't, deserve all due criticism. It's a shame to knowingly give fans and drivers inferior tracks to race on, when they COULD be an honest effort to make it better and some don't because they can get away with it, for various reasons.

Criticism can be constructive and actually help, when compared to silence and growing disinterests in tracks that don't have a clue, wondering why their crowds are dying a slow death along with the track itself.

[Late_Model_Mark]

Interesting comments, there were 3 guys I interviewed Sat night before the races as I do each race night to interact with the fans who were from Illinois. All regulars at Farmer City,Fairbury, and sometimes Macon. After the races they told me that was one incredible night of racing as they had never seen LM racing on red dirt. These boys had been going to the races for 30 years and really enjoyed their experience. Dirt prep in the South is different than other parts, ya can't farm it like Boone, or dig it up like in California, or water it like other tracks. Also they were pleased that on Friday night we has 114 Late Models and Saturday we only had 97. We had more Late Models than some tracks have in total car count.

Try track prep sometime, I've helped and it is a pain in the keyster.




Late Model Mark
Talladega Short Track Announcer

[ClampedUp]

Criticism can be constructive and actually help, when compared to silence and growing disinterests in tracks that don't have a clue, wondering why their crowds are dying a slow death along with the track itself.

That comment perfectly describes a Western Pa. track operator ( he's far from a promoter) and his track that once held one of the premier dirt late model races in the Country.

[Nasty55]

You CAN NOT beat the effort Boone puts into their track. Period!

Them boys know what it takes and take the extra measures to get it done.

I would pay extra to see a summer nationals race at Boone!



You hit the gold with this statement... Boone definitely knows how to farm down a good racing surface for sure and if some of you guys haven't ever been to boone you should bucket list it..

[Nasty55]

Heck ive seen everything from mulch,calcium chloride to laundry detergents used to prep a track before...

[plunks7]

You hit the gold with this statement... Boone definitely knows how to farm down a good racing surface for sure and if some of you guys haven't ever been to boone you should bucket list it..

I live in Iowa and have no interest in going to Boone. JMHO

[hygty]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uUpirSqyH9Iyou would think in Iowa they would bring out the big tractors, if you have to over work it all n ight long your are doing something wrong

[Speed Zone]

I live in Iowa and have no interest in going to Boone. JMHO

Would you if the hel bus full of hell tour drivers pulled in?

[plunks7]

Would you if the hel bus full of hell tour drivers pulled in?

Yes I would. So I was wrong AGAIN!!! D A M N it I hate when that happens. Oh well back to anger management class. But that class P I S S E S me off. LOL

[Nasty55]

I live in Iowa and have no interest in going to Boone. JMHO



Thats cool Plunks its not for everyone... Another one that does an awesome job of farming a good racing surface which someone pointed out above is Knoxville... I have been there to the sprint car nationals a few times and it always had a good racing surface each time... The latemodel nationals are on my to do list as well..

[plunks7]

If they were to run just Late Models and Mods all week. Heck ya I would go. The lower classes I have lost my interest. I have seen enough S H I T shows in my Life!!!

[Nasty55]

If they were to run just Late Models and Mods all week. Heck ya I would go. The lower classes I have lost my interest. I have seen enough S H I T shows in my Life!!!

Oh yeah I have to agree with you there bud lose the support classes and run just as you said lates and mods and things would be much better..

[Nasty55]

Don't get me wrong I'm a fan of all sorts of racing but they just need to make it the Boone latemodel & Modified Nationals... They would still fill a week up with racing with just those 2 classes

[slingindirt83]

A good racetrack is usually prepped all week but some think they can show up a few hours before race time and sprinkle some water on and it will be good. Most the time that's doesn't work out so well.