Eldora was basically an asphalt track with a LOT of dust.

[chupp n bloomer fan]

The implement in question is a Lely Roterra. It's used to work the soil and produce an adequate seed bed in severe conditions when there are clumps and clods of dirt that need to be broken apart to enhance seed to soil contact to provide for germination of crop seeds.

They can be used very effectively on smaller tracks. They require a lot of PTO horsepower and are generally a high maintenance machine. This is probably why they are not readily used on the bigger tracks. Tony Stewart uses two of them at The Chili Bowl. Quite effectively, I might add. A 100 horsepower tractor would only accommodate about a 12' Roterra used for race track prep. A Roterra is not generally used in solid packed soils such as what is present at a dirt race track. That only adds to the high maintenance situation. Solid soils are very hard on them.

Thanks for the lesson man.

Like most equipment, using it properly on the proper soils will prolong the life of the machine and require less maintenance. Have you used one yourself, sounds like ya know your sh!t about them.

[t3r3e3]

They need to spend less on fireworks and buy some water trucks that work.

Also, the time management was absolutely horrible.

They're running three 20's and a 40, it's been sunny and warm all weekend, and the drivers universally seemed to like it. The racing groove was wall to wall. I'd say the track prep guys did pretty well considering. It wasn't fast, but guys could find a groove where their car would work.

[Black I]

They need to spend less on fireworks and buy some water trucks that work.

Also, the time management was absolutely horrible.

Been this way since the change of hands. How long has that been now? Racing there now is like watching old people f#;k.

[25jrjr]

Thanks for the lesson man.

Like most equipment, using it properly on the proper soils will prolong the life of the machine and require less maintenance. Have you used one yourself, sounds like ya know your sh!t about them.

They're not made for deep tillage like some people think. That's for harrows or rototillers. They're made for the top 2-6 inches.

Theres a lot of used ones around on the net. Two of my local tracks, Volusia and BRP, use one successfully.

[Krooser]

Here's a quick shot of what they use at Tri-State....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BNWSGBNors

[Bill31]

I thought I saw some pretty decent racing. Especially when you have a 25-35 mph stead wind gust all day long (I sat in turn three and actually thought it would be a lot worse than it was with the direction the wind was blowing). Last time I was there when it was that windy it was a horrible race. Freddy over Cook I believe. Must be doing something right, I did see a car come from 24th to 5th in a b-main. If you don't like it and just want to complain, STAY HOME ! More room for me. Booohooohooo I got a little dirt on me. OH PLEASE !

[20fan]

When I helped prep a 1/2 and 1/4 mile tracks up here in michigan in the 80's, we used liquid laundry soap, (whatever was on sale) and basic h from I think shacklee. Helped with the dust alot.

[CIRF]

Thanks for the lesson man.

Like most equipment, using it properly on the proper soils will prolong the life of the machine and require less maintenance. Have you used one yourself, sounds like ya know your sh!t about them.

cnbf, I have used one but it's been a decade or more and have never actually owned one. IIRC I rented one in a year that soil conditions were untenable. It is a very special and unique situation that we would need one for seed bed preparation in our neck of the woods. In other words where we're from they are used more as a last resort to be able to make a viable seed bed so as to be able to plant. A Roterra, in an agriculture situation, will reduce baseball sized chunks and clods of soil to marble sized soil tilth.

To rip up a 3/8's or 1/2 mile dirt track with 2 12' Roterra's would take a long time. In an agriculture situation your forward speed could be around 5 miles per hour but given my experience with a Roterra I would say on a hard packed dirt race track around 1 mph would be tops. Anything faster than that would only be wasting time and fuel.

[golddirt]

What bill31 said

[3 wide]

Ever time I have ever been to elders it's been dry slick even before tony took over I remember a couple years ago when brownstown Jackson 100 got rained out and they ran it the next day and everybody said what a great race it was and they ran it in the daytime can't they see this and understand all it takes is water.

[Pennsboro23]

Give me dry slick from top to bottom over hammer down conditions. Better racing when the entire track is slick.

[25jrjr]

Give me dry slick from top to bottom over hammer down conditions. Better racing when the entire track is slick.

X 2^^^^^.......better drivers/set-ups shine on a dry slick racetrack!

[HoosierDirtFan]

Considering the HOT weather they had all week, I thought the racing was darn good. What did you expect with hot weather all week and a good wind gust all day on Saturday with more hot weather. There was racing all over the track. I sat in the pit grandstands on the hill in turn 3 by the cross over. Pierce was great in the 2nd b-main. I think the track prep though big Bob and Bobby a curve ball before the a-main started. He was great for about 25 laps and after that he just didn't move up much more after that. Believe Bobby finished about 13th. Part of that is I think his tire went away after that hard charging the 1st 30 laps or so. Bloomquist, Overton, & Sheppard put on a good show for the lead in the middle of the race. For a while there I thought McCreadie was going to catch the top 3 and make it a 4 car battle for the win. In the end It was just like I thought I was seeing it play out. It looked like Bloomquist was saving his tires for the last half of the race and just keeping pace with Overton until about 45 laps to go. when he passed Brandon and took off and left the field behind. His car was good and you could tell that the car was working just like he wanted it to. Where ever he seem to put the car it was working. For as hot and windy it was on Saturday I thought the dust problem would be a lot worse then it was. Think the track prep crew did a good job. Overall It was a good night of racing and I think we all saw why Scott is shoulders above most of the late model competition. Great driver along with a good chassis, good engine, good set-up, & being able to drive the car and save tires to make them last the distance of the race.

[CIRF]

Here's a quick shot of what they use at Tri-State....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BNWSGBNors

Krooser, although very short that is a good representation of what a Lely Roterra will do in regards to digging up a track. The Helfrich family are big farmers in Southern Indiana and it's no surprise that they have a Roterra on hand both to work their racetrack and in case they need one for their farming operation. As you can see, if used correctly it will do a very effective job of working the top 4" or 5" inches of soil but used in that context it is relatively slow procedure.

The Helfrich family has the wherewithal, power equipment and expertise to use one to the advantage of the show. But remember, Tri-State is a 1/4 mile bull ring but even on that short of a track I'd venture a guess and would be surprised if during the course of a racing program they use the Roterra on more than the corners.

[ptown]

They need to spend less on fireworks and buy some water trucks that work.

Also, the time management was absolutely horrible.

15k people waiting for the feature to start and we had to watch screaming Ben Shelton walk up to every single car and ask who wanted to see them win, that was painful and a waste of time.

[3 wide]

Well I guess it is what ever you like but we're I live we like the faster hammer down race track like bulls gap a few weeks ago when they broke the track record 6 times and then had a great race with 3 different leaders.

[rickybrown1952]

Some people are going to complain no matter what

[25jrjr]

Some people are going to complain no matter what

LOL....my uncle used to say "they would bitch with a titty in their mouth"!

[3 wide]

I'm not complaining I don't go to elders I'm just saying what I like.

[25jrjr]

I'm not complaining I don't go to elders I'm just saying what I like.

I gotcha.....I really think some tracks race better wet and tacky and others dry and slick! As long as I see a good race, I don't care either way!