Gateway

[DarrellGoode]

Who's looking forward to this race? I am! Do you all think it will be a good show?

[calverton]

I am , hoping its a great race . 1/5 mile can be great races , no place to hide always in traffic

[Bubstr]

Looking forward to it, with reservations. A made track is usually a poor track for the most part, just going by past experience. The pre race ticket hype, is a bit of a turn off. Sell out BS and all. Parking and Motel costs are unsettling, but the race is in the middle of the off season. That has to count for something.

[calverton]

this might be what we get https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/s...dwcmlkA1VFbkIw the track is being built right after the monster jam dec 3rd TRI CITY CREW IS DOING THE TRACK PREP

[CIRF]

Looking forward to it, with reservations. A made track is usually a poor track for the most part, just going by past experience. The pre race ticket hype, is a bit of a turn off. Sell out BS and all. Parking and Motel costs are unsettling, but the race is in the middle of the off season. That has to count for something.

Bubstr, if the track is built correctly it will be fine as evidenced by the indoor dirt tracks at Tulsa and Du Quoin. I have attended many events at both of those indoor tracks and I've yet to see a bad racetrack at either venue.

On the other hand we went to both nights of the debacle up at Rockford last Summer where they laid dirt on top of the asphalt track and it was a nightmare for both the sprinters and the dirt lake models. That is basically what the Gateway track will be is dirt on top of pavement or concrete. The track seemed to be much worse for the dirt late models at Rockford. My uneducated theory is that the dirt late models are almost 1000 lbs. heavier than the sprinters and they have much narrower tires, especially on the right rear which both mods and dirt late's lean on pretty heavily.

All that might be the variable that causes problems. Earl Baltes said in his biography that once ruts and bumps start it's impossible to fix them. All that can be done with them at that point is stop them from getting bigger and bigger as the event progresses and Earl said that preventing them from getting bigger is sometimes impossible, as well. I reckon Ol' Earl knew of which he spoke.

I'd suggest you come to Du Quoin since it's a veritable sure thing and parking is free and good rooms are available for $71.00 a night but the place becomes jam packed and a seat might be hard to come by! LOL!

Either way we hope you have a great time.

[calverton]

Yeah no ruts at Duqoin just birm from he11 a skinny track that can t pass on

[WisWildManFan]

Bubstr, if the track is built correctly it will be fine as evidenced by the indoor dirt tracks at Tulsa and Du Quoin. I have attended many events at both of those indoor tracks and I've yet to see a bad racetrack at either venue.On the other hand we went to both nights of the debacle up at Rockford last Summer where they laid dirt on top of the asphalt track and it was a nightmare for both the sprinters and the dirt lake models. That is basically what the Gateway track will be is dirt on top of pavement or concrete. The track seemed to be much worse for the dirt late models at Rockford. My uneducated theory is that the dirt late models are almost 1000 lbs. heavier than the sprinters and they have much narrower tires, especially on the right rear which both mods and dirt late's lean on pretty heavily.All that might be the variable that causes problems. Earl Baltes said in his biography that once ruts and bumps start it's impossible to fix them. All that can be done with them at that point is stop them from getting bigger and bigger as the event progresses and Earl said that preventing them from getting bigger is sometimes impossible, as well. I reckon Ol' Earl knew of which he spoke.I'd suggest you come to Du Quoin since it's a veritable sure thing and parking is free and good rooms are available for $71.00 a night but the place becomes jam packed and a seat might be hard to come by! LOL!Either way we hope you have a great time.

And they did zero track prep after the sprints ran the night before lates. First couple laps of late model main were best of night after rain. I'll give St. Louis a shot with the expectation it will be as terrible as rockford and indy last winter. Both of those races the track prep was rushed and by all accounts this is supposed to have a couple weeks is what we are being told. The only good thing is if it's a one lane choo choo maybe we could see a few surprise drivers up front.

[calverton]

I doubt it be one lone but yes you might see some surprizes up front 1/ 5 miles will do that don't need high powered motor or fancy chassis either

[CIRF]

And they did zero track prep after the sprints ran the night before lates. First couple laps of late model main were best of night after rain. I'll give St. Louis a shot with the expectation it will be as terrible as rockford and indy last winter. Both of those races the track prep was rushed and by all accounts this is supposed to have a couple weeks is what we are being told. The only good thing is if it's a one lane choo choo maybe we could see a few surprise drivers up front.

I will preface my next comment with this: the next dirt track I prep will be my first so what I say may or may not contain the least bit of merit. However, in all the years we've been involved with, and attending dirt racing, I've never seen the types of methods used to prep a dirt track like was used at Rockford. It was the most unconventional process our group had ever seen.

Tulsa and Du Quoin are rock solid proof a good indoor dirt track built on concrete or pavement is possible. Whether it works out that way at St. Louis remains to be seen.

If what I'm reading is factual the same people who promoted the Indy disaster are behind the St. Louis deal, too. If that's true ya' gotta' give 'em credit, they're persistent in their efforts. Gotta' believe they made some money at Indy last year so these one shot events might be a good business model in the short run. One thing is for certain, The Chili Bowl and Du Quoin are the only indoor dirt events that have stood the test of time so it can be done but it ain't easy.

[calverton]

They say if the dome is sold out which we won't until we get there the promotor will make 3 million as far as track prep tri city crew will be doing the work

[WisWildManFan]

I will preface my next comment with this: the next dirt track I prep will be my first so what I say may or may not contain the least bit of merit. However, in all the years we've been involved with, and attending dirt racing, I've never seen the types of methods used to prep a dirt track like was used at Rockford. It was the most unconventional process our group had ever seen.Tulsa and Du Quoin are rock solid proof a good indoor dirt track built on concrete or pavement is possible. Whether it works out that way at St. Louis remains to be seen.If what I'm reading is factual the same people who promoted the Indy disaster are behind the St. Louis deal, too. If that's true ya' gotta' give 'em credit, they're persistent in their efforts. Gotta' believe they made some money at Indy last year so these one shot events might be a good business model in the short run. One thing is for certain, The Chili Bowl and Du Quoin are the only indoor dirt events that have stood the test of time so it can be done but it ain't easy.

Wrg has figured out they can go to new asphalt venues and get everyone's money at least once... Heard the one out east was a debacle as well. Only benefit for rockford was I live 6 mins away. Sure hoping with a couple weeks to prep track they an figure something out. Be my last race until March so I'm excited to get one more in this year.

[zach51]

Keep in mind the cars in Tulsa weigh less than half (in some cases 1/3) of what a late model does, and has half the horsepower. Not near as violent on the surface as DLM's will be. But heck I'm all for giving it a shot and hope it turns out well.

[DarrellGoode]

Maybe they can have a local test it out after the track gets built?

[calverton]

I am sure thats is the plan kevin gundakers sons logically could do the testing

[CIRF]

Wrg has figured out they can go to new asphalt venues and get everyone's money at least once... Heard the one out east was a debacle as well. Only benefit for rockford was I live 6 mins away. Sure hoping with a couple weeks to prep track they an figure something out. Be my last race until March so I'm excited to get one more in this year.

WWMF, we too live relatively close to Rockford (a little over an hour) and thankfully we didn't need rooms to attend both nights of racing. We should have known better after getting sucked in to the deal at Indy last year but we couldn't stay away. Kinda' like the train wreck you just can't take your eyes off of.

You are spot on in regards to WRG getting everyone's money at least once. That's exactly why we're going to opt for Du Quoin, which has been consistently a sure thing over the years and is a USAC National show, to boot.

Keep in mind the cars in Tulsa weigh less than half (in some cases 1/3) of what a late model does, and has half the horsepower. Not near as violent on the surface as DLM's will be. But heck I'm all for giving it a shot and hope it turns out well.

You make a very good point in reference to the violence of the weight and horsepower. The odds of the track holding up are against St. Louis in comparison to Tulsa.