Belleville High Banks TOO FAST

[grader47]

what's a track supposed to do when talking to various racing series about scheduling an event their drivers tell them they won't go cause it's too fast? Changing the track isn't an option.

[bonehead]

Aside from shortening the track a little I dont see any option...... A couple 1/2 miles hear in Michigan have shortened their tracks recently to gain car counts and fans.....

[brsteg]

what's a track supposed to do when talking to various racing series about scheduling an event their drivers tell them they won't go cause it's too fast? Changing the track isn't an option.

You add restrictor plates, obviously.

[SLIDING SIDEWAYS]

what's a track supposed to do when talking to various racing series about scheduling an event their drivers tell them they won't go cause it's too fast? Changing the track isn't an option.

You find someone with bigger balls and up the pay!

[zach51]

Drivers don't want to run it, and fans don't want to see anybody killed. They lost a high profile driver there last year. I don't think it is unreasonable to ask them to make it more safe if they want to continue running.

[WisWildManFan]

Late models seem to concern themselves with safety much more than the open wheel ranks. I mean when u have been afraid to add a starter to save 50lbs obviously they aren't concerned in beefing up cages or adding a plate to the top of them.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

Drivers don't want to run it, and fans don't want to see anybody killed. They lost a high profile driver there last year. I don't think it is unreasonable to ask them to make it more safe if they want to continue running.

What sort of inherent hazards are present?

[KAOS]

I think more drivers won't run Belleville because of the stress it puts on the motor and equipment. They actually have a 1/4 mile track on the inside of it. Belleville is what it is if you change the track then you change everything that it was. It is kind of like the NASCAR Bristol debacle they made Bristol into this beating and banging temper flaring cage match and then change it to a half mile version of Michigan. Also for those who know nothing of Belleville it is like Eldora if Eldora had Balls

[zach51]

Yeah I mean there is nothing inherent other than the fact you are not going to be able to protect a racer from himself, and nobody wants to see a death at the racetrack. I suppose you can keep calling it the "midget nationals" with 18-20 cars, whereas the chili bowl gets 350. Its a fast, fast racetrack, and when something goes wrong it usually goes way wrong. Midgets and LM's are two completely different discussions.

[MEE]

Changing the track isn't an option.[/QUOTE]



How is it not an option?

If they can't shorten it why not put inside wall up and add dirt to the bottom of track.

[LeafMaster41]

what's a track supposed to do when talking to various racing series about scheduling an event their drivers tell them they won't go cause it's too fast? Changing the track isn't an option.

Belleville isn't just fast, it's deadly. I've never been there, but it has that reputation and that's where BC was fatally injured last year, so... I wouldn't take banking out or do restrictor plates, probably shorten it or widen the surface or both, but like I said I've only ever seen clips from there. It's definitely no place I'd go in a midget or anything open wheel.

[b1eagle]

What are the lap times?Wythe is a big half mile and they run 15 sec laps

[intel8]

Belleville is basically a high banked circle. I remember Birky commenting on how fast it was and hard on motors.

[billetbirdcage]

What are the lap times?Wythe is a big half mile and they run 15 sec laps

16.30's is or was pretty common in a LM. However Belleville is actually larger then a half mile and closer to a 5/8 then a half. Eldora will fit in the infield of Belleville as it's about 300 feet longer. It's still short of a 5/8 and more like a 9/16th to be truthful. Speeds don't really drop much in the corners maybe 5 MPH as the track is pretty round so you basically maintaining the same speed all the way around the track.

If you call it a 9/16th that's an 124.3 average MPH
for a 5/8 it's 138 average MPH

WoO sprints did least a 14.258 way back when and that is 142.0 MPH at a 9/16th

Wythe would likely have a higher actual top speed because of the long straights but corner speed would be down some.

[billetbirdcage]

Late models seem to concern themselves with safety much more than the open wheel ranks. I mean when u have been afraid to add a starter to save 50lbs obviously they aren't concerned in beefing up cages or adding a plate to the top of them.

Not a sprint car guy, but the issue with the starters wasn't the starter itself but the battery. Do you want to sit on top of a battery (didn't have dry cells back them at the time) on a car that was a matter of when you get upside down not when.