Lonesome Pine raceway going dirt

[Hoosier]

I know New Senoia did not add Georgia clay but added this gray stuff that makes for great racing (the times that I have been there). Dixie Speedway is red clay of some type, and while I do love seeing races there, I do bring my clear safety glasses, especially if you are standing on the back stretch. I can get tough on the eyes without them. Oh yeah, and I'm pretty sure Senoia added dirt on top of the asphalt, I don't think they got it tore up beforehand.

The asphalt at Senoia was removed. The current operators at Senoia brought in some new clay from the neighborhood, but never got a great surface. Two years ago they found a source for some gray dirt which some have called Gumbo, but the source has never been revealed. They say Bubba's in Ocala is the only track with similar gray dirt.

[One Man Gang]

A few of the tracks in Ms/Al/La area has used what they call river gumbo that usually comes from a river bottom or low lying area where water tends to stand if I'm not mistaken. It makes for a helluva racing surface that tends to hold moisture a lot longer and it's usually a grayish color have seen some that was a yellowish/beige color. I believe the track at Arkedelphia, Al used to be a tannish beige color but that was several years ago.

[fastford]

arkedelphia was a grayish type dirt when the cate,s first built it , im pretty sure they used what dirt was there and it held moister pretty good , but it seems they about all do when they are first built. as far as the dirt on asphalt thing , i always thought they track might hold moister longer without the asphalt barrier , but IDK......

[One Man Gang]

I may be thinking about a different track Fastford but I could swear back probably 12-15 years ago that track had a tannish tint to it but I'm color blind too so it could have been a gray color

[EvelB7]

Cool thing for Lonesome Pine is they are not far from Wythe, which has a great racing surface. Hopefully they can 'borrow' a little knowledge from Fred....

[hipower17]

what is the size of corbin what night will the track run?

[BURKS73B1SB0FAN]

Lonesome Pine is a 3/8 mile high banked. I don't think they have announced what night they will run.

Below is a in-car camera of Lonesome Pine.

https://youtu.be/y3xsFwcSDnQ

[weatherman85]

Dang, they might as well go to dirt. That asphalt looks rough as he!!. The surface at Senoia is interesting for sure using that Gumbo Clay. I remember first time I saw it walking in from the parking lot it looked like asphalt from such a long distance. Hoosier is right about the asphalt being ripped up. I think originally they did just put dirt on top but tore up the asphalt few years back when they replaced the surface and widened the track a bit. Could be wrong though. I think Greenville Speedway in MS has the same surface as well.

On a side note, while not asphalt, I always thought Waycross Speedway in Ga had an interesting surface. It was an oil packed dirt for many years. Made it so much like asphalt that they actually painted lines on it. They did eventually resurface it. Sadly the joint is closed now I think.

[nc mudcat]

I know we are all dirt racing fans here, but that is an incredible asphalt track, but just couldn't sustain. I hope it makes a great dirt track. Really cool place. Look up their facebook page for some good pics.

[clanton25fan]

Weatherman85 you are correct about Senoia. When it first went to dirt they put the clay on top off the asphalt to gauge the popularity of running dirt there and also the track owner wouldn't let them. Once they seen it would take off they got the owners blessing and took up the asphalt, put down the gumbo and the rest is history.

[BURKS73B1SB0FAN]

Video article from local WCYB TV 5 out of Bristol.

https://wcyb.com/sports/content/lonesome-pine-raceway-converting-to-a-dirt-track

[BURKS73B1SB0FAN]

https://www.heraldcourier.com/sports/lpr-is-being-transformed-with-clay-into-clay-valley-speedway/article_975d87e0-abfd-11e8-83b5-578cf12ef2db.html

[toddg13]

Hey Weatherman85, Waycross is back, it reopened this spring. Albany in southwest GA reopened this year as well.

[fastford]

thanks for the heads up about albany , got kin folk down there, isn't that a 1/4 mile track ?