Update From Phoenix

[Emmett Mikolajczyk]

Hey--If it means anything- I was there for both races and I walked the track and the asphalt beyond the 1000' concrete appeared to me to be 25 years old and deteroiated--the more they worked it the worse it got--the rain water was able to penetrate through the cracks and holes in the surface and caused the old asphalt to come apart--I lay asphalt for a living -appx 100,000 tons a year - if I was a betting man I would bet that there will be new asphalt on the big end before they hold another Pro race--thanks--Emmett

[W J]

There is the best answer regarding all that we've heard regarding the Phoenix events, national and divisonal....Spoken from someone who is in the trade. (asphalt paving) Thank you, Emmett. WJ

[Ed Fernandez]

Well there's the answer.It seems all the glue in the world wouldn't hold that track together.
If the asphalt is that bad somebodies *** should be in a sling for allowing a national and divisional race to be held there.Actually anything other than a Jr dragster race shouldn't be allowed to be conducted.NHRA should pull the sanction,if they had the balls to do so.
Too bad anyone,racers and fans,have to endure the brunt of the incompetence of both
the track management and the organization.
Is it so hard for NHRA to have each track inspected at the end of the race season and have the management make the appropriate repairs to provide a safe environment.

[Toby Lang]

It looks like they delivered the Trackbite for oval racing instead of the one for drag racing, although nobody from NHRA will come out and say it. I never read the press release on the NHRA site because I figured it said the same thing that was on DRC, but it says:

"According to officials, the manufacturer of the traction compound had supplied a pallet of products that contained a compound that was not suitable for drag racing purposes."

Contrary to what has been posted here PJ1 (VHT) sells three types of Trackbite, one for consumers and two for comercial use in 55 gallon drums:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VHT_TrackBite


I couldn't find the website that Bob Mulry was talking about. All I found was this site:

http://pj1.com and the only link to VHT is: http://www.vhtpaint.com


Mike Rice has also made a post at DRR on the subject:

http://drr.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/t...1423#980101423


It's a very unfortunate deal, but it is what it is.


-Toby

[Ed Fernandez]

Like I posted above what's the difference what they sprayed.Emmett M. said the asphalt
is beginning to break down.All the traction compound in the world wont help.

[Toby Lang]

Originally Posted by Ed Fernandez

Like I posted above what's the difference what they sprayed.Emmett M. said the asphalt
is beginning to break down.All the traction compound in the world wont help.

Well, as far as I know, they didn't have any problems like this last year. By all accounts the blacktop surface is in sad shape, but has the track deteriorated that much from last year?


-Toby

[davidhuff]

I lived in phoenix for 10 years and was on vacation and went to both races.There has not been any money spent on the track and pits in years.Even the pro pits are a S**T HOLE.I paid 100% of my money and saw 50% of a race and this will never happen again.

[Michael Beard]

Originally Posted by Toby Lang

It looks like they delivered the Trackbite for oval racing instead of the one for drag racing,

While I can understand one being 'better' than the other, isn't it reasonable to assume that "Trackbite for oval racing" is still sticky?

[W J]

Does anyone know exactly when Firebird last had a re-pave job? Thought a few posts back was mentioned that the asphalt is all cracking/coming apart in many areas of the race surface...plus the large dip that's in the left lane after 1000' mark...How can they blame this on traction compound? Track temperatures must be almost asphalt-melting out there during the hot season. WJ

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by W J

Does anyone know exactly when Firebird last had a re-pave job? Thought a few posts back was mentioned that the asphalt is all cracking/coming apart in many areas of the race surface...plus the large dip that's in the left lane after 1000' mark...How can they blame this on traction compound? Track temperatures must be almost asphalt-melting out there during the hot season. WJ

I wasn't here, but in talking to locals, about 10-11 years ago.
Just anecdotal evidence ,but let's see if anyone denies it.