Down Hill Tracks

Randall Klein · 05-13-2020, 08:54 AM

Byron, Il and Bandimere (Denver) "look" downhill, probably an Illusion, I heard old Green Valley in Texas was downhill AND short. Tri-State in Earlville, IA was constructed with NHRA allowable slope, they borrowed surveying equipment from me for layout.....also kinda interesting after Earnhardt wreck, I loaned Nikon instruments to U of Nebraska Roadside Safety for investigating (they developed the safer barriers now in use)

Of course I wanted to advertise that our instruments were used, but was told no.

I do know Topeka is uphill both directions!

Bob Don · 05-13-2020, 09:52 AM

Maple Grove looks downhill. I don't know if Napierville is downhill or not but it's awfully fast. I'll go to my grave convinced that Connecticut Dragway was uphill.

FireSale · 05-13-2020, 10:29 AM

Bremerton out here in Washington is an airport runway track (unused) at the Municipal Airport. It's been operated as a dragstrip by the Handlers Racing Association since the early 50's.Continuously, I think. It makes a dive at the 1/8 mile mark but I have no data on that. The track switched from 1/4 mile to 1/8 mile in 2019. Some folks laughed but the big power SST and SC cars from Pacific started to show up.

Albert Lee · 05-13-2020, 10:45 AM

Pomona - downhill.

Al Corda

4543 · 05-13-2020, 12:14 PM

I have an altimeter app on my phone along with a compass app. One of the things I do when I get to a track is check the compass heading for weather station setup and check the altitude at the start and finish line. All the stuff I have recorded is in the trailer and I don’t trust my memory enough to give numbers but there are some tracks that are definitely downhill. Mike McMahan 25 H/SA

Curt Rees · 05-13-2020, 12:17 PM

Oahe Speedway, 1% down hill. Built that way to NHRA spec.

#5458

Curt Rees

Dave Muller · 05-13-2020, 12:31 PM

Is Las Vegas downhill at all, or does it just look that way because of the uphill shutdown area?

Dano · 05-18-2020, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FireSale

Bremerton out here in Washington is an airport runway track (unused) at the Municipal Airport. It's been operated as a dragstrip by the Handlers Racing Association since the early 50's.Continuously, I think. It makes a dive at the 1/8 mile mark but I have no data on that. The track switched from 1/4 mile to 1/8 mile in 2019. Some folks laughed but the big power SST and SC cars from Pacific started to show up.

My old stomping grounds......couldn't see the stripe till going over the rise, LOL....Lots of MPH up there!!

Eddie Rezac · 05-13-2020, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randall Klein

Byron, Il and Bandimere (Denver) "look" downhill, probably an Illusion, I heard old Green Valley in Texas was downhill AND short. Tri-State in Earlville, IA was constructed with NHRA allowable slope, they borrowed surveying equipment from me for layout.....also kinda interesting after Earnhardt wreck, I loaned Nikon instruments to U of Nebraska Roadside Safety for investigating (they developed the safer barriers now in use)

Of course I wanted to advertise that our instruments were used, but was told no.

I do know Topeka is uphill both directions!

Randall,
Green Valley looked pretty level to me back in the day, and was definitely not short! I raced there many times,in the 80's. The reason it was so fast in the spring of the year, was all of tree foliage (making all that oxygen) that surrounded that whole area. I set at least a couple of National records at that track, and won some pretty good races, with both the 283 & 327 in my 66 Chevy II 100 sedan. When running on that track my RPM was always 200-300 & 2-3 MPH higher than anywhere else, you can't do that on a short track! I loved that track, one of my favorite places to race, too bad that it is gone.
Eddie Rezac

bigshow2966 · 05-13-2020, 01:05 PM

I have been told that Byron is 16 feet lower at the top end too. I have raced there, and my slow junk was no faster there than anywhere else.

Vegas really looks downhill, I'm sure Bruton had it built with as much slope as he could to help ET's out in the desert.

05-13-2020, 08:54 AM	#1
Randall Klein Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Lincoln, Nebraska Posts: 785 Likes: 45 Liked 316 Times in 67 Posts	Re: Down Hill Tracks Byron, Il and Bandimere (Denver) "look" downhill, probably an Illusion, I heard old Green Valley in Texas was downhill AND short. Tri-State in Earlville, IA was constructed with NHRA allowable slope, they borrowed surveying equipment from me for layout.....also kinda interesting after Earnhardt wreck, I loaned Nikon instruments to U of Nebraska Roadside Safety for investigating (they developed the safer barriers now in use) Of course I wanted to advertise that our instruments were used, but was told no. I do know Topeka is uphill both directions!

05-13-2020, 09:52 AM	#2
Bob Don VIP Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Greater Boston Posts: 1,495 Likes: 1,113 Liked 900 Times in 191 Posts	Re: Down Hill Tracks Maple Grove looks downhill. I don't know if Napierville is downhill or not but it's awfully fast. I'll go to my grave convinced that Connecticut Dragway was uphill. __________________ Bob Don 128 SS

05-13-2020, 10:29 AM	#3
FireSale VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Lakewood Washington Posts: 1,407 Likes: 29 Liked 237 Times in 126 Posts	Re: Down Hill Tracks Bremerton out here in Washington is an airport runway track (unused) at the Municipal Airport. It's been operated as a dragstrip by the Handlers Racing Association since the early 50's.Continuously, I think. It makes a dive at the 1/8 mile mark but I have no data on that. The track switched from 1/4 mile to 1/8 mile in 2019. Some folks laughed but the big power SST and SC cars from Pacific started to show up. __________________ Dale Shearon 68 Mustang 6394

05-13-2020, 10:45 AM	#4
Albert Lee Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 253 Likes: 141 Liked 258 Times in 49 Posts	Re: Down Hill Tracks Pomona - downhill. Al Corda

05-13-2020, 12:17 PM	#6
Curt Rees Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Ft. Pierre, SD Posts: 355 Likes: 405 Liked 236 Times in 49 Posts	Re: Down Hill Tracks Oahe Speedway, 1% down hill. Built that way to NHRA spec. #5458 Curt Rees __________________ Curt Rees 5457 SS

05-13-2020, 12:14 PM	#5
4543 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 638 Likes: 57 Liked 634 Times in 139 Posts	Re: Down Hill Tracks I have an altimeter app on my phone along with a compass app. One of the things I do when I get to a track is check the compass heading for weather station setup and check the altitude at the start and finish line. All the stuff I have recorded is in the trailer and I don’t trust my memory enough to give numbers but there are some tracks that are definitely downhill. Mike McMahan 25 H/SA

05-13-2020, 12:31 PM	#7
Dave Muller Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 497 Likes: 162 Liked 223 Times in 73 Posts	Re: Down Hill Tracks Is Las Vegas downhill at all, or does it just look that way because of the uphill shutdown area?

05-13-2020, 01:05 PM	#10
bigshow2966 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: chicago Posts: 653 Likes: 668 Liked 178 Times in 54 Posts	Re: Down Hill Tracks I have been told that Byron is 16 feet lower at the top end too. I have raced there, and my slow junk was no faster there than anywhere else. Vegas really looks downhill, I'm sure Bruton had it built with as much slope as he could to help ET's out in the desert.