Heartland Park review... on video as well as Nashville
09-04-2006, 03:56 PM
#1
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Heartland Park review... on video as well as Nashville
I tested on both Thursday and Friday and could run consistent 1:52s in the heat with those old tires on a full fuel load. The track seemed to get quicker as the weekend went on and more rubber laid down. I also have lots of adjustments to make on right side camber too!!!!!!!
I have about 2.5 hours of video that I have copied to DVD and they're $20 each if anyone is interested.
Email me and let me know: wtknght1@aol.com. I have about 10 advance orders to ship on Tuesday, but I'll certainly make more - www.tracktapes.com.
Overall, I wasn't really crazy about the track -- 'mickey mouse' course for the national championship race in my humble opinion. I think my top speed was only 130 and it is absolutely BRUTAL ON BRAKES...maybe more than Sebring. There are so many slow corners. I found myself dropping to 2d gear in two separate spots and probably could in two other places too. The track would certainly be more fun if they took out that crappy little chicane (turns 8 and 9) on the back straight and just made it a decently long straight. There's a tiny bit of elevation change which makes turns 7 (and turn "A") pretty cool, but other than that, it's pretty flat and no big surprises.
I physically ran the track on Wednesday night and noticed that the track is crumbling in several spots, but especially in turn 4. They will have to make some improvements before October or there won't be much of a track to run on. They put down some sealant in 9 and 12 which makes them intersting corners. Otherwise though, it seemed pretty much glass smooth on the rest of the track. The curbs are low which 'encourages' folk to drop wheels off on the inside and throw tons of crap back onto the track. They put up some orange poles during testing to keep people from doing that, but they'll have to put a lot more come October.
They also need to work on the overall safety of the track too. There wasn't a whole lot of tire walls set up and there is quite a bit of concrete to smack if you get in trouble.
The amenities were nice and there is quite a bit of tarmac to paddock on, but I'm not sure if it'll be enough for everybody. There were only two fuel pumps and one of them limited your gas to $75 and the other limited your card to just $50?!?!!? Plan on swiping your card multiple times. It was $6.50 a gallon and they did have 100 octane.
Overall - C+ track that takes lots of seat time to get fast. The track will get faster as more rubber gets laid down. Hope this helps!
I've added this to my TrackTapes collection as well as Nashville. I had several requests for both so they are now available.
I have about 2.5 hours of video that I have copied to DVD and they're $20 each if anyone is interested.
Email me and let me know: wtknght1@aol.com. I have about 10 advance orders to ship on Tuesday, but I'll certainly make more - www.tracktapes.com.
Overall, I wasn't really crazy about the track -- 'mickey mouse' course for the national championship race in my humble opinion. I think my top speed was only 130 and it is absolutely BRUTAL ON BRAKES...maybe more than Sebring. There are so many slow corners. I found myself dropping to 2d gear in two separate spots and probably could in two other places too. The track would certainly be more fun if they took out that crappy little chicane (turns 8 and 9) on the back straight and just made it a decently long straight. There's a tiny bit of elevation change which makes turns 7 (and turn "A") pretty cool, but other than that, it's pretty flat and no big surprises.
I physically ran the track on Wednesday night and noticed that the track is crumbling in several spots, but especially in turn 4. They will have to make some improvements before October or there won't be much of a track to run on. They put down some sealant in 9 and 12 which makes them intersting corners. Otherwise though, it seemed pretty much glass smooth on the rest of the track. The curbs are low which 'encourages' folk to drop wheels off on the inside and throw tons of crap back onto the track. They put up some orange poles during testing to keep people from doing that, but they'll have to put a lot more come October.
They also need to work on the overall safety of the track too. There wasn't a whole lot of tire walls set up and there is quite a bit of concrete to smack if you get in trouble.
The amenities were nice and there is quite a bit of tarmac to paddock on, but I'm not sure if it'll be enough for everybody. There were only two fuel pumps and one of them limited your gas to $75 and the other limited your card to just $50?!?!!? Plan on swiping your card multiple times. It was $6.50 a gallon and they did have 100 octane.
Overall - C+ track that takes lots of seat time to get fast. The track will get faster as more rubber gets laid down. Hope this helps!
I've added this to my TrackTapes collection as well as Nashville. I had several requests for both so they are now available.
09-05-2006, 07:15 AM
#3
Le Mans Master
Originally Posted by wtknght1
They also need to work on the overall safety of the track too. There wasn't a whole lot of tire walls set up and there is quite a bit of concrete to smack if you get in trouble.
Right now we have 21 cars entered in T1, expecting 2-3 more to sign up, and maybe 1-2 to withdraw.
09-05-2006, 01:09 PM
#4
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
After reviewing the video again last night, there is some decent run off room, but if the grass is wet or you really lose it, you're going to hit some concrete. They need more tire walls!!!!!
I think that with the Viper dominance earlier combined with the fact that it's in Topeka, feakin' Kansas has hurt the T1 field. But, I will say that there are a lot of new T1 faces out there, but aren't coming because of the competition. They just don't feel they'd be competitive. The ones that do show up though are just screamin fast drivers. This is going to be one tough race!!!!!!
I think that with the Viper dominance earlier combined with the fact that it's in Topeka, feakin' Kansas has hurt the T1 field. But, I will say that there are a lot of new T1 faces out there, but aren't coming because of the competition. They just don't feel they'd be competitive. The ones that do show up though are just screamin fast drivers. This is going to be one tough race!!!!!!
09-05-2006, 02:14 PM
#5
Drifting
Member Since: Mar 2005
Location: Iowa
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I'm a corner worker from Iowa and have worked every SCCA event held at Heartland since it opened back in '89 and every Runnoffs at Mid-O and a few at Road Atlanta.
I've seen Heartland change hands and managers several times. Ray (the track owner and a GT1 driver) has made significant improvements to the track, but as noted above, a few more are needed. When the track was first built, there were walls everywhere. Over the years, many were moved back or removed altogether. With the addition of the south paddock, that whole area was encircled with walls. The change from going down the drag strip to going over the hill adjacent to it added more walls. On the first weekend back last spring, we saw a completely revamped course. New pavement, re-grading, added walls, etc. I identified 4 walls where tires are needed, three of the four were hit by cars that weekend. We have voiced our opinions through our channels, but if you and others who drive the course were to send Ray e-mails directly, there would be a better chance of things getting done.
As for the track surface, the entire track was repaved last fall. We reported the breakup at turn 4 also. It apears that the seam of two passes of asphalt are what is peeling. I was told that the track was going to have the pavers back to fix it and another spot before the runoffs.
The silly little orange picket fence wasn't our idea, and we told them not to try it. We were picking them up all the way to the front straight. Plans are to add a second set of more agressive curbing outside the existing curbing. The existing curbing, which was just replaced with the track repaving, was designed for motorcycle racing, not us. I don't know if that will be done before October, but there is a good chance.
Back when the track was new, we ran an IMSA event with the GTP cas. Between the straight down the hill from 7 to the chicane at 8-9, the P cars were hitting near 200. I worked 10 on Saturday last weekend and a steward brought out his radar gun. With the current configuration, we had Atlantics cresting the bridge at 124 for the blind turn. Imagine what speeds we'd see if the chicane wasn't there and they had a full mile before the rise over the bridge and the blind left (it's also off camber). There used to be a sand trap in the middle of the chicane. What a mess. There are no sand traps now and when a car goes off there, there's nothing to hit and they can collect themselves and continue, unlike China Beach and a half dozen other corners at Mid-O.
What did you think of the flag stations at the crest of the hill after the start stand and turns 1 and 2 going across the drag strip? We (corner workers) want to move station 1 to drivers left before the turn. Did you even see it where it is? How about turn 2's flag station?
I've seen Heartland change hands and managers several times. Ray (the track owner and a GT1 driver) has made significant improvements to the track, but as noted above, a few more are needed. When the track was first built, there were walls everywhere. Over the years, many were moved back or removed altogether. With the addition of the south paddock, that whole area was encircled with walls. The change from going down the drag strip to going over the hill adjacent to it added more walls. On the first weekend back last spring, we saw a completely revamped course. New pavement, re-grading, added walls, etc. I identified 4 walls where tires are needed, three of the four were hit by cars that weekend. We have voiced our opinions through our channels, but if you and others who drive the course were to send Ray e-mails directly, there would be a better chance of things getting done.
As for the track surface, the entire track was repaved last fall. We reported the breakup at turn 4 also. It apears that the seam of two passes of asphalt are what is peeling. I was told that the track was going to have the pavers back to fix it and another spot before the runoffs.
The silly little orange picket fence wasn't our idea, and we told them not to try it. We were picking them up all the way to the front straight. Plans are to add a second set of more agressive curbing outside the existing curbing. The existing curbing, which was just replaced with the track repaving, was designed for motorcycle racing, not us. I don't know if that will be done before October, but there is a good chance.
Back when the track was new, we ran an IMSA event with the GTP cas. Between the straight down the hill from 7 to the chicane at 8-9, the P cars were hitting near 200. I worked 10 on Saturday last weekend and a steward brought out his radar gun. With the current configuration, we had Atlantics cresting the bridge at 124 for the blind turn. Imagine what speeds we'd see if the chicane wasn't there and they had a full mile before the rise over the bridge and the blind left (it's also off camber). There used to be a sand trap in the middle of the chicane. What a mess. There are no sand traps now and when a car goes off there, there's nothing to hit and they can collect themselves and continue, unlike China Beach and a half dozen other corners at Mid-O.
What did you think of the flag stations at the crest of the hill after the start stand and turns 1 and 2 going across the drag strip? We (corner workers) want to move station 1 to drivers left before the turn. Did you even see it where it is? How about turn 2's flag station?