EdKrawiec

I will start by telling everyone who I am. My name is ED KRAWIEC from Raceway Park I am speaking for myself and not the track(even though whatever I say will relflect on RP). First of onefast99 is really going about this all wrong. NOT ONCE did anyone come to the tower and talk to ME or DAVID about the track being as bad as you are making it. I think onefast99 is WAY OUT OF LINE by saying the track prep was never done or is not done correct( I would like to invite you to come show me how it is done better). I would like to know if you were their at 7:45am that day when I started on the prep and ended at SPRAYING GLUE( it takes about 15 min to dry in the cold) at 9:45 am so we can race at 10:00am. Raceway Park and I MYSELF take alot of PRIDE in that racetrack and are one of the leading dragstrips in the country and thats a FACT.
Now I would like to say a few things about the traction. Yes, I do think traction went away throughout the day becouse of a few things. The #1 Thing is the lack of SLICK TIRE cars.
#2 The outside temp was 50 deg and track temp was around the same.
#3 When you have 275 HARD COMPOUND tires with no sidewall for give all that tire does is take the rubber and glue right off the track. The 25 or so slick cars are not enough to put the heat and rubber back into the race track.
#4 As the day goes on the track gets dirty on the outskirts and a groove is made. When people get out of shape and are in the marbles as we say(and it get ten times worse when the track is cold) it is tough to get it back into shape.
#5 If I glue the the track in the middle of the day it get all the bracket guy's pissed becouse they change dial each round to off set the changing track cond. Now with the glue you don't know how to dial and yes I have had a lot of people bitch at me when I do glue in the middle of a race.
Now onto some outher things said. I feel I was very easy on the guys in timeshots with the NHRA rules(ask the guy with the 05 ). I'm also a racer that likes to go fast and this is that time of year and NOT ONCE in TIMESHOTS did I tell one person to slow it down. When it comes to the rules NHRA makes them and I make sure the racer follows them. Yes in competition you must follow them and if you don't like them I think you have a problem with NHRA not RP.
I would like to say a few more things before I'm done. This is the stuff you guys don't want to be said. I think Quick 4 and now Quick 8 is WAY OUT OF HAND!!!!!!!!!!#1 6 out of 10 cars WOULD NOT PASS the DB cheak if I GOT IT OUT(the red and white one and two black ones I know will fail). You guys are going through what I saw happen with the mustangs years ago and that being ALOT of HP on a stock type rear suspension with no tire. Plane and simple the car needs alot of chassis work to make it work. All everyone is doing is looking to say IS I HAVE THE FASTEST STOCK SUSPENSION VETTE but I will tell you buy 2 more cars becouse you will wreck a few trying. Raceway Park Is glad to have the CC and I'm sure wouldn't want it to go. I know John, Edgr, Bob and alot of outhers put alot of time into a series that a lot of people love. To see a few people wreck it for a 100 outhers by saying it will go elsewhere would be a shame. Last I would like to say I'm sorry that this was done like a bunch of kids when it could have been taken care of like some adults. We could have talked that day and speak about what can we do to make THIS BETTER. Thank You for your time in reading this and hope it answers some if not all you questions. ED

Mr Mojo

Eddie, I'm glad you chimed in. As a bracket racer I can tell you, glue before the first round has hurt me in the past.

I've seen you prep the track many many times and I know on days that there are street cars, the track can go away real quick.

You guys do a fantastic job and out all the tracks I've visited, nobody comes close(although Memphis Motorsports Park is a close second).

Glennm27

Good Post. I sure learned some by reading it!

Thanks Eddie!

Mr Mojo

I must add though that Wayne did the db test on the red C4 Friday night and wrote 90db on his tech card.

mackeyred96

Thank you, Ed.

I know the effort that goes into track prep and how much street type tires and temperature will effect that prep.

REDGAR

Eddie I appreciate you taking the time to post on this forum as I was sure noone from RP would. You make some good comments and I do hope that you stick around here for a few days to get address other drivers feedback.

I have a very high profile with the Corvette Challenge and am very comfortable saying: The Corvette Challenge Drag Racing Series at Raceway Park will exist as long as Raceway Park allows us to race there and Pro 8 will NEVER EVER end the Corvette Challenge Bracket Racing Series as long as I have any influence at all.

Edgar

Mr. B

The racers should NOT have to go to the tower.. there are windows in that tower- and when some of those cars got squirrily, the trucks went down and the announcers even commented. I personally heard spectators yelling to the starting line crew to "spray the track!"

If you're in charge of track prep, why do you spray (between rounds) for the import nationals- but not CC, EFI, FORD, CHEVY & American muscle?

And what was done like "a bunch of kids"? Please clarify that statement.

Many other tracks prep thier tracks much differently- and it shows.

You're starting line guys rarely groom the first 60' like what was posted in the Hot Rod article and witnessed by those who go to "No Problem" Raceway in Baton Rouge (home of the Thunder Shootout) and seem content to do as little as possible.

E-Town does not take the level of pride in thier track that No Problem, ATCO and even LVD does- to name a few. If you are in charge of track prep, it's up to you to do what's necessary, not offer up excuses.

When your track was facing the legislative ax, we rallied to YOUR defense- and one hand washes the other. You guys certainly have a short memory.

QuickVet

sorry to read this. i have never had much problem hooking up at etown. As the Q8 cars get faster and faster this is going to happen. As for most of the mid performance cars, most of them have low profile tires and should really expect low traction issues to happen often. But no matter what, if you dont feel safe, save it for another day. Its your car, and you are the driver. There is a reason insurance is not carried over to the track.

forgot to mention: i too have had issues with some things at the track. it sucks when you're unhappy with what goes on. I tend to take a little break from racing when this happens. I hate losing

CORKVETTE1

to ed from etown come down to pittsburgh raceway park just once and they will show you how to prep a track even on a street nite

CORKVETTE1

its not about losing its about some one dieing

QuickVet

I wasnt there during the race, but if it were about dieing, then why would you continue to race if you didnt feel safe? If everyone could clearly see from the early going that things were getting worse, then why 'risk your life'? Im sure some of this is about losing, and not fear of death.

Turbo Bob 87

Eddie,
I'd personally like to thank you for your input and comments regarding last Saturday's ECSCC and The Vette Doctor's Pro 8 Shootout race. I don't think we all realize how much time and effort is put into prepping a drag strip for optimum racing conditions. But as the day goes on these conditions change based upon the weather and the type of cars that are racing. Street tire cars will always change the condition of the track especially the starting line conditions. Once you put a high horsepower car on these conditions after many street cars have run it's extremely hard to put all that power down to the track and get a clean straight run, especially in cold weather with a cold track temperature.
Again Eddie, thank you for your comments and let's all be safe out there. If you get somewhat out of control don't be a hero and try and save it. Get out of it and come back and race another day. Race on.

98NYFINESTVETTE

Eddie, thanks for clearing this up for everyone.

EdKrawiec

Mrboo,
let me start of by saying if you don't know how we prep our track PLEASE don't try to trll me how. I said like a bunch of kids meaning "O we will take the series here or their" or BASHING THE PLACE THAT IS GIVEING YOU A PLACE TO RACE. I scrape this racetrack 2 times a week becouse we race 4 times a week and the rubber builds up.
I scrape fri morning and sunday. The reason for not scrapeing sat morn is becouse we have no slick cars really on sat and the track would never build up any rubber on the starting line. I think if you feel we don't do anything or don't care then I'm really sorry to know that. A lot of outhr tracks don't have the volume of street tire cars we have and in return that makes the track easyer to keep on. You can't compare what happen this sat to any outher track becouse it never happens the same way twice. What I mean by that is same cars, car count, weather cond and everything else. I'm not always in the tower just sitting their and thats why I said if their was a problem to come up and tell us becouse their is windows doesn't mean we see eveything and a matter of fact we really can't hear anyone yelling.
As for Corkvette1 I think if thats the way you feel that their is no reason to argue with you. I have a test and tune every wed and fri the track is always good. As for a racer not feeling safe about going down the track I WAS NEVER TOLD and should have if thats the way they felt. If anyone would like to talk feel free to call RP (732-446-7800) ask for ED or leave a message and I will get back. Please call and Thank You ED