Race Report from TX

[James Wilson]

They sure know how to make a course down here, good stuff but the lot stinks! Had a fun time at the Gulf Greyhound Park near Galveston this weekend, uber-hot and humid...almost makes me miss the summer days of Fontana!

Ran the Escort in HS, good time against some V710-shod Mazda3's. 1st place of 7 drivers, but a poor 28th PAX (of 187) from running in the heat of the day on an old set of Azenis, no SK-index there

On-car video is here-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpmYT4dDFfA&fmt=18" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


I miss you guys, have fun at the Divisional, and we'll see you at Wendover if you're going!!

[Morgan Trotter]

sweet!

[Sebastian Rios]

What do you mean "the lot stinks"? It looks like it's pretty good size.
Does it actually smell bad?

[Steve Ekstrand]

Its Houston...

Of course, it smells bad.

[Mike Simanyi]

Its Houston...

Of course, it smells bad.

Not if your olfactory system is fried out from the Fontana Funk...

[James Wilson]

Yes, it smells like the Salton Sea

And, they have "gravel days" where they rent a highway sweeper and then have the entire region bring shovels to load up a mixer/truck to haul away the gravel, part of an agreement with the Gulf Greyhound Park.

Drives a lot like San Diego, though, IF you say out of the Gravel Traps

[David Avard]

Which makes you wonder why there are people from Houston who not only think that it would be a good site for Nationals, but think that it's any different than HPT.

[James Wilson]

Oh, man I haven't had that good a laugh in a long time, thanks for that David. There is NO WAY that the site, city, area, county, etc. could ever support 1200+ people and still have a good time. HPT is 1000 times the site than that is, let's be real here. I'd rather see Nationals at Qualcomm in that case, or even Fontana!

[Michael Palero]

They sure know how to make a course down here, good stuff but the lot stinks! Had a fun time at the Gulf Greyhound Park near Galveston this weekend, uber-hot and humid...almost makes me miss the summer days of Fontana!

Ran the Escort in HS, good time against some V710-shod Mazda3's. 1st place of 7 drivers

How many cars were wearing R-Comps? And what was everyone else using?
What happened after you won on street tires? They didn't accuse you of having a hidden turbo like that other region right?

[Bob Beamesderfer]

They sure know how to make a course down here, good stuff but the lot stinks! Had a fun time at the Gulf Greyhound Park near Galveston this weekend, uber-hot and humid...almost makes me miss the summer days of Fontana!

Ran the Escort in HS, good time against some V710-shod Mazda3's. 1st place of 7 drivers

How many cars were wearing R-Comps? And what was everyone else using?
What happened after you won on street tires? They didn't accuse you of having a hidden turbo like that other region right?

A hidden turbo?

[Morgan Trotter]

they just accused you of having a blow off valve. "how can that car be in H-Stock with a blow off valve?" I told her the blow off valve was in the glove box and not hooked up.
Ha ha

[Aaron Goldsmith]

Oh, man I haven't had that good a laugh in a long time, thanks for that David. There is NO WAY that the site, city, area, county, etc. could ever support 1200+ people and still have a good time. HPT is 1000 times the site than that is, let's be real here. I'd rather see Nationals at Qualcomm in that case, or even Fontana!

El Toro FTW... or vegas..

[Morgan Trotter]

VEGAS

[David Avard]

Las Vegas Speedway could have Nationals and not even notice that we were there (REALLY BIG parking lots). In comparison, this map of Gulf Greyhound Park is at the 4 times the scale. Houston region uses both parking lots, the big square one was used for the last NT there.

[James Wilson]

From the I-15 freeway, those lots at LVMS sure look a lot like gravel....I'd have to double-check that, never been there myself.

[Craig Naylor]

I can't say that there aren't gravel lots at LVMS (haven't explored them all), but there are several very large paved lots.

From the I-15 freeway, those lots at LVMS sure look a lot like gravel....I'd have to double-check that, never been there myself.

[Curt Luther]

A man once called a cone on Chuck Norris. 9 months later, the man's wife gave birth to a child with a beard. The newborn then killed the man with a roundhouse kick. The anniversary of this date is now known as Christmas.

Hey! I wrote that

[Sebastian Rios]

I autocrossed there once, the biggest lots are indeed gravel. We ran at the "Bullring" which was pretty short and narrow. It is the lot in the southwest corner.

[Jason Isley BS RX8]

I have run on nearly every lot at LVMS. The lots around the track have a lot of light poles and fences that you may not see using a sat picture. IMHO the only way you could swing natls up there would be to run one course at the Bull Ring (oval short track) parking lot, and the other in the area known as the "Drift lot", which is near the drag strip. You will have people spread all over trying to paddock, and forget watching both courses run, they are like a mile apart.

LV has shown no interest in a Divisional or Tour, I doubt they would be of any help putting this together.

While HPT is not our "perfect site" what is? It was not Forbes. Every place has issues, but it is hard to argue that Topeka is not equally inconvenient for people on both coasts.

I liked the rumors of TX, but having run at GGP site I can confirm James's findings, to small. There is also the issue of the track being active, so they would never give up both lots. I also hear from the locals that the bus lot at TMS makes HPT look good.

[Jayson Woodruff]

I also hear from the locals that the bus lot at TMS makes HPT look good.

I was just there for the National Tour. Yep, slippy and small. And more importantly the region/SCCA seemed to be butting heads with TMS over the usual things like security, road closures and vending. The had a full time cop 'blocking' the entrance road, which I never saw one car on, and we had to stand around with plates in hand for 45minutes watching our food go cold waiting for the clock to strike 5pm due to TMS vendor contract issues.

Lubbock sounds interesting to me. Don't know what the pavement is like, but sounds like its just about the right city size.

If thy consider coming to vegas, what's another few houndred miles to El Toro? Vegas could still be death by fire in September.

Jay W

[Jason Isley BS RX8]

Lubbock sounds interesting to me. Don't know what the pavement is like, but sounds like its just about the right city size.

Jay W

Went to the Lubbock Pro one year... Good size site, but we ended up staying like 40 min away because of a concert by some old guy. So if you have any conflicting events, hotel rooms could be an issue.

[David Avard]

Lubbock sounds interesting to me. Don't know what the pavement is like, but sounds like its just about the right city size.

Jay W

Went to the Lubbock Pro one year... Good size site, but we ended up staying like 40 min away because of a concert by some old guy. So if you have any conflicting events, hotel rooms could be an issue.

From what I've read, Lubbock is currently being used for cotton bale storage, to the tune of $600k/year. Kind of hard to compete with that. Of all the sites I've heard talked about, it would seem like Blythesville, AR has the lead.

Of course, you can't quite count HPT out yet, as I don't think the city of Topeka wants to lose both events, especially one that has been there for 13 years. Once Ray's ego calms down, and his wallet warms up ($30k or so might change his mind), he might change his mind.

[Jason Isley BS RX8]

Of course, you can't quite count HPT out yet, as I don't think the city of Topeka wants to lose both events, especially one that has been there for 13 years. Once Ray's ego calms down, and his wallet warms up ($30k or so might change his mind), he might change his mind.

He is already trying to warm himself up... I checked on a garage for this year, the price is up $50 a day.

[Keith Brown]

Jason, what was the price last year? I just called and they quoted me $100 per day.

[Jason Isley BS RX8]

Jason, what was the price last year? I just called and they quoted me $100 per day.

Hmmm... The website says $200 a day -$50 for the Solo natls. http://hpt.com//store/catalog/product_i ... 8f6393074f" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The last two years we have paid $100 a day.