Daytona goes dirt

[oldyeller]

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Daytona International Speedway, “The World Center of Racing” and home to prestigious events with stock cars, sports cars, motorcycles and karts, will construct a quarter-mile dirt track located outside Turns 1 and 2 in the West Lot, Track President Robin Braig announced.

The project was necessitated by the City of Daytona Beach’s redevelopment plans for Municipal Stadium, which includes replacing the dirt used for the Flat Track racing events with sports turf.

Construction on the quarter-mile dirt track, which will be made up of lime rock, will start in the early fall and be completed in time for next year’s March 3-4 AMA Pro Racing Flat Track motorcycle events, which are a part of 2010 Daytona 200 Week By Honda.

The new dirt track at Daytona International Speedway, which can also be utilized for other events such as the high performance karts from the World Karting Association, will have more than 5,000 temporary seats and lighting will be provided by Musco Lighting.

“Over the years, Municipal Stadium has been a great venue for us and the City of Daytona Beach has been a great partner,” Braig said. “With their redevelopment plans for Municipal Stadium, which included replacing the dirt that we used for the Flat Track with sports turf, this was a logical step.

“We’re excited about the addition of this new venue to our historic racing facility. The new dirt track is going to take the excitement of our popular Flat Track motorcycle races to new levels and give us additional opportunities to host other events during the year.”

[ams311]

ya

thats kool thank for the info iam ready to see this new track.

[oldyeller]

subtitle: "Hell Officially Freezes Over."

[AJ14]

Thats not too surprising . They feel there is a dollar or two still out there that they can grab . Why should VSP be allowed to put on kart races that the Frances can't make a profit from . Why would they want to continue to allow the flat track motorcycles to race so far away from Daytona USA where there is more opportunity to grab souvenier money as well as being able to charge the spectators for parking .

[tedrichard]

<<Construction on the quarter-mile dirt track, which will be made up of lime rock>>

Nooooooooooooooooo!!!!!! CLAY, puleeeeze use CLAY!! I hated that damned limestone! Ever see what that stuff does to a race car? The Stadium was my nemisis when I used to run the Legends cars. Hated the surface although we always seemed to run really well there. Had the only fast qualifying time in my career there and won my heat only to have Scott Russell take me out in the 1st turn on the 1st lap of the feature. The first time I ran there I got upside down. I'm told I held the world altitude record for Legends for a little while! We were always really fast there but something would always happen....

[flraceguy]

You all should know that greed overrules brains in all aspects of life here in the Sunshine State.. Just wait until they Turn it too clay and start running dirt cars on it like Charlotte...

[Jimmy McKinley]

So they tore down the 1/4 mile dog track - that was already there when they built the Speedway from what I understand - to replace it with more parking for spectators...and now they decide to build a *new* 1/4 mile dirt track anyways? Why didn't they just keep the 1/4 mile dog track and update it for auto/kart/motorcycle racing? It was already located outside of turn one/frontstretch. Where's this new track going to be located? More towards the backside of the track? And *limestone*? Yuck. Isn't that stuff kind of...rocky/chunky?

[ams311]

yes

yes it is thats what we run on at the wka karting race in daytona and it sux bad.

[oldyeller]

I'm just asking because I don't know... what is the advantage, or reason, to use limestone? less dust? less runoff from rain? ive never run on it but ive seen it and it doesnt look like fun.

[Austin34471]

Lime stone is more dusty, it tends to develope potholes in the corners, and it just isn't fast. BUT, that's what makes Daytona, Daytona(for karting anyways). I'm kindof glad that the karts won't be going back to Muni, so I can still say that I was the last one to win gold plate at the Daytona Municipal Stadium.

[tedrichard]

Oh, I can tell you why it's gonna be limestone. Bikeweek is what it's really all about. Jim France calls all the shots on anything motorcycle related at the Speedway. Motorcycle racing has always been his first true love and, properly groomed, there have been some fanastic races at the OLD Daytona Municipal stadium as well as the new one. Both were limestone. Initially it was probably due to the fact that the stadium was primarily used for athletic events and limestone was deemed better for a running track. But I'll always think that the racing would be SO much better on a good clay surface.

[AJ14]

Apparently this dirt track will be a temporary facility , bleachers and all , that will be put up for bikes and karts twice a year and will then be taken back down to make a parking lot again .

[georgep]

Apparently this dirt track will be a temporary facility , bleachers and all , that will be put up for bikes and karts twice a year and will then be taken back down to make a parking lot again .

They MUST have stimulus money for that one!! Why don't they just build a track like Lowe's or Daga and be done with it. That is what they want.

[Winger]

Apparently this dirt track will be a temporary facility , bleachers and all , that will be put up for bikes and karts twice a year and will then be taken back down to make a parking lot again .

Dover use to put up temporary stands every year for their Nascar races. That way they didn't have to pay the real estate taxes.