any short oval near to scsa standard

[champcarjim]

is there any short ovals that were considered for scsa cars to run at ?? and if so what sort of work was needed to bring these upto scsa standard.
ie wimbledon,ipswich that sort of track?

[pickup]

is there any short ovals that were considered for scsa cars to run at ?? and if so what sort of work was needed to bring these upto scsa standard.
ie wimbledon,ipswich that sort of track?

I wouldn't think they would consider any of these circuits, most of them would be far to small to race such big cars on. I think in the states they race similar formulas on 1/4 mile ovals but i would imagine they would be considerably wider than say Ipswich where even the National Hot Rods struggle to find an outside line.
They certainly wouldnt even entertain Wimbledon or any circuits still using rope and posts for safety fences.

[racing59]

nail, head, whack!

[hmmm - donuts]

Brands - Well it's nearly an oval! Just stick a straight between Druids and McLaren - Job done!

Regards

[pickup]

Brands - Well it's nearly an oval! Just stick a straight between Druids and McLaren - Job done!

Regards

Mallory ? nearest thing but still hardly a short oval.

[bertje]

Venray

[acorn]

michael vergers did a test in a camso at warneton and said the track would be suitable for ascars but the only problem he could see was the ascar DRIVERS would not be suitable due to their lack of driving standards.
i believe colin white did actually take his ascar around warneton so that could be taken as a "considered short oval".

i agree that most uk short ovals would not be suitable due mainly to lack of width and/or perimeter fence construction.

[pickup]

I think that outside of the UK but across many european contries there would be tracks suitable but until the series resurects itself here i don't think travelling that far would be worth considering.
Is'nt there some sort of oval configuration at Pembrey? and i also seem to remember seeing another larger oval advertised where they ran some sort of open hot rod type championship also in Wales. (Llandow seems to sound familiar)
Oh how we need that nice 1/2 mile banked oval at Silverstone.

[Roland Vanderme]

Warneton, Belgium, at 1 hour drive from Calais has been rebuilt in 2001 to run the Camso V8: Super Late Models, same horsepower (450) as the Ascars but much lighter (900kg in stead of 1350).
The track is a bit longer than 1/4 mile; is nearly as wide as Rockingham (between 15m/45feet and 18m/54feet wide) and has more banking (10 degrees) than Rockingham (8 degrees).
Next year we will have 15 Camso V8 (the maximum allowed in one race). It is very close racing with most of the time 6 - 7 seconds between the first and the last car.
The lap record is on the name of Gary Ellis (GB) with 13.0 sec; an average of 75mph with topspeed of 90mph (the straights are only 100 yards long). The Camso V8 are 0,5sec faster than the National Hot Rods at Warneton.
Colin White drove in february 2002 with his Ascar on a new track, with very few grip. Now the Camso V8 are going 1,5 - 2,0 sec a lap faster than 4 years ago.

[champcarjim]

ok where would you build another oval and reasons?

for me i would build two more ovals one deep south around southampton another arounds brands hatch area, for acsess and per population head.

thoughts?

[pickup]

ok where would you build another oval and reasons?

for me i would build two more ovals one deep south around southampton another arounds brands hatch area, for acsess and per population head.

thoughts?

Personally i would say that there are enough short ovals already built in the UK with some under the threat of closure through local planning issues, the cost of health and saftey regulations and the drop in spectator attendance.
I think i would still be looking around the middle counties of england allowing access from all parts of the country. I would say something around 1/2 mile with plenty of track width and some nice banking would be suitable for a wider variety of formulas.
Although i consider Rockingham to be the best allround facility in the country IMO the oval is to big, don't get me wrong i think it's superb with fast and spectacular racing but with only SCSA/Pickups allowed to use the full oval (not to sure about the F3 situation) something between the 1/4 mile and 1 1/2 mile could be used by many more formulas, that's why i thought the Silverstone plan was exciting the only downside being the close proximity to Rockingham.

[acorn]

where we'd like to build and were we could build is two different things. obtaining permission for an environmentally unfriendly project would not be easy. modifying an existing site would be easier which is why silverstone looked a distinct possibility(in fact i read that a manufacturer was going to rip up the rallysprint course and put down a track for customer use). i'm sure if jp felt that oval was the way to go he would have found a way at brands.

llandow did host stock cars(in the 80's iirc). it is approx 1mile ex airfield but i think they put in the usual chicane and slow corner and now has an msa sprint license. would it pull a decent crowd. somehow i doubt it.

best place would be close to/beside a motorway with no housing nearby. brownfield sites(like rockingham) sound good but most of them have residential areas nearby.

as for size it has to be 1/2 to3/4 mile to make it distinct from rockingham yet able to be used by the other oval formulae.

[Bob Corner]

Not sure it affects the hopes for the Silverstone oval but Motorsport Snooze this week carried a story that the former Rallysprint site has been sold or leased to Porsche for development as a test track. That's the part of Silverstone that the oval was planned for.

[Dave17]

A bit off-topic but it has been announced that the Camso V8 series will be comming to Lydden on September 8th.

[LessThanSte]

Tbh, i thought Hednesford would be superb for SCSA type cars, at least in terms of speed, fastest 1/4 mile in europe and all, they'd fly round there in 15 seconds or so.

But the person who posted further up, about Michael Vergers saying it'd be ace if not for the standards of some drivers, i suspect this may be the defining factor, sadly!

[Roland Vanderme]

We tried the Camso V8 on Hednesford. In the actual configuration, turn 3 is a problem, because too narrow.
The standard of the SCSA drivers is off course top. Michael Vergers opinion, when he tried the Camso V8 at Warneton, end of 2002, was that the SCSA drivers have rather a lack of disciplin (not keeping their line, what is absolutely necessary with that big cars on a short oval)

[LessThanSte]

Agreed, turn 3 is a bit narrow tbh :|

The problem is though, they have a big wide rumble strip on the bottom of the track next to the wall, which takes at least 2 metres away from the width all round.

The only other issue is a lack of a pit road area, and the only way in and out is by the moveable barriers. OK, they could put a mock pit up, but would never work, and would therefore only work as an exhibition type thing.

Still, may help to get a few people interested in it, maybe even get 10 cars along to Hednesford, give them a 50 lap race or something. If you pull off the circuit, your out of the race (that is, pull into the infield!). I'd go, for sure!

[JDPower]

Not sure it affects the hopes for the Silverstone oval but Motorsport Snooze this week carried a story that the former Rallysprint site has been sold or leased to Porsche for development as a test track. That's the part of Silverstone that the oval was planned for.
The Silverstone Oval plan is dead and has been for several months.

[pickup]

Agreed, turn 3 is a bit narrow tbh :|



The only other issue is a lack of a pit road area, and the only way in and out is by the moveable barriers. OK, they could put a mock pit up, but would never work, and would therefore only work as an exhibition type thing.



Why would you need a pit road area? if you have a problem you pull off same as they do in every other short oval formula.
I just can't see that the SCSA would visit any of the established short ovals in this country Hednesford is a comparatively big circuit by short circuit standards but is still quite small for these big cars to negotiate safely. The tracks may look wide with cars stationary but when the racing starts there just isn't enough room, the last thing you want is loads of damage just watch a national hot rod race and imagine cars the size of the SCSA cars racing on the same track.
The pit facilities at most short circuits would fall well below what would be expected by most teams, i know Colin and Keith probably wouldn't mind and any other drivers from short circuit backgrounds who are used to racing at these venues but i couldn't imagine teams like West Tec erecting and working from their 10 metre awning (or even outside) in the pits at Hednesford or any of the other short circuits that i've been to.

[racing59]

Why would you need a pit road area? if you have a problem you pull off same as they do in every other short oval formula.
I just can't see that the SCSA would visit any of the established short ovals in this country Hednesford is a comparatively big circuit by short circuit standards but is still quite small for these big cars to negotiate safely.


If you have a problem in our sort of racing, you pit, the crew fix, or attempt to fix it, and you rejoin. In short circuit racing, the races are usually short, and there's not a lot of point. If we have 100mile races, that's 400 laps of most short ovals, or about 300 for Hednesford. So getting it fixed, and back out there, is worth it for the points, and the chance that you may make up laps if you're quick enough.

I'd say that a 3/8mile oval is as short as you'd want to go with this sort of car. 1/2mile would be better.

The Mallory Mile has the problem of not being a proper oval with a proper barrier/wall on the outside of the track, and the pitlane is pointless, with an exit which would be dangerous in proper oval racing.

So the Silverstone oval is dead. Ho hum, it was worth the thought at the time.

Perhaps if the Euromillions rolls over a few more weeks, and I can win it all, I'll build a proper 1/2mile banked oval! Something like Bristol....

Rob.

[pickup]

I'd say that a 3/8mile oval is as short as you'd want to go with this sort of car. 1/2mile would be better.

The Mallory Mile has the problem of not being a proper oval with a proper barrier/wall on the outside of the track, and the pitlane is pointless, with an exit which would be dangerous in proper oval racing.

So the Silverstone oval is dead. Ho hum, it was worth the thought at the time.

Perhaps if the Euromillions rolls over a few more weeks, and I can win it all, I'll build a proper 1/2mile banked oval! Something like Bristol....

Rob.
I thought they ran similar cars on short tracks (1/4 mile..ish) in the states.
If you do win the lottery put a bid in for Mallory and re-develop it, it's allready got all the planning for racing just a small tweek! here and there on the track layout.
Good luck then Rob.

[SteveA]

Camso is more suited to 1/4 mile tracks than ASA style (read SCSA) cars. ASA don't race on shorter than 3/4 mile 60ft wide tracks - we don't have anything like that in the UK, all 1/4 mile ovals are 30ft wide with rope barriers (cut straight through a fiber-glass body!)

[pickup]

Camso is more suited to 1/4 mile tracks than ASA style (read SCSA) cars. ASA don't race on shorter than 3/4 mile 60ft wide tracks - we don't have anything like that in the UK, all 1/4 mile ovals are 30ft wide with rope barriers (cut straight through a fiber-glass body!)

A lot of the 1/4 mile ovals in America run Late Modifieds which are similar cars (body shape and size) to SCSA/ASA so i don't think the length is a problem it is the track width that would be more of an issue.
Also i think you will find that most of the better known ovals in the UK (Hednesford, Ipswich, Northampton, etc) use armco barriers or a concrete wall Wimbledon being one of a small number still using rope and post fencing.

[acorn]

Also i think you will find that most of the better known ovals in the UK (Hednesford, Ipswich, Northampton, etc) use armco barriers or a concrete wall Wimbledon being one of a small number still using rope and post fencing.

a large number of the "solid" walls are topped by one or two wires. i'm guessing this is done to maintain the safety element while also keeping a good view of the cars from trackside.

[racing59]

Late Model racing in the US has only recently embraced grp bodies. They were predominantly sheet metal until about two years ago. (the ASA Pro Series was one of the first to go GRP)

Most small ovals in the US are 3/8mile, that goes for the dirt ovals where late model racing also takes place. The width as you say is typically 60ft.

The engine guy I deal with in Tennessee for my other car is a successful builder in dirt circle track racing, he knows a bit about it!! They have a few 1/2mile dirt ovals, most of the short paved (tarmac) stuff is 3/8, to 1/2mile. There are a few 3/4mile "big" short ovals. The paved stuff is often banked up to 33-35degrees.

Keep an eye out on Motors TV this winter, when they get bored with showing "Steam Train Classics", the sometimes slip in the odd bit of "outlaw Late Model" racing - which is dirt oval stuff, and great racing!

Back to our own circuits, it's difficult for the promotors/circuit owners to upgrade the circuits just for one series that "might" pay them an occaisional visit, when their bread and butter is happy to put up with archaic safety standards.

Though the issue of "no infield pits" is pretty serious for ASCAR/SCSA.

Rob.