BUILD YOUR BASE SUPPORT
Ding, Ding, Ding!! We have a winner. That is exactly the
same thing I was thinking. Increase the qualifying money.
What a concept. It's the same thing local bracket racing
needs. Increase the payouts down lower to help keep the
small guy coming back.
Mike Greene
Texas
WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE
I read Agent 1320 (6-27-05), re: watering the track at
St Louis to cool it down. The article also mentioned that
water will enhance the traction compound sprayed on the
track surface.
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This reminded me of when traction compound was first applied
to the entire track surface in the early 1970's. At the
1974 NHRA Supernationals at Ontario Motor Speedway, the
race was rained out and rescheduled for the following weekend.
No one realized that the track was not only washed clean,
but that the surface now had some serious bite to it (the
track had been sprayed full course the week before). Don
Garlits won Top Fuel at that race and set both ends of the
national record at 5.78 and 247 MPH.
I remember that it was discovered that the rain had helped
the traction compound. You would never have thought that
in those days. Racers used to use VHT in a gallon jug when
the car did the burn out, and you could literally see the
VHT coming off the tires as the car staged; looked like
spider webs. Well, anyhoo, I enjoy reading Agent 1320, and
always look forward to new info.
Cliff Morgan
Phoenix
KEEPIN' COOL
Cooling the racing surface is something that I've been doing
and suggest to my customers to do for some time now. I started
doing it at the World Street Finals a couple of years ago.
Ice water not only cools the track but sets up the traction
compound. I will also use methanol to do this during a race
as it evaporates much quicker. One spray with methanol and
I've seen 20 degrees go away. Best to do this later in the
day as the sun starts to go down so the track temp does
not have a chance to go back up.
The machine that I build has a methanol tank on it for
this reason. You may have seen one through your travels,
it's the "Track Groomer." I sold one to a track
in Bahrain and also sent them a pull-behind sprayer so they
could spray ice water on their track. Houston Motorsports
Park has been doing it for some time now too.
Thanks for listening and love reading your column.
David Buyalos
Track Grooming Inc.
Petersburg, VA
KEEPING JOHN SAFE
Did I see all of Force's guys wearing a [HANS type] restraint
while I was watching the St. Louis race?
Good job Burkster!! You called him out!!!!
Richard M. Pauza
Gilberts, IL
