DeTomaso Mailing List: December 97, Message #108
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All, I would second Chuck's sentiments on Hallet. Amenities are not as good as other tracks, including Heartland Park in Topeka. The track is also pretty bumpy and tends to throw stones, although the Cali bunch seem able to cope with/prevent debris problems. Of the club tracks I have been to, I like Blackhawk Farms best. You have to cross the track to get to the paddock and it is located in Northern Iowa near Wisconsin border, but the amenities are nice and there are spots to carry speed. Of the bigger name tracks, I like Road America (the track is just magnificent, with straights that will allow even the most fercious beast to stretch its legs) and Charlotte Motor Speedway (fabulous amenities, excellent but flat track). I know I am prejudiced, but Texas World Speedway near Houston is excellent as well. It is outstanding for the beginner (flat, good runoff, excellent visibility in corners, smooth surface with no friction changes), has a long fast and wide straight for passing and blasting along, and nice amenities (covered and lighted garages with smopoth cement floors, workbenches and 110/220 power outlets). An easy track to learn for those who have never driven it, and very safe. The track can be had for about $5000 per weekend, I think inclusive of wrecker/fire/ambulance and corner workers. Texas Motor Speedway in Ft. Worth (not to be confused with TWS above) has great amenities and location, but no road course as yet. I will look into it further, but I also expect cost will be prohibitive. This track is used to hosting huge racing events and concerts (like the Rolling Stones!) and I doubt we could generate the kind of revenue required to interest TWS. The track is also quite busy, having at least Thursday & Friday Legends races every week, whose 1/4 mile track would overlap the road course. I still like the Mid-Ohio idea, but have not driven the track. Why don't we have a suggestion/voting session. Everyone who wants a joint track event send in their top three choices, listing only tracks to which they would definitely travel. We can then select the top three for the group and then see about price/availability after narrowing things down. My vote: 1. Road America 2. Blackhawk Farms 3. Texas World Speedway Keith. >>> "Charles F Engles Jr." <engles@qns.com> 12/08/97 03:33PM >>> OK Mike, here goes: I was a member of the Mid Am Shelby Group Board of Directors and have been to the Hallett event many times. The following is a cold hearted objective review of the Shelby Mid Am Event. Good news: The road course is only 45 miles away from the Tulsa hotel headquarters. The drag strip is only a few minutes away in town in Tulsa. They have had two days at Hallet occasionally in the past. They have had one driver's school taught by Rick Titus plus other Ford luminaries. Hallett is steadily being repaired and upgraded and is much better than the first time I was there in 1988. Bad news: The Shelby organization at the track is still, ahem, improving. Also improving is their ability to maintain discipline on the track. They are not yet up to the standards of the local Porsche club in my opinion. Hallett is certainly not the Poconos nor is it the "old" track at Vegas. Compared to them, it is a relatively narrow track up hill and dale with fewer opportunities for passing. It certainly stresses brakes and does not permit the Panteras to really utilize the upper reaches of the engine and transmission. The track is in the middle of nowhere. 45 miles out and 45 miles back. The closest city is Tulsa. My suggestion is that Hallett is not yet ready for Prime Time and unless it could be had for a song then it is not the best choice for a bunch of Panteras. I would suggest either the Heartland track at Topeka or the Fort Worth NASCAR track if it ever opens up to club racing. Heartland is supposed to be a very nice road course, supposed to have all the amenities and is located in Topeka, which is not a major metropolitan area, but is a darn sight bigger than Jennings, Oklahoma and better able to handle our crowd ( I think). One anecdote: Dennis Quella was here last summer with his tube frame racer.(check with him as to his opinion and assessment) Dennis said that it would take a fifteen minute track session to get his slicks up to sticky temperatures then he would go out in the fast group and use'em at speed. Also for comparison note that Dennis is no slouch, his car and set up are pretty serious, but at Hallett his car was not the fastest (hard to believe I know, but true). FWIW, Chuck Engles ---------- > From: Mike Drew <mikeldrew@hotmail.com> > To: Multiple recipients of list <detomaso@realbig.com> > Subject: Mid-west track event > Date: Sunday, December 07, 1997 9:28 PM > > Mad Dog writes: > > I think it was David D. who first suggested we try and ride onto a > Shelby > like event where we'd be welcome and save dollars to boot. So, if you > guys in the midwest are REALLY serious you need to get on it. > Mad Dog, IRA > > ---------- > > Just read in Mustangs & Fords the date for the annual Mid-America Shelby > meet in Tulsa, OK featuring a day of open-track at Hallet, and a day of > drag racing. It's in June sometime, around the 14th? > > Chuck Engles goes to this just about every year. Care to shed some more > light on it? > > (BTW, this was one of three or four 'must-do' events according to the > magazine.) > > Mike (writing from Base Operations at No-Hope Pope AFB, at 3:00 a.m.) > > ______________________________________________________ > Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com