| RE: -.1
Unfortunately, I've got to agree with you... Watkins Glen stopped doing F1
because of safety and facilities. I was really worried to see a note put in
here a few weeks ago where Laguna Seca (sp?) was cited as a potential F1 track
- and as being the best the US has to offer. I watch the bikes there, and
whilst it is exciting (I love the downhill twist and spiral!!), there is a lack
of runoff areas and safety barriers. A significant number of riders have been
injured over the last couple of seasons. Finally, the facilities are apparently
appalling - pits and sanitation.
I'm a European who would very much like to see F1 and WSC road racing in the
States. Is what I've said above a fair appraisal, or is what I've read wide of
the mark?
Cheers
Steve
|
| The following items floated past on the "wheeltowheel" USEnet mailing
distribution recently (I've deleted opinion and polemics while trying
to leave the information intact):
From: DECWRL::"[email protected]" "Calvin Sanders" 9-OCT-1991 14:40:46.17
To: [email protected]
Subj: Watkins Glen changes
I heard on the radio this morning that the President of Watkins Glen
raceway announced that there will be major changes in turn 5 for next
year. The track has aquired 140 acres of land near turn 5 and will
incorporate an "S" curve onto a new section of track. He said the
corner will not resemble the current corner. He went on to say that this
was a planned improvement and not as a result of the accidents there
the past couple of years. He also said that the accidents were all
due to mechanical failure not the fault of the track design.
[...opinions deleted... --lbm]
From: DECWRL::"[email protected]" "Roger Garnett" 9-OCT-1991 19:19:21.95
To: [email protected] (Wheel-to-Wheel)
Subj: Re: Watkins Glen changes
[...Calvin Sanders' context deleted... --lbm]
I just read a local news article/release, complete with diagram. I'm
not going to type it all in, but some highlights:
The modifications, being called "the inner loop", whick I might dub the
J.D. McDuffie chichane, consists of 4 new 90 degree turns. At
about 2/3 of the way down the current 5/8 mile back stretch, there will
be a right into the current infield, a breif straight, then left, with
a bit more straight parallel to the current straight, another left &
straight stub, then right again back onto the end of the current straight,
leading onto an unchanged turn 5.
This will reduce the back straight to around 2200 feet, then R (New 5),
L (6), ~400 ft inner straight, L (7), R (8), then a 600 ft. straight
leading onto turn 9 (old turn 5.) This will result in 15 turns, and 3.4
miles total. Construction begins Monday, and should be ready for
the begining of next year.
The rest of the project will consist of spectator amenities, and new
stands, one of which will be outside the new 8, which is where some of the new
acreage comes in. There was no mention of any new sand/gravel traps, etc.
[...deleted uninformative text... --lbm]
From: DECWRL::"[email protected]" "Roger Garnett" 10-OCT-1991 08:44:03.77
To: [email protected] (Wheel-to-Wheel)
Subj: Re: Watkins Glen changes
I wrote:
>} Subject: Watkins Glen changes
>The modifications, being called "the inner loop", whick I will dub the
>J.D. McDuffie chichane, consists of 4 new 90 degree-ish turns.
>This will reduce the back straight to around 2200 feet,
>then R (New 5), L (6), ~400 ft inner straight, L (7), R (8), then a 600 ft.
>straight leading onto turn 9 (old turn 5.)
Let me correct some errors, now that I've got the article in front of me.
Turn 5 and 8 look like a gradual curve leading off/on the main straight,
and 6 & 7 look to be about 70-80 degrees. It says 5 will occur about 600 ft.
before the end of the current straight, and the inner straight will be
around 300 ft., leaving about 250 ft. before turn 9 (old 5).
This takes the long course to 3.4 miles, from 3.377 (a lot easier to
remember), and the NASCAR course goes from 2.428 to 2.45. A little
math seys this adds about 120 feet, meaning the inner straight will
lie about 50 feet inside the current line. There will be a new barrier
around this in the infield.
The proposed grandstand outside the new 8 is shown tilted towards 7
and the inner straight, with a good end view of cars coming right
at you down the main straight. It's not clear whether the unused section
of old straight will be solidly blocked off, or will be able to act as a
300 ft. runoff. (At the end of which, an uncontrolled car could either
encounter traffic at turn 8, or veer left into the new grandstand...)
________
/___ _ \ Roger Garnett ([email protected])
/| || \ \ Agricultural Economics | South Lansing Centre For
| |___|| _ | 3 Warren Hall | Wayward Sports Cars
| | \ | | | Cornell University | (Lansing, NY)
\| \ |__/ / Ithaca, N.Y. 14853 | (607) 533-7735
\________/ (607) 255-2522 | Safety Fast!
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