TRACK CHANGES

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David Kicak

Well-known member
I need your thoughts on what constitutes a track change. Does moving the start finish line on any track change the configuration of the track to reflect lap times ? Keep in mind the length of the track remains the same.
 
I'm not sure it would change lap times themselves, but it could surely change the outcome of a race if the S/F line was moved to the beginning or end of a straight where the cornering vs. power changes are most obvious.
 
David Kicak":4in32jh8 said:
I need your thoughts on what constitutes a track change. .....
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MY FIRST track record was at Laguna Seca in a sand storm. They had just put curbing up on the original course, shortening it by a foot width at half a dozen places. It was considered a track change. Although I was some 20-30 seconds slower in the sand, I was the fastest car in class and it was declared a new track record.

A little silly. I would have been happy NOT to have that record. Peter
 
I would say no, that moving the timing line will not change the track. It may change the outcome of races, but not lap times.

FWIW Sebring has changed again, T1 entry is 6-8ft tighter, and around 4-8mph slower entry speed. That should be considered a track change IMHO.
Looks like about 1.5sec or a little more.
 
In theory, it could effect your qualifying lap time...

The old timing line at Road America was at the apex of Turn 14 (the last corner leading up the front straight).

Back in the day, it was quite common during qualifying when you knew you had a flying of a lap, to come in extremely hot and blow off the corner with no regard to your exit speed. Yes it hurt your next lap because it killed your exit speed, but you didn't care.
This was worth a couple of tenths of a second.

Tom Kendall was a master at using this trick in the Trans-Am series.

About 10 years ago, they moved the official timing line to Start/Finish so the you could not take advantage of the timing location.

If I recall correctly, the old MAR track in Wentzville had a similar issue in that the S/F line was slightly past the normal braking zone for turn one. Again, when you knew you had a flyer, you blew off the corner and used the runoff area on the outside of turn 1.

Made for some exciting finishes in FF and FV too :shock:
 
I do know that the club considers a move of the timing line a change in the track configuration that warrants a new lap record. I was given a new record at a track where my old record time was faster by a little bit, and when I questioned T&S they told me that it was a new track configuration because the S/F line for timing had changed.

So, in short, it doesn't matter what we might think constitutes a change if the Stewards have determined that there should be all new records. Interestingly, a class that didn't have a car in it retained their previous record.
 
Ron Bartell":n51lkdbq said:
So, in short, it doesn't matter what we might think constitutes a change if the Stewards have determined that there should be all new records. Interestingly, a class that didn't have a car in it retained their previous record.
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so do the competitors not have a say in the stewardship of their club???
(just being devil's advocate here.....)
 
Just a little info....

When MSR Houston changed the turn one configuration, allowing for a true pit lane entrance/exit, it didn't change the track length, and therefore didn't change the track records. I have emails somewhere between myself and the National office talking about it.
 
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