Atlanta Motor Speedway

[ARRC Comm]

The Atlanta Region Labor Day races will be at Atlanta Motor Speedway for our 3 day double SARRC and PRO IT races. The track has passed it's initial inspection without a hitch. Some safety items needed to be addressed but are not show stoppers. Garage spaces in the new Nascar Garages will be avalible(aprox 90) More details to be posted later when we finalize them. Love to go to a new track and venue, yep, new, we will run it clockwise. Maybe test day on Friday if enough interest. Fletcher

[CaptainWho]

Will camping be available for workers?

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Doug "Lefty" Franklin
NutDriver Racing (http://www.nutdriver.org)

[chuck baader]

Fletcher, would run a test friday is available. a couple of questions...1. motor homes? overnite in the pits? camping inside or outside? thanks,

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Chuck Baader
#36 ITA E30 BMW
Alabama Region Divisional Registrar

[Catch22]

I've never been there but the overhead photos on the website show a chicane in NASCAR turn 3. Are we going to be using that feature?

[itascca]

Is this still on? The Atlanta Region site doesn't seem to respond.

[CaptainWho]

Yep, Sep 4-6 at AMS. At least, I've gotten an invite on the worker e-list and a card in the mail as a potential driver. Atlanta Region site was responding just fine a minute ago. Preregistration is not yet open for the event, though.

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Doug "Lefty" Franklin
NutDriver Racing (http://www.nutdriver.org)

[This message has been edited by CaptainWho (edited August 15, 2004).]

[Tristan Smith]

Looks like you won't be able to even race on the banking. Map says that you have to stay below the blend line, and it looks like you will have to stop and wait to be "waved by", cross the "hot" track to get into the pit lane. This sounds like a fun race to watch, but I think I will pass. Shame that the Atlanta region got screwed by Panoz like this.

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Tristan Smith
Buffalo's Southwest Cafe
ITA Nissan 240sx #56

[bobpink]

Road Atlanta made a decision about the Labor Day weekend based on financial considerations. There will be motorcycle races that weekend replacing the traditional SCCA club racing and the bike races typically generate a lot of revenue for the track. Having lost the Big Kahuna to Barber the track has to look after the bottom line and made a decision accordingly.

From what I've been able to gather, the AMA wanted the Labor Day weekend or no race at all at Road Atlanta. It was probably not a popular decision for the track to make, but one that makes sense for them.

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Bob Pinkowski
Atlanta Region SCCA
ITS Honda Prelude (no longer for sale, I think)

[Tristan Smith]

Bob, why didn't the Atl. region just hold the race on a different weekend? Because it needs to be a three day event? Does the region feel they were given enough time by Road Atlanta to plan for a new venue? And any ideas if this is going to be the venue of the future?
Last question, why are we not using the banking (and correct me if I read that wrong).


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Tristan Smith
Buffalo's Southwest Cafe
ITA Nissan 240sx #56

[bobpink]

Tristan,

Don't have an answer for you on these questions since I wasn't part of any of the meetings or discussion regarding this event. Only know what I heard about why the event isn't going to happen on the traditional date at Road Atlanta.

Kind of a bummer that the banking won't be used since this is one of things I liked about racing on an oval. I know of a couple of people who thought about going to AMS, but aren't now for this one reason.

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Bob Pinkowski
Atlanta Region SCCA
ITS Honda Prelude (no longer for sale, I think)

[bhudson]

We (the region BOD) considered an alternate weekend with Road Atlanta, but the track's schedule was full so an alternate weekend was not available. Secondly, we felt it important to keep an event on Labor Day weekend to retain that date on the SEDIV schedule. Road Atlanta has the AMA commitment for at least 3 years, so AMS may become a long term fixture on the region schedule.

As far as keeping off the high banks, this is done to make the transition easier and safer from the oval to the infield. It also accomodates some safety concerns from the SCCA track inspector. Besides, road racers possess so much skill, they don't need no stinkin' banking!

Bob Hudson
Atlanta Region

[Tom Donnelly]

Bob,

I noticed the "no longer for sale" about the prelude. Ya gonna run again? That's too nice a car and you've got too much in it to let it go.

Tom

[bobpink]

Not to hijack a thread, but...Mike is talking about running the car again next year. Plan is to stay close to home and only do Road Atlanta events. Car needs a little more work before it is really track worthy.

Only people who see the car driving around now are my neighbors in the subdivision ;-)

Back to AMS thread and we don't need no stinkin' banking...

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Bob Pinkowski
Atlanta Region SCCA
ITS Honda Prelude (no longer for sale, I think)

[bhudson]

"...it looks like you will have to stop and wait to be "waved by", cross the "hot" track to get into the pit lane."

A clarification - this only applies if you're bypassing the infield road course and going straight from the oval to the pits. If you're following the infield course, there is no "hot" track to cross.

Bob Hudson