Anyone have any news on IRP?

[Keith Carter]

We're trying to decide if we want to run the IRP regional in May. Anyone have an update for the refinishing project?

[Tim Reed]

Keith - what were they supposed to be refinishing? It's been like 100 years since the road course has been repaved. They recently re-did the drag strip and staging area as well as the oval. That would be great if they finally fixed up the road course. AND paddock. That can be a challenge with the gravel and grass, especially when it rains. . .

Tim

[Keith Carter]

From Dave's post in December

I hope so too. If it's refinished, I'd love to go check it out and see what they've done.

[rickjohnson356]

I went to the IRP site or the SCCA region near IRP and they had an update. I think it said that the were working on the facilities rather than the track surface.

I will double check & re-post

[rickjohnson356]

"December 6, 2004
Indianapolis Region and Indianapolis Raceway Park Reach Long Term Agreement

The Indianapolis Region of SCCA and the management of Indianapolis Raceway Park have reached an agreement that will ensure that SCCA racing continues at the Indianapolis road course well into the future. The serious pavement deterioration that affected the 2004 Indy Grand Prix National Races will be replaced for the 2005 season. Grady Brothers Paving, the company that just completed work on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway re-paving project, is in charge of the repairs. Turn one, the oldest, and roughest pavement on the 2.5 mile, 15 turn circuit, will be replaced and broken areas at several other corners will be repaired and have curbing added.
Additionally, the agreement provides for the Indy Grand Prix National to move off of the July 4th holiday weekend beginning in 2006. The event will occur on July 2-3 in 2005, but will move to the second weekend of July in 2006. The Mothers Day Double Regional Race will open the 2005 season on May 7-8. The new agreement also opens the door for additional SCCA events to return to IRP, which was once the site of six SCCA weekends per year. This opens the possibility of Indianapolis Region again staging the Drivers School/Regional Race weekend which held a traditional spot on the SCCA calendar for years, or possibly for another SCCA region to return to IRP in the near future."

That was poste 12/06/04, don't know current status. Maybe send an email to the RE?

[reisertracing]

Weather has been reasonable some of this winter in Indy, the track has long been a problem as long as I remember.
We run some test days at Putnam Park which is usually very nice.
I agree with putting pressure on the RE. 1. to make sure work is done before the May regional 2. add more events to the facility 3. move races to Putnam Park or Indy Motorspeedway.
Tony George has been invloved as well as some of the Hulma-George family in Indy Region for many years.
I have seriously considered changing my membership to the St. Louis region because my Home Track IRP has seen a decline in numbers and upkeep.
I know for several years the spring school and race had low numbers and was losing money.
The track is owned by the NHRA and they don't care about the road course, several school including Skip Barber were held at IRP and the PCA used to have events there.
It is a fast track and fun to drive when it is safe, although the back section of the track has some dangerous areas.
The track has some dynomite history and has had some major races in the past.
It may be late for this year, but if the Indy Region felt like there were the interest and numbers to create more races and support the races, then they might be willing to put pressure on IRP to expedite matters.
I will call some IRP guys I know and see what the scoop is.

[reisertracing]

Turns 1,2,3,4 at IRP can be had flat out and last year turn one had cones and a single lane to turn 2. The numbers were way down. It is a rough track all the way around and the front straight can be slick even in the dry from the crap the drag guys lay down on the front striaght. I took out the front concrete wall in 2000 in a FV while passing a slower car in a very light drizzel.
I saw a guy destroy a Van Dieman on the same place in 2002 in the May regional after winning the race.
It takes alot of testosterone to take 1 flat out and if you miss you go for quite a ride.
I had a vaopr lock in 2003 Indy Gran Prix and got to watch DAVEW from turn 4 set a new track record and fly on the ground, Every lap was almost perfect and 4 wheel drift was a texbook example. VERY COOL!!!!!!!!!!

[Steve Demeter]

Sat in a meeting with Steve Harris last Tuesday.

Steve is the Cen Div Executive Steward.

He reported that the tower has been torn down as it was condemmed and that obviously start finish would have to be relocated.

That all said, this Sunday, after the spring training in Indy, he and the rest of the powers that be are going to inspect IRP and make their recommendations as to whether the track is fit for use or not.

So, at least to me, it seems a bit up in the air at this moment.

[Tim Reed]

Keith - bottom line, I wouldn't hold my breath. IRP is definitely a super fun track to run, as besides the front straight, you are mostly either turning left or right, giving you very little time to take a breath and check guages etc. I took my Skip Barber school there some time ago, and even back then the track was very rough and as some have pointed out, there are some spots on the track where you are assured lots of damage and high probability for injury if you go off. Turn one is a good example. Definitely flat out flyer, but if you are wide of the apex at speed, you typically fly off the track at track out, drop down a ditch, come back up and then go airborn as you cross an access road. That's assuming it hasn't rained, and the dip isn't filled with water. Then they have to send in the diving team to rescue you. Turn 5, if you go wide and drop a wheel, you had a pretty good chance of snapping back accross the track and smaking into the outside retaining wall of the oval. I could go on, but I think you ge the point. Not much room to make mistakes, but the track is definitely one of my favorites in terms of being fluid and constantly turning the car.

I remember the last time I was there, turns 3 and 4 were so bumpy, I litterly would loose vision going through the series. No lie, it was that bumpy.

Now that I think about it, I've also hit two birds there as well. Once in a Skip Barber car and once in the Van Diemen.

I also remember running one time in the rain, and I swear, going down the front straight I put on the power in the stuff that the drag guys use for grip (which basically is like ice in the rain), and looped the car no less than 6-7 times and stopped about 1 inch short of the wall!!!

Back to my main point, however is that NHRA owns the track and they have been promising for YEARS to fix up the road course. If it won't enhance the drag racing, or the oval racing experience, I doubt they will ever spend money on it, which is a shame.

[John Green]

Mr. Reed is on the money.
Last time I drove there I was blacked flaged for passing under the yellow in turn 2. First time that I have ever done that in over 20 years of racing. I told the steward that if you say I passed on yellow, I couldn't argue as the track was so bumpy there my vision was completely blurred and I couldn't see much of anything. He gave me a pass and said go and sin no more....and I haven't been back since. Too bad, it's a great track layout!

[ITS51RX7]

Hello all,
I just wanted to give an update on the repaving of the I.R.P. track. On the Indy region website in the recent issue of there clutch chatter magazine, The grinding of the track and repaving should be complete the first week of April. The company doing the work is the same ones who just repaved the 500 track. So it should be in alot better shape for 2005.


Johnny R.,,, flatout through 1,2,3,4 WOW I need to watch your line through turn 3.

Michael F.

[reisertracing]

GO DOWN THE MAIN STRAIGHT ABOUT 15 FEET FROM THE LEFT FRONT WALL, AS YOU APPROACH TURN IN TO 1, SWING SLIGHTLY/GENTLY TO LEFT AND THEN TURN IN TO APEX MID TURN FLAT AND ABOUT 6-9FT FROM APEX. LET THE CAR TRACK OUT TO THE ACCESS ROAD BETWEEN 1 AND 2 KEEP FOOT IN CAR , TAKE MID LINE THRU 2 AND DRIFT SLIGHTLY OUT TO LEFT IN APPROACH TO TURN 3 , BLIP THROTTLE AND DOWN SHIFT TO 3 IN FC ( ION FV YOU CAN KEEP IN 4TH GEAR AND HOLD ON) KEEP FOOT FLOORED AND DRIFT OUT TO LEFT THRU 3, DRIFT OVER TO RIGHT AND TAKE 4 ABOUT 4-6 FEET OFF APEX TO SET UP FOR 5 AND CARRY SPPED TO 5 AND APEX AT OUT STICKING PAVEMENT BEFORE WALL TO OVAL THEN KEEP FOOT IN THROTTLE DRIFT OUT TO UN-EVEN PAVEMENT AT OUTSIDE OF 5 BY FLAG STATION, BUT DON'T DROP WHEEL OFF AND SHIFT TO 4 TO BACK STRAIGHT.

iN A FV YOU CAN GO FLAT FROM 1 TO 6 , ALL 4TH GEAR.
iF THERE IS MUCH WIND, MIGHT WATCH FLAT OUT.

tURN 1,2 CAN BE FLAT IN FORMULA CAR, TAKES ALOT OF PRACTICE AND TRUST IN YOUR CAR.
i ONCE TOOK A FV INSIDE AT 1 FLAT AND MADE A PASS CLIPPING THE APEX.
MY CREW CHIEF SAYS I AM A BETTER ------, THEN RACE DRIVER. I AM NO GREAT DRIVER, BUT ON THIS PART OF IRP I FEEL PRETTY GOOD, NOW TURNS 6- 15, THATS A DIFFERENT STORY, IF I TAKE ANOTHER 10 YEARS OF PRACTICE I MIGHT GET 6-15 RIGHT TOO.