Possible autocross site at High Rock International Raceway?

Rick Butters · **Posted:** Sun May 29, 2005 2:23 pm

I picked up this reference on the CCR clubs forums. It seems that there are some preliminary discussions with the developers of the track to put in an appropriate lot for major autocross events. They are looking to provide support at an upcoming meeting on the track. More info at:
http://www.ccrsolo2.org/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=684&sid=a2132d8314790abb1fa21d38d68bbd8e

MarcusMcRae · **Posted:** Sun May 29, 2005 5:00 pm

Kew!!!! It seems like the NC area has lots of nice smaller tracks. I wonder what kind of national/international stuff they could attract.

Chuck Frank · **Posted:** Mon May 30, 2005 10:30 am

I'm not a road racer, but is 2.5 miles considered a "smaller" track?
Is NC/VA poised to become the hub of national roadracing like it is of NASCAR with VIR, the track under development in VA and now this one? (not to mention Road Atlanta)

A major AX venue would be a welcome addition to the national scene as well, SCCA would certainly like to see a national level primary use facility available without hassle in the mid atlantic area after losing the use of VMP and Fed Ex field. I'm going to email them right now to try to get them to provide representation at this meeting.

MarcusMcRae · **Posted:** Mon May 30, 2005 3:09 pm

2.5 Miles is a good sized track. It is longer than mid ohio and laguna seca. Same length as road atlanta.

VIR full course is over 3 miles long but I think it is too narrow. Watching the rolex series run there is scary. They have to use lots of dangerous blocking moves to make passes.

Rich Anderson · **Posted:** Tue May 31, 2005 8:11 am

Rick Butters wrote:

It seems that there are some preliminary discussions with the developers of the track to put in an appropriate lot for major autocross events.

Where? If you look at the map, pretty much everything seems spoken for except the tract of land on the other side of I85. That would require builing an overpass, probably out of the budget.

I am excited by the chance of having yet another track in our backyard. However, I think High Rock will be a track rather than a motorsport complex like VIR.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Tue May 31, 2005 8:27 am

MarcusMcRae wrote:

VIR full course is over 3 miles long but I think it is too narrow. Watching

Try driving VIR, Marcus. Trust me, it's much more fun than watching someone else doing it on TV. Even an AWD Hack like you would enjoy it.

David Teague · **Posted:** Tue May 31, 2005 8:52 am

MarcusMcRae wrote:

VIR full course is over 3 miles long but I think it is too narrow. Watching the rolex series run there is scary. They have to use lots of dangerous blocking moves to make passes.

The words Narrow and VIR and generally not used in the same sentence, VIR is defintaly one of the wider tracks out there that I have run on.

MarcusMcRae · **Posted:** Tue May 31, 2005 9:12 am

David Teague wrote:

MarcusMcRae wrote:

VIR full course is over 3 miles long but I think it is too narrow. Watching the rolex series run there is scary. They have to use lots of dangerous blocking moves to make passes.

The words Narrow and VIR and generally not used in the same sentence, VIR is defintaly one of the wider tracks out there that I have run on.

It sure looks narrow on tv. I make a point of watching the Rolex race there every year. I am going to take my dad up there on 6/11 for the historic car race and I will get to see it first hand.

Rich Anderson · **Posted:** Tue May 31, 2005 9:20 am

MarcusMcRae wrote:

It sure looks narrow on tv. I make a point of watching the Rolex race there every year. I am going to take my dad up there on 6/11 for the historic car race and I will get to see it first hand.

If you are judging it by comparison to the Rolex 24 hour race, then it will look like a goat path after looking at the high banks of Daytona. Also, a lot of professional drivers have the ability to make their car very wide! Hopefully the track will be wide enough for the historic racers so no cars get injured.

Keith Vail · **Posted:** Tue May 31, 2005 9:21 am

Having grown up in NY and gone to Lime Rock and Watkins Glen every year, VIR is definitely not a narrow track. There are some parts of it that are narrower than others but overall it is fairly open. It is a great track to spectate at, plenty of good vantage points. Unfortunately I have never raced on it.

MilesBeam · **Joined:** Fri Aug 15, 2003 1:57 pm **Posts:** 427

If the CCR guys are right, High Rock is considering a 1000 ft x 1000 ft autocross pad. That's a one million square foot pad! (that's a good bit of acreage) If they really pull that off, that would be a very nice pad. The question for our club is.... would our membership want to add another site to our schedule that is 2 hrs away from Raleigh. Of course, it is closer for our Durham and western friends than from those in Raleigh and eastward.

A pad that size is going to be very expensive. It would not surprise me if they decide that it just isn't cost effective to do for awhile.

Nonetheless, it certainly couldn't hurt to have the option of going there. In some way, I think the long term future of autocrossing (say 20 or 30 years from now) may depend on having dedicated sites at race friendly facilities like this one.

Miles

Ryan Holton · **Posted:** Wed Jun 01, 2005 9:16 am

MilesBeam wrote:

If the CCR guys are right, High Rock is considering a 1000 ft x 1000 ft autocross pad. That's a one million square foot pad! (that's a good bit of acreage) If they really pull that off, that would be a very nice pad. The question for our club is.... would our membership want to add another site to our schedule that is 2 hrs away from Raleigh. Of course, it is closer for our Durham and western friends than from those in Raleigh and eastward.

A pad that size is going to be very expensive. It would not surprise me if they decide that it just isn't cost effective to do for awhile.

Nonetheless, it certainly couldn't hurt to have the option of going there. In some way, I think the long term future of autocrossing (say 20 or 30 years from now) may depend on having dedicated sites at race friendly facilities like this one.

Miles

1000' x 1000' is almost 23 acres for those scoring at home :shock:

I would be down for an event there. Im about as far away as one could get too!

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Wed Jun 01, 2005 9:21 am

Ryan Holton wrote:

1000' x 1000' is almost 23 acres

I wonder how much of that area Jim P. would use for a course? :wink:

Kevin Allen · **Joined:** Thu Aug 28, 2003 6:42 pm **Posts:** 3479

@ Vincent

I would definitely drive 2 hrs for that much autox space. But if it was hard-packed dirt, it would be even better.

Les Davis · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 2:04 pm **Posts:** 2059

One autocross? How about the entire THSCC autocross season series? It doesn't hurt that my parents live within 20 minutes of this site so I'll have a free place to stay... :wink:

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