The Process of Getting New Sites

Zach Hill · **Posted:** Wed Apr 18, 2012 3:58 pm

Chuck Branscomb wrote:

VIR skidpad is VERY small for an autocross...too small. It's 280' x 280' with concrete barriers right along the edge of 1/2 of it. Totally unusable. Greenville is over 700' x 240' or so, and although everyone agrees it is "small" too, it is vastly larger than VIR's skidpad.

Actually, I have "autocrossed" on the VIR skidpad before. A few years ago during a Grand Am weekend, a Subaru dealership was running a promotion for the new WRX. They allowed anyone to sign up and watch a 10-minute safety video and then take two runs on their ~20 second course in a brand new WRX. I think I scared the guy who rode with me.

But yeah, definitely not enough room to hold a proper event there, and knowing VIR's pricing structure, it'd probably be $10K to rent for a day... :roll:

JamesMilko · **Posted:** Tue Apr 24, 2012 5:34 pm

There is a MASSIVE auto auction being built on 85 southbound north of Durham. I saw it on my way to NCCAR and meant to grab some info on the way back but I ended up taking a different route home. Does anyone head out that way somewhere often? I don't remember exactly where it was so it could be anywhere between I-85 and NC55 in Durham to NC158.

It's still in the process of being paved and it was hard to see exactly how big it was but it was absolutely massive.

Jordan Normark · **Posted:** Sat Jun 02, 2012 4:32 pm

What about Wilson Industrial Airport. Mapquest shows it is 49 minutes from my house, just outside the beltline in North Raleigh. It was a WWII airfield, so it has the triangular runways with lots of pavement. I have flown in there a few times and the pavement was in good shape on 21/3, much better than L-burg.

https://maps.google.com/maps?oe=UTF-8&i ... CAkQ_BIwAw

Ryan Holton · **Posted:** Sun Jun 03, 2012 4:49 pm

Jordan Normark wrote:

What about Wilson Industrial Airport. Mapquest shows it is 49 minutes from my house, just outside the beltline in North Raleigh. It was a WWII airfield, so it has the triangular runways with lots of pavement. I have flown in there a few times and the pavement was in good shape on 21/3, much better than L-burg.

https://maps.google.com/maps?oe=UTF-8&i ... CAkQ_BIwAw

Vincent Keene has an "in" at the airport and I think the answer was NFW.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Sun Jun 03, 2012 8:07 pm

Ryan Holton wrote:

Jordan Normark wrote:

What about Wilson Industrial Airport. Mapquest shows it is 49 minutes from my house, just outside the beltline in North Raleigh. It was a WWII airfield, so it has the triangular runways with lots of pavement. I have flown in there a few times and the pavement was in good shape on 21/3, much better than L-burg.

https://maps.google.com/maps?oe=UTF-8&i ... CAkQ_BIwAw

Vincent Keene has an "in" at the airport and I think the answer was NFW.

Correct. My boss is pretty well connected in Wilson (as is Bowie of course) and he said we would have better luck asking to autocross on the lawn of the White House. The airport is controlled by the "Wilson Airport Authority" and they are like their own little city. In Wilson I doubt anyone besides the FAA could influence them.

RobLupella · **Posted:** Sun Jun 03, 2012 11:02 pm

Maybe the next time we spot a perfect piece of asphalt somewhere we should just meet up there on a Sunday and occupy it....

Jordan Normark · **Posted:** Sun Jun 03, 2012 11:14 pm

RobLupella wrote:

Maybe the next time we spot a perfect piece of asphalt somewhere we should just meet up there on a Sunday and occupy it....

Sounds like the new "American way".

That's a shame about Wilson...and every other site thats less than 2 hours away.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2012 8:12 am

FWIW, I was at Southern National (Kenly) Saturday night and the paved infield looks like it would work just fine for an event w/o using the actual speedway for the course. We could probably use the straight for grid though.

Matt McGrain · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2012 1:53 pm

Good to hear the feedback Vincent. We're working on a few of the smaller logistical details but the possibilies are looking pretty good for doing an event there this season and the amount of space is very comparable to the Greenville lot but a little longer overall I'd say.

Here are a few shots from a our meeting there a few weeks ago:

Steven Carter · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2012 1:59 pm

Those barriers look pretty....immovable. :shock:

Any thoughts on course design and ways to safely set up elements that minimize risk of contact? Are you thinking of using infield only, or infield plus a straight and a turn or two?

Hopeful this works out!

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2012 2:01 pm

Matt McGrain wrote:

Good to hear the feedback Vincent. We're working on a few of the smaller logistical details but the possibilies are looking pretty good for doing an event there this season and the amount of space is very comparable to the Greenville lot but a little longer overall I'd say.

Sorry Matt. I didn't know you guys were actively pursuing this site. You guys don't need any back seat driving from me. Carry on!

Matt McGrain · **Posted:** Thu Jun 14, 2012 4:33 pm

So for those that we're at the meeting, we're most likely going to tell SNMP that we're not interested as the barriers & the buildings might be just a little too close for comfort. Also, I swung by Dolly's Theatre (well, technically it's Roanoke Rapids' now) and if it weren't for the lightpoles, there'd be potential but this is a bust.

Jason Mauldin · **Posted:** Thu Jun 14, 2012 8:52 pm

Any chance that we good get an update on which sites have told us to go pound sand?

BriceJohnson · **Joined:** Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:33 am **Posts:** 2230

So far, just the state highway patrol site. The site Kevin pointed out had a ton of light poles, snmp was a bit too tight. We are gonna visit crown colesium next week, I have high hopes for it. They do sheriffs driver training events in the northwest lot already. We can only visit so many sites every week considering I have to burn vacation days for each visit.

Steven Carter · **Posted:** Thu Jun 14, 2012 11:28 pm

That site looks sweet...fingers crossed! :thumbsup:

THSCC Forums

The Process of Getting New Sites

Who is online