Friday, July 12, 2013

How to build a racetrack


It's always seemed to me that building a street course is like trying to make a couture dress out of the contents of someone's sewing basket, or building a sports car out of car parts found in the back of a garage. You can't do it with just any sewing basket or garage, so your odds of success will always be slim, and even if it works, the result will always have something ... odd ... about it. Something ad hoc, even unfinished.

You can't even compare street circuits to their closest cousin - rally stages. Rally stages only require the consent of locals, a handful of flags to mark the course and track marshalls to wait for accidents; maintenance is beside the point, and no racer expects to drive on anything but a nasty, challenging dirt track. A street circuit, on the other hand, has to be massaged expensively into existence, maintained despite being dismantled for the rest of the year, and exists mostly as an act of will on the part of race organizers, city officials and fans.


And yet we love them, if only so we can see someone tear through streets at wild speeds that we drive timidly and lawfully (hopefully.) As proper race tracks and speedways close down or move further from our city limits, road courses are a chance for race fans to stake out their turf for one weekend a year, maybe, and remind everyone else what they could have if the local racetrack, built in what were once farmer's fields, hadn't been shut down after years of noise complaints from its new suburban neighbours, its hairpins and banked turns bulldozed and turned into townhouses or a Wal-Mart parking lot.

Toronto's downtown Indycar circuit is over twenty years old and has survived despite complaints from locals mysteriously indifferent or even hostile to the song of unmuffled V8 engines. The track is carved out of just under two miles of street and laneways that are part of the Canadian National Exhibition grounds - Ontario's equivalent of a state fair - and a long stretch of lakeside boulevard.


It's not the fastest track around, and it doesn't offer much in the way of elevation changes or even scenic streetscapes. In other words, it's no Monaco. But it's ours, and as long as someone - Indycar, in this case - is willing to put it on the schedule and city hall is willing to broker a weekend's worth of coexistence between gearheads and killjoys, it's the racing highlight of my year.


They began building the course six weeks ago, at a press event where a group of workers and a forklift ceremoniously began assembling the south wall of the start/finish straight. As with anything like this, the numbers are impressive: Over 2,000 concrete barriers withing almost 9,000 lbs. each, 1,200 sheets of fencing measuring over 14,000 feet, 1,600 feet of tire wall and 5,000 metric tons of asphalt to patch up the potholes and cracks that happen on regularly-used roads in a city with a brutal winter freeze-thaw cycle and a fleet of salt trucks.


A few weeks after the press event, I walked around the track to check out the progress on an overcast June morning. I couldn't see any of the 200 track workers on site, but they'd made some progress, building about a third of the safety barriers and most of at least two of the grandstands.


On the asphalt by pit lane, the ghosts of last year's burnouts still marked the ground, and the checkered line of the start line was still there, as weathered as the red-and-white lines marking the corners. A few of the concrete barriers still bore traces of last year's vinyl advertising, and the welds on the manhole covers still looked fresh, even if they'd been cut back open almost eleven months ago.


The racing surface certainly looked sketchy, with big patches of concrete at high speed corners and cracks worming their way through the asphalt almost everywhere. Still, this is probably one of the best-maintained road surfaces in the city, warts and all, but I can't imagine what it's like to race it at up to 180 mph on slicks, never mind in the rain. The tightest corners look barely as wide as two cars, and the concrete and steel fencing makes any mistake a likely car-wrecker.

Which is why we probably love street tracks: They're unlikely and endangered and unforgiving, and they showcase the fact that race car drivers are people who do really crazy things really well, at speed, at nearly any place where we're willing to build an oval or block off some streets and say, "Go ahead, but try not to get yourself killed."

31 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  5. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  6. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  7. then every now and then, a massive flower that looks like a deformed banana in a pleated, deep red skirt.fence company kalamazoo

    ReplyDelete
  8. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  9. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  10. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  11. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  12. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  13. This is the remarkable article as well as it is valuable for the entire person and I want to say that I would like to write on this subject too. You have an interesting written on this topic.
    Cash For Cars in Logan

    ReplyDelete
  14. While marketing can be tricky, it is the content that makes the site important. If you provide informative content that serves the needs of your visitors, word will spread.
    cash for scrap cars sydney
    cash for scrap cars brisbane
    cash for cars gold coast

    ReplyDelete
  15. I read so many blogs everyday but your blog is much more interesting than all of those, thanks for posting such an unique content!

    https://www.deltacarwreckers.co.nz

    ReplyDelete
  16. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I’m truly enjoying the post on your website, excellent work! more car wreckers brisbane Express Auto Wreckers provide you with a chance to sell your old and trash cars, trucks in good money.

    ReplyDelete
  18. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  19. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  20. You have done a brilliant job making sure that people understand where you are coming from. And let me tell you, I get it. Please post more updates to cure.
    cash for cars ipswich

    ReplyDelete
  21. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Well maintained blog!! Looking for the matchless deals for your old car in cash for cars Canberra, cash for car Canberra
    ? Let's come - cash for cars Sydney, cash for car Sydney

    ReplyDelete
  23. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  24. The correct disposal of scrap metal in adelaide centres on reducing waste and achieving green and circular standards. Away Today specialises in collecting and disposing of cash for scrap metal responsibly and cost-effectively. We will effectively handle, manage, get rid of, and dispose of all metals and scrap metals on your property.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Cash for cars is a business model where individuals or companies buy used or scrap cars for cash. In Brisbane, there are several businesses that offer this service. They typically assess the condition and value of the car, and then make an offer for purchase. To find these businesses, you can search online using keywords like Cash for cars Brisbane or "car removal Brisbane".

    ReplyDelete
  26. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Very helpful blog. I like your post, if you know about my blog so, read about it.It seems like you are looking for a service that provides area. There are likely several businesses that offer Cash for Scrap Cars Parramatta service in and around Parramatta. You may want to do a quick online search or check with local auto salvage yards or scrapyards to find options in your area. It's important to do your research and compare prices to make sure you're getting a fair deal for your vehicle.

    ReplyDelete
  28. As a car enthusiast, reading about the challenges and intricacies of building a street circuit is truly fascinating. The dedication and effort involved in creating and maintaining these tracks are commendable, especially considering the logistical and structural challenges outlined in the post. The love for street circuits is evident, and it's a reminder of the passion that drives racing enthusiasts. The thrill of witnessing cars tear through the streets at wild speeds is unmatched. Looking forward to more exciting updates about racing events and maybe even some insights about Cash For Cars Perth.

    ReplyDelete