78 replies to this topic

[PCH Parts Express]

This is a good time to change out the air conditioner filters and change out any burnt out lamps. The place is looking good. 

[tonyp]

I believe Ed has owned a raceway before and knows what he is doing. I wish him great success; he is a great guy.

 

Now I hope he finishes up with a nice blue King or real American orange track with the esses. Can't wait to make the trip down there.

[Twisted Metal]

Thank you Mike, Scott, and Tony P!

Today we moved the huge tri-oval into the space and started laying it out. Great progress was made and thanks to everyone that came out to help... it is greatly appreciated!!

 

 

[Gator Bob]

If Ed is on it... it'll be right!

 

That oval looks wild fast.

 

Where was it before?

[mcrracer]

Good luck! Another great reason to come visit Florida! How far from Orlando?

[Michael Rigsby]

Marlon, probably in the 1.5 to 2.0 hour range depending on how fast you drive and the traffic on I-4 to that area.

 

Looks good, Ed, and I wish  you the best of luck. Now I need a track again in Jacksonville... dang it.

[tonyp]

Holy crap, that is big.

[MattD]

Best of luck, you local guys get out there and support this effort.

[Twisted Metal]

Coming down the 50+ foot backstretch into the flat turn will be fun on either black or red... OK, maybe not for everyone? LOL!!

Black lane is 108' and red is 125' to make it the longest tri-oval in the south that I know of.

I saved the track from a couple of guys who bought it from a storage unit auction in Pooler, GA, back in February. It is a Ogilvie that was built in 1999 still in great shape. If anyone knows the past history of it I would love to hear more.

[Jay Guard]

This looks exactly like the huge Ogilvie tri-oval (even the same color) that was in Cullman, AL, in the 2007-8 time frame. The last name of the guy that ran the shop was Champion but I don't remember his first name.
 
This track has such a large infield you might consider making a "flat track" infield or a chicane section for it. Not sure I'd go the route that Greg did in Holly Hill though. Might be better just to make a couple of easily replaceable sections that could be retrofitted in a few minutes rather than have the "cross-over slot issues" that Holly Hill has.
 
Nonetheless, I'll be there for your races when I'm in Florida.

[tonyp]

Good idea, Jay.

[SlotStox#53]

Holy crap that is big.

Was just gonna say that!

I've seen ovals, but not that big!

Would love to race on it.

[blkdout76]

I'm surprised Rapid Rick hasn't commented on this yet, perhaps he hasn't been on Slotblog in a while.

But since he moved from CT to the Tampa area he hasn't had a place to race. He'll be stoked to see this.

[Samiam]

Not sure if you have a road course yet but I saw THIS on eBay.

Flat tracks aren't for everyone but they will attract their own following.

[Twisted Metal]

Jay,
Tim Tompkins notified me today on FB and thought it might have been the one he had in GA and sold it. To someone in Brunswick, GA around five or six years ago.

Yes, I have a plan/design that will allow a section of the backstretch to be changed out fairly quickly with no crossover and hope to have it available by 2016 to install. Look forward to seeing you when you can make it.

Gary,
Rapid Rick and I have been talking and he has been by the raceway helping out. He is in the hospital for gall bladder stones right now and yes he is stoked!!

Sam,
I appreciate you sending the link on the track. The LTD layout is a very nice track and the one Jeff is selling on eBay was completely redone recently but takes a lot space up.

[Les Boyd]

The tri oval does look fast. I have run on one in Kentucky that had the flat turn at the end of the long straight. Getting the car slowed down to get through that turn was wild and made for constant and spectacular crashes.

 

The cars that worked best where lightweight chassis that had gear ratios that gave the cars lots of brakes. Cars that where geared lower (for higher top end) would be faster for a few laps but would get the motors hot and lose their brakes and end up crashing over and over.

 

For what it is worth the track would be easer to drive and a whole lot more fun would be to put the high bank turn at the end of the long straight.

 

A tri-oval that I ran on in IN was set up that way. And after running on both types I can say the track with the banked turn after the long straight was much better and especially for newbies.

[DOCinCanton]

Ed, how are things coming along?

[Cheater]

From Ed's Fast Eddie's Facebook page:

"Alright folks... another week and a lot has taken place on the raceway. The fastest Hillclimb in the south has been assembled and is resting in her new location. Special thanks to Warner, Guy, and Wayne on all of your help this past week on getting it all together. We still have all of the braid connections and wiring harness to install so it will be at least another week until it is up and operating. Thanks to Ken Smith & Ken Engart we have the new power supply installed on the Tri-Oval and the computer for the timing system has been installed at the race directors stand so everything on the tri-oval is working great now.

This past Tuesday evening we had a meeting at the track with several of the racers that were able to make it out to discuss the different classes & rules for the races. More will be published on those along with a schedule.

Friday night we ran another break-out test race with those who were able to make it out to the track. This was a 4.6 break-out race and I did not get a photo of the final results but everyone that made it had a great time and here's how they finished. Corky 190 laps, Guy 170, James 169, Warner 169, Bobby 139, Jeff 135 if my memory is correct!!

Tomorrow evening the track will be opening for business and the first scheduled races will be 4.5" FCR Hardbody & 4.5" Dirt Late Model. Tech will start at 6:45-7:00 PM with qualifying starting immediately after. If we do not get enough to run either class then we will run another break-out race most likely.

Parts are in so if you need anything we should have it.

Tuesday evening we will be closed.

Wednesday evening the track will be open for test & tune so you can shake some of the dust off of those old slot cars. Track time will be $10 for the entire evening.

Thursday evening we will be running a run what you brung 4.6 seconds break-out class on the oval. Any type of car, motor. or chassis can be run in this class as long as it's not a wing car. The rules are 3.25" max in tires and body width and 1/16" of an inch clearance and that's it.

This Friday it will be Modifieds and 4" Flexi NASCAR.

Stay tuned for all of the rules for each class to be posted for reference and we hope to see some of you later in the week."

[CoastalAngler1]

I saw Rollin over at Fast Eddie's this weekend.       Got me a pit box sticker!  

 

[Wizard Of Iz]

Charlie...

 

Good to see you this weekend at Fast Eddie's. 

 

Yep. I was having a real deja vu moment putting the inventory on the wall. It seemed like I just put that stuff in a box a couple of weeks ago.      I know he was ready to be able to sell some stuff and see some money coming in. Because opening a raceway means a lot of money is going out.

 

Ed's place is going to be very fast!! There are a bunch of great racers in the Tampa Bay area!!

[Danny Zona]

I'm very happy the fastest Hillclimb in the south is able to stay in FL.

Thank you, Rollin and Johnny, for the years y'all had it.

Thank you, Ed, for buying it and keeping it in FL.

[tonyp]

Ditto.

What's nice is even though it's a haul for some of us, it is a track we know so no suprises when you walk in the door.

[CoastalAngler1]

I met Brian and saw him with a flexi on a jig, looked better than what I do to 'em.  

Can't wait to see if my cars go fast - This place is gonna be sweet! The photos don't do it justice - the race director's perch is too cool. Pits in the middle between the tracks are gonna be the ones in high demand. I guess now is the time to buy another slot box and park it there to reserve space...

[Cheater]

Don't let him do that, Ed... LOL!

[CoastalAngler1]

Are the 4" flexi NASCARs gonna continue racing on the oval after the hillclimb is set up?  GTP, GT-1/LMP on the hillclimb?  

I'm ready to setup some flexi cars...

 

Hey Ed, why don't we try Outlaw rules for the flexis?