Chime in: Hangtown track layout - the wall

Kanewel433
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Kanewel433
Edited Date/Time 5/23/2018 8:02am
What are your thoughts on the wall at Hangtown (where Bloss grazed Nicoletti)? I felt like it disrupted the flow of the track and ultimately the race, but having never ridden Hangtown, I could be wrong.
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Stuntman949
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Stuntman949 5/22/2018 3:57pm
5/22/2018 3:57pm
I'm good with it. Never hurts to speed check now and then imo
mattyhamz2 5/22/2018 3:58pm
5/22/2018 3:58pm
Stuntman949 wrote:
I'm good with it. Never hurts to speed check now and then imo
This. I like to see these guys slowed down every so often
JOE_SPROCKETS#1 5/22/2018 3:59pm
5/22/2018 3:59pm
I liked it. Watching the hungrier rider send it for a pass is what its about.
jorgechavez 5/22/2018 4:03pm
5/22/2018 4:03pm
I liked it. But I think the spot they put it in is the reason why, guys were able to kind of launch off the wall and make the turn mid air. I think if they put it say in the middle of the section it was at the end of, it would have been terrible.

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GuyB
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GuyB 5/22/2018 4:08pm
5/22/2018 4:08pm
In the past, I think part of the reason the tracks were dug up so deep was to try and slow them down.

I'm okay with occasional obstacles that accomplish the same thing but allow the tracks to have a bit more of their natural character.
ttugrad1793
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ttugrad1793 5/22/2018 4:16pm
5/22/2018 4:16pm
GuyB wrote:
In the past, I think part of the reason the tracks were dug up so deep was to try and slow them down. I'm okay with...
In the past, I think part of the reason the tracks were dug up so deep was to try and slow them down.

I'm okay with occasional obstacles that accomplish the same thing but allow the tracks to have a bit more of their natural character.
not being snarky, but if the tracks "were dug so deep in the past", then what is the reason for continuing to do so today? Slotcar racing is AWFUL and we sure do see a lot of it in the nationals.
GuyB
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GuyB 5/22/2018 4:19pm
5/22/2018 4:19pm
ttugrad1793 wrote:
not being snarky, but if the tracks "were dug so deep in the past", then what is the reason for continuing to do so today? Slotcar...
not being snarky, but if the tracks "were dug so deep in the past", then what is the reason for continuing to do so today? Slotcar racing is AWFUL and we sure do see a lot of it in the nationals.
I don't think that was the case at Hangtown...at all. I'd say over the last year, I've seen less of this than in the past.
downard254
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downard254 5/22/2018 4:27pm
5/22/2018 4:27pm
ttugrad1793 wrote:
not being snarky, but if the tracks "were dug so deep in the past", then what is the reason for continuing to do so today? Slotcar...
not being snarky, but if the tracks "were dug so deep in the past", then what is the reason for continuing to do so today? Slotcar racing is AWFUL and we sure do see a lot of it in the nationals.
GuyB wrote:
I don't think that was the case at Hangtown...at all. I'd say over the last year, I've seen less of this than in the past.
I was going to start a thread giving props to the Hangtown track crew. That was nearly perfect prep. I especially liked how the turns were less slotted and allowed multiple line changes mid turn. Makes for great racing when you can’t predict where the guy behind you is going to go.
mx317
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mx317 5/22/2018 4:27pm
5/22/2018 4:27pm
I hope the "plow axle deep" trend will go away. It has trickled down to local tracks too much. It seemed that last year (when rain was forecasted and they didn't plow so deep) produced better racing. Hopefully Hangtown is a preview of how they will prep tracks this year.
Frank
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Frank 5/22/2018 4:36pm
5/22/2018 4:36pm
As a rider I love disc'd and watered tracks. Why? Because it is easier to go fast and more fun. Unfortunately last time I checked easy and fun are not supposed to be in the definition of the professional sport of motocross.

Nasty, bomb crater, hard pack, chug hole laden, dry and omg even a little dusty is why its called motocross.

Better yet leave 25% of the track rocky hard pack, 25% of the track light disc, 25% of the track deep disc and the other 25% bottomless sand. That will challenge the mechanics, tire choice and separate the men from the boys on the track.

downard254
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downard254 5/22/2018 4:38pm
5/22/2018 4:38pm
Frank wrote:
As a rider I love disc'd and watered tracks. Why? Because it is easier to go fast and more fun. Unfortunately last time I checked easy...
As a rider I love disc'd and watered tracks. Why? Because it is easier to go fast and more fun. Unfortunately last time I checked easy and fun are not supposed to be in the definition of the professional sport of motocross.

Nasty, bomb crater, hard pack, chug hole laden, dry and omg even a little dusty is why its called motocross.

Better yet leave 25% of the track rocky hard pack, 25% of the track light disc, 25% of the track deep disc and the other 25% bottomless sand. That will challenge the mechanics, tire choice and separate the men from the boys on the track.

Frank, that’s actually a pretty cool idea. I’d love to see a track or two experiment with it.
GuyB
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GuyB 5/22/2018 4:40pm
5/22/2018 4:40pm Edited Date/Time 5/22/2018 4:42pm
Frank wrote:
As a rider I love disc'd and watered tracks. Why? Because it is easier to go fast and more fun. Unfortunately last time I checked easy...
As a rider I love disc'd and watered tracks. Why? Because it is easier to go fast and more fun. Unfortunately last time I checked easy and fun are not supposed to be in the definition of the professional sport of motocross.

Nasty, bomb crater, hard pack, chug hole laden, dry and omg even a little dusty is why its called motocross.

Better yet leave 25% of the track rocky hard pack, 25% of the track light disc, 25% of the track deep disc and the other 25% bottomless sand. That will challenge the mechanics, tire choice and separate the men from the boys on the track.

Well, you also have to consider the track's natural character. Old Hangtown? That was a lot of hardpack. Thunder Valley is also more of a natural hardpack. A lot of the other tracks? Not so much.

I do like that not all the tracks get amended (sand, rice hulls, wood chips) maybe as much as they used to. For a while, it felt like we were starting to get a universal racing surface. I think it's cool how in Europe you might have a different set of results from weekend to weekend, based on the terrain they're on that weekend, whether sand, hardpack, or something in between.
Crush
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Crush 5/22/2018 5:01pm
5/22/2018 5:01pm
I understand if people don't like it because it's not "natural", but really it was like a gully you dropped in and raced out, so not that far from the spirit of moto and given the amount of passing that happened there I'm good with it.
loftyair
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loftyair 5/22/2018 6:13pm
5/22/2018 6:13pm
I remember a couple years ago in the early season back east, 1 of the tracks had 2-foot deep of wood-chip mud. They made the 'b' guys go out first. Half that practice blew their motors because of radiator clogging, it was not cool.
burn1986
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burn1986 5/22/2018 6:50pm
5/22/2018 6:50pm
I wasn't crazy about the wall, everyone was jumping out to flat ground. But, like stuntman949 said, it is good to slow it down a little.
tp4
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tp4 5/22/2018 6:52pm
5/22/2018 6:52pm Edited Date/Time 5/22/2018 6:53pm
GuyB wrote:
In the past, I think part of the reason the tracks were dug up so deep was to try and slow them down. I'm okay with...
In the past, I think part of the reason the tracks were dug up so deep was to try and slow them down.

I'm okay with occasional obstacles that accomplish the same thing but allow the tracks to have a bit more of their natural character.
this.....= good!
KirkChandler
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KirkChandler 5/22/2018 7:02pm
5/22/2018 7:02pm
I liked the half pipe. Places that make passing possible are good in my book.




burn1986
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burn1986 5/22/2018 7:11pm
5/22/2018 7:11pm
Yep, the half pipe was totally cool

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ga_pike
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ga_pike 5/22/2018 7:22pm
5/22/2018 7:22pm
Both the wall and halfpipe are great.

Also, on the more "natural" thing... I hope Unadilla goes back to a grass surface to start the weekend. That was always the best track surface IMO
Johnny Depp
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Johnny Depp 5/22/2018 7:39pm
5/22/2018 7:39pm
Good thread here. Some great opinions being shared, the trickle down effect of Pro race tracks is bigger than many realize. Change is good, mixed surfaces will help the USA riders develop into better riders. The days of boring slot car tracks where the 4 strokes get blamed for boring racing may finally be changing. Jody started it with the seat deep rut straights in Glen Helen. Good riddance.
Just south of Paradise... 5/22/2018 8:21pm
5/22/2018 8:21pm
The track was prepped well. I kept waiting for dust, but it never really happened. The one new S curve after the uphill hip jump was kind of funky, it kind of looked like they just pulled out a weedeater and mowed down the grass, not as worked in as the other sections which is not too surprising. PA announcer said they brought in $30K worth of sand this year in preparation for the National (that must have been 100s of tons), and you definitely see the sections where they used it in, very different character then prior years. Good turnout too, I would say almost 2x the size of the crowd last year (when it was pretty hot). Sat next to Blakes mom both 450 motos. She said he is healthy, but in her opinion was suffering from bad set up (his rear end bounced around all over the place compared to some of the other riders). That lady knows her moto!
kpersonius264 5/23/2018 12:25am
5/23/2018 12:25am
KirkChandler wrote:
I liked the half pipe. Places that make passing possible are good in my book. [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2018/05/22/263538/s1200_035633B2_1020_4C3A_B927_F0E42A773E7E.jpg[/img] [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2018/05/22/263539/s1200_B06A5B36_43DC_4285_8383_2D51515385CB.jpg[/img] [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2018/05/22/263540/s1200_2D627377_E98F_467D_BA02_C9A5CB7A9EF5.jpg[/img]
I liked the half pipe. Places that make passing possible are good in my book.




I love these pics. You got my girlfriend and I (green t shirt and blue tank top) pretty good lol.
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kevin204 5/23/2018 1:13am
5/23/2018 1:13am
Frank wrote:
As a rider I love disc'd and watered tracks. Why? Because it is easier to go fast and more fun. Unfortunately last time I checked easy...
As a rider I love disc'd and watered tracks. Why? Because it is easier to go fast and more fun. Unfortunately last time I checked easy and fun are not supposed to be in the definition of the professional sport of motocross.

Nasty, bomb crater, hard pack, chug hole laden, dry and omg even a little dusty is why its called motocross.

Better yet leave 25% of the track rocky hard pack, 25% of the track light disc, 25% of the track deep disc and the other 25% bottomless sand. That will challenge the mechanics, tire choice and separate the men from the boys on the track.

GuyB wrote:
Well, you also have to consider the track's natural character. Old Hangtown? That was a lot of hardpack. Thunder Valley is also more of a natural...
Well, you also have to consider the track's natural character. Old Hangtown? That was a lot of hardpack. Thunder Valley is also more of a natural hardpack. A lot of the other tracks? Not so much.

I do like that not all the tracks get amended (sand, rice hulls, wood chips) maybe as much as they used to. For a while, it felt like we were starting to get a universal racing surface. I think it's cool how in Europe you might have a different set of results from weekend to weekend, based on the terrain they're on that weekend, whether sand, hardpack, or something in between.
Do you think any of the issues with the discing/over-watering of the tracks has to do with 4 motos back-to-back-to-back-to-back? There's next to no time between races to do maintenance, so they overcompensate in the morning to keep dust down, especially.
Motofinne
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Motofinne 5/23/2018 1:16am
5/23/2018 1:16am
I think the track layout and the track prep was really good.

It wasn't the usual slotcar racing that we see way too often in US national and the layout changes were positive. I would however bin the "halfpipe", i'm not a fan of that section.
zehn
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zehn 5/23/2018 1:33am
5/23/2018 1:33am
Motofinne wrote:
I think the track layout and the track prep was really good. It wasn't the usual slotcar racing that we see way too often in US...
I think the track layout and the track prep was really good.

It wasn't the usual slotcar racing that we see way too often in US national and the layout changes were positive. I would however bin the "halfpipe", i'm not a fan of that section.
I thought that that section made for some great passes
abomination 5/23/2018 2:03am
5/23/2018 2:03am Edited Date/Time 5/23/2018 2:04am
it wasn't really a wall…it was more like the first two jumps of the 3-5-3 they do in supercross, where they'll sometimes slam into the 5 to pop over the backside of the last 3, but here it was as if that last 3 was a tabletop they landed on (that probably makes little sense).

to me, a wall is where you have to slam on the brakes, and scrub or limp over (unless you're stew), whereas everyone was hitting this at speed.
motomike137
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motomike137 5/23/2018 3:46am
5/23/2018 3:46am
I really liked Hangtown this year. The fact that they let the soil be what it is instead of trying to make it like every other race was great. I hope some of the other venues take note. As for the wall and the half-pipe I think they fit nicely into the layout. Tomac used the half pipe to his advantage a few times.
Bramlett321
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Bramlett321 5/23/2018 4:50am
5/23/2018 4:50am
burn1986 wrote:
Yep, the half pipe was totally cool
^^^^Kinda cool man...I didn't know the spectators were right above the riders until the photo was posted. As a super fan I'd love to be there waving a shirt with a hot Budweiser lol.
BobKerr
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BobKerr 5/23/2018 4:58am
5/23/2018 4:58am
I think wall jumps are stupid.
aFACEdismembered 5/23/2018 7:31am
5/23/2018 7:31am
ga_pike wrote:
Both the wall and halfpipe are great. Also, on the more "natural" thing... I hope Unadilla goes back to a grass surface to start the weekend...
Both the wall and halfpipe are great.

Also, on the more "natural" thing... I hope Unadilla goes back to a grass surface to start the weekend. That was always the best track surface IMO
At least part of the track. Maybe the start straight, everything after the first corner to the corner after gravity cavity, The wall, and a few sections that don't have jumps. Let them develop naturally.

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