Midwest LSR Venue?

[Worlds Fastest Comanche]

I ran across this article where they close public highways in Nevada for racing once a year.    http://www.davewolin.com/gtoracing04.pdf     Be sweet to close a section of interstate for 7 miles or so.   The lanes going the other direction could be the return road.   Many times there is an old US highway that the interstate replaced that run parallel  to the interstate making it easy to divert traffic.

Interstate 155 from exit 10-19 in Illinois looks like a good candidate, since it is a Bypass, no big traffic problems if it is closed.   It is located between Peoria and Norman, IL      I have not been on the road, it looks straight on the map, but no idea if it is level. 

[Toolman]

Commanche,   Wondered if you ever looked into Chanute Air Force Base. Has several long runways. They recently had the American Street Rod Nationals there. Next year I hear they are also having nostalgia drags. They have an air museum there that is very active. The air base is used on a limited basis. Forgot to say, the base is at Rantoul, il.

GENE TINNEY aka Toolman

[RansomT]

Commanche,   Wondered if you ever looked into Chanute Air Force Base. Has several long runways. They recently had the American Street Rod Nationals there. Next year I hear they are also having nostalgia drags. They have an air museum there that is very active. The air base is used on a limited basis. Forgot to say, the base is at Rantoul, il.

GENE TINNEY aka Toolman

4200 foot runway

[dw230]

I spent two tours of duty there during my service. My first wife almost left me to return to California one Winter.

4200 feet is a little short for a mile event. Maybe run scooters for 1/2 mile?

DW

[Worlds Fastest Comanche]

Actually ATV races sound like fun

[geezer1]

Hello,
I'm jumping into this thread late. Has any group approached the local gov't unit about renting Wurtsmith Air Force base in Michigan? There was a local that spoke of it being available on a daily basis (including Fire and Rescue) at an established rate. I emailed Joe Timney, asking about it and haven't had a reply yet. I have friends that ran a roofing business in the Alpena area. They have worked on the base over the years, and might be a door opener with the Oscoda zoning board. I don't want to take a run at it if someone was already told to forget it. Any feedback?

Thanks,

Geo Turner, Michigan

[Milwaukee Midget]

Wow, looks about 10,000+ long.  I see it's used for freight and no passenger service.  Key would be if they were willing to give up their privileges once (or twice?) a year.

[Worlds Fastest Comanche]

If you call it up on google earth they have a measurement tool, i got about 2.35 miles, so probably about 12,000'   Similar to Loring.   It must be an old SAC base where they landed B52s.    About 400 miles from my house,  Probably the people from Wisconsin could take the high speed ferry from Milwaukee and have a 7-9 hour travel time.    Not bad to get there from Ohio or Indiana either.      Air would be cool( cold?)    

Its 1,000 miles to Maxton and 1,500 to the salt, so anything closer would be great.   Probably could have a standing 1.5 mile.  

[55chevr]

direction-6/24      length-11,800     surface- Asphalt

[geezer1]

If you call it up on google earth they have a measurement tool, i got about 2.35 miles, so probably about 12,000'   Similar to Loring.   It must be an old SAC base where they landed B52s.    About 400 miles from my house,  Probably the people from Wisconsin could take the high speed ferry from Milwaukee and have a 7-9 hour travel time.    Not bad to get there from Ohio or Indiana either.      Air would be cool( cold?)    

Its 1,000 miles to Maxton and 1,500 to the salt, so anything closer would be great.   Probably could have a standing 1.5 mile.  

So what do we do now? We went to Maxton 3 times this summer -  Big tow bucks,fire ants and wrecked chutes...! I'd love to be able to drive to an event without leaving Michigan - how cool would that be?
 I'm still hoping that someone has info about previous contacts - ? If no one has tried to get something going- I will....

[Milwaukee Midget]

Sounds like the ad hoc beginnings of the Midwest Landspeed Racers Association.

Count me in, boys and girls. 

[Milwaukee Midget]

Assuming the facility might be available for such an event, I'd like to hear from the folks at Loring and Maxton as to what they had to overcome to make their events happen.

[geezer1]

Assuming the facility might be available for such an event, I'd like to hear from the folks at Loring and Maxton as to what they had to overcome to make their events happen.

As I said earlier - I've emailed Joe about it - after the event this weekend, maybe he will give us his thoughts about it.

Thanks for your response.

Geo Turner

[Worlds Fastest Comanche]

When i was down at Maxton in June, i was talking to some people about Loring, the ECTA ( including Joe T) people went up the first year to help out.   I did ask about the date, being so close to speed week many people going to Loring were not going to Bonneville because of having to make the two trips so close together.   I asked stupid question" why not schedule it in middle of July or something like that?"   The answer was that the conservation people had determined that some bird was nesting close to the runway and you couldn't make noise while they were nesting.   I'm all for being environmentally aware, but THEY USE TO LAND B52s there!!    And they are worried about the noise from the cars and Bikes??   

The moral of the story is that you have no idea of all the problems you will face when you start something like this.  I don' think it will be a big problem to find people willing to participate, or even run it.  If we can get the use of the Venue, the biggest hurdle  will be purchasing the timing equipment and funding the in ital event. 

But i agree the ECTA and Loring people could probably be a big help.  It does raise the issue of having a National Land speed Racing association so the rules would be standard between venues.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

"the biggest hurdle  will be purchasing the timing equipment".

I wonder -- if maybe I could dig around and see if some "timing equipment" that'd be suitable for such an event -- suitable meaning accuracy and portability -- can be rented or leased vs. outright purchased.  I still have some ideas. . .but won't bother to bring them up here -- no sense in beating that horse any more.  I've been kicked enough times.  Nonetheless, if someone gets serious about a new venue and there's a high liklihood that a race event will happen -- then please contact me directly and let me see if I can provide.