15000 foot runway for rent?

[JackD]

Closer to Honderslim.
The country is dotted with inactive runways from closed military bases.
The key is to find one that does not have FAA improvements that put it under their control and can only be used for Aviation purposes. There are exceptions to that for example Riverfront in Fla.
Politricks will always prevail.
A number of temporary tracks have been shut down by them including Inyokern that had been running for over 50 years.
Their is one in Kingman Arizona that calls itself an Airshow with a car race thrown in. The Airshow consists of hanging a sign on some planes and only the car race is real.
$5k rental was mentioned and the entry fees at $50 X100 would pay for it.
That does not include insurance or any other expenses to the organizer.
All it takes is money.

[fastesthonda_jim]

According to Google Earth:

El Toro's longest is 12,000 ft
Edwards paved is 17,000 ft.  The wide dirt runway (900 ft) is 23,000 ft, the narrow one (275 ft) is 28,500 ft.  Lessee, that's your basic 5 miles to get up to speed and then 2100 ft to stop.  Better call Jim Diest for more brakes.

And closer too!  Well for sum of us.  Also the runways are more North and South than El Mirage so those early morning runs into the rising sun don't blind you so much.

JackD, you know everyone.  Call 'em up by golly and book us some time!  You know I'm good for my $50.  And I'll even throw in a couple of cold Colt 45's to sweeten the deal.

Jim

[JackD]

And no money rides a bike or something.
There is an even longer alignment that needs some work because of the cracks caused by the lowering water table that is up to 14 miles at Edwards .
Unfortunately it is not suited for a wheel driven vehicle any more than Black Rock
On the suitable dirt or the pavement, our sport is pretty much limited to the distances we already have.
Tires selection will again be the deciding factor even worse than the problems we have now.
In the case of the bikers, they are learning tire management to make what they have go faster than the tire companies are making tires faster.  

[fastesthonda_jim]

Don't know about that suitable dirt or pavement statement.  At Maxton there's a Busa that's run over 250 in only one mile.  That's Noonan territory.  And his 259 was five miles on salt.  I mean you don't see top fuelers on the salt because there's no traction (although a bunch of the lakesters are looking like transplants).  Imagine what you could (CAREFUL BIG WORD HERE) extrapolate 300 mph in 1/4 mile to if you had 1 1/2 or 2 miles to do it!  What if Burkland could hook up?  What if Warren Johnson or Tony Pendergast re-configured their gearing, etc?

[bbb]

261mph on a Busa official at Maxton. 252 or 253 at texas. same bike.
we need tires.
we need a venue.
hell, if they can shut down entire cities in the UK for racing, why cant all of the lawyers (pronounced liars) go on vacation at the same time and leave us a nice warm dry 10 mile stretch of road open for racing.

I-10 between Casa grande and Tucson?
I-5 between Tumwater and Portland?
I-90 between downtown seattle and mercer island?
I-14 between Palo Verde and Yuma?

[Malcolm UK]

The Brits in May '05 came to the USA to run a speed attempt on 93A in Nevada where we had 8 miles of straight road.  Now it seems there even better sections of USA roads in Nevada following resurfacing (regrading you may call it).

Not everyone thinks its a good idea though.  Lots of 'what ifs' that could lead to a poor accident outcome were suggested by a few.

So the Brits have done it - the US racers could just as well.  Just don't ask the SCTA to assist if the records are FIA.

[Glen]

I also see traction causing clutch problems, And you can't run a slipper clutch that far. I sure would hate to see one come apart at speed. Saw a lot in the earlier days of drag racing and it ain't a pretty sight.

[JackD]

Man made road surfaces are not suited for the speeds needed to accommodate many LSR only vehicles including groomed runways that are not long enough either. Another consideration is the crowned surface of most prepared surfaces to promote drainage. If you want your racer drained into the woods, then you are good to go.
The development of HP has exceeded the tires for most LSR stuff. If you want to know how a drag racer star would do at LSR you might ask Don Gartlets or Bill Hilsher when he was around.
The long distance, high speed events in Texas and Nevada are speed limited to the limit of the tires now. NASCAR , IHRA, NHRA,IRL, and others share the same problem.
The additional problems we bring on ourselves are their own blessing.

[JackD]

The Brits in May '05 came to the USA to run a speed attempt on 93A in Nevada where we had 8 miles of straight road.  Now it seems there even better sections of USA roads in Nevada following resurfacing (regrading you may call it).

Not everyone thinks its a good idea though.  Lots of 'what ifs' that could lead to a poor accident outcome were suggested by a few.

So the Brits have done it - the US racers could just as well.  Just don't ask the SCTA to assist if the records are FIA.

Actually the Brits haven't done it.
 The survivability of a crash has been demonstrated with a high speed run on a public road in what should have been a very capable car and the result was very predictable as was the failure of the Electric attempt you mention.
The sport is lucky they went home a whipped puppy as opposed to the bad publicity we would have to suffer in the event of a crash with very predictable results.
We will thank you to keep that stuff home.

[aircap]

Another consideration is the crowned surface of most prepared surfaces to promote drainage. If you want your racer drained into the woods, then you are good to go.

Not to argue with anyone, but the NASA strip is dead flat, no crowning at all. A recent article in Air & Space mentioned that in really heavy rain the shuttle would divert to Edwards.[/b]

[JackD]

No argument here. the statement was "Most paved surfaces" meaning public roads with respect to drainage contours. Runways have the problem of the deterioration of the cement in the middle of the panels and the high spots near the expansion joints that are made worse with age unless they are groomed with a grinding machine. The suspension has to be able to absorb those bumps without deteriorating the performance of the vehicle. Depending on the conditions the suspension might absorb all of it at one speed and double it at another. The design of the system would have to follow the speed and change along the way or you need to find a happy spot. Sometimes a vehicle will be happy at a particular speed and be way unhappy as soon as you relax the power or break traction.

[Bow]

The Shuttle Landing Facility:

15,000ft long
300ft wide
1000ft of paved overruns at each end
the paving thickness is 15 inches at the center


It is smooth, I have stood on it. We go down there quite often for my work.

You just have to watch out for the 'Gators that sun themselves on it...

[JackD]

We have tested at Edwards and while the surface is
 as smooth and groomed as any, the tires are not up
 to the use on that surface yet.
It is available now.
Someday maybe.

[Sumner]

We have tested at Edwards and while the surface is
 as smooth and groomed as any, the tires are not up
 to the use on that surface yet.
It is available now.
Someday maybe.

I could see where it would take a whole new type tire to run high speeds (over 200) on pavement and we aren't even having very much luck getting ones for the salt .

c ya, Sum

[JackD]

The property owner (DOD) would be an additional layer of approval for the tires we don't have.