Revisions to CMP?

T

tlyttle43

New member
In one of the topics there are a couple allusions to revisions to the layout at CMP. I'd heard rumors to that effect earlier this year, but hadn't heard anything more recently. There isn't any mention I can find on the track website. So... What's happening(ed)? What changes, when comlete, etc?

I've always thought that a cutoff from past the kink to the first right in the "Kart" section would make the place a lot more fun. I've gotten to like the place a lot more over the years, but eliminating one or two of the sloooow turns would be even better.

Tom Lyttle
 
Tom,

This got hidden at the end of another thread about CMP, but I called Joe Hooker the other day to find out what the story is:

= = = = = = =

I'm sure they will have press releases before long, but the CMP Board of Directors has approved a Five Year Plan for facility upgrades. This from Joe Hooker (who's amazed at all he's heard on what HE plans to do) about what to expect by February 2008:

. No changes to the Kink (Turn 10) or the Hairpin (Turn 11). Bypassing the Kink would have the ground-pounders running 180+ when arriving at a 45 mph right-hander - and you think CMP is hard on brakes now!

. 12, 13, & 14 are the trio of right-handers that make up what some people call "Disney World". What they plan to do is extend the track outside (left) of the existing pavement on the exit of 12, make an increasing radius sweeper that comes back inside the existing 13 and joins up with the short chute up to 14. They also will add pavement to the inside radius of 14 to make it less abrupt and increase the speed carried through there. The changes are designed to allow you to run both configurations as you choose. Apparently many of the Pro teams use CMP to test for street circuits and don't WANT the changes to 12-14.

. They are also paving additional parts of the paddock roads (I think he said 1500 linear feet) plus building "day garages" and clubhouse structures, but none of that affects the actual track layout. They're eventually going to build a second pit road between the current T-1 & T-3 to allow two independent tracks, plus the long-range plans call for extending parts of the East course to make the entire track in the neighborhood of three miles in length.
 
My understanding of the change to CMP is that after the 180 degree left turn at 11, the track sweeps back to the right sweeping and rounding off the more acute angles of 13 and 14 an taking you back to the pit straight.

Its acts more like the final two turns before the front straight at Roebling. You are on the gas some, but not back on the brakes and not really gaining speed either. It eliminates the Gas! BRAKES!!! GAS! BRAKES!!!!
of the 12, 13, 14 complex.

I would think that would allow for time to cool those brakes off. That is critical to making CMP a viable race course capable of attracting enough entries.

OR....pretty much what Butch said.
 
Thanks for the info guys. What you all describe sounds like a pretty good fix what you describe as gas-brake-gas-brake.

By the way, Butch, I never thought I'd hear you say something negative about going 180+! I wasn't suggesting a straight shot from 10 to 12 for just the reason you mention (people missing turn 13 might end up on the highway!). What I was suggesting was keeping the kink a fast right then add a left directly to turn 12 about 100 yards later, so turn 12 would be about 45 degrees instead of the current 90+. Speeds would be higher at 12 and into 13 - maybe 130 in the 13 braking area, but not unmanageable. The main drawback of my idea was that it would eliminate the best out-braking spot on the course - turn 11 . So what they're actually doing is probably better overall.

Tom Lyttle
 
Now all you need to do is come to the Feb. race and try out the new track.
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Talked to Ron last night about approval for CCPS. He seems convinced although he said he would like for more mustang drivers to join my request. I told him its hard to sell participation without approval for the class and a for sure schedule. but i am trying.

February would be good.
 
Steve your avator kills me! :lol:
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That's exactly how I felt when I found it! The only thing that would have been better would be if I could get a pic of Otto Pilot smoking a cigarette after his emergency inflation!
 
I like 12-14. It requires a different sort of driving. I typically make up ground on people in that section. Probably has something to do with the good low end torque my car has compared to the other cars in ITA. Sounds like now it's just going to be similar to the other end of the course.

I've had zero brake issues at CMP. Everybody kept saying it was going to eat my brakes, but hasn't happened. Don't know why other than I guess my car has really good brake cooling. I'm not at the front, but I ain't bringing up the rear either.

David
 
Same here, on the auto-x section. I like it (my brakes don't though). It favors torque cars.

But, CMP requires me to put entirely new brakes on the car -- pads, roters, calipers up front -- and then change them all again when the weekend is over. No time to cool them, on my car anyway.
 
I think the other part of that is that the heavier and faster the cars the more they are beaten up by that circuit. Corvettes seem to nearly vaporize their brakes. So, no big cars, no GT1 cars. No stock cars. No Porsche club, no corvette club, mustangs clubs kill their brakes there.

I am not sure a race track can compete when the high dollar cars and car clubs have less and less interest in the track because its just so unfriendly to their stuff.
 
Feb race still on for the Carolina Cup?

I think I'll try the Cup this year. Might be a good way for me to increase track time beyond the SARRC stuff I'm going to try in 08. Of course, assuming a running car and all, but 08 looks good and I might actually have a running car all year - that would be a definitely improvement !!!!!
 
Wow, I am so glad they are getting rid of the autocross section. I drive faster through the Wal-Mart parking lot in my mom's Buick than around those turns. It hurts my eyes to watch a Corvette or Viper run around there so slow.
 
Chris, good to see you posting again.

You have those gremlins worked out? Hope to see you back out in the SARRC this year.

Happy New Year.
 
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