Traction compound and tracks that hook.

Greg Hill · 05-31-2011, 06:22 PM

I received an e-mail from a fellow racer that feels like we should call track operators and ask what traction compound they are using before making a long trip to a race only to be disappointed by a lousy race track. After being in Bowling Green this weekend and seeing how well a properly prepared race track can be I have to say i agree with him. Bowling Green uses VHT exclusively and the racing surface was unbelievable this weekend. I was on the starting line quite a bit and didn't see anyone spin at all this weekend. It was 93 degrees on Sunday and the sun was beating down on the race track,track temp had to be at least 130.

Contrast this with Indy a few weeks ago where the starting line was very marginal and several racers spun badly in the first or second round. First time trial Saturday morning I had a 2.74 60'. A nice young lady that works for the track came by my pit space and asked if I was coming back to the combo race the next weekend. I told her I wouldn't be back next weekend and she wanted to know why. I very plainly said because you have a crappy starting line.

The point I'm trying to make is that Bowling Green was using VHT traction compound and when you walked out on the starting line it would pull your shoe off. Indy was using VP and it was about like the concrete floor in a garage. It wasn't sticky at all. All you track operators that are trying to save money on your traction compound just remember the worst thing that can happen to a race track is to get a reputation for a crappy starting line. Nothing will hurt you worse except for some one stealing all your money at the gate.
Oh by the way Indy had 5 cars for their big combo race and Bowling Green had 98.

05-31-2011, 06:22 PM	#1
Greg Hill VIP Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Louisville , KY Posts: 1,995 Likes: 68 Liked 279 Times in 68 Posts	Traction compound and tracks that hook. I received an e-mail from a fellow racer that feels like we should call track operators and ask what traction compound they are using before making a long trip to a race only to be disappointed by a lousy race track. After being in Bowling Green this weekend and seeing how well a properly prepared race track can be I have to say i agree with him. Bowling Green uses VHT exclusively and the racing surface was unbelievable this weekend. I was on the starting line quite a bit and didn't see anyone spin at all this weekend. It was 93 degrees on Sunday and the sun was beating down on the race track,track temp had to be at least 130. Contrast this with Indy a few weeks ago where the starting line was very marginal and several racers spun badly in the first or second round. First time trial Saturday morning I had a 2.74 60'. A nice young lady that works for the track came by my pit space and asked if I was coming back to the combo race the next weekend. I told her I wouldn't be back next weekend and she wanted to know why. I very plainly said because you have a crappy starting line. The point I'm trying to make is that Bowling Green was using VHT traction compound and when you walked out on the starting line it would pull your shoe off. Indy was using VP and it was about like the concrete floor in a garage. It wasn't sticky at all. All you track operators that are trying to save money on your traction compound just remember the worst thing that can happen to a race track is to get a reputation for a crappy starting line. Nothing will hurt you worse except for some one stealing all your money at the gate. Oh by the way Indy had 5 cars for their big combo race and Bowling Green had 98. __________________ Greg Hill 4171 STK Last edited by Greg Hill; 05-31-2011 at 07:00 PM.