The Track
World Vet Champs 2014
www.motocrossactionmag.com
JODY’S WORLD VET TRACK NOTEBOOK: WHAT TO EXPECT
Glen Helen always builds a new track for the World Vet Championship — here are Jody Weisel’s track design notes that he sent to the track crew before Jody, John and Ian started working on the track yesterday — a major portion will be ready to test at the REM Octobercross on Saturday. Then, with four days of practice and racing, all the kinks will be worked out before the first World Vet race on Saturday morning, November 1.
1. “The goal is to maximize the length and height of the hills by allowing the riders to have much longer runs at them. So, every hill will be longer, both uphills and downhills. After the second turn, the track will go up Shoei Hill by going through the tunnel-like spectator ravine (behind the mound of dirt and tree) and then climb to the top of Mt. Saint Helen. This turn through the ravine will slow the bikes down on the climb up to the top of the backside of Mt. Saint Helen.”
2. “The Mt. Saint Helen downhill will come as far down as possible to maximize its length. It will be much longer and faster than at any previous World Vet.”
3. “After the downhill, the track will make a big sweeping turns into the canyon section, but will not go up the Saddleback Humps, but instead will make a right-hand turn up the side of the Yamaha Hill (as we used in the AMA National in May). The object here is to slow down the pace so that everyone can catch their breath before what lies ahead.”
4. At the bottom of Yamaha Hill the track will turn left and do the regular turn towards the Triple Step-Up Jump. The turn before the step-up will have to be made wider and the Triple-Step-Up needs to be turned around (with a hump on the take-off side for slower riders and the existing landing where it is for fast guys).”
5. “After the Velodrome turn the riders will come straight towards the old finish line, but will have to go through a chicane before turning right (on top of the current finish line hump). This right-hand turn will go where the flagger stand currently is. From there the track will go up on a long uphill drag race (with a few rolling whoops at the beginning).”
6. “The new finish line will be at the bottom of the downhill where the track rejoins the original grandstand straight (the existing jumps on the that section will be reformed).”
7. “The jumps leading to the Log Cabin, after the sand section, will be combined into two tabletops instead of a series on round humps (this straight will be much shorter because it turns before the palm trees). That completes a lap. We need to resurface Talladega and the Velodrome to make sure that are elliptical and smooth.”
For more info on the 2014 Dubya World Vet Championships go to www.glenhelen.com
Glen Helen always builds a new track for the World Vet Championship — here are Jody Weisel’s track design notes that he sent to the track crew before Jody, John and Ian started working on the track yesterday — a major portion will be ready to test at the REM Octobercross on Saturday. Then, with four days of practice and racing, all the kinks will be worked out before the first World Vet race on Saturday morning, November 1.
1. “The goal is to maximize the length and height of the hills by allowing the riders to have much longer runs at them. So, every hill will be longer, both uphills and downhills. After the second turn, the track will go up Shoei Hill by going through the tunnel-like spectator ravine (behind the mound of dirt and tree) and then climb to the top of Mt. Saint Helen. This turn through the ravine will slow the bikes down on the climb up to the top of the backside of Mt. Saint Helen.”
2. “The Mt. Saint Helen downhill will come as far down as possible to maximize its length. It will be much longer and faster than at any previous World Vet.”
3. “After the downhill, the track will make a big sweeping turns into the canyon section, but will not go up the Saddleback Humps, but instead will make a right-hand turn up the side of the Yamaha Hill (as we used in the AMA National in May). The object here is to slow down the pace so that everyone can catch their breath before what lies ahead.”
4. At the bottom of Yamaha Hill the track will turn left and do the regular turn towards the Triple Step-Up Jump. The turn before the step-up will have to be made wider and the Triple-Step-Up needs to be turned around (with a hump on the take-off side for slower riders and the existing landing where it is for fast guys).”
5. “After the Velodrome turn the riders will come straight towards the old finish line, but will have to go through a chicane before turning right (on top of the current finish line hump). This right-hand turn will go where the flagger stand currently is. From there the track will go up on a long uphill drag race (with a few rolling whoops at the beginning).”
6. “The new finish line will be at the bottom of the downhill where the track rejoins the original grandstand straight (the existing jumps on the that section will be reformed).”
7. “The jumps leading to the Log Cabin, after the sand section, will be combined into two tabletops instead of a series on round humps (this straight will be much shorter because it turns before the palm trees). That completes a lap. We need to resurface Talladega and the Velodrome to make sure that are elliptical and smooth.”
For more info on the 2014 Dubya World Vet Championships go to www.glenhelen.com