ACT Teams – Misc. Memo

By admin April 15, 2009 ACT LM Tour

LEE USA SCHEDULE & Information

Forecast: Long term shows 60 and sunny Saturday
Sunday partial sunshine…mid 50’s
[Rain is not forecast until Monday at this time]

Saturday Schedule April 18, 2009

A FOUR-TIRE EVENT

10:00 Pits open (Late Models will pit in main pit area)

Tire compound open — practice tires

NOTE:(LEE competitors are encouraged to purchase practice tires from the the Lee tire supplier)

REMINDER: ALL RACE TIRES PURCHASED MUST REMAIN OUTSIDE HAULER NEXT TO REAR GATE AT ALL TIMES WHEN RELEASED FROM THE TIRE IMPOUND AREA. Your support of this policy will be appreciated.

11:00 Tech opens (preliminary safety check)

Full Tech will be conducted on Sunday morning

Tire Draw for first round race tires maximum (4)

First round mounting and impound (tires will be released at 3:45 for ‘scuffing’ at final practice session and will be immediately returned to impound following practice.)

12:00 PRACTICE (schedule subject to change)
12:00 – 1:00 ACT Late Model practice
1:00 – 2:00 Divisional practices
2:15 Qualifying heats for support divisions
3:45 – 5:00 ACT Late Model final practice (scuff session)
5:00 – Track Closed
(Haulers may be left in pits overnight)

Sunday Schedule: April 19, 2009

9:00 Pits open

Tire Compound open –Any first round tires will be sold (max 4), followed immediately by second round tires (max 2). — Reminder: Any tire that is flat during a qualifying or feature event AND approved by TECH inspector with written and signed ‘chit’ may be replaced that day or at following event.

9:30 Second round tires will be sold using a second draw among all those that are present at the tire compound by 9:30 AM.

TECH INSPECTION OPEN (all Late Models must be teched and draw for qualifying position before noon practice begins)

DECALS will be handed out by ACT staff at each trailer during the morning. All competing cars are required to have decals as assigned by ACT in order to receive bonus and point fund money, as well as point bonus.

Headshots…annual headshots of drivers will be done throughout the morning. These will be necessary for NHMS and for promotional purposes throughout the 2009 season. Please come presentable, shaved and with either uniform or team uniform on all drivers.

10:00 Front Gate Opens
11:00 Driver meeting…grandstand next to tunnel.
12:00 – 12:55 ACT Happy Hour practice for final practice and scuff session.
1:15 ACT Qualifying
Local Feature
ACT Consi
Local Feature
ACT “Last Chance” (if needed)
Local Feature
Set up Infield and Intro of ACT NH Gov Cup 150
3:45 (Approx) Governor’s Cup 150
Victory Lane
5:00 Support Features
5:30 Estimated final checked flag

Gate admission:
Pits: $45 (two day ticket) Sat only $20
Front: $25 (two-day ticket
$15 (11-15 two day ticket)

MISC NOTES:
Goodyear Tire Test @ NHMS

ACT wants to thank Phil Scott, David Pembroke and the Pete Duto team, as well as the entire Donald Theetge team for their very successful effort on behalf of Goodyear and ACT at this test. We are sure that either team will be more than willing to share their results with anyone who contacts them as we move forward with this project. All the engineers from Goodyear and NHMS personnel were very pleased with the results of the two-day test!

Tires – tires used were the same tires we run at all ACT and affiliate tracks in 2009. The Goodyear RS D2882 and LS D2672 tires performed extremely well. There were no problems with the tires after a ‘simulated’ 50-mile race by both cars at New Hampshire. As a side note, all teams that have tested this Spring at various short tracks have nothing but good things to say about this year’s Goodyear tires as it relates to durability and sizing)

Gears — we ‘guessed’ at 368 gears and they were right on the mark. One of our teams ran a 363 gear and was slightly off, changed to 368 gears and that made up the difference.

5900 – 6000 was the RPM range…the general impression was that more gear would have slowed the cars down and both teams felt comfortable with the 368-gear choice. We will know a little more after the August all day test and tune sessions, and will make a mandatory gear rule after that testing.

Speeds were approximately 115mph – 120mph average with top speeds approaching 140 mph.

Brakes did not seem to be an issue in either the short runs or the 50 mile simulated race… (We had two ‘caution periods” of a couple laps built into the simulated event). We did not allow any adjustments to the car or the tires, just checked the tires and sent them back. Incidentally after the 50-mile run all four tires had EACH grown an identical ¼ inch of pressure, which was very satisfactory and reassuring.

Other than the cold and rain, everyone was very pleased with the results of the NHMS initial test. We are looking forward to the August 25/26 two-day sessions. All three drivers felt that there were some similarities to certain aspects of racing at SANAIR, but all felt we would be able to race side by side easier at NHMS which is great news for ACT competitors and fans.

Airborne Speedway

I went to Airborne this past weekend to see their progress and meet with Steve Fuller. The work they are doing is remarkable and it looks to me like Airborne just might become a favorite track of ACT Late Model racing. New lights, new fencing, and a little longer progressively banked ½ mile which goes from 4 degrees on the bottom to 10 degrees on the top with sixty feet of racing surface. The banking has been designed to bring the ‘high side’ lane around the corner while the bottom will ‘flatten out’ a little sooner…it looks like a great design. The entire track has been reshaped and will be totally repaved. Target is to start paving at the beginning of the April 20^th week, with a hopeful practice on the weekend of April 25^th (obviously weather permitting)…it certainly looks like Fuller Excavating and Paving will be ready for their opener on May 2 and our opening Spring Green on April 9^th. This is especially good news for our Canadian teams as they are in close proximity to Airborne, with an easy interstate ride. For the rest, it will be well worth the trip to experience this track.

Thunder Road Merchants Bank 150 —-Sunday May 3.

Thunder Road will open its 50^th season on the weekend of May 2/3. For your planning purposes, this will be a (4) four-tire event.

Saturday is a car show. A full afternoon of practice will be held at Thunder Road on Saturday. This can be very beneficial, especially to new teams or teams that do not race at TR regularly as it provides a lot of valuable ‘seat time’. We only have about an hour and a half of practice on Sunday, May 3 for all divisions, as we cannot start engines until 11:00 am.

Tires will be sold and under the same impound policy as outlined at LEE information above.

Sunday pit gates will open at 8:00am

Admission:
Pits Two-Day Ticket
ACT Lic: $25.00
Without: $35.00

Front:
Sat: with Sun ticket Free
Sun: Adult $18 -Kids 6-12 $5

As always contact the ACT office with any questions. Look forward to seeing you at Lee this coming weekend.

Sunday Schedule: April 19, 2009
9:00 Pits open

9:30 Second round tires will be sold using a second draw among all those that are present at the tire compound by 9:30 AM.

TECH INSPECTION OPEN (all Late Models must be teched and draw for qualifying position before noon practice begins)

Gate admission:
Pits: $45 (two day ticket) Sat only $20
Front: $25 (two-day ticket
$15 (11-15 two day ticket)

As always contact the ACT office with any questions. Look forward to seeing you at Lee this coming weekend.

Sources: ACT Tour PR