Tailem Bend Motorsport Park (South Australia)

[VendeTTR]

I'll just keep on driving past tailem to Heathcote then I guess

[BradSV8]

I dont understand why so many people are against 1/8th mile racing? Have any of you guys that are complaining actually tried it? We need to support this otherwise we will end up with nothing in this state.....

[Martin_D]

I suppose because one of the reasons that 1/8th mile racing exists in the first place (other than somewhere for under 14 kids to race those little rail things) is to Test and Tune the 60 foot of the car for proper 1/4 mile racing if that kind of thing floats your boat.

Now Tailem offers no proper launch pad, and no 60 foot timing to help with setup making it useless for chassis development, but we know this. Now also one of the actual thrills of the place that made it worth the hours drive - being able to stick it to the car in the top - is now gone. Drag racing is often boring enough at 400 metres, and even though the surface is a little more challenging at Tailem its not worth driving 100km and paying $100 or so to have a squirt across 200m IMO

If thats what 'drag racing' is to become in SA, who wants it?
Dont we already have 3 proper ANDRA timed 60 foot measuring small tracks in SA for those that like the short 1/8th version of the game?
As for supporting SA Drag Racing I dont remember seeing too many off this thread at the 'Fathers Day' 400m run last year (only one other from this thread I believe)

[whitels1ss]

I suppose because one of the reasons that 1/8th mile racing exists in the first place (other than somewhere for under 14 kids to race those little rail things) is to Test and Tune the 60 foot of the car for proper 1/4 mile racing if that kind of thing floats your boat.

Now Tailem offers no proper launch pad, and no 60 foot timing to help with setup making it useless for chassis development, but we know this. Now also one of the actual thrills of the place that made it worth the hours drive - being able to stick it to the car in the top - is now gone. Drag racing is often boring enough at 400 metres, and even though the surface is a little more challenging at Tailem its not worth driving 100km and paying $100 or so to have a squirt across 200m IMO

If thats what 'drag racing' is to become in SA, who wants it?
Dont we already have 3 proper ANDRA timed 60 foot measuring small tracks in SA for those that like the short 1/8th version of the game?
As for supporting SA Drag Racing I dont remember seeing too many off this thread at the 'Fathers Day' 400m run last year (only one other from this thread I believe)

Agreed 100% Martin.

[MR 1JZ]

ive done 1/8th mile...ill be busy washing my hair on the 21st now

[BradSV8]

All valid points Martin but it's all we have ATM and in my opinion it's still fun. After all everything happens in the first 200m anyway the 2nd half of the track you just sit there and steer the car. If we don't support the local 1/8 th mile stuff then we will never get a full 1/4 mile track. As far as I'm concerned if people don't go and make excuses they have no right to complain about Adelaide not having a track. Even if we did have a track those same people would still be making excuses.......

[VZMaloo183]

Tailem so far was the only place(other than AIR) in SA to have a 1/4 mile track there and running, which was a great start and you would just expect it to grow from there and improve as time went on which is what SA needs. Now having a 1/8 mile track backed by ANDRA, unless millions of dollars are put into this site it will remain 1/8 mile just like the 2 or 3 others we have in the state. I just think it was SA’s last hope of building a great track for the quarter…

[whitels1ss]

All valid points Martin but it's all we have ATM and in my opinion it's still fun. After all everything happens in the first 200m anyway the 2nd half of the track you just sit there and steer the car. If we don't support the local 1/8 th mile stuff then we will never get a full 1/4 mile track. As far as I'm concerned if people don't go and make excuses they have no right to complain about Adelaide not having a track. Even if we did have a track those same people would still be making excuses.......

Yeah, some good points Brad, but the other side of the argument is that we want 1/4 mile not 1/8th mile and if we accept this and support this we might never get any more?
Hey I and lots of other guys I know would like to take their street cars and see what they can run down the quarter mile.
This won't do that.

[Martin_D]

As far as I'm concerned if people don't go and make excuses they have no right to complain about Adelaide not having a track. Even if we did have a track those same people would still be making excuses.......

A successful 1/8th mile application wont necessarily grow into a 1/4 application. I can think of four tracks - Whyalla, Mildura, Penola, and Portland that all back this up. Point is 1/4 mile racing is a different sport that requires a different type of car to be successful and the two cannot be confused. There is no sensation of speed in the 1/8th with a road car, what do most of them get to 140km/h?

As far as supporting the track, I supported AIR to the tune of thousands of dollars - paid sponsorship money to put our name on the walls there - so the Wednesday nights could run (which hardly anyone went to as interest in Drag Racing in SA was dead in the water at that stage and obviously still is). Attended over 50 street meets as an entrant, and raced there the last time the track ran. I also entered and ran at the first Tailem Bend 400m. It was fine. I support 400m racing. I hope you dont complain about not having a track Brad, as I never saw you at any of these meetings, maybe you were there.

200m racing doesnt interest me. We already have four tracks around the place that do that - and better. At least in some of the bigger hillclimbs in SA - Alma and the Lakes - you can legally crack 200km/h and need some brave pills to compete, not NoDoz. If you want a 400m track, then dont run at the 200m version. Vote with your feet, as IMO supporting short track events will only ever lead to more short track events as local history has so far proven

Having said all that I do wish the organisers the best of luck, running any event takes time and effort. Its just not for me.

[HSV99er]

IMO they could be using this time (winter) better by prepping the track and setting up the timing gear etc. instead of running half arsed meets. I don't see there rush unless they're holding these meets to raise money for the track. I'd just hate for people to attend these meets to be unimpressed and not return in the future.

[Martin_D]

First one was OK.
Plenty of cars ran good times over the 400 metres. Record kind of times in fact. The track was good enough for flat 11s in the right street car
It was also organised by the Sporting Car Club of SA (the oldest and most established car club in the state) and under CAMS rulings.

[BradSV8]

Martin I do complain about Adelaide not having a track but at the same time I support the local ANDRA 1/8 th mile tracks. I am at every event whether it's whyalla, mildura etc etc. I have never seen you at any of these events......

[BradSV8]

From what I hear they still want Tailem bend to be a 1/4. I think at this point in time due to the lack of safety barriers and the poor track surface the insurance/andra will not support side by side 1/4 mile racing. From what I can gather they want to get some events happening so we have somewhere to go. Once the track issues have been fixed I'm sure they will go back to a 1/4 mile event.
There is nothing wrong with 1/8th mile racing, the doorslammers have their own 1/8th mile series and they love it. Also Darren Morgan races his top fuel car at Mildura aswell. At any given meet at whyalla or mildura etc etc there is always a good showing of super sedan, super street, blown outlaws and modified as well as a few others.

[Martin_D]

Martin I do complain about Adelaide not having a track but at the same time I support the local ANDRA 1/8 th mile tracks. I am at every event whether it's whyalla, mildura etc etc. I have never seen you at any of these events......

You wont see me at these events. I have no interest in 200m racing. Other car activities excite more
The fascination wih side by side racing blows me away. The reality is that in most instances you never see your competitor since they are behind you, or watch the make a dot in the distance in front of you. Its a shame the racing gets cut in half to accomodate this.

P.S. Tailem Bend does not have a poor surface. The base asphalt there is better and more tractive than some of the so called drag strips in this country. Take this from someone thats run an 11 at Tailem in their daily.

[klink]

Looks like it could be a fun day out.

It would be better if they have somee 60ft timing in place as that will at least give some people who have raced at heathcote and whyalla some comparison.

Something is better than nothing close to the city.

I would like to see a 1/4 track as much as the next person for people to go and play on rather than the streets, but if they dont get sufficient support we may never see a 1/4mile as the powers that be wont see itt as a viable investment.

I hope that those that can afford to do it at the moment support it i for one am not in a financial position to do it, otherwise i would probly give it a go for some fun.