KLang
05-16-06, 03:51 PM
Good article by David Phillips. link (http://www.speedtv.com/commentary/24248/)
The lingering presence of one of the massive chalet/tents used at the OTC contributed to the lack of run-off area in Turn Two. Plans had originally called for the track to turn a coupe of hundred feet before the Reliant Center, but the chalet couldn’t be deconstructed in time and so the turn was placed directly in front of the building.
“We lay this all out on paper, I walk around the site (but) until it comes together, especially for a first year, it’s really difficult. You’ve got to visualize . . . we move this wall, the grandstand comes out, this bridge shifts over a little bit and the TV camera goes here. It’s easy to show up on Monday or Tuesday and say, ‘This isn’t right.’ But there’s been 45 or 50 days of construction leading up to that and the fact that we’ve moved this piece of wall 12 times in order to get the sight line right. The reason I made the changes (to the track) on Wednesday night is because I didn’t disagree with them. It was another opinion. I hate chicanes. With A passion. I like a nice flowing racetrack. And I’ve got this building in the way (so) that I can’t finish a run-off. But we’ll make it better next year.”
The lingering presence of one of the massive chalet/tents used at the OTC contributed to the lack of run-off area in Turn Two. Plans had originally called for the track to turn a coupe of hundred feet before the Reliant Center, but the chalet couldn’t be deconstructed in time and so the turn was placed directly in front of the building.
“We lay this all out on paper, I walk around the site (but) until it comes together, especially for a first year, it’s really difficult. You’ve got to visualize . . . we move this wall, the grandstand comes out, this bridge shifts over a little bit and the TV camera goes here. It’s easy to show up on Monday or Tuesday and say, ‘This isn’t right.’ But there’s been 45 or 50 days of construction leading up to that and the fact that we’ve moved this piece of wall 12 times in order to get the sight line right. The reason I made the changes (to the track) on Wednesday night is because I didn’t disagree with them. It was another opinion. I hate chicanes. With A passion. I like a nice flowing racetrack. And I’ve got this building in the way (so) that I can’t finish a run-off. But we’ll make it better next year.”