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Chaos
05-10-04, 07:29 PM
Hey all, I got a question that's been bugging me for some time. Why are most superspeedways (ie fontana, michigan, daytona) generally D shaped, as opposed to 0 shaped. Is it for stands/view?
Railbird
05-10-04, 07:39 PM
The D shape does create good sightlines while having the pits for a backdrop.

One or two of them would be reeeaaal neat

three dozen kinda sucks.
Mike Kellner
05-10-04, 07:46 PM
It's because they are cargo cult copies of Daytona. Sorta like how the IRL is a cargo cult copy of NASCAR.

mk
Dave99
05-10-04, 07:52 PM
I'll pose a guess in that turns 4 and 1 on a "D" shaped oval have less of a radius to them, requiring less movement of the steering wheel (and less movement of the tires on the track) allowing for increased corner speeds and overall lap times.
JoeBob
05-10-04, 07:58 PM
Most of the D shaped ovals are copies of MIS, not Daytona/Talladega, which are more tri-ovals than D shaped ovals.

I think the primary motivation for the D shaped oval is the sightlines. The D shape allows them to curve the stands around the track, like a baseball stadium. That means great views for everyone. With a "traditional oval" the sightlines aren't nearly as good at the ends of the straightaways/in the turns.
Racewriter
05-10-04, 08:05 PM
It's sightlines. Legend has it that Big Bill France attended the Indy 500, and sat on the frontstraight, early in the 50s. He got upset because he couldn't see, so he came up with the "D" layout to have better sightlines at Daytona. As they say, if it ain't true, it oughta be.
DaveL
05-10-04, 08:21 PM
The designers of the Ontario Motor Speedway ( :cry: ) had a great idea to get around the site line problem. They simply built the front grandstands on a large berm way above the track. The end result was a clear view of the entire track from any front stretch seat.
FRANKY
05-10-04, 09:27 PM
The designers of the Ontario Motor Speedway ( :cry: ) had a great idea to get around the site line problem. They simply built the front grandstands on a large berm way above the track. The end result was a clear view of the entire track from any front stretch seat.


Never liked the place, think I went maybe two times.