Pacific Northwest tracks: write-up on Oregon Raceway Park
11-07-2011, 12:10 AM
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Pacific Northwest tracks: write-up on Oregon Raceway Park
Oregon Raceway Park seems like a nice track with good runoffs. I'd love to get a couple of days on it when I visit the area next year. Here is the write-up from my friend Nicolas:
http://www.onehotlap.com/2011/11/one...n-raceway.html
http://www.onehotlap.com/2011/11/one...n-raceway.html
11-07-2011, 12:23 AM
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I have only been lucky enough to drive ORP once each direction but it is a BLAST and easily eclipses the other offerings in the Pacific Northwest in the "fun factor" by a good margin. It has a great mix of different speeds and types of corners and a good "straight" with a blind kink in the back to keep it interesting while allowing for some good speeds.
This is my LS1 powered E36 BMW doing a CCW lap @ 1:49.734
Mark
This is my LS1 powered E36 BMW doing a CCW lap @ 1:49.734
Mark
11-07-2011, 12:28 AM
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OK what the hell was that? A LS1 in a Beemer? Great driving and your "Frankenstein" looks like a great car to drive. What diff do you run?
As for ORP, I had a woody for that track and was ready to make the trek until they caved to SCCA and tore down the barn. Sorry, I can't forgive....
As for ORP, I had a woody for that track and was ready to make the trek until they caved to SCCA and tore down the barn. Sorry, I can't forgive....
11-07-2011, 12:32 AM
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Ironically the car is for sale so all the info on the build is on my website:
http://www.ub-racing.ca/
The diff is a 3.15 built standard E36 case with a finned cover.
The car is phenomenal, the only thing it needs is bigger rear tires, they get overworked in a BIG hurry, as you can see in the lap, by the end of one lap, they are pretty hot. The car is flared for 285s on all 4 corners but needs 315s in the back.
Mark
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11-07-2011, 12:24 PM
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ORP is really fun. I've raced out there several times now. In the next couple years when it gets more support facilities it will be a great place to spend a weekend. Right now three days sleeping in my trailer with no shower and porta potties is pushing it 
The elevation change is good for power cars... the e30's take our 944s to school up the Valkyrie hill with their extra torque, but the poor Miatas suffer even more. But we have some great racing and you never really get a chance to relax there, always getting ready for the next corner.
Great track built by local racers for local racers, with the support of the community even. That alone is worth supporting!
The elevation change is good for power cars... the e30's take our 944s to school up the Valkyrie hill with their extra torque, but the poor Miatas suffer even more. But we have some great racing and you never really get a chance to relax there, always getting ready for the next corner.
Great track built by local racers for local racers, with the support of the community even. That alone is worth supporting!
11-07-2011, 01:39 PM
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"Great track built by local racers for local racers, with the support of the community even. That alone is worth supporting!"
Interesting. Do you have more details on this? Who provided the funding?
Interesting. Do you have more details on this? Who provided the funding?
11-07-2011, 01:43 PM
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Good write-up.
Went to ORP this past spring and, while I had mechanical issues that ended my weekend early, the track was a blast and easily one of my favourites too.
Marc
Went to ORP this past spring and, while I had mechanical issues that ended my weekend early, the track was a blast and easily one of my favourites too.
Marc
11-07-2011, 04:56 PM
#12
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ORP was built by a consortium of longtime local racers who came together as a group to fund the track themselves. It was truly a grassroots effort, but several key members are Ron Tanner, Mike Conatore, and Bill Murray.
Scouting for appropriate properties took several years before a site was found in a rural community just east of Mt Hood, about 2 hours from Portland. Since zoning needed to be changed, it was vital to work with the community of Grass Valley to demonstrate the nature of events that would be held, and to deal with the usual questions of traffic, noise, etc. The principle members spent many long weekends at the site designing the track, refining the layout, building flag stations, and taking care of other infrastructure like communications. Once the layout was complete the big machines were brought in for grading and paving. The final layout is designed for club racing, HPDE, and motorcycle and karting events. No big pro events, no NASCAR, just local grassroots motorsport.
After a couple of years of operation the track has a good relationship with Grass Valley, using locals for things like catering, facility service, and more, which provides jobs in a community with high unemployment. Locals are invited to the year end dinner after our last race each fall.
ORP still could use some facility enhancement like permanent bathrooms and showers, more power around the paddock, and maybe some more paved paddock space. It is an ongoing effort due to the self financing, but each year things will get a little better, and the track is just awesome to race on.
This same model is being used in the new Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, WA... pavement just went down last week there. We have a great group of racers up here in the PNW, people who really focus on the community. In 2012 we are going to have a truly stellar set of 4 tracks within 3 hours tow, and another 2 inside a 6 hour tow.
Race video from early this year:
Scouting for appropriate properties took several years before a site was found in a rural community just east of Mt Hood, about 2 hours from Portland. Since zoning needed to be changed, it was vital to work with the community of Grass Valley to demonstrate the nature of events that would be held, and to deal with the usual questions of traffic, noise, etc. The principle members spent many long weekends at the site designing the track, refining the layout, building flag stations, and taking care of other infrastructure like communications. Once the layout was complete the big machines were brought in for grading and paving. The final layout is designed for club racing, HPDE, and motorcycle and karting events. No big pro events, no NASCAR, just local grassroots motorsport.
After a couple of years of operation the track has a good relationship with Grass Valley, using locals for things like catering, facility service, and more, which provides jobs in a community with high unemployment. Locals are invited to the year end dinner after our last race each fall.
ORP still could use some facility enhancement like permanent bathrooms and showers, more power around the paddock, and maybe some more paved paddock space. It is an ongoing effort due to the self financing, but each year things will get a little better, and the track is just awesome to race on.
This same model is being used in the new Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, WA... pavement just went down last week there. We have a great group of racers up here in the PNW, people who really focus on the community. In 2012 we are going to have a truly stellar set of 4 tracks within 3 hours tow, and another 2 inside a 6 hour tow.
Race video from early this year:
