Atco needs hand

[Whoboy580]

I don't know if anyone else got this letter but I figured I would post a link for you guys to read.

http://www.atcoraceway.com/newsflash.php

Let's help to keep the track going.

[jam01]

thanks for sharing, i haven't been there in a few years. i guess its time to ignore the wife.

[BullittSVT]

Will be attending in the Spring many times if my car stops giving me problems.

[Blacdout96]

We had a considerable drop in the fan base on all events and car count on open street night.

Well then don't let the junior dragsters and professional dragsters on the track those nights. Sucks to plop down some money and only get three runs sometimes. (though, before I get flamed, there are nights where things move smoothly and get numerous runs in, but I haven't seen that much in the past couple years, at least the nights I go.)

I go to open night to see the dude from down the street bring his 1975 Lincoln continental rock down the track ( Or better yet those two big rigs that race each other ,and the one gets loaded on a trailer, and the other tows it away lol.), not something you know is going to run the times between such and such.

[Slow-V6]

I will be gettings some gift cards!!


This is a big deal.. When I was stationd in Virginia beach the closest track was 75 miles away.. It sucked having to drive 1 1/2 hrs to and from the track and it really sucked when you broke and had to limp back to the beach or get towed.. Its a very nice thing to have a drag strip 10 miles away now..

[Whoboy580]

Blacdout96 I know what your saying about the runs and sometimes it happens were you only get three runs in. There nothing Atco can do to increase that unless they open up earlier. I have gone to the track got 7 runs in some nights and other nights 3 runs. Open night is open night it does suck having to watch stupid stuff run but if they limit what can run the price goes up.

I made a suggestion to Joe about running a program like Auto Zone Rewards. I said how about a program where if you come to the track to watch or race 7 times the 8th time is half price.

Let just hope everything works out and the big racers like Kasper Korner, J&E Performance, etc all give back to the sport.

[Sprayed 99]

What burns me and anyone with a somewhat fast (11.50 or quicker car) is on the street nights the track prep is absolute sh#t!!!! how the hell are you gonna increase people coming when the track is now known to have questionable traction on these nites? i remember years past during the last couple months of the season you'd have fast cars coming to try and run new best times. anymore it seems that there are traction issues all the way down the dam track some nites. few years back it was hit or miss if you'd have a good track to race on. now days the only nites it seems the track is prepped is if there is an event. now guys racing stick shift cars the prep is even more critical. especially if your car is runnin 10's or faster. hell our cam only cars couldn't hook for anything the last few weeks. one nite sweet 99z got sideways when he hit 4th at close to 100 mph!!! WTF?

i understand that the track needs to make money and remain proffitable. just put the racers saftey first and prep the dam track. i have seen several crashes this year at atco due to poor prep.

and whoever the fat gray and miserable tech guy is needs to be fired. that dude is ignorant and doesn't know his wiener from a spark plug. the other tech official,Bill is super cool and knows his stuff. they need someone else like bill to represent atco like he does. the fat guy.....not so much. just my .02

[shepss217]

i went to 3 of the 10.5 outlaw events and 2 times the weather was ****** the other time it was a little hot but no reason to cancel the event but they did, i was pissed after that one

[shepss217]

i wouldn't be upset if they raised admission $5 it still would only be $20 to run which is still affordable but after reading the email it sounds like that might be coming anyway

[WildBillyT]

i wouldn't be upset if they raised admission $5 it still would only be $20 to run which is still affordable but after reading the email it sounds like that might be coming anyway

I'd bet people would pay $40 if it meant that the track prep would be spot on.

[Blacdout96]

Poeple have been saying that since they repaved, it doesn't feel the same, and you just can't hook up as well. Can anybody back this up?

[Slow Z]

Poeple have been saying that since they repaved, it doesn't feel the same, and you just can't hook up as well. Can anybody back this up?

I've always hooked very hard at Atco especially after they repaved it... Do you run on street nights in the "street lanes"? They put up cones to keep you from lining up in the groove which essentially means you're racing on a completely unprepped surface. They don't want the guys with street tires ripping up all the rubber.

I don't think a lot of people realize that slick/drag radial cars should get into the lane closest to jackson road as they take the cones down for those cars.

[1984camaroz28]

Atco is the best track in NJ HANDS DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!11

[sweetbmxrider]

I've always hooked very hard at Atco especially after they repaved it... Do you run on street nights in the "street lanes"? They put up cones to keep you from lining up in the groove which essentially means you're racing on a completely unprepped surface. They don't want the guys with street tires ripping up all the rubber.

I don't think a lot of people realize that slick/drag radial cars should get into the lane closest to jackson road as they take the cones down for those cars.

I was gunna say I didn't have a problem hooking but I don't really make much power. Still, love the place.

[Whoboy580]

I had no problems hooking with Drag Radials, but I am no pro or raced before they paved it. I hope everything works out. We should set up a NJFboa street night meet up night, on one of the open nights. I will take charge of that. If anyone is interested in that PM ME and I will take your name down and send a message out and post a topic on which night.

[Sprayed 99]

Poeple have been saying that since they repaved, it doesn't feel the same, and you just can't hook up as well. Can anybody back this up?

The days the track is prepped well it hooks like glue and will hook anything thrown at it. I am grateful to have one of the fastest 1/4 mile tracks in the country in my backyard. The one night i watched the outlaw 10.5 cars and a few ran 190 mph+ in the 1/8!

Days when there was a track rental before the night session of street cars i have seen a few times where the track was great early from the rental prep.....only to have it go to hell later on in the night. Whether in the street lanes(cones out) or in the slick tire lanes(which they remove the cone and let you run the groove) the track surface was bad those days. and thats where atco and joe sway need to realize people not only spend money to run, but also other expenses to run their car(n20, race fuel, oil, tires, etc..)
and to allow it to be unsafe like that is b.s. some of the nights the street cars ran there were a few backhalved race cars with huge ass tires running and even those cars struggled with traction. its not every night the prep is bad, but i have seen it more and more the last couple years.

i'd be willing to pay more to run. its only fair to joe, he needs to turn a profit as well. With the economy in the toilet right now it would be a dam shame to see a place with a long history and excelent racing surface to go under, be sold to make houses or worse yet made into a shopping center. i have been goin to atco over 35 years now, not to mention my father and uncles had raced since the track opened in the early 60's.

[WayFast84]

By lane closest to Jackson road you mean left lane? What is everyone's opinion on going through the water box?

[coolmanvette75]

Kinda hard to avoid the water box at atco...

[WayFast84]

Kinda hard to avoid the water box at atco...

:bertstare:

[Sprayed 99]

By lane closest to Jackson road you mean left lane? What is everyone's opinion on going through the water box?

yes the lanes closest to jackson road are for slick and drag radial cars. and its impossible to go around the burn out box.......

[BullittSVT]

Wasn't there something about one of the lanes getting suspiciously lower times?

[k_garretson23]

Wasn't there something about one of the lanes getting suspiciously lower times?

I've always seem to get my lowest times in the left lane (left as if you were going down the track)

[elle]

Doesn't Jackson Rd run behind the burnout boxes? How is one lane closer to the road??????



I love Atco and have never had problems there. I only attend on race days and not on TnT days.

I'm not sure any track has great prep on T n T days/nights.

[sweetbmxrider]

Staging lanes brah....

[Whoboy580]

Well I e mail Atco and told them a few things that as a customer they could improve on. Traction being the biggest problem I see people saying this is what Joe from Atco said.

Tom, Maybe what they need to understand that Atco is the utilized for drag racing more than any track in the country. Everyday we have a track rental or a drag racing event or even street the entire track is sprayed both lanes end to end side to side. the nature ofd the vehicles being run is what changes the conditiuons. if there are 30 or 40 front wheel drive street tire cars going down the track it efeects the traction. THe trouble is every car is different. if you want to test a 10.5 outlaw car on a regular friday nite you have to detune it to get down. now take junior dragsters and bikes who always run the inside grove on T & T . i am sure you understand my point we touch up balled spots as needed.. I also know my competition and Atco is prepped better than any of them.
THanks
JJS.

[Slow Z]

I think I have one of the fastest 60'ing 82-02 f-bodies with bone stock suspension in the world and I can consistently hook most nights with nothing more than a 27" tall 9.5" wide DOT slick... People should really should blame their chassis/suspension if they have a high 9 second or slower car that doesn't hook at Atco. It's real easy to blame the track when in reality it's you and your car.

[Whoboy580]

whats your 60 footer?

[Slow Z]

1.49 only modification to the suspension is the front sway bar being removed. everything else is stock parts as they came from the factory. no frame connectors either.

...in other words, if my POS could hook that hard at Atco I find it suspicious that people cry about track prep in their 10-11-12-13 second cars.

[Sprayed 99]

I think I have one of the fastest 60'ing 82-02 f-bodies with bone stock suspension in the world and I can consistently hook most nights with nothing more than a 27" tall 9.5" wide DOT slick... People should really should blame their chassis/suspension if they have a high 9 second or slower car that doesn't hook at Atco. It's real easy to blame the track when in reality it's you and your car.

:rofl: ya ok............... bring that thing down on a cold and late november night and see how well it does.

1.49 only modification to the suspension is the front sway bar being removed. everything else is stock parts as they came from the factory. no frame connectors either.

...in other words, if my POS could hook that hard at Atco I find it suspicious that people cry about track prep in their 10-11-12-13 second cars.

aparently you dont get to the track much do you? to say that shows you still dont know what you are talking about. so all the people with dragsters, pro mods, out law 10.5 cars, and back halved bracket racers that we saw numerous nights that couldn't hook up don't know how to set up their car? give me a break. try to hook something with real power or a stick car with a little power.....then talk.........actually say nothing cause all you do dude is talk out your ars. you talk from opionion and not from real experiance. any real racer with any experiance at atco will tell you when the fall comes and the temps drop the track prep goes to hell on many a night.

[Slow Z]

:rofl: ya ok............... bring that thing down on a cold and late november night and see how well it does.



aparently you dont get to the track much do you? to say that shows you still dont know what you are talking about. so all the people with dragsters, pro mods, out law 10.5 cars, and back halved bracket racers that we saw numerous nights that couldn't hook up don't know how to set up their car? give me a break. try to hook something with real power or a stick car with a little power.....then talk.........actually say nothing cause all you do dude is talk out your ars. you talk from opionion and not from real experiance. any real racer with any experiance at atco will tell you when the fall comes and the temps drop the track prep goes to hell on many a night.

Do you have reading comprehension problems or something? Since when do dragsters, pro mods, and outlaw 10.5 cars run 10-13 second ET's?

Now let's examine this photograph:

http://beater.org/launch.jpg

Notice the near empty stands and dudes wearing heavy coats in the background? Notice the tire off the ground? That's my BONE STOCK SUSPENSION car dead hooking on a day that was so cold that Atco actually closed a half hour afterward because it was literally freezing outside.

So if you have a car that runs 10's or slower that consistently doesn't hook at Atco your chassis and/or driving skills are completely to blame. Of course traction is going to be more challenging in extreme colds or heats. There is nothing Atco can do about that to make it better so bitching and whining about it when in reality you're at easily the best track on the east coast is absolutely retarded.

[Slow Z]

Well I e mail Atco and told them a few things that as a customer they could improve on. Traction being the biggest problem I see people saying this is what Joe from Atco said.

Tom, Maybe what they need to understand that Atco is the utilized for drag racing more than any track in the country. Everyday we have a track rental or a drag racing event or even street the entire track is sprayed both lanes end to end side to side. the nature ofd the vehicles being run is what changes the conditiuons. if there are 30 or 40 front wheel drive street tire cars going down the track it efeects the traction. THe trouble is every car is different. if you want to test a 10.5 outlaw car on a regular friday nite you have to detune it to get down. now take junior dragsters and bikes who always run the inside grove on T & T . i am sure you understand my point we touch up balled spots as needed.. I also know my competition and Atco is prepped better than any of them.
THanks
JJS.

Lastly, this post sums it all up and exposes the BS Atco is attempting to pull by implying they are hurting. Joe Sway himself says right in that response "Atco is utilized for drag racing more than any track in the country." and "everyday we have a track rental or drag racing event." They don't need your hand at all, they're just attempting to pity racers/fans into giving them record profits this coming season. If they don't turn a profit of millions per year they are simply managed poorly.

[Whoboy580]

you left out a part. I think maybe your reading this part wrong.

Everyday we have a track rental or a drag racing event or even street the entire track is sprayed both lanes end to end side to side

He not saying everyday that they do the track gets sprayed..

[Slow Z]

you left out a part. I think maybe your reading this part wrong.

Everyday we have a track rental or a drag racing event or even street the entire track is sprayed both lanes end to end side to side

He not saying everyday that they do the track gets sprayed..

Cars constantly running on the track keep it clean and puts down new rubber. I truly do not blame them for not prep spraying on street nights because most cars there are on street tires which will quickly screw up any prep. Now I assume they mix trackbite with methonal as a prep spray so keep in mind it probably cost them close to $1,000 in chemicals just to spray the whole track. It'd be very poor business practice to do that every single night and especially on nights where mostly slow street tire cars paying only $15 instantly ruin it.

For the best possible track go on a night that they are having an event and get in the appropriate lane for slick/drag radial cars. They spray for index races, bracket races, etc.

[Sprayed 99]

Do you have reading comprehension problems or something? Since when do dragsters, pro mods, and outlaw 10.5 cars run 10-13 second ET's?

Now let's examine this photograph:

http://beater.org/launch.jpg

Notice the near empty stands and dudes wearing heavy coats in the background? Notice the tire off the ground? That's my BONE STOCK SUSPENSION car dead hooking on a day that was so cold that Atco actually closed a half hour afterward because it was literally freezing outside.

So if you have a car that runs 10's or slower that consistently doesn't hook at Atco your chassis and/or driving skills are completely to blame. Of course traction is going to be more challenging in extreme colds or heats. There is nothing Atco can do about that to make it better so bitching and whining about it when in reality you're at easily the best track on the east coast is absolutely retarded.



You clearly dont have a clue about the track or comprehend what I said.To say every night the track hooks is total nonsense. just because you get lucky and hook one day doesnt mean every day the track is hooking. When cars crash (12 and 13 sec cars) due to the track not being prepped is proof that its dangerous. We've had 11 sec cars get side ways at 80 mph. How the hell does that have anything to do with suspension or driving skills? some of the nights we couldn't hook, either could any fast(8's or faster) or big tire cars. so attacking driving skills or set ups isn't even an arguement. And if you read through my earlier posts (and comprehended it) i am talking about street nights and the later months in the season (nov,dec)

and to claim 1.49 on dead stock suspension is about the fastest on the planet is a sad joke. which planet do you live on? i can think of 5 fbodies off the top of my head that cut 1.50 or better 60 fts. and a couple are just bolt on cars. besides you have consistently lied about your car in the past so what ever claim you make on here or on your street racing board is bs.

come out when the track opens in late feb or early march consistently every week and you'll see what i am talking about. Even the guys who work at the track that we're friendly with agree with and know what i am saying. the say it to us.

[Slow Z]

Again, no track is 100% perfect but Atco is easily the best hooking track around. Freezing cold or extremely hot temps are not ideal for drag racing so of course the track isn't going to hook as well. This is just common sense and there is nothing Atco can do to improve this so complaining about it is absolutely ridiculous.

If you have an 11 second car going sideways at 80mph, it's most likely because someone leaked oil or coolant in that spot before you and it went unnoticed so again, there is nothing Atco can do unless you want them to spend 45 minutes inspecting the track after each and every pass. Also keep in mind that most street cars are very dirty underneath... when they go down the track they are shaking all this crap onto it which again messes up any prep. If there were a huge amount of crashes there in a single year I'd agree that there is a problem however whining that the track doesn't hook in december on street nights when it's 30-40* outside is nonsense.

Now, please show me a single 82-02 f-body with completely stock chassis and suspension that has been 1.49 or faster... Just one single one out of these 5 surely has a post some where on a forum, a video, a picture, something... Not stock style suspension either, I'm talking the exact same suspension components that came with the car when it left the factory and no type of chassis reinforcement.

Now to show you that I do not and have never lied about anything on or about my car, take a look at this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrQiwA1zr9Y and take note of the date it was posted and the "13NT" written on my windshield. Now look at the date and car number on these timeslips:

http://i.imgur.com/fiDq5.jpg

That is 1.590, 1.528, 1.514... I don't have a video of any of the 1.49 passes I made last year but there's proof it's been within 0.015 of my claim that you feel I'm lying about.

[sweetbmxrider]

I have to agree with slow. Street nights are a gamble. Complaining the track doesn't hook in late February or early March is just nonsense, the ground is cold. Going sideways at 80 in a slow car doesn't seem right either, there is another factor other than "bad prep" causing that. They aren't going to prep the track for 300+mph funny cars every night so pick when you want to go or learn how to adjust your car for the changing track conditions.

[Sprayed 99]

Again, no track is 100% perfect but Atco is easily the best hooking track around. Freezing cold or extremely hot temps are not ideal for drag racing so of course the track isn't going to hook as well. This is just common sense and there is nothing Atco can do to improve this so complaining about it is absolutely ridiculous.

If you have an 11 second car going sideways at 80mph, it's most likely because someone leaked oil or coolant in that spot before you and it went unnoticed so again, there is nothing Atco can do unless you want them to spend 45 minutes inspecting the track after each and every pass. Also keep in mind that most street cars are very dirty underneath... when they go down the track they are shaking all this crap onto it which again messes up any prep. If there were a huge amount of crashes there in a single year I'd agree that there is a problem however whining that the track doesn't hook in december on street nights when it's 30-40* outside is nonsense.

Now, please show me a single 82-02 f-body with completely stock chassis and suspension that has been 1.49 or faster... Just one single one out of these 5 surely has a post some where on a forum, a video, a picture, something... Not stock style suspension either, I'm talking the exact same suspension components that came with the car when it left the factory and no type of chassis reinforcement.

Now to show you that I do not and have never lied about anything on or about my car, take a look at this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrQiwA1zr9Y and take note of the date it was posted and the "13NT" written on my windshield. Now look at the date and car number on these timeslips:

http://i.imgur.com/fiDq5.jpg

That is 1.590, 1.528, 1.514... I don't have a video of any of the 1.49 passes I made last year but there's proof it's been within 0.015 of my claim that you feel I'm lying about.


1.5's and a single 1.49 isn't impressive at all. one of the cars we set up was cam only 02 ss with 100 shot went 1.51 on drag radials and stock suspension. can be done. just because you think its difficult or impressive doesnt meen it is. you have always complained in the past how you didnt race there much and how the track wasnt your thing.....all of a sudden you are an expert? come on dude. and blacking out your time slips shows how shady and full of crap you are.



from my own experiance atco used to prep the track better
I have to agree with slow. Street nights are a gamble. Complaining the track doesn't hook in late February or early March is just nonsense, the ground is cold. Going sideways at 80 in a slow car doesn't seem right either, there is another factor other than "bad prep" causing that. They aren't going to prep the track for 300+mph funny cars every night so pick when you want to go or learn how to adjust your car for the changing track conditions.

few years back(march,april,nov,dec) i'd run just about every tues,thurs and friday. usuall the prep was spot and would cut mid 1.4's all day. once in a while the prep would be sh#t but was few and far between. last couple years though its flat out been worse. Run tues and thurs cut 1.40 to 1.44 60's in a3700 lb STICK car......come friday on same exact tires and set up and all night the track is terrible. not just for me but any car running 11's or better. There were nights i'd hit 4th and be sideways over 100mph, when the night before i was runnin low 10's and cuttin 1.40's 60's.

the last season especially i noticed a decline on the prep on street nights. barneymobile went 10.0 with 1.40 60'sone night and next 2 or 3 times out couldn't stick his car for anything. maybe 1 out of 3 nights the track seemed to hook. now if a car oiled or put coolant down they'd spray the track and would hook well for short time. And if any of you have ever tried to get a stick car with any kind of power down the track you'd know how much harder it is than an automatic.

You dont need to prep the track for a top fueler every time, but if they know fast cars are going to run that the track should be prepped the same night to night. we know how to set our cars up. impossible to do that if the track can't even hook a 11 sec stick car. and its not coolant, water or oil on the track either its lack of prep. the track can hook like glue if its done right even when its cold. again what you fail to realize is even the guys we talk to that work there agree on how bad it is at times and wished that they could prep it better.

if i had to pay more to race thats fine with me. for all the money, time and effort involved to prepare a car for racing, most guys prob would pay more for it too.