I always wonder why soo many new tracks are built on flat land, where you get a limited distance from the stands.

Brands Hatch is an old track done right, sit the stands at the top of a valley, run the track in the valley below, a huge amount of the circuit can be seen from the stands.

Flat land is cheaper to buy and work with...

If someone want to spend that kind of cash why not try to make a better 12 mile track that is something new. Not try to replicate something it will never be. All cash, no class- Vegas.

After reading this: Nürburgring - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

.... I don't think an equivalent experience can be brought over to the states, even if the track isn't a 100% replica. As for the cost to build, what's the payback for this guy? He's probably hoping for no-cost/long term rights of the acreage plus infrastructure, amenities and other govt. subsidies, otherwise it'd be a fortune to build. Maybe he should partner up with the Austin F1 group and prove their success, then tackle LV afterwards.

Better yet, use the land immediately surrounding Las Vegas as a basis for an in-and-around-the-city-track. World class racing (and escorts) should attract world class spenders (e.g. Monaco). I would even drive over and add my $.02.

S

If you leave the flat lands, and take the harder project of blasting the track into the abrupt terrain outside the basin, then you could get something as spectacular as the 'Ring, but if you just throw something on the flat land, 2, 3, 5, or 10 miles makes little difference to the grandeur of the track.

What you didn't like sleeping in my truck last time Sid?? :D

I like the idea. Better weather at any rate. I'd go, even if it was just "close" to the real deal.

And of course it is possible to recreate. It just may be impossible to pay for it.

G

Haha... Ya that combined with the blueroom facilities, definitely not 5 star accommodations.....

Truth be told, I didn't mind sleeping in the truck, it was actually warm in there!

I enjoy driving Fernley and I would travel to this new track if they built it.

Some people have so much money, they will do what ever they please without a care on the financial returns.
This is, again, because they have so much money.

I hope it gets built.


KT

As someone that has drove the 'ring, its can't be copied.

Theres something like 1000ft in elevation changes, amazing scenery including towns inside of it, and an aura that just makes you know that your somewhere special.


Good idea, but will be a failure, think Euro Disney.

Guessing you have not spent much time in or over Nevada?

Its not flat everywhere... Look out of the window in any direction and you will see hills, mountains and so on. Its far from flat...

Take a look at this map.

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/topo/250k/txu-pclmaps-topo-us-las_vegas-1969.jpg

Each red line is 200FT of elevation change, find five red lines in a row, you've got 1000Ft. :)

Its all freakin' over the place! Climbs of 2K+ feet are not uncommon in short distances, and I see quite a few 4,000 foot climbs out there as well. Although its not as assessable, if you put it in the black mountains, and ran from the shore of lake meed, and snaked into the hillside, it'd be pretty impressive for scenery!!!

The 'Ring was built primarily due to extremely high unemployment. Labor was cheap, people just needed a job to stay alive. We're not that poor in the USA yet, but if we keep going the way things are, with ever increasing stiffling debt loads, an American N'Ring could become a possibility. Also depends on how the rich are taxed.

With all the fascinating landscape available in the west, the whole flat track thing seems a bit silly. Tracks should have elevation changes, much more interesting (e.g. "The Corkscrew" etc). I think Sid's idea of skyboxes in the hills, grandstands following the topography, etc., is actually pretty cool. Like the idea of BIG uphill pulls and wicked twisty drops.

Regarding Fernley... On my walk-abouts, I've been through there a couple of times. Never seen the track, but definately not impressed with the town itself.

Let's put it this way - my last trip through was in the spyder and I decided to just go camp in the desert sleeping on the ground than stay in Fernley.

angela

the thought crossed my mind as well.
"escorts" as in the skimpy dressed ones? ;) :D