GLEN HELEN NATIONAL PREPARATION NOTES: How Far Along is Track Prep And What Do They Plan For May 23 When The AMA 250/450 Nationals Start
GLEN HELEN NATIONAL PREPARATION NOTES: How Far Along is Track Prep? And What Do They Plan For May 23 When The AMA 250/450 Nationals Start?
Most of the technical work on the track (drawings, fencing needs, topo maps, plumbing requirements, phone lines, etc) was completed months ago. In fact, MXSports John Ayers and DMG’s Roy Jansen inspected the track two months ago, made suggestions about a new finish line (which will be over by the sand section) and from that point work has commenced on laying the ground work--the actual work will take place in the next two weeks.
Glen Helen depends on MXA’s Jody Weisel to design the track and Jody depends on Karl Scanlon to turn his designs into dirt sculptures. Scanlon will move into Glen Helen on Monday (after the National Hillclimb Championship race on Sunday) and with a veritable armada of heavy equipment take it from the mild-mannered layout used weekly by amateurs into a world-class National track.
Believe it or not Glen Helen trucks in the sand to build the "Life's A Beach" section in front of the grand stands. Austin Stroupe demonstrates how sandy it really is.
Glen Helen is the only National track that builds a totally new track every year. Since Glen Helen races cars, trucks and motorcycles at the facility it is used 52 weeks out of the year. There are over 100 motorcycle races held at Glen Helen each year. In fact, this weekend alone there is a Pro Hillclimb, REM motocross, Saturday practice and Sunday OTMX Grand Prix.
With only one weekend of actual racing left before Glen Helen is closed to build the National track, the actual layout of 75 percent of the track has been put into use (not the obstacles, but the circuit’s direction, width and corners). The fencing is progressing steadily (Glen Helen rents over two miles of fence every year). The REM side of the National track is waiting until the last REM race is over this Saturday, May 9, then it will be fenced and built.
It may not look steep in this photo, but the banking in the first turn is 45-degree (enough that walking up it is very difficult). The actual first turn is up by the white pole.
The all-new first turn was tested in raw form at the World Four-Stroke race two weeks ago. Now that tire tracks have been laid down on it, it will be groomed, smoothed out and bent into more of an arc. Although the banked Talladega turn is still used, it is actually bigger, more sweeping and, of course, includes a hill in the middle of its 180-degree arc.
There are changes afoot on Mt. Saint Helen. Rolling humps have been added on the bottom half of the hill (two at the moment), but a third one will go in before the National. The rollers slow down the rider’s speed on the 20-story climb, which should allow for more passing. There will be a new turn at the top of Mt. Saint Helen, but it will be a surprise.
You can't imagine the difficulties that these two rollers caused the riders going up Mt. Saint Helen. Some riders actually went to first gear to get going after the humps. As for Ryan Villopoto, he doubles them.
First and foremost, the word “Lites” has been banned from the AMA Nationals. The class names have been changed back to the traditional and understandable engine displacements. The rider will be racing for the AMA 250 National Championship and the AMA 450 National Championship.
The new one-day race schedule is going to require mercurial efforts by Glen Helen, John Ayers, Jeff Canfield, John Perry and the riders to stay on schedule. Not just with the timed qualifying and Last Chance races, but to also accommodate two extra motos in the schedule, Instead of just two motos for the 250 class and two motos for the 450 class, there will also be two motos for the Women.
In the background is REM's Mt. Whitney. It will be used as a giant tabletop going away (on the right side) and another giant tabletop coming towards the crowd (on the left side).
This is wall-to-wall racing and it's not just qualifying that has to fit into the one-day Saturday program, but two extra women’s motos during prime time. The program was tight before. It is really a stretch this year.
For people who don’t like math, there will be nine separate 15 minute practices (not counting practice for the L.A. Sleeve Two-Stroke Challenge). Then, a 450 LCQ (with only two riders advancing) and a 250 LCQ.
The downhill to the bridge has some surprises in store, not the least of which is the below ground level outside line.
The first real moto goes off at 1:00 pm and it is the Women’s Pro class (it is 15 minutes long). The second moto is the 450 Pro class (the 450s get to go first because there was a lot of whining that the tracks were too rough for the 450 guys--although they like to tell you that it has something to do with TV). The 450 class races 30 minutes plus two laps. They are followed by the 250 Pro class.
At Glen Helen the intermission, after the end of the first round of Pro races (which are supposed to end by 3:05 pm) to the next (which starts at 4:20 pm), the Two-Stroke Challenge race will be held. Then, the Women, 450s and 250s will do their second motos. The last moto ends at 6:50 pm.
Although we thought this died with the firing of Steve Whitelock, the stupid “smooth track” idea is still floating around. The powers-that-be seem to think that motocross tracks are too rough and they would like to have them graded or disced between rounds. Perhaps they have short memories about what Ricky Carmichael said about the last “smooth track” attempt when he went off on the AMA after the Budds Creek National. Smooth tracks should be left to road races and dirt tracks. The AMA should be looking for ways to make the National motocross tracks the toughest and most challenging courses possible--not some pantywaist layouts that favor the weak and ill-prepared. Lets not lose the essence of the sport in an attempt to coddle some spoiled rich factory riders.
The Glen Helen two-stroke race currently has 50 riders signed up, but only 40 will be accepted (based on their credentials--that means that qualified riders could still get in if they email lori@glenhelen.com). Doug Dubach, Ron Lechien, Chuck Sun and a host of other famous Pros have signed up.
Doug Jardine will fly his Sukhoi as part of the opening ceremonies. A race and an aerobatic show. Cool.
Glen Helen will have its famous aerobatic show during the opening ceremonies. Doug Jardine, an internationally-known air show pilot, will do the honors in his Russian-built Sukhoi. Jardine races at Glen Helen every weekend that he isn’t flying in Europe or on the air show circuit.
The Glen Helen race (the 450 class) will be shown on TV at 6:00 pm (PST) on the day of the race (in fact it will be shown on TV while the 250 class is still on the track. The 250 class will be shown Monday, May 25.
Last week Glen Helen broke up its concrete starting line so that it can be turned into a dirt start. Three days after the National is over they will put the concrete back in. Why put it back? The concrete offers a fairer start, no ditches, no muddy ruts, no trenches and doesn't require maintenance between motos.
Amazingly enough, Glen Helen has a concrete cutter come out and remove the concrete starting line on the National track before the race. Then Glen Helen backfills it with dirt. Three days after the National is over, they have a cement truck come out and repour the concrete starting line back in. They do this every year (because the AMA has a rule that says that all starts have to be dirt). It should be noted that the AMA was the one who asked for the concrete starting pads to be put in about a decade ago—before asking for it to be removed.
Although to the uninitiated it will look like the Glen Helen track is running backwards for the 2009 AMA 250/450 Nationals, it has been, in fact, running backwards for the last few years. This year’s direction is the original direction that the track went under the promotion of Roger DeCoster and for many years after. The new direction (or the old direction if you please) has been in use since the World Veteran Championship race last November.
There are lots of other surprises, but they will all be revealed in due time. The goal of Glen Helen is to provide the fans with an exciting atmosphere and chance to see the best riders on the most spectacular surroundings possible.
