BIR Status?

[Cobra_Kai]

Anyone heard what BIR has done or is doing for 2007? I didnt see anything on their website...did they do anything with the track over the winter? Do they have any sort of open-track schedule for this year? Sure would be nice if BIR had certain open track days like MAM has their Fast Fridays - I would think that would bring in a lot of business.

[Grenade]

I know they are still going to do the Wed eve Drags. As far as the road course goes. I don't know for sure.

[joecobra]

BIR's business model for the road course is to rent it. There are lots of track time opportunities up there though. Donnybrooke, BMW Club, Porsche Club, Slowpokes, Suburban Corvettes all have track days up there - some on weekends. I've found that none of them turn anybody away unless they run out of space. I ran my Mustang at the weekend BMW club event last October.

BIR is working with an SCCA track designer to put in the necessary improvements so the SCCA can hold a double regional there on Sept 8 & 9. The regional will include all SCCA regional road racing classes and will include a couple run groups of HPDE.

Last I heard there are still plans for a shorter "club course" that bypasses the dragstrip and adds more corners.

[96HawkCnvt]

Last I heard there are still plans for a shorter "club course" that bypasses the dragstrip and adds more corners.

They were supposed to be breaking ground on that last fall. Does anyone know if they have started on it?

Todd

[Cobra_Kai]

Exactly what I thought - from the little info I've heard, nothing has happened to the track so far. I am going to call them tomorrow and see what their 2007 plans are.

[Steve]

They have trimmed trees in T2 and added Jersey Barriers from T9 to T10...according to Jeb last fall...

[Cobra_Kai]

Ok, I finally talked to someone at BIR...apparently their plan is to build a shorter road course this year that will be located inside the current road course, and the two tracks will be able to have simultaneous events, I guess. So, the larger road course will still use the drag strip, and the smaller one will be completely separate, and should be done sometime this year they said.....over and out.

[Steve]

See post 11, not completely separate but separate from the drag track.

http://www.tcstangs.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44454&highlight=BIR

[Cobra_Kai]

I remember that thread, but it never addresses when any of this is going to take place - people can talk about doing stuff all they want, but until they actually do it it doesnt mean crap...so on that note, they still havent broken ground on it yet because "they still have snow up there" they said......well duh, its MN, of course there's snow. Road America had snow all winter long too but they managed to break ground last year and finish their project before the season starts. But since BIR is not touching the "main" track, they can take as long as they want on the other track - I just thought they were gonna be rerouting around the dragstrip, and clearly they are not.

[Steve]

What do you men by "breaking ground'? Are you referring to the club course?

According to Jeb in that meeting, the trees had been trimmed and the Jersey Barriers were going in already and that was 5 months ago.

I wouldn't expect them to get the club course in this summer, but it sure would be cool. Imagine Saturday and Sunday track days each week. I wonder what kind of pricing they would have for something like that? $100-$150 would be great, but I doubt that's reasonable. He would need to recoupe the construction cost.


Also what do you mean about "clearly they are not". Did you speak at length about the new club track? I am interested in hearing more, if you know more.

[ScotWithOne_t]

What do you men by "breaking ground'? Are you referring to the club course?

According to Jeb in that meeting, the trees had been trimmed and the Jersey Barriers were going in already and that was 5 months ago.

I wouldn't expect them to get the club course in this summer, but it sure would be cool. Imagine Saturday and Sunday track days each week. I wonder what kind of pricing they would have for something like that? $100-$150 would be great, but I doubt that's reasonable. He would need to recoupe the construction cost.


Also what do you mean about "clearly they are not". Did you speak at length about the new club track? I am interested in hearing more, if you know more.

$100-$150 doesn't seem too out of line. Hell, we only paid around $110 for the NASA HPDE there last year.

[Cobra_Kai]

Breaking ground means digging up the ground to put in the short track, which would be located in the center of the current track.

According the to lady I talked to today, she said that they will be starting construction on the short track soon, and that will not conflict with the current track, so the tracks would not intersect or use each other, so that would allow both tracks to be used at the same time. The shorter one I guess would be the "club course" you are referring to, and the current track would remain intact, using the drag strip, and not being any part of the shorter club course. I also asked if any of this info will be available on their website and she said in the future in will be....that website has a long way to go though.
As far as cheaper track expenses, I wouldnt hold your breath - it would be nice to have track days for $110 like MAM does in Fridays though.
We can all cross out fingers and hope for the best.