Thanks so much for the great story about Figure 8 racing at Riverhead. This
is why they invented the damn Net!
> Riverhead happens to me my home track. Figure 8 racing was invented
> here at Islip (now it's a cookie factory.) But the running start still
> happens, although the figure 8 races only happen about every other week
> around here now. Can you imagine, the new drivers don't want to race the
> class.
> The best Riverhead start I remember was about three years ago. The
> flagman started his run and the cars came bearing down towards him. The two
> front cars came together and hooked up, spinning sideways, and were
> immediately struck by the second row of cars. This sent them spinning
> towards the wall where the starter was trying to get out of the way.(There
> used to be a little cut out in the concrete wall for the starter to hide
> behind, and then he would jump up onto the top of the concrete wall, and
> walk to the left to get out of the way.) Well this time he barely made it
> into his little hideout, and turned. What he saw was three figure 8 cars
> headed right for his little spot, which was only protected with ARMCO metal
> wall. He had just enough time to dive to his left and clear the spot. The
> three cars hit the ARMCO and pushed it all the way in, almost sending a car
> into the stands. The starter kind of was stunned, not sure what just
> happened. Of course at this point I yelled out. "Dude. You almost died!"
> There was some laughter from the starter after this, but the hole was filled
> in the next week, and from then on he starts his run a little further down
> the track. Which is a good thing.
> Riverhead has a web site. Not a very good one. But check it out for some
> more figure 8 pictures.
> http://www.riverheadraceway.com
> The Mocker
> > l have a race on tape from ESPN they kept showing from Sept '95 of a
> Figure
> > 8 race at Riverhead, New York. In this one there was some hits but it was
> > paved with some pretty nice late model cars and the object was the same as
> > a local points race on an oval- finish with your car in good shape and win
> > the race.
> > The winner was a guy who was favored, and in the prerace interview when
> > asked what his technique was guess what; he used #1- just step on it.
> > My favorite part was the start when the flag man waved the green from the
> > intersection and then ran for his life!
> > Had to throw in my 2 cents.