Hampton Downs

[FROSTY]

I was lucky enough to get to get a reasonably close up peruse of the Hampton Downs track.
Dang it looks like its gonna be a darn nice setup. Very much like the Taupo track actually but a lot more elevation change.
One bit I couldn't figure out was that down the motorway end the track looks to be raised from 1.5m- 600mm above the sorounding ground.
Is this where the sand traps are going in?
otherwise its a bit of a dropoff on the edge of the track

[Kiwi Graham]

Noticed that too, maybe the answer lays in the web site.
Could be footings for a grandstand? It would be a bloody deep sand trap!

[Marmoot]

From what I know, due to economic recession they will put the cheesecutter there instead of sand trap to save cost.

[Duke girl]

Why dont you get onto the Hampton Downs website as that has photos of the track being built.

[ajturbo]

Why dont you get onto the Hampton Downs website as that has photos of the track being built.
stop being a smarty

[PZR]

I was a smarty and had a look at the website. The corner is 21 metres wide so I assume that is the run off. If you go beyond that its either the armco or the swamp. Or maybe there will be a run off to the motorway but as punisment for being so stoopid to go so wide you have to pay to get back in again.LOL
I did the circuit on the F1 car simulation. It also does a Carrera Cup race, but they were doing the track in reverse. whats with that. Can bkes do it in reverse as well, that would be good, more right hand corners to practice (trust me I need more practice)

[Skunk]

stop being a smarty
With you around someone has too... :lol:

[dino3310]

they've probably built that corner up to allow it to sink and settle before they complete that part of the track, the peat soil is only about a 800-900mm then sand and when the rivers up and theres heavy rainfall the water table is very high and all the flats along there to the drag strip turn into a bog hole, so i wouldn't be suprised if that corner sinks if it hasn't all ready.
they reckon theres gona be more tarmac on the run offs to give racers more of a chance to recover before they get into the sand- cant wait for it to be finished it's gona be one hell of a track.

[tri boy]

The hollowed out bit, is where the Taniwha sleeps au.

[dino3310]

The hollowed out bit, is where the Taniwha sleeps au.

na he's in the drain by the dragstrip where all those big fat tuna are bro au

[Devil]

Hopefully i've got a spot reserved on one of the very first track days there. Cant wait!

Roll on the California Superbike School!

[Pumba]

they've probably built that corner up to allow it to sink and settle before they complete that part of the track, the peat soil is only about a 800-900mm then sand and when the rivers up and theres heavy rainfall the water table is very high and all the flats along there to the drag strip turn into a bog hole, so i wouldn't be suprised if that corner sinks if it hasn't all ready.
they reckon theres gona be more tarmac on the run offs to give racers more of a chance to recover before they get into the sand- cant wait for it to be finished it's gona be one hell of a track.

Close but not qute. It is a teqnique called preloading the underlying soil in order to bring on settlement as a result of the extra weight. This should eliminate the chance of any further settlement in the future.

THe soil used for preload will be removed as required to construct the sub-base and basecourse that form the pavement structure.

[Duke girl]

AJ your only jealous because I thought of it before you.:bleh:

[slowpoke]

Very much like the Taupo track


Tell me it ain't so! The last thing we need is another ferkin' go kart/motard track.

[Sketchy_Racer]

Tell me it ain't so! The last thing we need is another ferkin' go kart/motard track.

Got a problem with corners? :laugh: Isn't that what we ride these motorcycle things for. Long straights are pretty fucken boring.

[Tony.OK]

Got a problem with corners? :laugh: Isn't that what we ride these motorcycle things for. Long straights are pretty fucken boring.

Ha when I went inside ya into Higgins ya looked to be having fun on the brakes in a straight line hehee:bleh:

[Sketchy_Racer]

Ha when I went inside ya into Higgins ya looked to be having fun on the brakes in a straight line hehee:bleh:

hahaha yeah apparently you can't just "slam it down the box bro" on a 600 without a slipper clutch.. ahem. :laugh:

[cowpoos]

Tell me it ain't so! The last thing we need is another ferkin' go kart/motard track.
Totally agree Spud!!

[cowpoos]

more right hand corners to practice (trust me I need more practice)

Often when people have problems with right handed corners on the road is because they are sighting them wrong...on the left people naturally sight their line with the solid white line...but on right turns they use the solid line on the right hand side of the road...rather than the broken white centre line...using the solid line on the right hand side of the road naturally will draw you and bike to be to far over...and potentially leaning over the broken white line in the middle of the road...

Go and practise on some not to sharp right handers [say 65-85 kmph corners] and make your self focuse only on the broken white lines in the center on the road...and you may have to focus!!

Another tip is tilting your head down a little bit...before and during a corner...it increases your peripherial vision and helps you naturally/instinctivly select nice lines...

[slowpoke]

Got a problem with corners? :laugh: Isn't that what we ride these motorcycle things for. Long straights are pretty fucken boring.

Nup, just 2nd gear corner after 2nd gear corner after 2nd gear corner after 1st gear corner after wait for it another second gear corner.

Especially the short circuit (new half) the only decent corner on the circuit, the left hand sweeper, and they fuck it up by putting that shitty chicane before the shortened back straight. How good would it be to sweep right around onto the straight.....but no, that would be far too much fun. I swear that track was designed by politicians.......

[Sketchy_Racer]

Nup, just 2nd gear corner after 2nd gear corner after 2nd gear corner after 1st gear corner after wait for it another second gear corner.

Especially the short circuit (new half) the only decent corner on the circuit, the left hand sweeper, and they fuck it up by putting that shitty chicane before the shortened back straight. How good would it be to sweep right around onto the straight.....but no, that would be far too much fun. I swear that track was designed by politicians.......

Haha It probably was designed by some pen pushing yobo.

I agree it would be nice to have some decent high speed flowing corners, but i've gotta say when I get that middle section (from turn one to turn six) perfect it's bliss. So smooth and flowing.

[Cleve]

Haha It probably was designed by some pen pushing yobo.

I agree it would be nice to have some decent high speed flowing corners, but i've gotta say when I get that middle section (from turn one to turn six) perfect it's bliss. So smooth and flowing.

Hey you two stop talking about Taupo. The thread is about HD...:innocent:

[Sketchy_Racer]

Hey you two stop talking about Taupo. The thread is about HD...:innocent:

Sorry Sir :innocent:

[dino3310]

meremere is turning into a top spot with the drag strip,jet sprints,dirt track, vintage clay track, off road buggy track and now a world class race track and all a short drive from Hams or Aucks.
Bloody awesome.
hopefully we'll get a permanent superX and MX track there aswell, wishfull thinking maybe but my fingers are crossed.
cant wait for the world superbikes to get here.
Bloody awesome.

[dubshack]

No MX track at HD due to the noise. The 4 strokes are too bloody noisy and it carries for miles.
They considered it though, as well as a speedway track but that aint happening either.
I can't wait for HD to be open.

[SPman]

. If you go beyond that its either the armco or the swamp.
Swamp makes good runoff!

[vifferman]

Swamp makes good runoff!
And runoff often makes good swamp! :confused:

I think I'd rather pull a bike out of kitty litter than a swamp...

[Coyote]

From what I know, due to economic recession they will put the cheesecutter there instead of sand trap to save cost.
Don't even joke about it, it'll give the safety nazis ideas.

[discotex]

Can bkes do it in reverse as well, that would be good, more right hand corners to practice (trust me I need more practice)

I thought it was a right hand (i.e. clockwise) track...? Reverse would mean more left handers right?

Turn 4 looks mean as does the last corner onto the (not so)straight.

<img src="http://www.hamptondowns.com/wse/graphics/Race%20Track%20Small.jpg">

[scracha]

Bump. Went for a dawdle up the side road around Hampton downs on Sunday. Doesn't look like it'll be ready any time soon

[jrandom]

Turn 4 looks mean...

Fuckin' oath. Increasing radius, gnah. Om nom nom nom!

[Shaun]

Bump. Went for a dawdle up the side road around Hampton downs on Sunday. Doesn't look like it'll be ready any time soon


Might be a go cart race some time in 09, probally more like a wheel barrow race though



Timaru/Christchurch/Wanganui still, and always will be the best tracks in New Zealand

[jrandom]

Might be a go cart race some time in 09, probally more like a wheel barrow race though

Right now the track looks like it'd be awesome fun on an MX bike.

[erik]

I stopped by on monday to have a look. There was a guy in a BMW car doing the same thing.

[dubshack]

It will be open for events in June 09.

[Shaun]

It will be open for events in June 09.


If you will accept this challenge, I will bet you $100 cash it will Not be as a road race course for those events?



#### If he accepts, some one lock this post away and remind me please

[Teambwr47]

It will be open for events in June 09.


I very much doubt they will open in June........ and plenty of people seem to now be saying its more likely to be December 2009.

Would be great if its June but I'd avoid a wager if i were you......

[cowpoos]

Right now the track looks like it'd be awesome fun on an MX bike.
not enough jumps fella!!

[Kickaha]

not enough jumps fella!!

Amount of pies you eat,your bike would never leave the ground anyway

[cowpoos]

Amount of pies you eat,your bike would never leave the ground anyway

Do I need words with this picture?

[Kickaha]

Do I need words with this picture?

Your Hotel room?