Richard Petty Driving experience to close later this year

[DDLand]

I must Be going nuts...I was sure that the speedway was an early addition...
What was there before?

Nah, I've had (and will continue to) have those sorts things.

As far as I know it was just empty. I don't know who would've thought about putting a race track there; seems random to me. Hey, this proves if you have enough money Disney will give you some prime real estate.

 

[DDLand]

I was there many times before the track was constructed and during the construction (lived in the Tampa area from 1957 through 1996). Will have to go back through my old pictures and 8mm movies to check. I seem to remember the parking lot tram drivers talking about it also. You have my curiosity up now.

Please do! I'm jealous you have those.

 

[rteetz]

I thought a good amount of nascar teams used that site for testing? Hate to see it go was neat to see the cars driving around..

They don't use it anymore a driver was seriously injured when using it. It does not have safer barrier walls.

 

[rteetz]

This particular piece of property was never a parking lot and ground was broken in 1995. It's recent and poor planning...

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich...cing_Experience_.2F_Exotic_Driving_Experience

I'll admit I'm not too sorrowful about this.

Correct built in 1995 on empty land just next to the parking lot. They used to hold races here but stopped.

 

[rteetz]

Maybe some sort of improvement to traffic flow.

All signs point to expanding the parking lot.

 

[rteetz]

Ok I'll start the fire.

MONORAIL EXPANSION.

I wish but a 1 in a zillion chance

 

[rteetz]

Nah, I've had (and will continue to) have those sorts things.

As far as I know it was just empty. I don't know who would've thought about putting a race track there; seems random to me. Hey, this proves if you have enough money Disney will give you some prime real estate.

NASCAR was a more popular sport at the time it was built. Nothing was on the land previously. The MK area is more popular than having it somewhere else. My dad did the Richard petty experience.

 

[11290]

Was built "primarily" for the Indy Racing League (IRL). Built by a company of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, in conjunction with Disney. Some NASCAR events (truck and lower tier series events) were held at the track over a period of 3 or 4 years. The first IRL race was held there early in 1996 I believe, and further IRL events continued through 2000. After that period, major sanctioned racing events did not take place.

Track does still get used for testing from time to time, mostly in the June / July time frame. Have seen some NASCAR truck and whatever they call the old NationWide series now, teams there every now and then when I go by to go to work at MK.

 

[jcnewton]

All signs point to expanding the parking lot.

Well that's.....disappointing.

 

[chartle]

All signs point to expanding the parking lot.

For what, the few days that it fills up every year? Unless as posted above they have some plans for some of the existing spaces.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

For what, the few days that it fills up every year? Unless as posted above they have some plans for some of the existing spaces.

Not to stir the pot...but I think it's safe to assume that there will be major DVC expansion to all three of the seven seas hotels...sooner than later.

The proximity to the parking lot and the TTC for the poly... And the fact that the mk parking lot is not walking distance to anywhere anyway...could mean that a "new parking lot" could shift space for a
Poly phase 2.

I don't think any of us who watch DVC think they're done.

Also, the TTC could be partially demolished anyway. All that remains is a monorail station, a boatdock, and the ticket windows.

The mk bus depot was vastly expanded a year ago...

And the ticket windows...well...you see where that's going...next gen is in place at least partially to phase them out.

This is all
Very predictable insanity.

 

[DDLand]

NASCAR was a more popular sport at the time it was built. Nothing was on the land previously. The MK area is more popular than having it somewhere else. My dad did the Richard petty experience.

I'm not sure if that's really the case. You have to go out of your way to do the program by booking in advance (and paying a significant fee). It's not like Contemporary or other Resorts where there are advantages to being closer to the Magic Kingdom. I guess putting it there gave it some free advertising, but nothing a bill board on World Drive couldn't accomplish. Anywhere on property would've worked for this attraction.

 

[DDLand]

Not to stir the pot...but I think it's safe to assume that there will be major DVC expansion to all three of the seven seas hotels...sooner than later.

The proximity to the parking lot and the TTC for the poly... And the fact that the mk parking lot is not walking distance to anywhere anyway...could mean that a "new parking lot" could shift space for a
Poly phase 2.

I don't think any of us who watch DVC think they're done.

Also, the TTC could be partially demolished anyway. All that remains is a monorail station, a boatdock, and the ticket windows.

The mk bus depot was vastly expanded a year ago...

And the ticket windows...well...you see where that's going...next gen is in place at least partially to phase them out.

This is all
Very predictable insanity.

Predictable insanity is right.

Oh gosh. I see how this could work, but do they have the guts? I guess when there's a couple hundred million on the table with further DVC expansion that could be incentive enough to radically rework the entire TTC and Parking. Think of the upheaval though. Reduced parking, disrupted Monorail, blocked boat transport, confused guests, diverted traffic. Operations must be trembling at the very thought...

 

[Geoff_M]

They don't use it anymore a driver was seriously injured when using it. It does not have safer barrier walls.

As was mentioned, the track was a joint project between Disney and the parent company of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The primary intent was to use it as a venue for IndyCars as part of the IRL series. But the problem is that the track is a rather "short" tri-oval with three turns instead of the normal four (though technically a true oval only has one LONG turn on each end). This meant that the WDW Speedway had to squeeze 360 degrees of turning into only three turns. Tighter turns means a greater chance of a car impacting a wall in more of a "head on" orientation. There were two notable IndyCar driver injuries at WDW Speedway. The first was Davy Jones (not of "The Monkeys"), who suffered a serious neck/spine injury in 1997 that nearly decapitated him (by some accounts), but he survived and after a long period of time wearing a "halo" device resumed his racing career. The worst accident was Sam Schmidt, who also suffered a practice crash at WDW in 1999. He wasn't so lucky as Jones. Schmidt suffered a spinal fracture that left him a quadriplegic. However, Sam's done a lot since his injury. He's a race team owner now, and last year I watched him drive a biometrically controlled car around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway at over 100 MPH. Both of these crashes were before common use of the HANS device on helmets that limits the forward extension of a driver's head to the point where they risk neck injury or a basal skull fracture.

Watch this video and see how much time each lap an IndyCar driver had to turn the wheel during a lap a WDW:

The track also was never fitted with a "soft wall" SAFER barrier.

IMS and WDW entered into the project because WDW wanted a race there in late January as a means to increase crowds during a slow time of the year. But after a couple of years, IndyCar expressed a desire to move the race later into the calendar because a January race left an almost two month gap before the next race. WDW didn't want to move the race to a "busier" time of year for them, so the races were stopped.

Why is it closing now? My guess is that the track may be in need of a resurfacing, which if true would be quite expensive.

 

[DDLand]

All signs point to expanding the parking lot.

Transportation doesn't equal guest parking lots... I say they're going to build a new bus parking lot to store their favorite transportation method!

 

[rteetz]

Here is the latest rumor a new entrance
http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions...ntrance-to-walt-disney-world-in-the-works.htm

 

[JodyTG]

I'll be very happy if this is true. It's miserable trying to play a round at the Palm and having to listen to those cars.

 

[chartle]

Not to stir the pot...but I think it's safe to assume that there will be major DVC expansion to all three of the seven seas hotels...sooner than later.

The proximity to the parking lot and the TTC for the poly... And the fact that the mk parking lot is not walking distance to anywhere anyway...could mean that a "new parking lot" could shift space for a
Poly phase 2.

I don't think any of us who watch DVC think they're done.

After I wrote that I was thinking the same thing 'why would they need more space near the TTC' and Poly expansion came to mind. But I can't see how any parking area near the Poly would be considered prime prime DVC resort space. I can't even see how if they used the Poly's parking lot for expansion that then they would take some of the TTC's for its lot.

 

[sachilles]

Fyi, the track surface and Tri-oval setup were just fine. The lack of safer barriers combined with the lack of permanent facilities, and the parking crunch on race day all contributed to it's death as a IRL and Nascar race site.
It certainly could have worked with a different site placement, but it was a quick project. I'm fairly certain Disney recouped their investment. It likely has some infrastructure there that will not have to be re-done for whatever build up is planned.
If it was just overflow parking, you could easily incorporate a "road course" for the exotic car experience, combined with parking space. There are several spots in the country that do that currently. One example is the currently unused road course at RFK stadium in Washington DC. You can look at on google and see the course. They could probably still do this if they care to, my guess is it just isn't the best fit.
Whether the exact geography of the track ends up as parking, who knows, but it certainly seems like there will be more to the project than just additional parking spaces.

 

[chartle]

As was mentioned, the track was a joint project between Disney and the parent company of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The primary intent was to use it as a venue for IndyCars as part of the IRL series. But the problem is that the track is a rather "short" tri-oval with three turns instead of the normal four (though technically a true oval only has one LONG turn on each end). This meant that the WDW Speedway had to squeeze 360 degrees of turning into only three turns. Tighter turns means a greater chance of a car impacting a wall in more of a "head on" orientation. There were two notable IndyCar driver injuries at WDW Speedway. The first was Davy Jones (not of "The Monkeys"), who suffered a serious neck/spine injury in 1997 that nearly decapitated him (by some accounts), but he survived and after a long period of time wearing a "halo" device resumed his racing career. The worst accident was Sam Schmidt, who also suffered a practice crash at WDW in 1999. He wasn't so lucky as Jones. Schmidt suffered a spinal fracture that left him a quadriplegic. However, Sam's done a lot since his injury. He's a race team owner now, and last year I watched him drive a biometrically controlled car around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway at over 100 MPH. Both of these crashes were before common use of the HANS device on helmets that limits the forward extension of a driver's head to the point where they risk neck injury or a basal skull fracture.

Watch this video and see how much time each lap an IndyCar driver had to turn the wheel during a lap a WDW:

The track also was never fitted with a "soft wall" SAFER barrier.

IMS and WDW entered into the project because WDW wanted a race there in late January as a means to increase crowds during a slow time of the year. But after a couple of years, IndyCar expressed a desire to move the race later into the calendar because a January race left an almost two month gap before the next race. WDW didn't want to move the race to a "busier" time of year for them, so the races were stopped.

Why is it closing now? My guess is that the track may be in need of a resurfacing, which if true would be quite expensive.

I also read that there was no permanent seats and they would have to bring in temporary bleachers and the only place to set them up was in the parking lot that just the parking issue for the race even worse.

This just didn't seem like it was very well thought out.