Brooksville surface condition

[kickslop]

Brooksville's surface is getting pretty bad. Bad enough that we now have to design courses around certain bad spots. We can't really ignore this any longer if you ask me.

Let's start with:

Does anyone know if the site would let us (in coordination with and with help from other groups using the site, ideally!) patch their surface?

Does anyone know HOW to patch concrete so that it doesn't chip out within 6 months with cars running over it?

[Native]

At the meeting before the start of this season that the airport powers called with all the local groups using their site, they said quite clearly that they have no intention of maintaining the runway. NO one asked about fixing it themselves.

IMHO, I suspect that, even with cooperation from other clubs, the cost will be prohibitive and the fix temporary.

Regardless, if there seems to be sufficient interest, I can contact the airport and find out how they'd feel about it if we took matters into our own hands. I also have individual contacts for the other clubs.

[Anonymous]

Dave Hutter told me he can provide contact info for people at the Ft. Myers Airfield to find out who they used for repairs. His email is probably on the web page gulfcoastautocrossers.com

It appears the repairs they made work well.

[Solar]

The type of repair you use really depends on time and money. The proper way to patch concrete is to cut out the bad area and pour a new concrete patch.

A couple bags of asphalt patch might work, but I doubt they would last very long, plus it might make the course worse if chunks of patch start coming loose. If we decide on going the asphalt patch route, I have a tamper we can use.

[WAFlowers]

The local SCCA would be a good place to start coordinating this. I'm sure they are expressing the same concerns.

[kickslop]

Yeah, I was thinking more DIY than trying to get local clubs to pool $XXXX or such for some local company to do the work.

As in--- bucket brigade "Fix Brooksville" day with volunteers showing up for as long as they can bother to and several key people being there all day coordinating things. I've zero concrete experience but would be willing to dedicate most of a weekend day to the effort.

Perhaps the best way to approach this is with a few patches. in one area of the typical course path. If they start chunking, we'll remove them. If they work for a few events, we could do some more work and get other clubs involved at that time.

STEVE: We definitely at least need to have it confirmed that the site owner doesn't care if we try to do some patch work.

[WAFlowers]

To fix concrete so it won't pull out again, soon, you do need to cut it out. If you have cone shaped patches they won't stay put!

I noticed that some areas were already cut ready to be broken up and removed for patches. Why? Who? When? I don't know. But some areas would be easy to do.

Obviously we'd have to get permission to do anything. I'd suggest that we approach the authorities to find out what we'd be allowed to do before our plans progress too far. They might have very specific requirements that we'd have to follow.

[Native]

I'll contact the airport and see what they say.

[muddy]

They poured tar in the cracks at Ft Myers. It has worked extremely well. We would be wasting our time and money putting forth the effort to lay concrete.

[WAFlowers]

Howard was saying the price of asphalt is really low right now. Hmmm ...

[Solar]

If you use hot asphalt that would probably work, someone would need access to a hot tar pot, I doubt the asphalt patch stuff you buy at Home Depot would work.

[Loren]

It's also worth keeping in mind that the airport has this site slated for an office/industrial park in the not-too-distant future. That's probably the biggest reason that THEY aren't putting any money into maintaining it.

[treekiller]

I would assume a business park in brooksville is a loosing propisition right now. in a couple years who knows. I've seen clubs distroyed by a lack of places to run. you allways have to be looking for more and better locations.

speaking of which does anyone know about zeypherhills? it's similar in size to brooksville but does not have the craters. the location is a bit closer to tampa, much easier to access from the highway and you can have walk up entries. some people complain about the surface but I think it's a fine place to run.

[Loren]

I believe Z-hills is an option. A bit of a problem to schedule, from what I understand. You have to an airport authority board meeting or something? Idunno, Danny explained it to me once. He'd be the one to ask... or the guy who's running their program this year.

I don't have a problem with the surface, but there ARE "soft obstacles" to be hit out there (lights). They typically don't damage cars, but they cost something like $200 to replace. Just something to consider. I believe PCA charges it back to the person to hit it, but... what do you do when it gets hit by somebody who doesn't have that kind of money available?

I don't know how hard it is to design around them, never really paid much attention to where they are... I just drive between the cones!

[Native]

Yeah, the B'ville runway will, one day, no longer be. At the pre-season meeting, they were talking 2-3 years, but it was all preliminary. Could also change without a moment's notice.

Heard back from them today - they have no problem with us patching the runway. They do want to know what materials we plan to use to do the patches. They did not specifiy any preferences, rules, limitations, etc., but since they want to know, we ought get it all approved before we actually do any purchasing/work.

So, who wants to research the Zephyrhills option for next year? Scheduling issues, costs, rules, contacts...

and we ought at least try to talk to the folks at the dogtrack on Gandy in St. Pete - big lot - no islands/lights. Anyone?

[Anonymous]

Zephyrhills sucks. PCA already has it pretty well locked down as a permanent auto-x site, and adding it to the schedule will do nothing to increase the attractiveness of FAST, especially while Brooksville is still available.

Brooksville is so much better, it's not even close.

[Alizarin]

I like Zephyrhills because its a challenge. Different surfaces, transitions, etc.