MIR: What a waste of time...

[turkishexpress]

Just spent 7 hours at MIR (Maryland International Raceway) and let me tell you... what a freakin waste of time. The owner of that place must be rich from nickling and diming idiots like me. You pay $30 and only get 3 runs the whole day. Most of the other guys that were out there for TnT only got 2 runs in thanks to the V8s that you can't even stand next to without getting a headache breaking down and leaking fluids all over the track :mad: And the funny thing is we end up paying for the clean up while the V8s get to run 8-10 times thanks to made up events like "Gamblers Race" for sub 11 second cars while the day is supposed to be about testing and tuning :confused:

Got to spoke to the owner at the end of the day once I found out (after waiting to be called for another run with 10 other guys for 3 hours) that we were not going to get to run because they had 5 sessions of "Gamblers Race" back-to-back and the track was to be closed at 6pm :mad: WTF? He told me that they made an announcement that there was a "possibility" that we weren't going to get to run due to all the clean up. Funny enough, me and 10 other drivers missed that announcement :rolleyes: and ended up waiting to be called for an extra 3 hours!!!

What gets me is that we actually drive an hour to a track that clearly favors muscle cars over imports with all the events that are set up, and the only answer that the owner could give me when I ask him why its called Test n Tune when its really a sort of bracket racing set up for sub 11 second cars, all he can tell me is that the $30 I paid only entitles me to 1 run, and if I got that run, then I shouldn't be complaining... Well, I could rant about this for an hour but I just wanted the reader to take what he/she can from my experience and make their own decision on MIR. As far as I'm concerned, they'll get whats coming to them from visitors like me, which is NOTHING from now on :D

Thanks for reading :)

[redMR5625]

wow... i would hit that guy right up on his face if he said that... i went to track saturday at VMP (virginia motorsports park) and got about 14 runs from 10am-1pm... and paid $28

[RichJ]

The 3-4 times I've been to MIR on a weekend TnT I've gotten in at least 12 runs easy. I wouldn't assume that every weekend is like what you experienced. Were you there right when they opened? That's when the track is free and the air is cool.

[boostingevo8]

Yea I called MIR and spoke with this lady at 11am...she said the line had been steadily pouring in since 9:30 am. I knew I wasn't going espcially from Bmore. I like Cecil dragway and plan to go this Friday. However I think all the tracks will be thronged as the days dwindle down to closing.

[turkishexpress]

Yea, we got there a little before 10 and there was a ridicilous line. I got in and was able to get a free run just in time before the time trials began.

What agrevates me is how can you call it Test n Tune when the day has nothing to do with testing and tuning? Also the owner's casualness about the whole issue made me realize what kind of a business they run there. Hell if I knew that "Gamblers Race" would get me a possible 5 more runs back to back I would have just entered that. There is no excuse for what happens every week there. A V8 rapped up in a ton of steel with shitty brakes and a 1000 shot of nitrous breaks down every other run and we end up waiting and paying for the clean up. Its just not feasable for me anymore, especially after spending $2.5 for a hot dog thats the size of my pinky, and a $2 cup of coke everytime I'm hungry. Thats just my point...

[JOE-EVO]

Thats pretty much the same thing that happend the last time I went to MIR.
I got 10 runs in at capital on Friday in less than 3 hrs.

[RichJ]

Whenever I go to the track, I make a point to arrive before the crowd. At MIR that probably means getting there really early. But in that first hour you'll get in a bunch of runs while everyone else is waiting in line, getting their cars off the trailer, etc.

Speaking of early, if you do a driving school at a road course, you need to be there ready to go through tech at 7. If you need to swap tires and brake pads, then you need to get there by 6:!5 or so. When I did the school last week, on the first day I left my house at about 4:45 am!

[MadMsheen]

Good thing I left early. Too bad the one run we did get the alky line came loose, and caused the car to run 94 mph trap. I'm just glad my engine didn't blow. But I also run a very conservative tune and low boost setting. Not anymore though. Plugged the line back in and secured it. Bumped the boost up to 25 psi, and I think I got 1 count of knock somewhere when the car was hitting full boost at the beginning.

But it was a poopoo day. Other than hanging out and meeting a bunch of cool people.

[RichJ]

How did your alky line come loose?!? Yikes!

[RallyRedMR]

Oh man, this is almost as bad as my experience with the PS3. So i guess we arent going back next week? are there any other tracks we can go to?

[MadMsheen]

How did your alky line come loose?!? Yikes!

I guess it just wasn't on there tight enough. The Snow Performance kit is kinda scary. It uses a cylindrical V type fitting that goes over the hose with a round washer at the end that tightens down the V. Not sure if you're familiar with the fitting, but it's tight now.

[WhiteEvoIXMR]

Same thing happened to myself and a friend the past couple of times i've been there. At the TnT we only got one run and went to the tower and were told we couldn't get a rain check or refund b/c we ran at all!? and I asked them the same question(we're trying to Test and Tune and you only guarantee one run?) we just got fed up and left after waiting for many hours.

Even when it comes to a big event like NOPI or Imp vs. Dom, noone that works there ever knows whats going on. You talk to an "official" there to ask a question and they point you to a different person because they have no idea, which starts a chain of different people you go to that say the same thing "I don't know ask someone else". They're really clueless there and i got fed up with it.

Im always there with atleast 5 others that come with me to run their car, so its not like its only affecting a couple people, and now i see there is even more that this has happened to.

[MadMsheen]

I think I'm going to do 3rd gear pulls at ODS next season.

[memo]

After reading all this, Like Tolga says, Let's rent a track for one day and I am sure we will have enough people to make it happen

[redMR5625]

im one!!!! let me know when this happens :)

[MadMsheen]

Memo, I'm so down with renting a track. And this time, let's get two lanes. I don't mind dropping the coin. We can do it as a 1st semi-annual DCEvoclub BBQ. I'm sure the turnout would be hot.

[turkishexpress]

I would be down for a track day. It would be great if some of the sponsors would chip in as well to keep the cost down. We can have them also bring parts out just in case we break :D

[redMR5625]

oh... and tuners right?

[derangedazn]

Why not get a bunch of people that usually go to not attend and go somewhere else. If attendees rate decreases the owner will change his tune.

I would have replied "So the 30 bucks guarantees me 1 run and a one punch to your face."

[memo]

I can contact some tracks and see what they say. I am sure some of our sponsors will be interested as well.

When do you think will be good to rent it out? I think it is too late for this season maybe after Winter like March? If we have a time frame to rent the track out, it would be best.

Let me start a new thread so we can see how many people are interested.

[TonyG]

It's like this everywhere. And its not about favoring muscle cars -I experience the same shitt whether I take my Evo or my Mustang to the track. I've made literally hundreds of trips to the dragstrip and I can't tell you how many times I've seen test/tune days get clogged up by motorcycles, Jr. dragsters, gamblers race, etc.

Its not about any type of favoritism, its about incompetent, greedy track owners. I remember overhearing track officials boasting among themselves about how they made $30,000 in one night.

[Rally Red Monster]

I here you Cem, I only got 1 1/2 runs in in the same amount of time. I think that most people there thought it was the last day plus there was a swap meet.