Imagine telling any racer west of the Mississippi River about a land where 1.6-second 60-foot times and 1,500-foot density altitude send people into fits of rage. The response you'd receive might make Chris Rock question his job security. The land in question is real and it's called Houston Raceway Park. Situated just 10 feet above sea level, HRP battles the Gulf Coast humidity with its ridiculously low elevation and a gentle tailwind. During the cooler months, a density altitude of -2,000 feet isn't uncommon, and HRP's perfectly groomed racing surface enables even those with just moderate driving talent to cut sub-2-second 60-foots on street tires. No wonder HRP has created some of the most spoiled racers around. To get an inside look at what it takes to operate a premier racing facility, we sat down with HRP General Manager Gerald Critchfield. Responsible for the day-to-day operations of the facility, Gerald has been instrumental in establishing HRP's reputation as one of the fastest tracks in the country.
Track Maintenance
Constant evolution is an earmark of all quality tracks, and maintaining the integrity of the racing surface is the biggest challenge. "We're always cognizant of any kind of ground movement under the racetrack that may have created dips or hills," says Gerald. "If we see any movement, we'll grind it down or remove and repave sections of the track because we want a perfectly flat surface." Major projects like revamping the starting line are performed once every five years. For tracks that host national NHRA events, like HRP, many of the renovations are based on the advancements in Top Fuel and Funny Car. As the horsepower and clutch systems improve, tracks need to step up to help competitors put more power to ground.