Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

From a letter sent to Roadracing World:

A few weeks ago you posted a comment from a reader on your website concerning the new BeaveRun Motorsports Park near Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania in which he questioned the track’s suitability for motorcycle racing.

I have waited to respond until I visited the construction site as I wanted to review his concerns now that grading is at a stage where I am able to compare final grades with computer layouts.

Partly as a result of his comments I have made a few changes to the shape of three of the turns, altering them to modify the “accident-tangents” of the corner to maximize run-off room. I am now confident that the track will be very suitable for motorcycle racing (as was always my intent) and that his concerns can now be lessened.

BeaveRun will be a fast but technical track with a significant amount of grade change and corner cross cambers that will influence race lines and overtaking. While it is not an “open” type track like GingerMan, Mid-America and Carolina and will have many barriers, I believe that run-off areas will be adequate for motorcycle racing – certainly better then most similar tracks. Unfortunately it is not always possible to build tracks on flat wide open sites that make it feasible to eliminate barriers completely. The BeaveRun site has significant elevations which make for great viewing and interesting riding and which have required a considerable amount of earth moving. The consequence being that we have had to take extra care to plan necessary barriers where they need to protect from banks, drops and other features but in such a way that they will have the minimum impact potential.

Your correspondent also noted the track representative’s lack of awareness of “Air Fence”.

Part of my role in designing and consulting on track construction is to educate my clients on the most appropriate and up-to-date safety measures available. This process is on-going throughout the development of the project and not all information is provided up-front. Certain items, such as “Air Fence” are detailed in the design manual that I provide my clients with information provided as when appropriate. The information on “Air Fence”, (which I strongly recommend) had not been provided at the time of the presentation as the engineers were at that time still focused on basic design and construction issues.

It is my intention to recommend that “Air Fence” be used in appropriate locations as and where necessary.

I would like to thank your correspondent for noting his concerns and would like to re-assure him that motorcycle safety is and will always be a major priority of any track that I design. I hope that he will enjoy the challenge of racing at BeaveRun when it opens later this summer.

Sincerely,

Alan Wilson