9 replies to this topic

[Raido]

I'm working on a virtual recreation of Vaca Valley Raceway in northern California. (EDIT: Now available - see release message down in this thread.)

Nowadays, it's a classic example of a 'Lost track' or 'Ghost track'. It was abandoned in 1972 and nowadays, only its outlines are still vaguely visible on Google Earth. Thought it would be nice to grab its DNA (=layout) before it's too late and bring it back from the dead, if only simulation-wise (since it's probably going to be built over and erased from sight within the forseeable future, and there are good historical sims these days).

Since it's not a "big name" track, finding information and visual clues for it are fairly rare. I've dig up two useful videos on Youtube and a few pics on http://www.tamsoldra...alleyToday.html, but that's about it - anyone have some more pics, stats, old-time stories and/or laptime data to share for this track?

The virtual recreation is driveable now, btw, but if possible I'd like to add some more detail.

Regards, R

Edited by Raido, 10 May 2011 - 22:21.

[Frank S]

Maybe not much help, but this is all I have:
Vaca Valley Race program

[RStock]

Just an outline of the circuit, but it might be helpful. Here's a link

http://www.the-fastl...ates/index.html

The site doesn't allow for a direct link to the Vaca Valley page, so if you click on V, you'll see Vaca Valley at the top. Hope it helps.

[Mike Summers]

Know the track well. I started my motorcycle road racing career there in 1968. Raced there until sometime in the mid 70's. I, like my friend Dann Shively, stopped a few years ago off the Midway Road exit to investigate. Went in an open gate and drove what was left of the track. Brought back alot of memorys. I was in a truck, sitting just a bit higher than a car, but it was still difficult to follow what was left of the pavement.

I have a few stills from individual corners. You might try afm@afmracing.org, that is the email for the American Federation of Motorcyclists, they had a "50th Anniversay" site up awhile back and had several pictures taken at VVR.

Was really a fast course, hot as hell in the summer, with those large yellow star thistles sticking out onto the course. They would penetrate your leathers like a needle when at speed with your knee out. I rode against Kenny Roberts there in his very first road race.

Mike Summers
Sacramento

[beighes]

Try contacting : Gary Horstkorta: norpacarchivist@comcast.net . He is the SFR/SCCA region's archivist, & occasional TNF lurker. He's been around a while & I am sure that he knew the track. If anyone has any "detailed information", it should be the region. Side note here, your virtual track could be an interesting addition to the SFR website.
Cheers,
Steve

[Raido]

Thanks for the info chaps. I'll keep updating it as more data pops up. All additional information welcome, of course.

Particularly interested in period pictures/videos from the 1960s (had to pick an era to base it on, after all..), as well as laptime data for different classes.

Including drag times - there seems to have been a fair bit of dragracin' going on on the track's straight, back then. (And, going by Mike's info, motorcycles as well - didn't know that!)

NB> (@Redarmysoja: Thank you for the link, I did see it of course, but all the track layout drawings I've seen are wrong, proportions-wise. That's why I based it off the real track's layout rather than those.)

Edited by Raido, 10 August 2010 - 04:07.

[Terry Walker]

Vaca Valley Raceway near Vacaville - just a shadow, indeed.

F1 fans will find it at the corner of Lewis and Weber . . .

[Raido]

It's a bit less vague now ;) Here's a screenshot of an early build, scenery has changed since then, of course (much less bright green, for one thing).

http://img203.images...f/vacabtb2.jpg/

On the track's left, in the Google Earth photo there is a little pond clearly visible. From the sky, it looks greenish (perhaps full of algae?) - can anyone confirm it was normally that kind of colour, or a bit clearer than it seems?

Edited by Raido, 10 August 2010 - 18:56.

[Mike Summers]

Rudy, something else came to mind. Rabbits. There was never a race weekend that they did'nt make an appearance. I was running second in a 350cc Production race, just a couple of feet behind the leader and about the middle of the south banking, when one ran up out of the grass and right into the leaders front wheel. We were fourth gear, probably just under a ton. Just a huge furry explosion. The leader had a huge front end slide and somehow managed not to crash. I won but had to powerwash my Kawasaki later.

ms

[Raido]

OK gentlemen,

Vaca Valley Raceway reopened for business again. It was a ghost track; but now it's back ;)

Well, virtually anyway. Happy to announce that the track is now available for the rFactor and GTR2 racing simulators.
Versions for other sims are likely to follow at some point. The infield oval is driveable, but not raceable as a separate track - the road course is the main dish here. Thanks go to the people who provided me with information through this forum.



To install, just put the track's folder inside your /Gamedata/Locations folder and start the sim.

Enjoy, Rudy

The track can be downloaded at these locations,
Rfactor (slightly more extensive version):
http://www.mediafire...06kfu4az6fyezkd
http://www.nogriprac...hp?filenr=32136

GTR2:
http://www.mediafire...6vi4cef1rpizjoa
http://www.nogriprac...hp?filenr=32263

(Also available at NoGrip and rFactorcentral is my other track, Hokkaido Speed Park in northern Japan, also modeled on a real-life track.)

Edited by Raido, 10 May 2011 - 22:18.