Large piece of asphalt...

**w0rd** · 09-26-2005, 07:03 PM

Someone said there used to be a shoe outlet here or something. Nothing there now. This is the corner of 50th and I-4.

mofugga · 09-26-2005, 09:53 PM

that's a lot of cars for nothing...

**w0rd** · 09-26-2005, 10:49 PM

I hope that picture is old.

**Loren** · 09-26-2005, 11:30 PM

As cool as the Googel Earth interface is, Terraserver usually has more detail... and actually gives the date of the photo. The hi-res "urban areas" view of this lot shows it still being there on 5/10/2002. It's HUGE! Looks like it might be a distribution center for new cars or rental cars or something. There's a section of the lot with some car trailers that looks like it sees a LOT of traffic. And there's a good portion of it with bumper-to-bumper cars crammed together. The cars seem to be predominantly white, maybe 1/3 red, blue and green. Hard to tell if there are any light poles in it or not.

Anybody wanna recon?

Actually, it's not quite as big as it looks. The largest usable section is only about 450' square, doesn't give you much room for speed. (the infamously tiny SPC lot is about 600x300)

Keen eye, w0rd... keep looking!

oilleak · 09-29-2005, 10:27 PM

No recon needed. It's the Adessa Auto Auction. You'll not have any autocrosses there.

**Loren** · 09-30-2005, 10:26 AM

<sigh> There really is nothing new to be found around here, is there?

BeQuietAndDrive · 09-30-2005, 03:36 PM

Is SPC Allstate not looking good anymore? I always thought it was a pretty decent location. Not as "big" as other area's I've seen but still fun.

**Loren** · 09-30-2005, 03:50 PM

SPC is still an option, but it is always wise to seek alternative sites. They can and often do go away with no notice.

BeQuietAndDrive · 10-02-2005, 03:30 PM

Ouch..I always liked it location wise, much closer than Brookesville or one of those locale's.

fastforward · 10-04-2005, 10:34 PM

What about......

What is this? A dog track? I've been by there a bunch of times. I think it's off of Florida Ave and Hillsborough Ave. Does that make sense?...I dunno, I'm terrible with directions.
I know it's kinda in a crappy part of town. Maybe that's where we will find more useable asphalt. Areas with abandoned shopping centers possesed by property owners that would be happy to generate a modest little income from their empty, and mostly unused lot.

**Loren** · 10-04-2005, 11:21 PM

Spotted it on the map. Tampa Greyhound Track. Looks promising. Anybody know anything about it or want to check it out?

BeQuietAndDrive · 10-05-2005, 02:30 AM

I know for sure the parking lot is HUGE and is always empty. I drive by it every day on the way to school. It is a very convienent location as well, it's located right off of 275 North, after the I-4 exchange.

rv7 · 10-05-2005, 10:43 AM

I too see the dog track lot everyday and have always wanted to go check it out. Traffic was real bad on I-275 when I was heading home from work last week, so I got off and before I knew it, I found myself down by the lot. It was lightly raining out so I turned in to have some quick fun (AWD). I slid around a little bit, however the asphalt there is pretty rough. It has the slick black sealant on it, so when it was wet it was like driving on ice. The whole lot also has raised cracks that zig zag everywhere and probably aren't so good for the sidewalls of our tires when hit in a drift. Wat actually seems like a much better lot to me (if we could ever get permission) is the other lot in the picture above. This is the lot in the left of the picture and it is the lot for K-Mart on Florida Ave. This lot looks like it could be a lot of fun because it has quite a steep (for Florida) slope to it. So to wrap this up, the dog track lot is huge and always empty, however it is kinda rough. Some of you should go check it out and see if the cracks are too severe to prevent us from possibly osting events there. I didn't really stay too long and check out the cracks, as I had just spun all over the parking lot and wanted to make a fairly quick exit. Maybe I'll stop by afterwork today and analyze it a little better. I bet they would let us host events there for the right price.

fastforward · 10-05-2005, 03:09 PM

If you ever had the chance to race with the Martin Sports Car Club at the old Martin Plant location off Sand Lake Rd., you'd REALLY know bad surfaces. Hahahaa. If you could race there back then, I think its possible to race anywhere.
I think the dog track lot might be worth a closer inspection. Anyone that goes by there daily mind taking a few digital shots of the facility? Maybe we can then contact them and see if they are interested if we like it.
I thought about the K-mart lot too....it just has more cars on a daily basis. Not to mention, the dog track lot is a little further back and less noticeable to drive-by traffic. That could be good or bad. I think good.

**RoadRacer** · 10-05-2005, 05:51 PM

They use hold kart races there in the early to mid 90's.... I haven't lived on that side of town since '96 so I don't know if they still allow events there.

09-26-2005, 07:03 PM	#1 (permalink)
w0rd Moderator Car: RWD Civic My TRGarage : 43047513	Large piece of asphalt... Someone said there used to be a shoe outlet here or something. Nothing there now. This is the corner of 50th and I-4.

10-04-2005, 10:34 PM	#10 (permalink)
fastforward Haul'n the Family Car: 2002 Ford SVT Focus 2004 Jeep Liberty Renegade 2004 Triumph Thruxton 900 My TRGarage Riverview : 512756971	Race track parking lot? What about...... What is this? A dog track? I've been by there a bunch of times. I think it's off of Florida Ave and Hillsborough Ave. Does that make sense?...I dunno, I'm terrible with directions. I know it's kinda in a crappy part of town. Maybe that's where we will find more useable asphalt. Areas with abandoned shopping centers possesed by property owners that would be happy to generate a modest little income from their empty, and mostly unused lot.

09-26-2005, 09:53 PM	#2 (permalink)
mofugga who stole my intercooler? Car: 00 RS My TRGarage clearwater : 404	that's a lot of cars for nothing...

09-26-2005, 10:49 PM	#3 (permalink)
w0rd Moderator Car: RWD Civic My TRGarage : 43047513	I hope that picture is old.

09-26-2005, 11:30 PM	#4 (permalink)
Loren Moderator Car: 2007 Toyota Yaris LB . . . 1976 Triumph Spitfire My TRGarage Safety Harbor : 65156010	As cool as the Googel Earth interface is, Terraserver usually has more detail... and actually gives the date of the photo. The hi-res "urban areas" view of this lot shows it still being there on 5/10/2002. It's HUGE! Looks like it might be a distribution center for new cars or rental cars or something. There's a section of the lot with some car trailers that looks like it sees a LOT of traffic. And there's a good portion of it with bumper-to-bumper cars crammed together. The cars seem to be predominantly white, maybe 1/3 red, blue and green. Hard to tell if there are any light poles in it or not. Anybody wanna recon? Actually, it's not quite as big as it looks. The largest usable section is only about 450' square, doesn't give you much room for speed. (the infamously tiny SPC lot is about 600x300) Keen eye, w0rd... keep looking!

09-29-2005, 10:27 PM	#5 (permalink)
oilleak plain old member Car: 69 Datsun 2000 My TRGarage Riverview, FL : 625813	No recon needed. It's the Adessa Auto Auction. You'll not have any autocrosses there.

09-30-2005, 10:26 AM	#6 (permalink)
Loren Moderator Car: 2007 Toyota Yaris LB . . . 1976 Triumph Spitfire My TRGarage Safety Harbor : 65156010	<sigh> There really is nothing new to be found around here, is there?

09-30-2005, 03:36 PM	#7 (permalink)
BeQuietAndDrive the whistles go whooo!!!1 Car: Scion Doorstop My TRGarage : 643	Is SPC Allstate not looking good anymore? I always thought it was a pretty decent location. Not as "big" as other area's I've seen but still fun.

09-30-2005, 03:50 PM	#8 (permalink)
Loren Moderator Car: 2007 Toyota Yaris LB . . . 1976 Triumph Spitfire My TRGarage Safety Harbor : 65156010	SPC is still an option, but it is always wise to seek alternative sites. They can and often do go away with no notice.

10-02-2005, 03:30 PM	#9 (permalink)
BeQuietAndDrive the whistles go whooo!!!1 Car: Scion Doorstop My TRGarage : 643	Ouch..I always liked it location wise, much closer than Brookesville or one of those locale's.

10-04-2005, 11:21 PM	#11 (permalink)
Loren Moderator Car: 2007 Toyota Yaris LB . . . 1976 Triumph Spitfire My TRGarage Safety Harbor : 65156010	Spotted it on the map. Tampa Greyhound Track. Looks promising. Anybody know anything about it or want to check it out?

10-05-2005, 02:30 AM	#12 (permalink)
BeQuietAndDrive the whistles go whooo!!!1 Car: Scion Doorstop My TRGarage : 643	I know for sure the parking lot is HUGE and is always empty. I drive by it every day on the way to school. It is a very convienent location as well, it's located right off of 275 North, after the I-4 exchange.

10-05-2005, 10:43 AM	#13 (permalink)
rv7 Registered User Car: 2005 STi My TRGarage : 138	I too see the dog track lot everyday and have always wanted to go check it out. Traffic was real bad on I-275 when I was heading home from work last week, so I got off and before I knew it, I found myself down by the lot. It was lightly raining out so I turned in to have some quick fun (AWD). I slid around a little bit, however the asphalt there is pretty rough. It has the slick black sealant on it, so when it was wet it was like driving on ice. The whole lot also has raised cracks that zig zag everywhere and probably aren't so good for the sidewalls of our tires when hit in a drift. Wat actually seems like a much better lot to me (if we could ever get permission) is the other lot in the picture above. This is the lot in the left of the picture and it is the lot for K-Mart on Florida Ave. This lot looks like it could be a lot of fun because it has quite a steep (for Florida) slope to it. So to wrap this up, the dog track lot is huge and always empty, however it is kinda rough. Some of you should go check it out and see if the cracks are too severe to prevent us from possibly osting events there. I didn't really stay too long and check out the cracks, as I had just spun all over the parking lot and wanted to make a fairly quick exit. Maybe I'll stop by afterwork today and analyze it a little better. I bet they would let us host events there for the right price.

10-05-2005, 03:09 PM	#14 (permalink)
fastforward Haul'n the Family Car: 2002 Ford SVT Focus 2004 Jeep Liberty Renegade 2004 Triumph Thruxton 900 My TRGarage Riverview : 512756971	If you ever had the chance to race with the Martin Sports Car Club at the old Martin Plant location off Sand Lake Rd., you'd REALLY know bad surfaces. Hahahaa. If you could race there back then, I think its possible to race anywhere. I think the dog track lot might be worth a closer inspection. Anyone that goes by there daily mind taking a few digital shots of the facility? Maybe we can then contact them and see if they are interested if we like it. I thought about the K-mart lot too....it just has more cars on a daily basis. Not to mention, the dog track lot is a little further back and less noticeable to drive-by traffic. That could be good or bad. I think good.

10-05-2005, 05:51 PM	#15 (permalink)
RoadRacer Turn 7 at Sebring Car: 92 240 Coupe, 00 GLX My TRGarage 27°46′06″N 82°39′12″W : 430858735	They use hold kart races there in the early to mid 90's.... I haven't lived on that side of town since '96 so I don't know if they still allow events there.