25 replies to this topic

[F1FanWoodsie]

Hello all, I'm new to the forum.  Living in the midwest and being a Formula One fan, I've become quite interested in a nearby abandoned racetrack over in Iowa called the Greenwood Roadway (also called the Greenwood Raceway by some).  It's a curvacious three-mile circuit that runs through a forest and has some very gentle elevation changes.

The circuit was in use for only around four years I've been told, from 1966-1969.  It now sits overgrown.

I would love for someone to create this circuit for GPL.  Since I lack the time and skill required to fulfill such a dream myself, I'm hoping someone on here could help me.  Here is an image of the circuit from above:


Unfortunately I also lack more information about Greenwood, like which direction they traveled and whatnot, but I'm sure there are people out there who could tell you.  Thanks so much!

---Woodsie

[dangermouse]

Why don't you do some more research on the track. If a track builder has more info, one of they might get interested. You've got to give them more to entice them

[ginetto]

The best should be if you go there and take a video of a whole lap.
If you can get there you surely will find out the direction,
Plus you should check the elavation changes, the eventual bumps and the cambers of the turns.
With these info it will be possible to recreate the feeling of driving it... I could get inspired

[F1FanWoodsie]

Well, from what I've heard, the circuit was in use from 1963-1966 rather than the years I gave.  It was used for SCCA events, mainly, and was very popular in the midwest until financial problems caused this great circuit to close.  The road is in great disrepair now and is used for storing construction equipment, but the pitlane area is still there (located in the bottom right section of the picture, hinting to me that they went clockwise, but I'm not sure), and sections of Armco barrier still exist.  The Mustang Club of Iowa drove around the circuit last month, and I know a man that was there, so I'll talk to him.

Websites have said that Greenwood has "significant" elevation changes and runs through the forest (as that picture shows).

Greenwood was supposedly one of the greatest roadways the Midwest ever saw, and many were saddened to see the great track close.  Its length, mixed with its difficulty of blind corner and elevation changes, would have made for a great F1 track in the sixties.  But alas, F1 cars never raced and will never race.  That's why I would love to see this track made to where I could race it on the game.

My friends and I from the Formula One Club I started in my town will venture to the circuit sometime and see if we can look around, and if so, I will take plenty of pictures and possibly a video of the lap.  I'll continue my research and see what I come up with.  Thanks!

[Zack Speed]

Hi Woodsie,

If you check Tracks In Progress at https://gplpp.com/ you'll find Greenwood is indeed being built

Progress is good but the major bottleneck is info. So if you can get hold of visual data that's not already on the internet, I'd be super-grateful!

BTW the track is awesome to drive on. The elevation changes are anything but "very gentle"    

Zack



Edit -- forgot to mention they ran clockwise

Edited by Zack Speed, Jul 24 2006 - 02:53 PM.

[F1FanWoodsie]

Zack Speed, on Jul 24 2006, 02:50 PM, said:

Hi Woodsie,

If you check Tracks In Progress at https://gplpp.com/ you'll find Greenwood is indeed being built

Progress is good but the major bottleneck is info. So if you can get hold of visual data that's not already on the internet, I'd be super-grateful!

BTW the track is awesome to drive on. The elevation changes are anything but "very gentle"    

Zack



Edit -- forgot to mention they ran clockwise

Hey Zack!  Indeed I saw on the reguest page of GPL Add-Ons that the track was on the list, I just hadn't seen any more updates on it.  I haven't driven the track yet in real life but am going to within the month.  Did they let you drive on it?  "They" being whoever owns the land.  I know a man who has images of Greenwood from years ago that you may have talked to (he said someone called him last year or the year before wanting to make it for a game.)  His first name is Julian.  Is this the same man?  If not I'm sure I could hook you two up.

Any timetable as to how long it'll be?  I actually started trying to make it myself but since this is my first challenging track, and since I just started yesterday, I've a ways to go.

I talked to a man in Indianola a few weeks ago and he also confirmed that they ran clockwise.

Thanks and Godspeed!  Good luck!

---Woodsie

[dangermouse]

Zack Speed, on Jul 24 2006, 09:50 PM, said:

If you check Tracks In Progress at https://gplpp.com/ you'll find Greenwood is indeed being built

The problem is that the last update was 2005-09-28, over a year ago.......

Glad to hear you're working on it. Thanks for let us know.


Do you need help or a private forum to get some people to help you?

[F1FanWoodsie]

Thanks to some great help from another forum, I have some amazing pictures that Zack Speed may be able to use:  That man I was speaking of actually sent some of these images in to this site.

I hope these help!  I can't wait to try this circuit out!

---Woodsie

P.S. I absolutely love the picture of the Can-Am looking cars on the starting grid with the Mercedes as the pace car---It looks like it could be over in Europe!  (And they even had a Concourse d'elegance)
https://www.chuckbran...m/greenwood.htm

[Zack Speed]

Hopefully you won't have to wait much longer. I now have enough info from the current site - video, gps data etc. The track's progressing nicely.

What I still lack is period photos, tho I accept there'll have to be some educated guesswork in the final scenery. Watch this space  

[dangermouse]

Zack Speed, on Apr 15 2007, 11:22 PM, said:

Watch this space  

will do



BTW  

[buzz]

Interesting thread here...

I found these - good pics of the track (what's left of it anyway)
https://www.chuckbran...m/greenwood.htm
https://www.chuckbran.../greenwood2.htm

And some from a 1964 USRRC race & 1965 USAC race (taken from the same website)

edit: Ooops. Sorry. Hadn't realized the link had already been posted. Anyway, looks like a great track.

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•  bill7.jpg   118.64K   37 downloads
•  usac.jpg   92.82K   34 downloads

Edited by buzz, Apr 15 2007 - 08:05 PM.

[Argyle1968]

It's been a long time.  Whatever became of this project?  Does anyone know?

Was reading some about Greenwood in "Ghost Tracks" and ordered "Lost Road Courses" hoping to find out more.  Sounds like a most interesting track from the early-mid sixties.  Half of it ran through the woods and half through gently rolling, treeless countryside.  Looks like a really narrow track, from photos.

It seems to have a pretty good reputation among historians.

Edited by Argyle1968, Apr 05 2021 - 04:45 AM.

[jgf]

I believe this track has been done for GTR2, possibly also for rfactor.  Maybe a conversion would be simpler than starting from scratch (having no aptitude for creation or conversion, that statement may be laughable).

[Argyle1968]

This post seems to suggest that the track, at least in a beta form, does exist, as 'greenwd.'  I wonder if anybody has it.

As far as conversions go, it's my understanding that you can't go from GTR2 or rfactor to GPL.  The reverse is true, I think.

[TvO]

I give up, can't embed YouTube videos on this forum, even though it's 2021

https://www.youtube....h?v=Hx7rcaxq6hU

Greenwood Raceway was the inspiration for Polyphony Digital to include a racetrack called 'Deep Forest Raceway' into their Gran Turismo series .

Edited by TvO, Apr 05 2021 - 01:09 PM.

[dbell84]

Thanks for that, very interesting. I thought that was GT’s best track, other than maybe Grand Valley.  It would be cool to see Greenwood for GPL.

[TvO]

Wehey, it worked! Thanks Paul .

Edited by TvO, May 10 2021 - 05:46 AM.

[-XK-]

Does anyone know the exact location of the Kendall bridge ? And does anyone have photos of the driver entrance bridge ?

If you have any other historical photos of the bridges please post them here.

-XK-

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•  #A 3.0-mile (4.8 km) long track with varying widths from 24 to 65 feet (7.3 to 19.8 m).jpg   147.98K   22 downloads
•  #Kendall Bridge..jpg   160.32K   23 downloads
•  #Kendall Bridge.jpg   157.18K   27 downloads
•  #Please come and have Fun.jpg   153.21K   26 downloads
•  #xk001_Kendall.jpg   153.96K   30 downloads
•  vlcsnap-00001.jpg   10.46K   25 downloads

[webfoot]

From "Lost Road Courses" by Martin Rudow

 Application2(2022-2-18)0001.JPEG   180.08K   20 downloads

No photos in the book showing any bridges.

Edited by webfoot, Feb 18 2022 - 04:06 AM.

[-XK-]

Thanks webfoot ... one information more