Track Focus – Dirt Nitro Challenge (Fear Farm)

Track Name – Fear Farm
Organiser – Joey ‘The Dirt’ Christensen
Country – USA
Location – Phoenix, Arizona
Direction – Clockwise
Surface – Dirt
Previous DNC hosted – 2012, 2013 & 2014

Now in its 16th year of running, this is the fourth time Joey ‘The Dirt’ Christensen has held his signature Dirt Nitro Challenge race at the Fear Farm in Phoenix, Arizona, and the event is showing no signs of a let-up in its popularity with the 1:8 track alone attracting 800 entries, that’s 56 heats mostly containing 15 cars.  Such an entry is sure to add to the endurance test that DNC’s long days bring, something that was not helped by the first day of the 5-day event getting underway 4-hours late!

At first glance this year’s track is, by Joey’s standards, a rather simple looking layout. Anticipating another record entry, Joey said this was a key factor when creating the 2015 layout as he wanted a track that would better cater for a wider range of driver abilities. Describing the layout as ‘more technical than difficult’, he said the track does look easier than it is but the timing sections and the raised-up off camber hips are going to make ‘fast laps not so easy’.  With the forecast giving no rain for the duration of the event Joey has also been able to dig deep and create a lot of elevation changes.  One key change over last year is the direction which now runs clockwise with the first big elevation change coming at the start of the lap with a huge step up onto the main straight.

On site three days prior to the Superbowl, which took place at the nearby University of Phoenix Stadium on February 1st, Joey has been able to dedicate a week to the building of each track, 1:8, 1:10 and large scale, with him very proud of the fact all three tracks share the same configuration.  Raining for the first 4-days of the build, with this pretty much halting construction work, Joey said overall it was of benefit in terms of working the dirt.

Winner of both Truggy & Buggy last year, successfully defending his title double from the previous year, Ty Tessmann gave the track layout a big thumbs up saying it ‘looks cool’.   HB’s World Champion said he expects the track to be a little more challenging than it looks adding the timing sections and the ‘cool burm triple’ would be the most challenging aspects.  The Canadian added that there were a few areas where time could be made up but at the same time it would be easy to overshoot and give away time.  Overall the general opinion of the layout among the top drivers is positive with Adam Drake, who is racing after putting together a late deal to run for Mugen for the event, believing the layout will make for good racing.

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