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I got a challenge here at work I could use some help solving. The Tribe has a dirt racetrack at the casino, and they have some events scheduled soon. They've asked for us (the power company) to light the track for night use. I can design a lighting system, but I have no idea how bright to make it. I'm sure there's a standard for this at pro racetracks, something like a min/max lumens at 'X' meters above grade, but I can't find it, and Google isn't being helpful. I have been able to locate recommendations for parking lots, roadways, sidewalks, and even track and field events, but not auto racing.
Can any of you experts enlighten me?
Will Rogers never met me.
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Quote: but not auto racing.
Don't worry about it. No one is actually watching the race anyway.
There are only 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.
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Thanks, Dave - that's quite helpful! 
NHRA standards call for 3x 1000W Metal Halide lamps mounted on poles spaced 150' apart, but without knowing the mounting details and exact model of lamps used, there's no way to calculate what that equates to on the ground.
Will Rogers never met me.
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Wow! That level of illumination would require welding goggles for the spectators.
Will Rogers never met me.
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1. Go to an existing dirt track in the area.
2. Determine type, size, etc. of the lights they are using.
3. Buy two or three and temporarily mount them at your track. Experiment to find optimal spacing and height.
4. Divide the circumference of your track by the spacing value from #4, and then add 20% to the total.
Software Zen: delete this;
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After 2, I thought you were going to say, "sneak back at night and nab them". I guess that's only me. 
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Just use 60w regular bulbs. The dim atmosphere will make the racing more exciting - and the cars have headlights, don't they?
- I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.
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Better yet, use energy-saving bulbs. If you turn them on a few hours before the race starts, they might be just about bright enough by the time it's all over.
"These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined."
- Homer
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Better still, dig a trench round the inside and outside of the circuit, fill it with diesel fuel and light that!
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Now that solution would add both light and excitement! 
Just because the code works, it doesn't mean that it is good code.
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Couple that with,Mike Hankey wrote: a young good looking woman skimpily clad
and you'd really have something!
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Forogar wrote: and the cars have headlights, don't they
And the reason the spectators are there, the prangs tend to light up nicely with the burning fuel.
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity
RAH
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If you want an inexpensive solution; One spot light and a young good looking woman skimpily clad.  With a flag in her hand of course.
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Why not ask the race organisers / competitors?
They will presumably be more au-fait with the regs (if there are any) than you, or will have a good idea who you should ask.
Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it. --- George Santayana (December 16, 1863 – September 26, 1952)
Those who fail to clear history are doomed to explain it. --- OriginalGriff (February 24, 1959 – ∞)
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What's the purpose of the lighting?
Is it just for the drivers to see where they go and the audience to see the crashes, or is it for filmcameras?
To give you some references:
- Sunlight on an average day ranges from 32,000 to 100,000 lux
- TV studios are nowadays lit at about 1,000 lux (in the eighties it was 3000 lux, but the cameras are better now)
- a bright office has about 400 lux
- moonlight represents about 1 lux
- starlight measures a mere 0.00005 lux
So if you're having TV there for the event you need more than 1000 lux, make it 2000 to compensate for unevenness.
Handheld hobby cameras need more light than professional ones to get a good Picture.
But if it's just for people to see the event you don't need more than an average office.
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I say this as a resident of Florida, which is world renowned for light pollution, choose fixtures which do not allow the light to go up, and choose wavelengths of light that do not easily reflect back up (ie, no orange)
I don't know if there is anyone here that is an expert in Street Lights for installation, let me ask ( I work at a very large power company, but there is a process in place for asking permission to ask permission to ask about processes to ask permission : ) )
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One quibble. For minimizing the damage caused by light pollution by making it easy to filter out without removing much of the light from what you're trying to view/image you want lights that only emit narrow spectrum light like mercury vapor or low pressure sodium vapor lights. The latter produces light that is a ghastly shade of orange.
I'll add that fully shielded fixtures instead of ones that are only mostly shielded is very important to minimize skyglow. Light that's emitted at upward angle of only 1 or 2 degrees is much more likely to be reflected down as skyglow before escaping the atmosphere than light that goes almost strait up. This is especially important if you use LED based lights to save on operating costs since the phosphors they use result in a broad spectrum output.
Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, waging all things in the balance of reason?
Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful?
--Zachris Topelius
Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies.
-- Sarah Hoyt
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I was actually planning to point them straight up and bounce the light off the Moon, relying on the reflected light to illuminate the race track. After all, we're the power company; why would we want them to conserve power? 
Will Rogers never met me.
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Kind of funny, no? That we spend so much effort to advertise customers to use less power when you would think it would be the opposite? (Obviously, I know why, just a funny observation)
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Yes, it is a bit odd to be telling people to conserve, when my paycheck is tied to how much they use. I really must consider not doing that anymore. 
Will Rogers never met me.
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Or the big video billboards that do that...
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