I recently flew through Phoneix on the way to San Francisco...On the way out of Phoenix, I saw a gigantic race track about 15miles NW of Phoenix. The size of it blew me away...on google maps it looks like the track has to be at least a 8 to 10 mile oval. Now, I'm now really curious. Anybody know what this place is?
Map Link
Looks like the Ford proving grounds. I passed on entrance to the place a few weeks ago when I was on my way to Lake Havasu, AZ. One entrance is near I-40 I believe. When I got home I Goggle Earthed it, looks like the same place (though I dont see I-40?)
Having not seen that before, it perked my curiosity. So, after some searching... it's called "Arizona Proving Ground" (30700 W Patton Rd) and is owned by Ford. Here's some more info...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Proving_Grounds Also... the Volvo proving grounds are a little bit SE (20715 W Happy Valley Rd) and is smaller (also mentioned on the wikipedia page).
And I thought the only proving ground here was GM (SE of Phoenix).
We also have Exponent Failure Analysis straight north of Phoenix. They were the independant test site for the Expedition + Firestone stability tests a few years ago
Originally posted by KingpinSVT:
Looks like the Ford proving grounds. I passed on entrance to the place a few weeks ago when I was on my way to Lake Havasu, AZ. One entrance is near I-40 I believe. When I got home I Goggle Earthed it, looks like the same place (though I dont see I-40?)
it IS, here's a map of where it is, right next to I-40. This is from the website itself for the APG.
http://www.testapg.com/loc.html
Yeah, I saw that one in my research...that's not it. They are in totaly different places. The one I saw is like 10-15 miles from Phoenix, the APG is like 120 miles away. Plus if the scale on Google Maps is correct, this place is huge compared to the APG.
Here is a map with the track in question marked as "A" and the APG marked as "B".
Map
I'll tell ya what. That place isn't too far from me. I will go over there in the morning, after I drop my son at school and see what it is.
Oh if we could only arrange a meet with Ford's blessing. It would be fun to swing my car around their track a few times.
Originally posted by ExDelayed:
Oh if we could only arrange a meet with Ford's blessing. It would be fun to swing my car around their track a few times.
now that would be a kick a$$ meet to make the rest of the CEG community jealous.......
My cousin from Toledo, Ohio was down there at the Toyota proving grounds getting his Toyota Driver's License just recently.
My uncle said he got to do 100mph lane changes on the track and a bird hit the windshield of the car he was driving at 100mph and he didn't even flinch.
Nope... your "A" is APG. Zoom in and check the streets... it's off 307th ave and Patton.
Not sure what that "B" is... but it's really far. It's probably just a regional track or a super double top secret automotive proving ground.
and here's the Volvo PG just SE of that. Newer photo, so it's clarity is much better.
Volvo PG
Originally posted by morbid:
Nope... your "A" is APG. Zoom in and check the streets... it's off 307th ave and Patton.
Not sure what that "B" is... but it's really far. It's probably just a regional track or a super double top secret automotive proving ground.
no no no Morbid. According to APG, site B is APG. Don't know what site A is yet, but I am trying to find out cause it's close to me. Just can't figure out how to get there yet, but I am working on it.
Doh! Looking at the map, the address I stated still seems right (30700 W Patton Rd), but you're right that it's not APG. I just googled that address + arizona, and a bunch of "Toyota Arizona Proving Ground" and "Toyota Technical Center" links came up.
I'm guessing it's Toyota's
but it would be cool if you can see!
It looks like you could take Grand Ave to Patton Rd. Take Patton west all the way over to 307th Ave. Go north to Peak View Rd. Then go west on Peak View and it looks like it turns into the facilities entrance.
edit: found this too...
Quote:
Taisei Corporation, Japan�s largest construction firm, completed the Toyota Proving Ground test track in Arizona in 1993
Hey Morbid, yeah, that's what I thought too, so I did, and it didn't work. I was still on Patton and it ended. I even drove about 2 miles on gravel just to see, but that didn't work. Ended in someone's yard, so I found another way by going west on I-10, taking Wickenburg Rd I think it is up to the area just above the track and coming down that way. I am going to do that tomorrow after I drop my son at school. So I will let you all know then.
Ok, I've completely given up on finding a way to that track. It's annoying. I went this other way yesterday, and those roads led me off into some dusty, dirty, bumpy desert roads with no street signs, nothing. I didn't want to get lost, so I turned around and left.
I DID manage to take a nice drive through the mountains though. I took S. Vulture Mine Rd all the way to Hwy 60, and back to Surprise. It was great.
So, what the hell? How is anyone supposed to get to this track? And if it's unaccesible from ground, what good is it?
Originally posted by PlatoSVT:
So, what the hell? How is anyone supposed to get to this track? And if it's unaccesible from ground, what good is it?
Good question. I don't know if anyone can figure out another way to get in there or what. Maybe they fly in there? It's big enough....shoot, it's bigger than the Air Force base here. If we can land tankers and cargo planes here, they can definately land something there too.
Maybe there IS a way, we just haven't found it yet. I don't know honestly. There was NO way I was going in further in the dirt roads, not knowing where I was going at all. Crazy.
Well thanks for the effort! Now this just makes me wonder even more what it is!
Thanks for trying Renee! If you google their address, most of the links come up for their airstrip permit... though I'd think the local workers would need a road way in.
We need a pack of jeeps, strapped with GPS units. Then we can just drive right through the desert and sneek right up under their noses....
yeah, if there was a way I knew of to get in, or if I had a 4 wheel drive, I would have gone further in and checked around, but alas, I only have a mini-van.
I am still curious about it though.
Renee... how far down Patton before it ran into a house? Do you remember the Ave?
not quite sure. I drove on Patton for at least 15 minutes between 50 and 65 mph. It's nice & hilly and fun until it turns into the dirt road. I didn't go but more than 2 miles on that dirt road. Not without a 4 wheel drive
Ok gang, I checked that new Google Earth and it has a bit better graphics to see things, and I found out how to get out to this track. I am going to get some gas and head out.
I was told by one lady that she thought it was Chrysler's testing grounds, but it could be Toyota's but she thinks it's been sold, if that's the one she's thinking of. I will let you all know in a few hours.
ok gang, I found it. What I had to do was to go west on Patton, turn north on 299th I think it was, then west on Peakview, and that road led straight to the track. They had a guard and all so I couldn't go in and check it out, but it's definately the Toyota Proving Grounds.
little snipet from Toyota's site about the proving grounds:
Originally posted by "www.toyota.com":
Toyota Arizona Proving Grounds
With one of the world's largest test tracks, the Toyota Arizona Proving Ground (TAPG) is home to one of TTC's Vehicle Evaluation departments. Unveiled in 1993, TAPG provides facilities for rigorous performance durability tests under the harsh conditions found in the Arizona desert.
Members of the Vehicle Evaluation department at TAPG use the facility's 10-mile high-speed oval track, ride and handling course, dirt course, straightaway, brake test area and steep grade area to simulate just about any road and driving condition around the United States.
At the Proving Ground, TTC professionals conduct a range of durability tests, incorporating all facets of motoring - from city and highway driving, to parking in the hot sun. The group tests and evaluates ride comfort, handling characteristics and trailer towing capabilities. In addition, the Arizona team conducts heat-related tests and rough-road reaction tests, as well as cold weather tests at off-site locations.
cool! I installed Google Earth a couple days ago, since the linux version is finally out, and also noticed the better quality pics. It still looked like a pretty good drive. Oh, any idea what that big triangle is? Looks like it's on top of a mountain/hill just east of the Toyota facility.
The big triangles, if they're the same ones I'm thinking of, are old abandoned Luke Air Force Base auziliary fields. There's a couple of them out by Luke, and IIRC a couple down by Williams Gateway Airport, since it also used to be an Air Force base.
That would explain all the "cloaked" Toyotas, Jags, VW's, and Fords that I see on the Westside. I followed a few Jags a few months ago... I got bored and turned around.
I saw a "cloaked" new Volvo (looked like possibly a redesigned S40?) driving down 19th Ave right by my house a month or two ago. In front and behind it were two more "unmasked" standard S40's with little antenna's on the roof with the cord going down inside the cabin thru the window.
Damn me for not busting out the camera phone....
There used to be a train of 4 semi-masked jags that I'd see all the time in Scottsdale, during early/mid 90's. All four of them had a similar antenna setup.