Matt Burkeen walked the Ironman track after the final motos, and his takeaway was pretty simple: if you thought it looked rough on TV, it was WAY worse in person. 😳🔥
In Matt’s video, the redesigned GNCC woods section had turned into absolute carnage by the end of the day. Deep ruts, exposed roots, slick hard base, loam, braking bumps and multiple lines that eventually funneled down into one or two usable options.
He described the traction as basically a lottery. 😂
You could go from deep tacky dirt straight onto polished hardpack that looked like an oil slick within a few feet. In some spots, the track got so destroyed that it basically created its own split lanes even though they weren’t designed that way.
Matt also pointed out how the added sawdust helped create some huge ruts and bumps, while the finish-line area became one of the nastiest sections on the whole track.
And with all the current talk about scoop tires, Burkeen had one pretty funny observation once they hit that exposed base in the woods:
“The scoops do not scoop back here.” 😂
His bigger point is one he’s made throughout these post-race track walks: TV just doesn’t show how nasty these tracks really are.
The little edges, roots, holes and braking bumps barely register on camera, but walking it afterward gives you a completely different appreciation for what these guys are dealing with. 🏁🔥
🎥 Video/thoughts: Matt Burkeen