West Virginia’s Ona Speedway recently announced the latest addition to its inventory of equipment: a FOD-Razor. What does it purport to do? Clean the surface of paved ovals better than many other methods.
“When we saw what the FOD-Razor picked up, it was unbelievable what we missed,” said T.J. Layne, of Ona Speedway. “It was easy to hook up, easy to operate. It has handles that allow you to lift and shake the debris out of it.”
The FOD Control Corporation offered the piece of equipment on a trial basis to Ona Speedway and Ona Airpark, which reside on the same grounds owned by Bill Bauer. FOD stands for foreign object debris, an aeronautical term for debris on airport runways that can cause harm to aircraft.
“Bill called me and said this is perfect for the speedway,” Layne said. “We cleaned the track with the FOD-Razor before the race, and then used it following practice, qualifying, and during the intermission. The track got rave reviews. Drivers said it was the cleanest it has ever been. It even picked up oil-dry granules.”
The FOD-Razor uses no motors or vacuums, nor does it have any machinery to service. Instead, a USA-manufactured woven nylon-fiber friction mat sweeps the surfaces while a vehicle tows it. It lasts for more than 4,500 miles of use.
In addition to a cleaner surface, Layne added that it offered an additional benefit.
“Ona Speedway had been a one-lane track,” said Layne. “The FOD-Razor opened up the outside lane. We have passes being made and races won by running the high side — something we never saw before.”
The FOD Control Corporation does not publish its prices for the FOD-Razor, but Layne said it’s a must-have for paved ovals. NASCAR tracks, such as Charlotte Motor Speedway and Daytona International Speedway also use it.
“It’s priced well under $5,000 and well worth it,” Layne said. “There is no maintenance expense. Paved racetracks should not be without it.”
Mike Adaskaveg has written hundreds of stories since the website’s inception. This year marks his 54th year of covering auto racing. Adaskaveg got his start working for track photographer Lloyd Burnham at Connecticut’s Stafford Motor Speedway in 1970. Since then, he’s been a columnist, writer, and photographer, in racing and in mainstream media, for several outlets, including the Journal Inquirer, Boston Herald, Stock Car Racing, and Speedway Illustrated. Among Adaskaveg’s many awards are the 1992 Eastern Motorsport Press Association (EMPA) Ace Lane Photographer of the Year and the 2019 National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) George Cunningham Writer of the Year.
