by Mike Fernandez

Michigan - Winter 2002 - The U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in West Michigan began its 2002 Drag Racing season after 2 years of renovation work with a grand re-opening on June 15. The 189-acre facility’s $14 million project included new grandstands, a new racing surface, retaining walls, pit areas, state-of-the-art lighting, a new timing system, a control tower with suites, restrooms, and concession buildings. Among a full schedule of this season’s events the dragway will host the UDRA Thunder Nationals, and the IHRA Northern Nationals.

The site’s utility work was contracted to Lounsbury Excavating, Inc. of Paw Paw, Michigan. Lounsbury has been family owned and operated since 1945. The contract included site grading, installation of the water system, storm water system, sanitary gravity system, sanitary forcemain, and a lift station.

Lounsbury’s part of the renovation project started on January 1, 2002 and was scheduled to be finished in time for the season opener. The crew kept pace with the accelerated schedule while maneuvering in treacherous conditions. The narrow gap of opportunity was tightened as winter weather slowed the prime contractor’s speed and affected the coordination between subcontractors. Rain and snow added to sandy-silt and an 11 ft. water table created extremely wet soil conditions. The lift station was to be set at a depth of 23 ft., which forced the crew, led by Foremen Kevin McNicholas and Jeff Burnsworth, to pump the rising water from the excavation.

While the pit was prepared the lift station’s wet well broke in the process of being made. The 16 ft. wide pit had to be left open for 2 extra days during the repair. Lounsbury’s crew continuously manned pumps for 48 hours to maintain the excavation that was shored with two 8 ft. high x 16 ft. long 4-sided trench shields stacked on top of each other from Efficiency Production, Inc. "Without the box we would not have been able to leave the hole open," stated owner Bill Lounsbury. Once the wet well was fixed the lift station was successfully installed! The crew continued working like a well-oiled machine, they maintained their ground and finished the project on time!

Bill Lounsbury attributed the completion of the job to good planning, quality subcontractors, and the Efficiency Production trench shield system. "We called Efficiency from past experience," noted Lounsbury. "They are very helpful in solving problems and they gave us options on the best shielding for the type of work being done." The stacked 4-sided system allowed Lounsbury’s operator to get closer to the trench with a smaller excavator to dig the pit, install the shielding and utilities, eliminating the need for a larger crane. A universal design makes all Efficiency trench shields compatible and stackable giving contractors the ability to work in safe excavations at extreme depths and in varying soil conditions.

The crew used a Komatsu PC 400, Cat 345, Komatsu PC 200 long stick excavator, a Cat 750 dozer, and HT6 trench shields on the job.

On-site personnel included Lounsbury’s Superintendents Frank Martin and Clyde Eckelbecker, Project Engineer Representative Cliff French of Wilcox Associates, and Safety Inspector Thomas Soule.

The winning combination of safety and speed equaled productivity and profits!

Lounsbury Excavating’s experienced crew chose the proper gear and tactics for their successful work at the Motorsports Park.