Secrets of the Continental Tire Uvalde Proving Grounds

Secrets of the Continental Tire Uvalde Proving Grounds

Motorsports in Texas | Continental Tire Uvalde Proving Grounds

Uvalde is in the Texas Hill Country eighty miles west of San Antonio and seventy miles east of Del Rio.

Originally built by General Tire in 1959 is Continental’s Uvalde Proving Grounds; a premier closed course testing complex. It sits on five thousand acres and plays a pivotal role in tire technology.

Today there are 26 paved and off road courses and 400 test vehicles; heavy equipment, tractors, passenger cars, light trucks, commerical vehicles, motorcycles and trailers.

1.  MAIN TRACK – 8.5-mi (13.7-km) Oval

Suitable for testing a wide variety of vehicle components including high speed stability, ADAS development, and endurance testing.

• 3 lanes
• 3.14-mi (5.025-km) turns
• 1.1-mi (1.8-km) straightaways

2.  VDAPAD – 15 acre Asphalt Pad

State-of-the-art surface that can be used for testing either dry or wet. It can be cone-configured for any test course preference.

• 800-ft x 800-ft (244-m x 244-m) asphalt pad
• 100-ft (30-ml paved apron
• 2 approaches: 2200-ft (670-m): 1800-ft (549-m)

3.  RIDE ROAD – 3-mi (4.8-km) Multi-lane Oval

Featuring various paved surfaces and impacts for measuring ride comfort, impact dampening, noise, suspension durability, and component quality.

• 4 lane straightaway
• Virtually level surface
• 1432-ft (436-m) curve radius

4.  DRY HANDLING 1 – 1.07-m (1.72-km) Asphalt Dry Course

Includes multiple curves and a straightaway for feel, lane changing, slaloming, and other maneuvers.

• 6 curve types: 100-ft (30.5-m), to 500-ft (152.4-mi)
• Straightaway: 1200-ft (366-m), 70-ft (21.3-m) wide

5.  DRY HANDLING 2 – 1.8-m (2.9-km) Asphalt Dry Course

State-of-the-art asphalt handling course purposed for tire, suspension, steering, powertrain, and ABS/ESC system evaluation for passenger cars, LTs, SUVs & Motorbikes.

• 17 turns with varying radii
• Elevation changes ranging from -2% to +4.1%
• Racetrack inspired sections. e.g., Nurburgring

6.  TRACTION LANES – 4900-ft (1494-m) Asphalt and Concrete Lanes

Different surfaces used for wet skid, dry skid, and hydroplaning testing. A water trickle system controls waterflow and depth. This track can be used wet or dry.

• Water depth: Up to .110-in (2.8-mm)
• .375-ln (9.5-mm) In the hydroplaning lane.

7.  200M CIRCLE – 650-ft (200-m) Diameter Wet Asphalt Circle

Simulates hydroplaning on wet curves.

• Water depth: .04-in (1-mm) or up to .4-in (10-mm)

8. 55M CIRCLE – 180-ft (55-m) Diameter Wet Asphalt Circle

Used for both objective/subjective evaluations, including vehicle control systems.

• Water depth: 0.04-in Cl-mm)
• 32.8-ft (10 m) wide

9.  WET HANDLING – 5100-ft (1555-m) Wet Asphalt Course

This course simulates challenging wet weather conditions encountered on public roads.

• Water depth: 0.04-ln Cl-mm)
• 20 ft (6.1-ml wide

10.  NCB-1 *Not Pictured – 1.1-m (1.78-km) NVH Surface and Sound Site

One of the few ISO 10844 Certified tracks in North America. Ideal for Passenger and Commercial vehicle regulatory tests.

• 490-sqft sound site
• 4 turnarounds

11.  COBBLESTONE HILL S – 131-ft (40 m) Cobblestone Slopes

Features 12%. 7% and 5% wet slopes used for subjective grip tests and objective timed climbing tests.

• 13-ft (4-ml wide surfaces
• Made of reclaimed 5 x 7-ln (127 x 178-mml basalt stones