GREETINGS FROM FORT MEADE, FLORIDA

 

 

I’ve been gone from trackchasing for nearly three weeks before this weekend’s trip.  That being the case I put together some special photos to show you how I spend my time at home when I’m not on the trackchasing trail.  You can also click on www.ranlayracing.com to see photos from this weekend’s new track visits in Florida.    I hope you find the pictures interesting.

 

 

 

INTERNATIONAL TRACKCHASER TRAVEL UPDATE

 

According to AAA, by December 31, 2006 you will need a passport for air and sea travel to and from Canada, Mexico, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.

 

By December 31, 2007, you’ll need a passport or an official alternative for all land border crossings to the above destinations.

 

 

 

 

CONCERNS

 

Carol is concerned when I discuss the Geographical Driving Circle concept.  This is the mythical circle that limits/discourages some trackchasers from going trackchasing very far from home.  She is concerned that some trackchasers will do everything they possibly can to prove this theory wrong.  Carol believes Geographical Driving Circle discussions can hurt her chances to rise in the world rankings.  That being the case, I will do my best to tone down my rhetoric about Geographical Driving Circles. 

 

 

 

PEOPLE/STRATEGY/TRAVEL NEWS

 

The Strategy

 

This was my first trackchasing trip of my “Trackchasing Spring season.”  Although March will be a slow month for me, I expect to pick it up in April. 

 

I have seen 25 of my 48 Florida tracks in the past three years.  I have only about 15 more tracks, many of them that run only once a year or so, still to be seen in Florida.  That means my trips to the Sunshine state will be less frequent.

 

If you go to the bottom of this page, you will see a summary of my 2006 tracks.  Almost everything I’ve seen has been in the south.  Beginning in April, I will be moving slowly north.  By May, I should be almost exclusively north of the Mason-Dixon Line.

 

In preparation for my 2006 trackchasing season, I have reviewed nearly 500 race sanction websites.  I have also checked out about half of my 700 or so racetrack websites.  During the January/February/March period, I spend 6-8 hours every day looking for the elements of that special trackchasing trip.  I don’t know how to get the results I’m looking for without this amount of advance preparation.

 

I will use the scheduling information from all of these sites to develop my future trackchasing plans.  To help other trackchasers, I share the results of my research so they might learn of new track opportunities that fit their schedule.

 

In a future Trackchaser Report, I will explain my 2006 budgeting process.  You might find how I go about it interesting and something you can reapply in your daily life.

 

The People

 

Have you ever watched the TV show, “Cops?”  You have probably seen a police officer doing his best to restrain a snarling German Shepard who wants to tear into a frightened criminal.  That’s how I feel about Carol.  No, I don’t think of Carol as a German Shepard.  I think of her as having to be restrained.  No, I don’t think about Carol as having to be restrained in THAT manner.  Oh, you know what I mean.

 

She’s just so anxious to get going on her trackchasing I can hardly hold her back.  Trackchasers immediately above her in the trackchasing standings had better keep looking over their shoulders.

 

She’s currently in 42^nd position in the worldwide rankings, but should finish much higher by the end of this season.  She has big plans and asks just one question when I propose future trips.  “How many tracks?” is the concise and succinct query.  She is learning to speak like a true trackchaser.

 

It’s not often that you see people practicing really bad manners in public.  I had an encounter with two of the most spoiled young women I can ever imagine being around.  I suspect they were both in their mid to late 20s.  They were beautiful which made their behavior even more obnoxious.

 

They each had the opposing middle seats in row 25.  Another gentleman and I had the aisle seats in row 25.  These two self-professed princesses felt they needed to carry on their own personal conversation from one middle seat, across the aisle, to the other middle seat nearly all the way from Tampa to Los Angeles.  All of this happened after they both got into an argument with the flight attendant by each carrying THREE bags on board plus an assortment of small shopping bags.  To add insult to injury the woman sitting next to me had a pillow the size of a small mattress.  She stowed her fur coat on the floor in front of her seat.  I pity the poor males who might be saddled with them for part of their future lifetime!

 

Alas, as is always the case, I had a good people experience.  I ended up having about three hours of wait time before my flight took off from the Tampa International Airport.  I grabbed a spot in a remote corner where I had electrical power for my computer.  The Tampa airport is one of the few that offer free internet access.  With this much time on my hands, I would have paid for it if I had too.

 

With about an hour to go before I had to leave for my flight, an elderly gentleman sat down next to me.  There were only two seats in our remote part of the airport.  After a while, we struck up a conversation.  His wife had sent him to the airport to pick up two people.  He told me he was surprised he couldn’t go out to the gate to meet his arriving passengers personally.

 

He allowed that he had not been to an airport in a long time.  Frequent travelers know that it’s been several years since people without boarding passes could go out to the gates.  The gentleman also mentioned he was a bit absent minded.  He hoped his arriving guests could look at his parking ticket to help him decide where he parked his car.

 

Since I was on-line, I offered to look up the arrival time of the flight my new friend was waiting for.  That flight was arriving two hours late and would not be landing for another three hours.  I showed the gentleman exactly where his guests would be going to collect their bags.  I gave him directions to the men’s room and checked his flight arrival time just before I had to leave.

 

He told me several interesting stories.  He had served in World War II (which puts his age at about 85) and had seen the flag raised at Iwa Jima.  His nephew was Steve Railsback, who played Charles Manson in the great movie (and great book) Helter Skelter.  It was a pleasure talking to this older gentleman.  I hope he hooked up with his friends OK. 

 

The trip

 

As mentioned previously, this was an “Out Friday, back Monday” trackchasing trip.  There are very few trackchasers on very few occasions that cannot get home to sleep in their own bed after seeing the last track on their trackchasing trip.

 

I almost never get home the same night of my last day of trackchasing.  If I’m seeing a night race, there is absolutely no chance to get home the same day.  If I’m seeing an afternoon race, there is very little chance to drive to an airport and fly back to California on the same day.  If I take 25-30 trackchasing trips a year, this “West coast” penalty requires me to stay overnight an extra 20-25 nights per year compared to almost every other trackchaser except Ed Esser. 

 

I’m not complaining but simply making a statement of fact.  My residential location makes trackchasing a little more time consuming, but I wouldn’t move for any amount of money.

 

Today, Monday, I had a non-stop flight from Tampa to Los Angeles.  My flight did not leave until 8:30 p.m.  I had one earlier flight I could standby for.  That flight left at 7 a.m. Eastern time.  That meant I would have to get up at 4 a.m. Eastern time to make the flight.  Since that was 1 a.m. Pacific Time, that didn’t seem like a good way to start my day!

 

After a late breakfast with Bill and Betty at IHOP, I was off to Tampa.  I thought maybe I could catch a movie before the rental car had to be returned at 4:30 p.m.  I stopped for gas and the pump didn’t give me a receipt.  Since I am under contract to provide readers with my rental car gas mileage numbers, I decided to go into the convenience store for my receipt.

 

While waiting in line, another person came in and asked for directions to the “Yankee game.”  This proves that trackchasers are not the only people who used convenience stores as direction givers for weary travelers.

 

I learned the Yankee game was just down the road.  It was 12:30 p.m.  I was only 25 miles from the airport.  Maybe I had time to catch a spring training baseball game before I turned in the rental car. 

 

Just five minutes later I was pulling into the parking lot of the Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Florida spring training home of the Detroit Tigers.   The stadium seats 8,000 fans, was built in 1966 and renovated in 2003.  It’s now a beautiful stadium for spring training games.

 

I always carry my “Need 1” ticket sign in my briefcase.  This sign is not to let ticket scalpers know I’m looking for a ticket.  The scalpers stand out like a sore thumb.  I can always get a ticket from them if I need one.  It’s only a matter of price with them.  My sign is for “Civilians” who have an extra ticket they don’t plan to use.

 

Before I was 100 yards from my parked car, I had purchased my ticket at face value for $15.  When I arrived at my seat at the sold-out stadium, I was more than pleased to see I was positioned in the shade.  Since there was no breeze and it was hot, the shade was fantastic.

 

Today’s game featured the New York Yankees against the Detroit Tigers.  The scoreboard flashed the daytime temperatures in Detroit (33), New York (39) and Lakeland, Florida (84).  No wonder they play spring training games down here!  When I left the park, the car thermometer showed 89 degrees.  I’m only comfortable in the 60-80 degree temperature range.

 

The game wasn’t much.  I left with the Tigers leading the Yankees 10-1.  For some odd reason, the Yankees left their starting pitcher in for the entire 10-run Tiger scoring spree.  I took some great pictures including a close-up of Yogi Berra.  During the late 50s/early 60s I was a huge Yankee fan.  Yogi was the catcher back then.  I can still name every player by position on those Yankee teams.

 

Trackchasing takes me too many places that have nothing to do with a racetrack.  Today’s game is yet another example.

 

I have to give a shout out for Song Airlines.  They flew me non-stop round-trip from Los Angeles to Tampa.  I love their satellite Direct TV.  Their parent airline is Delta Airlines.  Delta is currently in bankruptcy.  Song Airlines will fold back into Delta next month and will cease to exist.

 

 

RACE TRACK STATS:

 

SAND MOUNTAIN SPEEDWAY (ROAD COURSE), FORT MEADE, FLORIDA - TRACK #1,009 – 3/19/06

 

This track was my 48th to see in Florida.  I currently rank second in Florida ahead of P.J. Hollebrand’s 41 tracks and behind Ed Esser’s 49 tracks.  I’m just one track out of a tie for the Florida lead.  Ed can rest easy for a few months.  I have no current plans to visit Florida until the fall season or later.

 

 

 

RACE TRACK NEWS:

 

SAND MOUNTAIN SPEEDWAY (ROAD COURSE)

 

The Sand Mountain Speedway oval was built several years ago.  They scheduled some All Star Sprint cars races a couple of years ago, but they never materialized.  There has never been an official race on the Sand Mountain oval according to the owner/promoter.

 

He told us he was “Waiting on the county” to allow him to put up some grandstands.  I can’t run a “$10,000 to win” show without any grandstands he told us.  I don’t think they’ll be running any shows like that on the oval anytime soon.

 

The track has no lights, no grandstands, and no parking area.  About the only thing it does have is a 3/8 mile oval and Armco fencing.  Even the track’s surface has too much sand in it for any kind of high-powered racing.  The few buildings on the property have really weathered since their relocation/construction on the property.

 

Bill and I were at Sand Mountain to see their road course.  The Florida Off Road Driving Association (FORDA) was today’s sanctioning group.  They brought about 12 dune buggy type racers to the track.  This group races once a month at Sand Mountain and nowhere else.

 

All of the cars raced in two heat races and a feature event.  There was a large attrition rate and not many cars were capable of making the feature race.  The buggies started at the oval’s start/finish line.  They raced through the oval’s first and second turns and down the oval’s backstretch.  At the entrance to the oval’s third turn they made a U-turn and raced through the infield before making another U-turn to get back on the oval’s front stretch.  There were also 4-5 jumps for the racers to navigate on the course.  The racing was competitive and somewhat entertaining.

 

As mentioned, there are just about no creature comforts at this track at all.  Bill and I sat on an old car’s back seat that was found sitting behind the flag stand.  It was simply sitting there and after we did our best to get the dust and dirt off it, the seat provided a nice cushion.  Refreshments were served from a well-used mobile trailer.

 

The entire pit area is a sand pit.  Don’t wear your good shoes when you come to Sand Mountain.  There was ample time between races.  We used this time to watch to motorcycles on the motocross track and the ATV’s climbing some very steep sand hills.

 

 

 

WEATHER CONDITIONS

 

The weather was warm.  Temperatures were in the mid-80s.  Again, no rain even though the NASCAR race scheduled for today was rained out in Atlanta.  Temperatures up north appeared to be well below normal (30s & 40s), so Florida was looking good.

 

 

RENTAL CAR UPDATE:

 

I’ll think I’ll stick with Pontiac Grand Prixs whenever I rent from National.  They have two trip odometers and radio volume controls located in the steering wheel.

 

This trip covered a leisurely 541 driving miles.  I stopped for gas twice and paid an average price of $2.63 per gallon.  The Grand Prix gave me 24.6 M.P.G. in fuel mileage at an average cost of 10.6 cents per mile. 

 

 

 

 

LIFETIME TRACKCHASER STANDINGS UPDATE:

 

These worldwide trackchasers are within 100 tracks (plus or minus) of my current trackchaser total.

 

1.  Rick Schneider – Bay Shore, New York - 1,038 (+28)

2.  Allan Brown, Comstock Park, Michigan – 1,021 (+11)

3.  Guy Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania – 1,011 (+1)

4.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 1,010

5.  Andy Sivi, Clairton, Pennsylvania – 1,007 (-3)

6.  Gordon Killian, Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania – 996 (-14)

 

 

 

Other notables

 

These worldwide trackchasers are within 10 tracks (plus or minus) of Carol’s current trackchaser total.

 

40.  Mike Knappenberger, Reading, Pennsylvania - 241 (+7)

41.  Don McAuley, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada - 235 (+1)

42.  Carol Lewis, San Clemente, California - 234

42.  Andy Ritter, Mansfield, Pennsylvania - 234 (+/- 0)

44.  Colin Casserly, Stevenage, England 232 (-2)

45.  Bernie Harlen, Goshen, Indiana - 229 (-5)

 

 

 

 

 

2006 TRACKCHASER STANDINGS

 

1.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California - 19

2.  Ed Esser, Madison, Wisconsin – 12

3.  Mike Knappenberger, Reading, Pennsylvania - 10

3.  Paul Weisel, Orefield, Pennsylvania – 10

3.  Gordon Killian, Sinking Springs, Pennsylvania – 10

6.  Rick Young, Maxville, Ontario, Canada - 9

6.  Roland Vanden Eynde, Vilvoorde, Belgium – 9

8.  Roger Ferrell, Majenica, Indiana – 7

9.  Guy Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania – 6

9.  Will White, Quakertown, Pennsylvania – 6

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading about my trackchasing,

Randy Lewis

Trackchasing’s #1 trackchaser of the 21^st century

 

Trackchasing doesn’t have to be fun to be fun.

 

 

 

 

 

CUMULATIVE TRAVEL DISTANCES:

 

AIRPLANE

 

Los Angeles, CA – Tampa, FL – 2,150 miles

 

RENTAL CAR

 

Tampa International Airport – trip begins

Gibsonton, Florida – 23 miles

Barberville, Florida – 199 miles

Fruitland Park, Florida – 260 miles

Ft. Meade, Florida – 390 miles

Tampa International Airport – 541 miles – trip ends

 

 

AIRPLANE

 

Tampa, FL – Los Angeles, CA – 2,150 miles

 

 

Total air miles – 4,300 miles

 

Total auto and air miles traveled on this trip – 4,841 miles

 

 

 

 

 

TRACK ADMSSION PRICES:

 

East Bay Raceway – $10

Volusia Speedway Park West (1/6M oval) – Free

Speedway Park - $7

Sand Mountain Speedway - $5

 

 

Total race admissions for the trip – about $22

 

 

 

Past trackchasing stories are available at:

www.ranlayracing.com

 

Official trackchaser standings can be viewed at:

www.trackchaser.com  

 

Some of my standings data comes from trackchaser.com

 

 

 

 

 

UPCOMING TRACKCHASING PLANS

 

I’ll be trackchasing in the southeast until I can count on consistently warm weather in the Midwest and East.

 

 

 

 

RACETRACKS VISITED IN 2006 (** not the first time to visit this track)

 

992.  Watermelon Capital Speedway, Cordele, Georgia - January 14

 

993.  Cross Roads Motorplex (asphalt oval), Jasper, Florida - January 15

 

994.  Norfolk Scope Arena, Norfolk, Virginia - January 20

 

995.  Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California - January 21

 

996.  Oregon State Fair & Expo Center, Forster Livestock Arena, Salem, Oregon - January 28

 

997.  Morosso Motorsports Park, Jupiter, Florida – February 4

 

998.  Thunderbowl Speedway of Ocala, Ocala, Florida - February 4

 

999.  Cross Roads Motorplex (dirt oval), Jasper, Florida - February 5

 

1,000.  Auburndale Kartway, Auburndale, Florida - February 10

 

1,001.  Ocala Speedway (asphalt oval), Ocala, Florida - February 12

 

1,002. Speedworld Speedway, Surprise, Arizona - February 19

 

1,003. Lowe’s Motor Speedway (1/5 mile asphalt oval), Concord, North Carolina - February 25

 

1,004. Concord Raceway, Concord, North Carolina - February 25

 

1,005. Antioch Speedway, Antioch, North Carolina - February 25

 

1,006. Green Valley Speedway, Gadsden, Alabama - February 26

 

1,007. East Bay Raceway (inner oval), Gibsonton, Florida – March 17

 

1,008. Volusia Speedway Park West (1/6M oval), Barberville, Florida – March 18

 

1,009. Speedway Park, Fruitland Park, Florida – March 18

 

1,010. Sand Mountain Speedway (road course), Fort Meade, Florida – March 19