GREETINGS FROM HIBBING, MINNESOTA

I WOKE UP IN SAN CLEMENTE, CALIFORNIA THIS MORNING. THIS IS WHAT TRANSPIRED TODAY.

 

 

I’ll post pictures of this event and others soon on my website.  By the way, I always send out my Trackchaser Reports in the order the tracks were seen.  However, sometimes there will be a time lag based upon my travel schedule.  If you’re interested in the exact date, you can always page down to the bottom for that information.

 

 

 

PEOPLE/STRATEGY/TRAVEL NEWS

 

The Strategy

 

I guess when there are no options to choose from, then there is no strategy to employ.  That was the case for the first day of my Midwestern Trackchasing Tour.  I flew into the Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport.  Tonight’s track, the Hibbing Speedway in the town of the same name was 213 miles to the north. 

 

There were weather problems in Hibbing.  A low-pressure rain system had moved through last night.  If they had received too much rain from this storm, the races could already be cancelled.  Currently, today is the worst weather forecast of my entire six-day trip.  If I can make it through today, I might be O.K. weather-wise for the entire trip (famous last words).

 

I only knew of one other track racing on this early June Tuesday that I had never visited.  Unfortunately, that track in Poplar Bluff, Missouri was 820 miles away.  If the Hibbing Raceway would rain out, then I wouldn’t be going trackchasing today and my early morning travel exploits would be for naught.

 

The trip

 

Carol and I returned from Las Vegas on Monday afternoon.  Less than 12 hours later, I was headed for the San Diego Airport on my way to Minneapolis.  She doesn’t know how I do it.  When I look back on my travels, I don’t know how I do it either.  However, I don’t think about it when I’m looking forward to a trip or in the midst of a trip.

 

This morning it was up at 3:30 a.m. and out the door at 3:48 a.m.  There’s not much traffic at this hour.  It’s too late for most night owls and drinkers and too early for most people to go to work.

 

Heck, it was SO early that when I arrived at the airport, the Northwest Airlines gate agents hadn’t even arrived yet.  They don’t begin work until 5 a.m.  My flight left at 6:30 a.m., and I didn’t want to be late.  As my good friend, Gerry O’Reilly was fond of telling me, “If you’re not early, you’re late.”

 

Northwest is not an airline where I receive preferential treatment although I do earn Delta frequent flyer miles.  No preferential treatment usually means bad airplane seats.  I was shocked when I used self check-in and could get an exit row window seat (more legroom).  I was equally amazed that BOTH the aisle and middle seats (but not the window seat) of my row were available but for an extra charge. 

 

Since I had some time on my hands before my flight would leave I grabbed one of about 15 rocking chairs the airport had thoughtfully provided for their passengers and read my “George and Laura” book passed on to me from Carol via Mike S.  I’m enjoying this book very much.

 

Once in the air, I listened to my aisle seatmate tell me how he had paid an extra $15 to get an exit row seat.  I have no idea why they didn’t charge for my window exit row seat.

 

I landed into the Minneapolis airport at 12:45 p.m.  Following the consumption of a Philly cheese steak, I made the dreaded call to the Hibbing Speedway.  Were they racing?   Yes, they were.  Even with that good news, I couldn’t leave the airport yet.  I needed to pick up my rental car as late in the day as possible.  The racetrack was three and one-half hours away and they didn’t begin until 7 p.m.  If I waited two more hours in the airport, I could return my car as late as about 3 p.m. on next Monday so I could avoid an extra day’s worth of rental charges.  My Monday flight doesn’t leave until 9:20 p.m.  Therefore, I’ll either have to wait in the airport for six hours or standby for an earlier flight.  I’m hoping for the earlier flight!

The People

 

As astute readers of the Trackchaser Report, you know that I’m trying to have as many golf days as trackchasing days in 2006.  Last year trackchasing won something like 110-50.  This year golf is doing better but still trails 40-26.  I’ve hoping to make both hobbies for the same amount of days.  I will probably have to take my golf clubs on the road to meet my goal.

 

As I was getting off the plane today, a passenger in front of me was having a difficult time getting his carryon bag from the overhead storage compartment.  I tried to help him with his approval.  I grabbed one end of the heavy bag and he grabbed the other end.  As we were lowering the bag down, he dropped his end.  It struck an older woman on the head as she had remained in her seat!  She declined medical assistance, thank goodness.  As Carol often says, “No good deed goes unpunished.”

 

 

 

RACE TRACK STATS:

HIBBING RACEWAY, HIBBING, MINNESOTA - TRACK #1,050 – 6/6/06

 

This was my 31st lifetime track to see in the Gopher state.  I have a solid hold on sixth place in Minnesota.  Jack Erdmann leads the state 62-49 over Ed Esser.

 

 

 

RACE TRACK NEWS:

 

HIBBING RACEWAY

 

Hibbing Raceway normally races on Saturday nights, the most common racing day of the week.  Therefore, to see Hibbing on a Tuesday night was a great use of trackchasing strategy.  Tonight was a special for Late Model stock cars (41) and Pure Stocks (25).  The track’s management started the program on time at 7 p.m.

 

The grandstand at the Hibbing Raceway is one of the oldest I’ve seen.  It’s made of steel and covered and is showing its age.  There are also two open-air grandstands on either side of the original one.  There was plenty of seating for the crowd of 1,500 or so.

 

An “All the Dirt” racing paper was included in my $15 admission price.  This is one of my favorite papers because they have so many mid-week advertised specials.   The Late Models ran four heats and the pure stock three.  There were three “B” mains, before the 25-car, 40-lap “A” feature for the late models.

 

There was only one yellow flag during the main event on the banked ¼-mile dirt oval.  The track got dry slick as the race went on but there was still a good deal of passing.  Pat Doar, a driver I saw win in Arizona came from 24^th to 6^th in the best passing job of the night.

 

The announcer, P.A. and lights were good.  I received a nice mention during intermission and was invited up to the announcing booth.  It had been a long day and I declined the invitation.  I was pleased that tonight’s hotel was less than a mile from the track.  I wish that were always the case.

 

I tied into the track’s radio communication at 469.5000.  It’s always fun to get the inside scoop on how the program is being run.  They did a good job, but screwed up the feature line-up on the one and only restart.  Rather than correct their mistake they decided to throw the green.  The crowd, and probably the competitors, never knew the difference.

 

I had one of the best hamburgers I’ve had at a track recently.  That may not be saying much since I’ve tried to avoid track food whenever possible.  The hamburger went for $3.25 and a Budweiser for $2.50.

 

 

WEATHER CONDITIONS

 

This was one of my riskiest days weather-wise based upon www.weather.com forecasts.  Yesterday, Hibbing got nearly an inch of rain as a weather front moved through.  Had I been trackchasing here then, there would have been no race.  However, today was beautiful at 75 degrees with several white puffy clouds dotting the blue-sky landscape.  I did encounter several black rain clouds on the drive up from the Twin Cities but escaped weather problems as I normally do.

 

RENTAL CAR UPDATE:

 

I’ll be going with the National Rental Car Racing Pontiac Grand Prix.  As noted above, I waited two hours to pick it up.  Now I have to be back at the Twin Cities airport by 3 p.m. on Monday to avoid extra charges.  The car I picked out of the Executive Selection lot had a dirty windshield.  That’s a first.  They were quick to clean it and offered their apologies.

 

 

 

LIFETIME TRACKCHASER STANDINGS UPDATE:

 

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

 

1.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 1,050

2.  Rick Schneider – Bay Shore, New York - 1,039 (-11)

3.  Allan Brown, Comstock Park, Michigan – 1,021 (-29)

4.  Guy Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania – 1,019 (-31)

5.  Andy Sivi, Clairton, Pennsylvania – 1,007 (-43)

6.  Gordon Killian, Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania – 1,001 (-49)

 

 

 

Other notables

 

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

 

38.  Spike Rixon, Watford, England - 252 (+2)

39.  Carol Lewis, San Clemente, California - 250

40.  Virginia Schuler, Allentown, Pennsylvania - 248 (-2)

41.  Steve Kinser, Bloomington, Indiana – 246 (-4)

 

 

 

 

2006 TRACKCHASER STANDINGS

 

1.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California - 59

2.  Ed Esser, Madison, Wisconsin – 34

3.  Roland Vanden Eynde, Vilvoorde, Belgium – 33

4.  Mike Knappenberger, Reading, Pennsylvania - 30

5.  Carol Lewis, San Clemente, California – 20

6.  Roger Ferrell, Majenica, Indiana – 19

6.  Paul Weisel, Orefield, Pennsylvania – 19

8.  Linda Thomas, Watford, England - 15

8.  Gordon Killian, Sinking Springs, Pennsylvania – 15

10.  Guy Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania - 14

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading about my trackchasing,

Randy Lewis

The World’s #1 Ranked Trackchaser

 

Eat all your sandwiches.  You’ll need them for the pursuit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CUMULATIVE TRAVEL DISTANCES:

 

AIRPLANE

 

San Diego, CA – Minneapolis, MN – 1,530 miles

RENTAL CAR

 

Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport – trip begins

Hibbing, Minnesota – 213 miles

TRACK ADMSSION PRICES:

Hibbing Raceway – $15

 

 

 

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

 

Tomorrow it’s just an eight and one-half hour drive down to Alta, Iowa.  I’ll be looking forward to an Iowa pork tenderloin.

 

 

 

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

 

1,011. Anderson Motor Speedway, Anderson, South Carolina – March 31

 

1,012. Westminster Speedway, Westminster, South Carolina – March 31

 

1,013. East Lincoln Motor Speedway, Stanley, North Carolina – April 1

 

1,014. Margarettsville Speedway, Margarettsville, North Carolina – April 2

 

1,015. Sunny South Raceway, Grand Bay, Alabama – April 7

 

1,016. Barber Motorsports Park, Leeds, Alabama – April 8

 

1,017. Coldwater Raceway, Coldwater, Alabama – April 8

 

1,018. Talladega Short Track, Talladega, Alabama – April 8

 

1,019. Ballymena Raceway, Ballymena, Northern Ireland - April 14

 

1,020. Oulton Park, Little Budworth, England - April 15

 

1,021. Somerset Rebels Banger Raceway, Rooks Bridge, England - April 16

 

1,022. Mendips Raceway, Shipham, England - April 16

 

1,023. Oval Raceway, Angmering, England - April 17

 

1,024. Arlington Stadium, Eastbourne, England - April 17

 

1,025. Southside Speedway, Midlothian, Virginia - April 28

 

1,026. Motor Mile Speedway, Radford, Virginia - April 29

 

1,027. Wythe Speedway, Wytheville, Virginia - April 29

 

1,028. Summit Point Raceway, Summit Point Circuit, Summit Point, West Virginia - April 30

 

1,029. Old Dominion Speedway – inner inner oval, Manassas, Virginia - April 30

 

1,030. Shenandoah Speedway, Shenandoah, Virginia – May 4

 

1,031. Bridgeport Speedway (inner oval – front), Bridgeport, New Jersey - May 5

 

1,032. Empty Jug, Hawley, Pennsylvania - May 6

 

1,033. Oakland Valley Race Park, Cuddebackville, New York - May 6

 

1,034. Thunder Mountain Speedway, Center Isle, New York - May 6

 

1,035. Motocross 338, Southwick, Massachusetts - May 7

 

1,036. Glen Ridge Motorsports Park, Fultonville, New York - May 7

 

1,037. Calumet County Speedway, Chilton, Wisconsin - May 19

 

1,038. Grant County Speedway, Lancaster, Wisconsin - May 20

 

1,039. Blackhawk Farms Raceway, Rockton, Illinois - May 21

 

1,040. The Milwaukee Mile (Road course), West Allis, Wisconsin - May 21

 

** Angell Park Speedway, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin – May 21 (new track Carol only)

 

1,041. Park Jefferson Speedway, Jefferson, South Dakota - May 25

 

1,042. Superior Speedway, Superior, Wisconsin - May 26

 

1,043. Brainerd International Raceway, Brainerd, Minnesota - May 27

 

1,044. Canby Speedway, Canby, Minnesota - May 27

1,045. Crawford County Fairgrounds (figure 8), Denison, Iowa - May 28

1,046. Tri-State Speedway, Sisseton, South Dakota - May 29

1,047. Sheyenne River Speedway, Lisbon, North Dakota - May 29

1,048. Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch, Pahrump, Nevada – June 3

1,049. The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, Nevada – June 3

 

1,050. Hibbing Raceway, Hibbing, Minnesota – June 6