GREETINGS FROM MILLPORT, OHIO

I WOKE UP IN CAMBRIDGE, OHIO THIS MORNING. THIS IS WHAT TRANSPIRED TODAY.

 

You can click on www.ranlayracing.com to see photos from my trackchasing visit to Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri and Ohio. 

 

 

 

PEOPLE/STRATEGY/TRAVEL NEWS

 

The Strategy

 

Today is June 11, 2006.  On June 11, 2005, I had seen 58 new tracks for the season.  So far, on the same date in 2006 I have seen 65 tracks for this year.  Will I try to break last year’s record of 182 tracks?  It could be done.  

 

The trip

 

This was one of my shorter drives to a racetrack on this trip.  It was only about 100 miles from my hotel to the Spring Valley Raceway.  The SVR is as my grandpa used to say, “Out in the countree.”  It has many similarities with the Empty Jug Raceway in this regard.

 

This was my third encounter with the “Variable rate hotel pricing” game on this trip that needed to be corrected.  I made my reservation a day or two in advance at the Super 8 in Cambridge, Ohio.  My rate was $59 plus tax (around $66) when I confirmed my reservation.

 

The Cambridge, Ohio Super 8 is a nice looking new hotel built into the side of a hill with a nice view of the surrounding area.  They even have an electronic sign that can be updated with their latest message.  Today’s sign was promoting rooms for $49.

 

Wait!  My room reservation price was not $49.  I checked in at about 3 p.m.  As the clerk was totaling my bill, she told me “Your rate will be $66.77 with tax.”  “What about the sign that says $49 per night?” I asked.  “Those are specially priced rooms,” she responded as she avoided making eye contact.  “Well, I’d like one of those rooms,” was my response.

 

“Let me take a look, but I don’t think we have any of those rooms left,” as she continued to avoid looking at me.  She fumbled with her paperwork some more before coming up with this, “Nope, we don’t have anymore $49 rooms left.”

 

In my most friendly, yet firm, but please don’t bullshit me voice, I told her, “I made my reservation a couple of days ago.  I would like you to change my rate to $49 for the room you’re about to give me.”  This request was met with some silence.  I think she sensed I was ready to walk and I was. 

 

“You know since you made your reservation before and you’re being so nice about it, I’m going to give you the $49 room rate,” the clerk told me.  “Thank you,” was all the #1 Trackchaser Living West of the Mississippi could say.

 

It’s important for folks in life to live by their own written rules.  Sometimes people like to advertise things to give the image they are one thing when they are not.  It’s not a good thing to promote one image (low price in this case) and then when people try to take you up on the offer deny them.  Now, of course, if I did not meet their requirements (credit problem, I was bringing my pet, I was not wearing a shirt or shoes or if I had been rude or exhibited poor personal behavior) then they have a full right to deny me their advertised offer.

The People

 

I believe it is a common failing of people to abuse their power when they have it.  However, that’s just the way it goes. 

 

 

 

RACE TRACK STATS:

SPRING VALLEY RACEWAY, MILLPORT, OHIO - TRACK #1,056 – 6/11/06

 

This was my 42nd track to see in Ohio.  I’m in 12^th spot and eight tracks out of the Ohio top 10.  Norm Wagner, the only trackchaser in the top 20 I have never met.  He leads in Ohio with an even 100 tracks.

 

 

 

 

RACE TRACK NEWS:

 

SPRING VALLEY RACEWAY

 

Only a handful of trackchasers have ever made it to the Spring Valley Raceway.  The track only races here a few times each year.  Today’s classes included Pilots, Trucks, Woods & Super Woods Buggies and Modified Buggies.  There were 4-6 race vehicles in each class.

 

The races were contested over a dirt road course.  The course had some minor jumps and elevation that took the racers over some hills.  The base course was about ¾ mile long.  The trucks and modified buggies did an extra loop that took them out of sight and allowed them to pick up more speed.

 

I arrived in time for the driver’s meeting.  This track is run by a father/son combination.  The son organizes everything and the father flags the races.  The driver’s meeting was unique in the fact that they asked each class how many laps their two qualifying races should be.  Each class runs two races and the results are averaged to come up with an overall winner for the day.

 

It continues to boggle my mind that road racing like this with 4-6 competitors is deemed countable in such a rural non-racing atmosphere by the trackchasing elite and worldwide known off-road events sanctioned by groups like SCOR is not.  It makes you wonder.

 

After being at the track for a little more than 3 hours, it was time to head west.  I had just about a 1,000 mile drive back to the Minneapolis airport, then a 1,530 mile flight (flew standby and was the last person on the plane with a seat in the last row!) and finally just a 60-mile drive back into the waiting arms of Trackchasing’s First Mother.

 

 

WEATHER CONDITIONS

 

It was a nice sunny afternoon when the show started.  By the time it finished a cool cloud cover had come over the facility and I had to go to the trunk for my Ohsweken Speedway jacket/shirt.  By the way, the Ohsweken (Ohsweken, Ontario, Canada) promoter gave me that jacket shirt.

 

RENTAL CAR UPDATE:

 

As you can see, I put the National Rental Car Racing Pontiac Grand Prix through its paces on this trip.  A trip like this one, driving wise, is best done by me alone.  I really don’t mind long drives.  If I get tired, I pull over and take a 12-minute power nap.  Occasionally, I do find myself nodding off.  I try not to let this happen for long.  I must have been pretty tired on one leg of the trip.  I saw an interstate rest area and took the rest area exit for a short nap.  The rest area entrance road was about 300 yards long.  During those 300 yards, I found myself nodding off to sleep!

 

 

Tuesday total driving miles – 273 miles

Wednesday total driving miles – 595 miles

Thursday total driving miles – 530 miles

Friday total driving miles - 522 miles

Saturday total driving miles – 288 miles

Sunday total driving miles – 698 miles

Monday total driving miles – 391 miles

 

 

The driving portion of this trip covered 3,297 miles.  I stopped for gas seven times, each for a full tank of gas.  From time to time, the driving distance of a trackchasing trip will exceed the flying distance of the trip.  That was the case this week.  Total fuel expense came to $321.67.  It was also unusual, although maybe not in the future, that my gasoline bill exceeded my airfare.

 

I paid an average price of $2.85 per gallon.  The Pontiac Grand Prix gave me a better than expected 29.4 M.P.G. in fuel mileage at an average cost of 9.8 cents per mile.  I drive with the air conditioning on 100% of the time.  I do this to control the humidity regardless of the outside temperature.  This doesn’t help fuel mileage but comforts this trackchaser.

 

 

 

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 – 1,056

2.  Rick Schneider – Bay Shore, New York - 1,039 (-17)

3.  Allan Brown, Comstock Park, Michigan – 1,021 (-35)

4.  Guy Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania – 1,020 (-36)

5.  Andy Sivi, Clairton, Pennsylvania – 1,007 (-49)

6.  Gordon Killian, Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania – 1,004 (-52)*

 

* Warning, you are within 50 tracks of being removed from this list.

 

 

 

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 - 65

2.  Ed Esser, Madison, Wisconsin – 38

3.  Roland Vanden Eynde, Vilvoorde, Belgium – 37

4.  Mike Knappenberger, Reading, Pennsylvania - 31

5.  Paul Weisel, Orefield, Pennsylvania – 27

6.  Roger Ferrell, Majenica, Indiana – 23

7.  Carol Lewis, San Clemente, California – 20

8.  Gordon Killian, Sinking Springs, Pennsylvania – 18

9.  Linda Thomas, Watford, England - 15

9.  Guy Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania - 15

 

 

Trackchasers everywhere are scurrying to be well positioned by June 30, 2006.  At that time, I will provide my annual review and predictions for the balance of the 2006 season for the current top 10 trackchasers.

 

 

 

Thanks for reading about my trackchasing,

Randy Lewis

The #1 Trackchaser Living West of the Mississippi

 

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

Alta, Iowa – 611 miles

Lebanon, Missouri – 1,243 miles

Coal Grove, Ohio – 1,870 miles

Midvale, Ohio – 2,164 miles

Millport, Ohio – 2,299 miles

Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport – 3,297 miles - trip ends

AIRPLANE

 

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

 

 

 

Total air miles – 3,100 miles

Total auto and air miles traveled on this trip – 6,397 miles

TRACK ADMSSION PRICES:

Hibbing Raceway – $15

Buena Vista Raceway - $10

Lebanon Midway Speedway - $15

Rocky Top Raceway - $12

Midvale Speedway - $10

Spring Valley Raceway - $8

Total race admissions for the trip – about $70

 

 

 

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

 

Next weekend is U.S. Open weekend.  I’m test marketing an idea where I will try to be in California for each of the four “Major” weekends of PGA Golf.  That doesn’t always mean I won’t do any trackchasing, I just hope to sleep on my own Tempurpedic mattress during these important golf weekends.

 

 

 

 

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

 

1,051. Buena Vista Raceway, Alta, Iowa – June 7

 

1,052. Lebanon Midway Speedway, Lebanon, Missouri – June 8

 

1,053. Rocky Top Raceway, Coal Grove, Ohio – June 9

 

1,054. Midvale Speedway (oval), Midvale, Ohio – June 10

 

1,055. Midvale Speedway (figure 8), Midvale, Ohio – June 10

 

1,056. Spring Valley Raceway, Millport, Ohio – June 11