GREETINGS FROM MOUNT VERNON, KENTUCKY AND THEN OWENSBORO, KENTUCKY

I WOKE UP IN DRY RIDGE, KENTUCKY THIS MORNING.  THIS IS WHAT TRANSPIRED TODAY.

 

 

I now have photos through today’s racetracks at www.ranlayracing.com.  As usual, I saw some interesting sights, this time from the Midwest.

 

 

 

PEOPLE/STRATEGY/TRAVEL NEWS

 

Today I was attempting one of the rarest doubles any trackchaser is likely to get.  I am not sure if any trackchaser has ever gotten a double of this type.  Today I was trying to see a day/night trackchasing double with two tracks that were in the same state but different time zones!

 

The Rock Castle Speedway is located in Mount Vernon, Kentucky.  This track is in the Eastern time zone and would be racing in the afternoon.  The Windy Hollow Speedway is located in Owensboro, Kentucky (boyhood home of both Darrell and Michael Waltrip).  This track is located in the Central time zone. 

 

I would gain an hour during the drive.  With the tracks being 230 miles apart, this strategic plan was perfect.  The Rock Castle Speedway cooperated fully by starting at just past 1 p.m. and finishing at 2:42 p.m.  Then the Windy Hollow Speedway helped by not starting until 7:15 p.m.  This turned out to be a perfect trackchasing Sunday except for one minor problem.  I’ll tell you more about that in the “Trip” section.

 

 

The Trip

 

What’s up with the inability of Kentucky short tracks to simply tell their customers what time the races start?  I called the Windy Hollow Speedway and listened to a recorded message that told me the gates opened at 4 p.m.  Well, what time do the races start? Wouldn’t that be some vital information to provide in your message?

 

You may recall this is the track (the figure 8 portion anyway) that I drove too in September 2005.  On that trip, I drove more than 900 miles round trip and couldn’t find the track.  Once I did find the track, I learned the one and only figure 8 race had been completed 15 minutes before I got there!  If you’d like to read about how THAT happened just go to the bottom of this Trackchaser Report.

 

I didn’t know for sure, if the facility was even racing on their figure 8 track tonight.  Carol and I were in this general area last weekend.  We had planned to come to Windy Hollow last Sunday, but a call to the track yielded a recording saying the figure 8s were not running.  We changed our plans and went to the Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach, Illinois instead.  They wouldn’t cancel the figure 8s for a second weekend in a row would they?

 

The final feature event of the day at the Rock Castle Speedway checkered at 2:42 p.m. Eastern time.  Even though I didn’t know for certain, I expected the Windy Hollow Speedway to start racing at 6 p.m. Central time.  These calculations gave me just over four hours to make it there.  My mapping software told me the driving time (without counting stopping time) would be three hours and 50 minutes. 

 

About midway through the four-hour drive, I felt the need for a 12-minute power nap.  Luckily, I didn’t see a rest area where I could get some shuteye and kept driving.  I stopped for gas, a restroom stop and a Subway sandwich.  THIS TIME I used my mapping software from the start and didn’t have any trouble finding the track. 

 

I arrived at 6:04 p.m.  I kept thinking they might start the program off with the figure 8s promptly at 6 p.m. and I would be shut out again.  Nope, when I arrived the water truck was still on the track.  Things were looking good for track #1,071.  I’ll tell you the rest of the story in the Windy Hollow Speedway “Race Track News” section.

 

The People

 

I meet some of the most unusual and nice people at the tracks during my travels.  Today I met a couple of men that made my trip to Kentucky most memorable.

 

When I reached the grandstand at Rock Castle, there was just one other person in the stands.  Even though the pit area had about 100 people, the grandstands had just two (including me) on this hot, sultry, humid afternoon.  Later in the day, the grandstand total would swell to eight people.  Yes, there was room for you.

 

The single spectator an old man sat down beside me to chat.  He was a tobacco chewer, so I tried to make certain he didn’t sit too close.  Many of you know who Sterling Marlin is.  Many of you know who William F. Buckley is.  Probably not too many folks reading this Trackchaser Report are intimately familiar with both Mr. Marlin and Mr. Buckley.

 

Mr. Buckley is quite an elocutionist.   Mr. Marlin is not.  Compared to the gentleman who was talking to me, Mr. Marlin is Mr. Buckley as a master of the English language.

 

I really could only understand about every tenth word, this Kentuckian was saying to me.  I did my best, non-verbally, to show interest in the conversation.  I would nod my head, raise an eyebrow, smile and even occasionally comment, “Is that right.”  I must have been giving all the correct responses because he kept talking a mile a minute.

 

I believe he was talking to me about buying a big screen TV.  At first, he was considering a used TV.  Apparently, he had purchased one but the one phrase I did seem to understand was regarding the used TV was, “The other guy got the best of it and I got the rest of it.” 

 

Now, my newfound friend was in the market for a new set.  Apparently, Wal-Mart had a good one for $999.  However, my friend was not too fond of the 22.6% interest rate his credit card wanted to charge him for the TV.  I was amazed at how this old man in tattered clothing and tobacco stained teeth and gums could quote the impact of interest rates on his life.  He was throwing numbers at me right and left.  “If I finance through Wal-Mart, that’s $150 per month in interest, that’s $1,800 a year.”  I was nodding, raising eyebrows and smiling now at every syllable.  Finally, the old man wandered off.  I hope he got a good TV deal.

 

The next gentleman I ran into was the track’s announcer.  This fellow was a genuinely nice guy.  Here it was a 90-degree day; there were eight people in the grandstand and another hundred in the pits hovering over about 35 racecars.  He was announcing as if the stands were full and the most important race of the year was taking place. 

 

He invited me up to his air-conditioned announcing booth.  How could I resist this invitation?  The announcer had been living in the Kentucky mountains for some 20 years.  He wanted to know “If trackchasing paid?”  No, I told him trackchasing did not pay, I paid trackchasing.

 

Like so many, he wanted to know how I could make money from trackchasing.  I told him I was retired and not looking to make money from my hobby.  If I started making money, it would no longer be my hobby, it would be my job.  I was not and am not looking for a job.

 

The announcer told me he used to be a radio disc jockey.  “I kept trying to get a job in one of those big markets like Lexington or Knoxville, but those guys don’t want to give up those ‘cushy’ jobs.  Finally, I found I could make more in one day announcing races, than I could all week working at the radio station.”

 

“I’ve worked for ten or twelve racing promoters at Rock Castle alone.  If I don’t like what they want me to do, I just quit.  I have all the toys a guy could want.  I got skies, boats, guns, everything I need.”

 

The announcer was impressed with my trackchasing.  Some are, some aren’t.  He told the “Crowd” several times, about what I was up too.  I returned to the stands to watch the legends feature event, the last race of the day.  I was seated directly below the glass window of the announcer’s booth.

 

The announcer told the crowd one more time about my hobby.  Then he told them he wanted to have something to remember me by.  He wrote the number “1,070” in large numbers with a crayon on the wall of the announcing booth.  “This way I’ll remember your visit for a long time to come.”

 

I’ll remember my visit to the Rock Castle Speedway as well.  I met two very different but very kind and nice folks that made me feel very good about my hobby.

 

RACE TRACK STATS:

ROCK CASTLE SPEEDWAY, MOUNT VERNON, KENTUCKY - TRACK #1,070 – 7/2/06 & WINDY HOLLOW SPEEDWAY OWENSBORO, KENTUCKY 7/2/06

 

These tracks my 19^th and 20^th in the Bluegrass state.  I guess you better make that just my 19^th track in the Bluegrass state.  It was also my first visit of the year to Kentucky.  This was my 25^th trackchasing state of the year.  I have now taken over exclusive possession of 6^th place here after breaking a tie at 18 tracks with Roger Ferrell and Ed Esser.  I am four tracks out of 5^th place.  Rick Schneider leads Andy Sivi 44-37 for the state lead.

 

 

RACE TRACK NEWS:

 

ROCK CASTLE SPEEDWAY

 

I’ve had some trouble with the KOIL sanctioned legends group in the past.  On their website, they do not say what time the races will start.  They simple say what time the gates open.

 

I use major league baseball as the “Gold standard” for sports logistical planning.  If they say a game will begin at 7:05 p.m., weather permitting, the first pitch hits the catcher’s glove at 7:05 p.m.

 

Today, two different sources told me the gates would open at different times.  One said, 11 a.m., the other 12 noon.  Who cares what time the gates open?  What time does the friggin’ race start.

 

I even phoned the track.  “Gates open at noon,” I was told.  What time will the race start I wanted to know.  Maybe about 12:30 p.m. or 1 p.m., the track official guessed.  That told me I had enough time to stop at the Waffle House and I did.

 

The Rock Castle Speedway is located in a beautiful area of rolling hills in rural Kentucky.  A two-mile winding road takes you past some very unusual country homes.  This ain’t the boonies but you can see them from here!

 

Please take a look at www.ranlayracing.com to get an idea of how this track was situated.  It was nearly 100 degrees on a perfectly blue-sky day.  I really wanted to watch the races from the comfort of my car.  I first approached the pit area and inquired about a good parking spot for my car.

 

I was told that pit admission was $25.  I didn’t want to pay that for a legends and bandelero program.  There was a pretty good spot to park the car just outside the pit gate.  I watched the heat races from the comfort of the National Rental Car Racing Chevy Impala.

 

After I paid my $10 spectator admission price, I sat in the main grandstands.  The grandstand is constructed entirely of wood.  As mentioned above there was hardly anyone sitting in the stands.  Given the weather conditions, I don’t blame them.

 

The Rock Castle Speedway in no longer racing on a weekly basis.  This is what their website had to say about their situation:

 

“Due to the lack of interest from fans and drivers, Rockcastle Speedway has decided to take the weekly races off their 2006 racing schedule. Which means Rockcastle Speedway will be open only for the following events.

May 20, 2006                           600 Racing Legend and Bandolero Cars
June 17, 2006                         ASA Late Model South Bluegrass 100
July 1&2, 2006                        600 Racing Legend and Bandolero Cars
August 26, 2006                     600 Racing Legend and Bandolero Cars
September 23&24, 2006        600 Racing Legend and Bandolero Cars

Rockcastle Speedway management apologizes for this announcement, and we would like to thank the drivers and fans who did show their continued support throughout the month of April. We do feel this is the best solution for the future of the track.

 

Rockcastle Speedway has no intention of competing with the
surrounding tracks for drivers or fans. Therefore, Rockcastle Speedway management intends to shift their focus from weekly racing to promotion of our special events instead.

 

That last quote about ‘Not competing’ seemed strange to me.  I thought that competition was a core requirement in American capitalism.

 

I’m seeing more and more tracks closing their doors or restricting their race dates all the time.  I have to believe that racing on TV is hurting short track attendance and many short track operators don’t do themselves any good with their poorly run programs.

 

Today’s two countable classes were bandeleros and legends.  Each class had about 12-16 cars racing on the 3/8 mile high-banked asphalt oval.  According to the announcer, the track switched from dirt to asphalt about six years ago.

 

I spent several minutes in the comfort of the air-conditioned announcing booth.  I watched the legends feature event from the grandstands.  The flagman hangs out over the track from his flag stand position.  The announcer had given me permission to take pictures during the racing action from the flag stand.  Hanging over the track to take pictures while the thundering cars raced beneath me was a rush.  You’ll see some of those pictures at www.ranlayracing.com.

 

They didn’t take long to run the program.  Heats and features for three classes (the Young Guns weren’t countable) were run off in less than two hours.  I liked that.  I also very much enjoyed chatting with the track announcer.  He bore a distinct resemblance to movie star, Tommy Lee Jones.

 

WINDY HOLLOW SPEEDWAY (FIGURE 8)

 

I was coming back to the Windy Hollow Speedway figure 8 track today, because of my own negligence last year.  Back then, I drove more than 900 miles out of my way, only to miss the track because I played a travel hunch rather than using my GPS system.  That hunch kept me driving around in circles until I finally found the track and the one and only figure 8 race of the night had already been run.

 

Obviously, my error of last year, was on my mind as I hustled over to the Windy Hollow Speedway.  Even though their less than complete answering machine message did not give an exact race starting time, I expected it to be 6 p.m.

 

I arrived at exactly 6:04 p.m.  I still didn’t know for sure if the figure 8 class was on tonight’s program.  I pulled up to the pit shack to find out.  I was smiling widely when both women working the pit entrance confirmed the figure 8s were racing.

 

The grandstands were nearly full.  This is a rundown track and the people look a little worse for the wear.  My experiences tell me that people smoke more in Kentucky that any other state I visit.  This area of Kentucky as well as southern Ohio and West Virginia has that “Appalachian” look.  It’s not a very attractive looking crew.

 

The water trucks were on the track.  It was almost 100 degrees.  My plan was to stay in the car until I heard the beginning of racing.  That took more than one hour!  During that time, the crowd sat patiently with the sun in their eyes and all of that heat and humidity.  The track didn’t even play music to entertain the folks.

 

Finally, at about 7:15 p.m., some racecars appeared for the first race.  I saw four heat races on the oval and the track was dusty from the very beginning.  What had all of those water trucks been doing?

 

It was starting to get dark.  The figure 8 course in located in the infield of the oval.  They do not have lights for the figure 8 track.  That’s one of the reasons I missed it last year.  They had to run the figure 8s before it got too dark. 

 

After the four oval heat races the water trucks were called to the track again.  I figured they would throw some water on the bone dry and dusty infield so the figure 8s could slide around a bit.  Three huge water trucks came out at the same time.  They began watering the oval.  I was getting somewhat concerned because they were not watering the figure 8 course.  About that time, one of the trucks laid down some wet stuff in the general direction of the figure 8 track.  I began to feel a sigh of relief.

 

However, it was getting darker by the minute and most all of the water was going onto the oval track that was getting muddier by the minute.  I began to have a bad feeling.  I decided to ask the flagman what was up.  “Are the figure 8s racing tonight?” I asked.  He  simply shook his head “No.”  When I asked why he just shrugged his shoulders.  That was not a good enough answer for me after last year’s experience and the drive I had made today.

 

I marched up to the announcing booth.  What was up?  The announcer who used to be the promoter told me the figure 8 cars had refused to run for a reduced purse.  Why would they have to run for a reduced purse when the grandstand was nearly packed?  “Where is the promoter”, I asked?  “He’s running one of the water trucks,” the announcer told me.  “But, you can go down to the office and talk to his wife.”  I did just that.

 

The promoter’s wife did not seem the least bit interested in my story about driving 900 miles last year or even the fact that the pit shack had confirmed the figure 8s were racing tonight.  She was a southern lady and you can’t push southerners.  They will just shut you out and “Play ignorant” until you go away.

 

She had a difficult time looking me in the eye.  I asked her what reduced purse was being offered for the figure 8 drivers.  “Two hundred dollars,” she sheepishly said.  I was being aced out again by a slip shod racing organization.

 

Nevertheless, I was reminded that racing is like golf.  If you hit a bad shot, you are likely to get a bad lie.  If I hadn’t screwed up last year, I would be dealing with these incompetent people again this year.  I was simply being punished for my own incompetence.  Nevertheless, how much punishment must I accept before I can get the reward?

 

The very best thing about this near miss is that I only drove 34 miles out of my way.  Driving from Rock Castle to tomorrow nights races in Topeka, Kansas had me nearly driving past tonight’s track in Owensboro, Kentucky.

 

The really sad thing about all of this, is that given the right circumstances I will return to the Windy Hollow Speedway in search of seeing just a handful of nearly used up and very beat up junkers race for six or eight laps.  It’s simply what I do.

WEATHER CONDITIONS

 

It was a perfectly blue sky at both tracks.  When I arrived at Rock Castle at 12:30 p.m., it was 89 degrees.  When I arrived at Windy Hollow at 6:04 p.m., it was 91 degrees.  These are hot Kentucky day and nights.

 

RENTAL CAR UPDATE:

 

The National Rental Car Racing Chevy Impala LT is still one dusty and filthy rental car.  Maybe I’ll get some rain while I’m driving that won’t affect the races.  I hope so.

 

 

Thursday total driving miles – 155 miles

Friday total driving miles – 381 miles

Saturday total driving miles – 439 miles

Sunday total driving miles – 537 miles

 

 

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 – 1,070

2.  Rick Schneider – Bay Shore, New York - 1,046 (-24)

3.  Guy Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania – 1,031 (-39)

4.  Allan Brown, Comstock Park, Michigan – 1,021 (-49)

5.  Andy Sivi, Clairton, Pennsylvania – 1,012 (-58)*

6.  Gordon Killian, Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania – 1,012 (-58)*

 

 

* 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.

 

37.  Bob Schafer, Oshkosh, Wisconsin - 267 (+8)

38.  Carol Lewis, San Clemente, California - 259

39.  Spike Rixon, Watford, England - 252 (+7)

 

Steve Kinser’s name has been removed from this list due to non-performance.

 

 

 

2006 TRACKCHASER STANDINGS

 

1.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California - 79

2.  Ed Esser, Madison, Wisconsin – 42

2.  Roland Vanden Eynde, Vilvoorde, Belgium – 41

4.  Mike Knappenberger, Reading, Pennsylvania - 38

5.  Carol Lewis, San Clemente, California – 29

6.  Paul Weisel, Orefield, Pennsylvania – 28

7.  Roger Ferrell, Majenica, Indiana – 26

8.  Guy Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania - 26

9.  Gordon Killian, Sinking Springs, Pennsylvania – 26

10. Pam Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania - 20

 

 

Trackchasers everywhere are scurrying to be well-positioned by June 30, 2006.  That’s it, times up!  I’ll be sharing my analysis and predictions about the 2006 season in the last Trackchaser Report of this trip.  Stand by.

 

 

 

Thanks for reading about my trackchasing,

Randy Lewis

#1 Trackchaser Living West of the Mississippi

 

What gets us into trouble is not what we don't know. It's what we know for sure that just ain't so.

 

 

 

CUMULATIVE TRAVEL DISTANCES:

 

AIRPLANE

 

Orange County, CA -  Denver, CO – 780 miles

Denver, CO – St. Louis, MO – 832 miles

RENTAL CAR

 

St. Louis International Airport – trip begins

Eldon, MO – 155 miles

Poplar Bluff, MO – 412 miles

Indianapolis, IN – 790 miles

Rushville, IN – 846 miles

Mount Vernon, KY – 1,077 miles

Owensboro, KY – 1,307 miles

TRACK ADMSSION PRICES:

Lake Ozark Speedway – $12.50

Poplar Bluff Speedway - $20

Indianapolis Motor Speedway - $20  ($10 to park)

Rush County Fairgrounds - $8

Rock Castle Speedway - $10

Windy Hollow Speedway - $8

 

 

 

 

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

 

Following this trip, I must return to San Clemente and help Carol prepare for her most exotic trackchasing trip of the 2006 season.  She’s not going to pass Mike Knappenberger just sitting at the beach.

 

 

 

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

 

1,057. Rialto Airport Speedway, Rialto, California – June 17

1,058. Lawrenceburg Speedway (figure 8), Lawrenceburg, Indiana -  June 20

1,059. Lawrenceburg Speedway (temporary oval), Lawrenceburg, Indiana -  June 20

1,060. Thunder Mountain Speedway, Knox Dale, Pennsylvania -  June 21

1,061. State Park Speedway, Wausau, Wisconsin -  June 22

1,062. Dodge County Fairgrounds Speedway, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin -  June 23

1,063. Lucas Oil Speedway (oval), Wheatland, Missouri -  June 24

1,064. Lucas Oil Speedway (figure 8), Wheatland, Missouri -  June 24

1,065. Tri-City Speedway, Pontoon Beach, Illinois - June 25

 

1,066. Lake Ozark Speedway, Eldon, Missouri - June 29

 

1,067. Poplar Bluff Speedway, Poplar Bluff, Missouri - June 30

 

1,068. Indianapolis Motor Speedway (road course), Indianapolis, Indiana – July 1

 

1,069. Rush County Fairgrounds, Rushville, Indiana – July 1

1,070. Rock Castle Speedway, Mount Vernon, Kentucky – July 2

**1,071. Windy Hollow Speedway (oval), Owensboro, Kentucky – July 2

 

 

 

This is how it happened in 2005 at the:

 

WINDY HOLLOW SPEEDWAY, OWENSBORO, KENTUCKY

 

I could have simply ended the Mercer County Fairgrounds with this simple passage, “As I was leaving the fairgrounds this afternoon, I reassessed the long drive for tonight’s figure 8 races in Owensboro, Kentucky.  The drive was simply too long and it would be better to drive back to the Detroit airport and get a good night’s rest for tomorrow’s flight to California.”

 

However, I don’t trackchase like that.  You get the entire story, even if the race doesn’t happen.  You need to know why it didn’t happen and make your own judgments about who should be held responsible.

 

I left the Mercer County Fairgrounds at about 1:30 p.m. Central time.  I had seen about 10 heats and two features.  I had a very nice afternoon of vintage or antique racing.  I can’t wait to do it again.

 

My sixth and final planned raced for this trackchasing weekend would be the figure 8s at the Windy Hollow Speedway (WHS) in Owensboro, Kentucky.  Driving down to WHS would be an incremental 629-mile round-trip.  If I chose not to visit that track then I would save the wear and tear on me and the 9.5 cents per mile in gasoline expenses ($59.76 total) for the 629 miles I had to drive.

 

What was the reward?  The reward would be seeing the figure 8 track.  That would be my 560^th career track.  Back on October 4, 1996, I saw North Dakota’s Rick Aukland win the late model feature at WHS.  They were not racing on the figure 8 track on that fall evening nearly 10 years ago.

 

My research told me that the when the figure 8 cars raced at WHS last month, they had seven cars in the one and only race they ran on the figure 8 track.  A figure 8 race with this amount of cars should last around 8 minutes.  It would be the only race on the figure 8 track during the entire evening.  Yes, I was going to drive, and did drive, 629 extra miles to see just eight minutes of racing.

 

As you might guess, I did not see the race.  Just as the help did not reach the victims quickly enough in the Hurricane Katrina storm, I didn’t reach the Windy Hollow Speedway quickly enough.  Just like the hurricane relief situation, procedures must be reviewed so this doesn’t happen again.  I’m going to need your help to decide who “screwed up”.  If you have read this far, then you are one of my most dedicated Trackchaser Report readers.  Let me know who you think was responsible here.

 

Point #1 – I had emailed the track earlier in the week and asked what time the figure 8 race would likely begin.  This is the reply I received, “Yes, we will be running the figure “8” this Sunday.  We have to run the race before it gets dark.  It’s usually around 7:30 or 8 when we run it.”

 

With this in mind, I left the Mercer County Fairgrounds at 1:30 p.m. Eastern time.  That would make it 12:30 p.m. central time, which is the time zone for the Windy Hollow Speedway.  I wanted to arrive by about 6:30 p.m.  The drive was 336 miles long.  My mapping software told me it would take 5 hours and 33 minutes.  I ran into no traffic problems at all.  I made three stops, each for less than five minutes to gas up, visit the restroom and order a Diet Coke and salad from McDonald’s which I didn’t eat until after I arrived at the track.

 

Point #2 – I was using the National Speedway Directory track directions and a Rand McNally paper map as my primary guides once I got into the Owensboro area.

 

Point #3 – I headed north on Route 81.  I would later find out this was the wrong direction to drive on Route 81.  After a while, it looked like I was lost.  At a stop light, I pulled up along side a brand new Chevy pickup truck.  I made the universal signal for the driver to roll down his window.  Even though he was born after crank windows were no longer offered on 97% of all U.S. vehicles he understood what I wanted and lowered his window.

 

I told him I was trying to get to the Windy Hollow Speedway.  He nodded and gave me directions with confidence.  That positive approach by him made me feel good.  I would later come to find out he was directing me to nearby Kentucky Motor Speedway and in the totally wrong direction.

 

Point #4 – When I was convinced that the driver’s direction in point #3 was getting me nowhere, I pulled into a convenience store.  Just at that moment, one of the most stereotypical poor southerners was getting into his car.  The car was beat up, the car’s interior headliner was drooping and the poor guy had a little boy in the passenger’s seat without a car seat.  I considered making a 911 call and reporting