GREETINGS FROM NASHUA, IOWA

 

ALL PICTURES HAVE BEEN UPDATED FROM THIS TRACKCHASING TRIP AT WWW.RANLAYRACING.COM

 

 

SPECIAL NOTICE #1

 

Some of you may have missed the Fargo (North Dakota) Forum newspaper coverage of trackchasing that appeared in the July 31, 2006 issue of North Dakota’s leading daily newspaper.  The internet version of the story is now posted at www.ranlayracing.com.  Simply click on “Media Coverage” to get the information. 

 

Occasionally, the actual print version of the story is more complete than the internet copy.  If that is the case, I will provide the complete text if and when I receive it.

 

 

SPECIAL NOTICE #2

 

If you were part of the sell-out crowd of 44, 111 last night at Angels Stadium, you may have noticed some familiar faces during the “Kiss Cam” segment.  Of course, the Kiss Cam is a video feature shown on the large Jumbotrons in the stadium.  The camera zeros in on an unsuspecting couple and they are expected to kiss for the crowd’s enjoyment.  This is my favorite Jumbotron activity of the entire night.  I’ve told Carol that we need to be ready just in case we are one of the six or seven couples shown.  Last night, we were!  Carol’s only comment was “Where was the camera that picked us out?”

KRISTY AND I WOKE UP IN MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.  THIS IS WHAT TRANSPIRED TODAY.

 

 

 

PEOPLE/STRATEGY/TRAVEL NEWS

 

The Strategy

                                                                                        

I am a flying trackchaser.  I fly into a certain area to begin nearly every one of my multi-track trackchasing trips.  If there are not at least three tracks racing on consecutive days that are geographically proximate, it is not cost effective to make the trip.

 

In the future, I will have a much better chance to have good trips to schedule if I hit the tracks that race the least often now.  I have nearly 1,250 North American tracks that I have NOT seen race.  If everyone one of those tracks raced once per week for a 20-week season, I would have 25,000 different track days to choose from. 

 

However, if each of those 1,250 tracks raced just one time per year, I would have only 1,250 track days to pick from.  Some tracks race 20 times a year and some only race one time per year.  I think I will be better off seeing as many tracks that race just 1 or 2 times a year now rather than later.  That will leave me with more potential track days to pick from as the years go by.

 

Tonight’s county fair figure 8 track races just two times in 2006 as far as I know.  That made the Chickasaw Big Four County Fairgrounds an excellent strategic choice to see on a Saturday night.

The Trip

 

If the only thing that I could get out of the trackchasing hobby were seeing a county fair figure 8 race, it wouldn’t be much of a hobby.  Whenever I can, and especially when I am trackchasing with family and friends, I want to see as much of the local culture and sights as we can. 

 

Of course, that’s where the Trackchasing Tourist Activity (TTA) comes in.  With daughter Kristy along on this trip, I went to work seeing what local sights we could fit into our itinerary.  I was pleased with the two TTAs I came up with for today, Saturday.

 

#1 TTA – Mall of America

Of course, the Mall of America is located in the greater Minneapolis area.  Carol and I have been to the shopping mall a couple of times, but this was Kristy’s first visit.

 

As it approaches its 13th year, Mall of America has become globally recognized as one of the largest entertainment and retail attractions in the United States. On any given day, you may find visitors from all 50 states and nearly every corner of the world!

Mall of America Fun Facts!

• Mall of America is the largest, fully enclosed retail and family entertainment complex in the U.S.
• Seven Yankee Stadiums would fit inside Mall of America.
• Mall of America’s 13,300 short tons of steel is nearly twice the amount in the Eiffel Tower.
• Walking distance around one level of Mall of America is .57 of a mile.
• Spending 10 minutes in every store would take a shopper more than 86 hours to complete their visit to Mall of America.
• More than 4,200 couples have been married at Mall of America since opening in August of 1992.
• Mall of America is located on the former Metropolitan Sports Stadium which was home to the Minnesota Vikings and Twins. Home plate can be found in Camp Snoopy.

• There are 30,000 live plants and 400 live trees planted in The Park at MOA™.

 

If you ever get the chance, you should visit this place.  Make a weekend out of it, or you will never see half of it.  What was most surprising was the ranlayracing.com souvenirs were being offered for sale in the mall!  I’ll tell you more about that in a later report.

 

#2 TTA – Spam Museum

 

This was my third visit to the Spam Museum in Austin, Minnesota.  I first went there by myself, and then with Carol and now with Kristy.  It’s a fun place!  You can check out details at www.spam.com.

 

Visitors will be welcomed with a film about SPAM and the cult like popularity the brand offers.  Everyone will get a very complete history of the company with several interactive displays to enjoy.  Of course, no visit would be or could be complete without a visit to the SPAM gift shop.  I didn’t realize how many useful things could be tied into the SPAM logo.

 

Here’s some valuable information from the SPAM website.

Just as every Elvis fan longs to visit Graceland, SPAM fans worldwide now have their own pilgrimage to make. In Austin, Minnesota a 16,500 square-foot SPAM Museum opened in September 2001.

Museum visitors will be welcomed to the world of SPAM Family of Products with a variety of interactive and educational games, fun exhibits and remarkable video presentations.

MUSEUM HOURS

May 1 to Labor Day: Mon-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun. 12 Noon-4 p.m.

Labor Day to April 30: Tues.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun. 12 Noon-4 p.m. Closed Mondays
NO ADMISSION FEE.

The SPAM Museum is closed New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve Day, Christmas Day and Friday, June 16, 2006, in preparation for SPAM Museum Jam 2006!

 

The People

Everywhere in Minnesota and Iowa that we visited had very helpful and friendly people.  However, on this weekend they were very hot and sweaty people due to the nearly 100-degree temperatures and high humidity.  Even in these conditions, everyone was extra nice to us.

 

We did have one interesting experience when we were checking into the Super 8 Motel in Minneapolis.  We had a difficult time finding the place at 1 a.m. in a somewhat urban area near the University of Minnesota campus.

 

Once we did find the motel, we checked in and received our room keys.  Kristy headed up to the room while I went to park the car in the jam-packed parking lot.  By the time I reached the third floor, Kristy had already been to the room at the end of the hallway.  She had bad news.  “Dad, I don’t think you’re going to like this room.”

 

It was 1 a.m.  This was not what I wanted to hear.  What could possibly be wrong with this room?  It didn’t have any beds!  It had two headboards attached to the wall.  The room had everything else a standard Super 8 room should have.  It just didn’t have any beds.  Could the previous guests have been a little “Light fingered?”

 

Now we trudged down from the third floor and summoned the night clerk from her smoking break just outside the front lobby.  I was fearful there might not be any other rooms available to replace our bedless wonder.  Always the optimist, I tried to convert our misfortune into a suite of some sort.

 

That plan didn’t work, but we were able to get another room.  The clerk gave me the key and said, “You might want to go up and check to make sure the room is O.K. before you’re wife hauls her luggage all the way up there.”  Wow!  My day was made.  If the room clerk thought I might be married to a 29 year old, I couldn’t fault her for giving us a room without beds!

 

RACE TRACK STATS:

CHICKASAW BIG 4 COUNTY FAIRGOUNDS (FIGURE 8), NASHUA, IOWA - TRACK #1,081 – 7/29/06

 

This was my 58th lifetime track to see in the Hawkeye state.  Iowa was the first state, beyond my home state of Illinois, where I ever trackchased.  Back then I was racechasing and didn’t know anything about trackchasing.  I now have a fourth place ranking in the state.  I won’t be challenging for third for a few years.  Those E&E boys (Esser/Erdmann) lead the state 77-76. 

 

 

 

 

RACE TRACK NEWS:

 

CHICKASAW BIG FOUR COUNTY FAIRGOUNDS (FIGURE 8)

Tonight was a fun night of very good figure 8 racing.  There were four classes of racers with an overall outstanding car count.  The four classes included trucks (11), small cars (27), stock cars (26) and open cars (27).  That’s a lot of figure 8 cars.

 

This is not the most prosperous county fairgrounds you will ever see.  The small covered grandstands had a steel plated floor.  The grandstand roof didn’t look like it could withstand a strong wind.  The attached press box also looked pretty shaky which may be why the announcer and his crew stood on solid ground at the track’s backstretch to describe the action.

 

Kristy was impressed with the “Walking taco” offered at the concession stand.  She had never heard of such a thing.  That’s one of the reasons, I was happy for her to join me on this trip.  People from all walks of life need to try a “Walking taco.”

 

Just in case any of my readers have never had the good fortune to try this delicacy let me tell you what it is.  A “Walking taco” is a bag of corn chips that has the bag split open so the corn chips are exposed.  Chili, lettuce, cheese and sour cream are then added to the chips in the open bag.  From there all you need is some good balance, so you don’t spill the contents and a fork.  It’s very tasty.

 

The racing was great.  They started promptly at 6:30 p.m.  The cars raced around two large dirt mounds that were located about 40 yards apart.  The dirt mounds were so large that a flagman was stationed atop each one.

 

The track had the consistency of a good dirt track.  There was none of that over watering stuff where the cars have trouble going more than 10 M.P.H. As a matter of fact the “Open” cars were clocked at 44 M.P.H. through the figure 8 intersection.

 

The red flag stopped the races for major debris, like driveshafts, and when cars flipped over.  There were four flips during the night.  That might give you some indication of the speed these cars were traveling.  Each of the flips happened in the turns and not at the “X”. 

 

The fastest car at the track was involved in one of these accidents.  This driver started in the back of the pack and raced to the front only to be spun out.  While he attempted to right his ship, so to speak, he was pushed back into last place.  This prompted him to try to go even faster.  As he was rounding one of the turns, the centrifugal force of his speed flipped him over all by himself.

 

The races were over by 9:30 p.m.  Kristy and I went down onto the track to meet some of the winning drivers and take pictures.  This had been a very hot night with a very rural crowd.  Everyone had a great time.

 

KRISTY’S COMMENTS

 

This was a real Podunk place.  Everyone looked like they were a farmer.  I couldn’t believe how much mud was sprayed into the crowd of people in the pit area.  The cars kicked up this mud on almost every lap and no one even moved!

 

It was an organized program, but the announcer didn’t seem to be very experienced.  The cars looked junky but were REALLY fast with some excellent drivers.

 

 

WEATHER CONDITIONS

 

Our first night of racing in Minnesota (Little Log House Speedway and Elko Speedway) was really hot.  It was even hotter tonight.  Even though we sat in the open-air part of the grandstands, there was nary a breeze and the heat and humidity was nearly unbearable.  The only people hotter than the folks in the grandstands were the two men grilling hamburgers.

RENTAL CAR UPDATE:

 

The National Rental Car Racing Pontiac Grand Prix has a good air conditioner.

 

Friday total driving miles – 134 miles

Saturday total driving miles – 320 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 – 1,081

2.  Rick Schneider – Bay Shore, New York - 1,048 (-33)

3.  Guy Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania – 1,042 (-39)

4.  Allan Brown, Comstock Park, Michigan – 1,021 (-59)*

5.  Gordon Killian, Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania – 1,018 (-62)*

6.  Andy Sivi, Clairton, Pennsylvania – 1,015 (-65)*

7.  Ed Esser, Madison, Wisconsin – 918 (-163)**

 

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

 

** Special exemption.

 

The widespread use of the “*” is causing my printer cartridges to run dry much faster than they should.

 

 

 

Other notables

 

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

 

34.  Sammy Swindell, Bartlett, Tennessee – 278 (+10)

36.  Dale Danielski, Onalaska, Wisconsin – 269 (+1)

37.  Carol Lewis, San Clemente, California - 268

37.  Bob Schafer, Oshkosh, Wisconsin - 267 (-1)

 

 

 

2006 TRACKCHASER STANDINGS

 

1.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California - 90

2.  Ed Esser, Madison, Wisconsin – 58

3.  Roland Vanden Eynde, Vilvoorde, Belgium – 49

4.  Mike Knappenberger, Reading, Pennsylvania - 45

5.  Carol Lewis, San Clemente, California – 38

6.  Guy Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania - 37

7.  Paul Weisel, Orefield, Pennsylvania – 36

8.  Roger Ferrell, Majenica, Indiana – 35

9.  Gordon Killian, Sinking Springs, Pennsylvania – 32

9.  Allan Brown, Comstock Park, Michigan - 32

 

 

 

 

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

 

Los Angeles, CA -  Minneapolis, MN – 1,609 miles

RENTAL CAR

 

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport – trip begins

Hastings, MN – 40 miles

Elko, MN – 84 miles

Nashua, Iowa – 351 miles

TRACK ADMSSION PRICES:

 

Little Log House Speedway – $5

Elko Speedway - $15

Chickasaw Big Four Fairgrounds - $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

 

Kristy and I will dip our toe into another state before closing out the trip in Minnesota.

 

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

1,071. Heartland Park Topeka (dirt oval), Topeka, Kansas – July 3

 

1,072. Thunderhill Speedway, Mayetta, Kansas – July 3

 

1,073. Little Valley Speedway, Little Valley, New York – July 13

 

** Twin State Speedway (oval), Claremont, New Hampshire – July 14

 

1,074. Twin State Speedway (figure 8), Claremont, New Hampshire – July 14

 

1,075. Canaan Speedway (asphalt oval), Canaan, New Hampshire – July 14

 

** New Hampshire International Speedway, Loudon, New Hampshire – July 15

 

1,076. White Mountain Motorsports Park, North Woodstock, New Hampshire – July 15

 

1,077. Legion Speedway, Wentworth, New Hampshire – July 15

 

1,078. Devil’s Bowl Speedway, Fair Haven, Vermont – July 16

1,079. Stafford Motor Speedway, Stafford Springs, Connecticut – July 17

1,080. Little Log House Speedway, Hastings, Minnesota - July 28

 

** Elko Speedway (outer oval), Elko, Minnesota – July 28

 

** Elko Speedway (inner oval), Elko, Minnesota – July 28

 

** Elko Speedway (figure 8), Elko, Minnesota – July 28

1,081. Chickasaw Big Four County Fairgrounds, Nashua, Iowa - July 29