GREETINGS FROM MARSHFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS

 

 

 

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

 

 

SPECIAL ANNOUNCMENTS

When I return from vacation, my first Trackchaser Report will provide details for the sponsorship agreement that I have inked for the balance of 2006 trackchasing season and beyond.  The level of this sponsorship package will be a trackchasing first.

 

I have now posted on my website, the Lake County Leader trackchasing story that appeared in the August 10, 2006 issue following my visit to the Mission Valley Speedway.  Carol says this is the best-written article to date.  I like each and every one of them.  You can access the story by going to www.ranlayracing.com and clicking on “Media coverage,” then simply click in the Lake County Leader link.

 

SUMMER SEASON RECAP

The summer season runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day.  During this 98-day period, I went trackchasing 43 days and saw 54 tracks.  The summer season is the most important of the four seasons of trackchasing.  I had just two rainout days during this period.  I consider this summer season one of the most successful I have ever had.

 

THIS TRIP RECAP

Two countries (U.S. and Canada)

 

Seven states (Minnesota, South Dakota, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, New York, Massachusetts)

 

Two Canadian provinces (Manitoba, Ontario)

 

One rainout (North Dakota)

 

Five airplane rides (4,437 miles)

 

Two rental cars (5,353 miles)

 

Total miles traveled (9,790 miles)

 

Total hotel nights – 13

 

Total rounds of golf – 3

 

Total fellow trackchaser contacts – several

 

This type of trackchasing trip would make up an entire season for many trackchasers.  The “Mega trackchasing trip” which I’ll define as any trip of 10 days or longer for the express purpose of adding new tracks is rare according to data provided by www.trackchaser.com, the bible for such information.

 

This trip ended up being 12 days of trackchasing in the 13 nights I was gone.  It would have been 13 straight days of trackchasing except for the rainout in North Dakota.

 

A quick review of historical data shows that our trackchaser commissioner, Will White went trackchasing for 17 consecutive days back in 2002.  I went trackchasing for 19 days last year with a day off in the middle for golf.  I followed with 22 consecutive days of trackchasing in July/August, 2005.  I doubt that mark will be challenged anytime soon.  I was surprised to see that these occurrences may be the only trackchasing trips of more than 10 consecutive days of trackchasing.  I am sure if that is not accurate, someone will let me know. 

 

 

I WOKE UP IN BATAVIA, NEW YORK THIS MORNING AND THEN I WENT TO SLEEP IN DANBURY, CONNECTICUT IN THE EVENING.  THIS IS WHAT TRANSPIRED TODAY.

 

 

 

PEOPLE/STRATEGY/TRAVEL NEWS

 

 

 

The Strategy

                                                                                        

A successful strategy calls for seeing tracks that are geographically proximate.  In other words, it’s always better if the tracks are closer together than farther apart.  No, it doesn’t take a giant intellect to be a successful trackchaser!

 

I left P.J. Hollebrand at midnight on Sunday near Batavia, New York.  My flight from Pittsburgh did not depart until about 5 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon.  I had two choices.

 

I could play golf on Monday and drive just 260 miles to Pittsburgh and the trip would be finished.  Or…….. I could forget golf, drive 1,074 miles in total, and see the figure 8 races in Marshfield, Massachusetts on Monday night.

 

Let’s see!  For an incremental 814 miles, I could see maybe two hours of 30 M.P.H. figure 8 racing.  The driving time would amount to about 14 hours if I could average 60 M.P.H.  Was 14 hours of driving worth seeing two hours of figure 8 racing?  If you’re trying to be the World’s #1 Ranked Trackchaser, it is! 

 

As they say in golf when you’re trying to decide if you can clear a 200-yard wide ravine, “It’s a one day event!”  Yes, I came here to trackchase.  I can play golf when there are no new racetracks running.  I decided to drive 1,074 miles to add one more figure 8 track to my totals.

 

The Trip

 

My drive on Monday was a simple 446 miles from my Batavia, New York Super 8 motel to the track.  I drove another 160 miles or so after the races to finish with a total of 621 miles for the day.  On Tuesday, I simply needed to drive over to the airport.  However, the airport was 432 miles away.

 

I amused myself during the trip by stopping for gas.

The People

 

I did notice the people at the Marshfield Fair looked a little different from the people I encounter at most places.  I’m not saying that’s good and I’m not saying that’s bad.  I’m just commenting on the differences I observed.

 

I have never seen so many red-haired blue-eyed folks in one place.  Most of those people did not have tattoos.  However, those folks who were not red-haired and blue-eyed seemed to have a much greater number of tattoos per capita than just about anywhere I visit.  I will leave it up to the reader to interpret this data.

 

 

 

RACE TRACK STATS:

MARSHFIELD FAIR (FIGURE 8), MARSHFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS - TRACK #1,099 – 8/21/06

This is my sixth Massachusetts track and moves me up from a 13^th place time to an 11^th place tie in the state rankings.  Just one more track is all I need to save five National Geographic Diversity points.  Roscoe “Pappy” Hough leads the state with 18 tracks.

RACE TRACK NEWS:

 

MARSHFIELD FAIR (FIGURE 8)

I paid $5 to park in a private lot just across from the fair.  I wanted to take a 12-minute power nap, but I had a Trackchaser Report to finish.  If you take a brief moment to examine the daily driving totals listed below, you might wonder, especially when I’m by myself, how I can write these things and drive all those miles.  I sometimes wonder that myself.

 

I spent several minutes touring the rather large fair.  I saw several unusual things, the most unusual of which was a couple of caged black bears who had been taught to dance on their hind legs.  The selection of “Fair food” was one of the most extensive I have ever seen, but it paled in comparison to the granddaddy of all fair food at the Bloomsburg Fair in Pennsylvania.  I didn’t buy any fair food because I’m already too fat.

 

I would love to tell you the 30 cars or so that raced on the figure 8 track were so captivating that is was worth a 1,074-mile drive.  However, it would be impossible to even imagine how entertaining such an event would have to be to justify the butt time this event required.

 

The same promotion company, JM Productions, ran tonight’s show as did the programs in New Castle, Pennsylvania and Holmes, Ohio that I saw last week.  The announcer was the same as well.  I guess I was not the only person getting some seat time in over the past few days.

 

The racing was done over a “Double figure 8” course on a very muddy racing surface.  There were five heats that averaged about six cars followed by last chance races and the feature event itself.

 

The thing that made this track so compelling is that this fair has raced figure 8 cars on Monday nights for the past few years.  Seeing a new track race on a Monday night is most unusual in the game of trackchasing.  Now that I have seen the Marshfield Fair on a Monday night, I hope to be able to spend more Monday nights in the little Spanish city by the sea, my home of San Clemente, California.

 

WEATHER CONDITIONS

 

The weather was good.  It wasn’t too hot and it wasn’t too cold.

 

RENTAL CAR UPDATE:

 

I will have two rental cars on this trip.  One was picked up and returned in Minneapolis.  The second was picked up in Pittsburgh.

 

 

Minneapolis Rental Car

 

Wednesday total driving miles – 288 miles (corrected)

Thursday total driving miles – 119 miles

Friday total driving miles – 512 miles

Saturday total driving miles – 559 miles (that’s a lot of miles to get zero racetracks!)

Sunday total driving miles – 663 miles

Monday total driving miles – 7 miles

 

 

The driving portion of this trip covered 2,148 miles.  We stopped for gas five times.  I paid an average price of $3.03 per gallon.  The Chevy Impala gave us 28.0 M.P.G. in fuel mileage at an average cost of 10.8 cents per mile.  The car cost 1.5 cents per mile to rent, all taxes included.

Pittsburgh Rental Car

 

Monday total driving miles – 175 miles

Tuesday total driving miles – 248 miles

Wednesday total driving miles – 49 miles

Thursday total driving miles – 463 miles

Friday total driving miles – 164 miles

Saturday total driving miles – 486 miles

Sunday total driving miles – 567 miles

Monday total driving miles – 621 miles

Tuesday total driving miles – 432 miles

 

 

The driving portion of this trip covered 3,205 miles.  I stopped for gas seven times, short pitting just once with P.J.  I paid an average price of $3.04 per gallon.  The Chevy Impala gave us 28.3 M.P.G. in fuel mileage at an average cost of 10.7 cents per mile.  The car cost 7.4 cents per mile to rent, all taxes included.

 

 

 

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 – 1,099

2.  Rick Schneider – Bay Shore, New York - 1,056 (-43)

3.  Guy Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania – 1,055 (-44)

4.  Allan Brown, Comstock Park, Michigan – 1,021 (-78)*

5.  Gordon Killian, Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania – 1,019 (-80)*

6.  Andy Sivi, Clairton, Pennsylvania – 1,018 (-81)*

7.  Ed Esser, Madison, Wisconsin – 926 (-173)**

 

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

 

** Special exemption.

 

 

 

 

Other notables

 

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

 

35.  Sammy Swindell, Bartlett, Tennessee – 279 (+2)

36.  Carol Lewis, San Clemente, California - 277

37.  Dale Danielski, Onalaska, Wisconsin – 269 (-8)

38.  Bob Schafer, Oshkosh, Wisconsin - 267 (-10)

 

 

 

2006 TRACKCHASER STANDINGS

 

1.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California - 108

2.  Ed Esser, Madison, Wisconsin – 66

3.  Paul Weisel, Orefield, Pennsylvania – 59

4.  Roland Vanden Eynde, Vilvoorde, Belgium – 58

5.  Mike Knappenberger, Reading, Pennsylvania - 54

6.  Guy Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania - 50

7.  Carol Lewis, San Clemente, California – 47

8.  Roger Ferrell, Majenica, Indiana – 45

9.  Allan Brown, Comstock Park, Michigan - 42

10. Gordon Killian, Sinking Springs, Pennsylvania – 33

10. Pam Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania – 33

 

 

 

 

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 – 1,530 miles

RENTAL CAR - MINNEAPOLIS

 

Lindbergh International Airport – trip begins

Morris, MN – 177 miles

Ada, MN – 351 miles

Miller, SD – 812 miles

Gimli, Manitoba, Canada – 1,495 miles

Bemidji, MN – 1,825 miles

Lindbergh International Airport – trip ends – 2,148 miles

 

 

AIRPLANE

 

Minneapolis, MN – Chicago, IL – 287 miles

Chicago, IL – Pittsburgh, PA – 416 miles

 

RENTAL CAR - PITTSBURGH

 

Pittsburgh International Airport – trip begins

Dayton, PA – 80 miles

Millersburg, OH – 323 miles

New Castle, PA – 479 miles

Armada, MI – 818 miles

Williamson, NY – 1,164 miles

Penn Yan, NY – 1,224 miles

Tillsonburg, Ontario, Canada – 1,929 miles

Marshfield, MA – 2,575 miles

Pittsburgh International Airport 3,205 miles – trip ends

AIRPLANE

 

Pittsburgh, PA – Phoenix, AZ – 1,870 miles

Phoenix, AZ – Santa Ana, CA – 334 miles

 

Total air miles – 4,437 miles

Total auto and air miles traveled on this trip – 9,790 miles

TRACK ADMSSION PRICES:

 

Stevens County Fairgrounds - $8

Norman County Fair Raceway - $10

Miller Speedway - $5 with senior discount (Regular admission $10)

Gimli Motorsports Park – Free

Bemidji Speedway - $8

Dayton Fair - $7

Holmes County Fairgrounds - $4

Lawrence County Fairgrounds - $9

Armada County Fairgrounds - $7 ($5 to park)

Spencer Speedway - $13 with senior discount (Regular admission $15)

Yates County Fairgrounds - $5

Tillsonburg County Fairgrounds - $8 Canadian

Marshfield County Fair - $8 ($5 to park)

 

Total race admissions for the trip – about $91

 

 

 

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

 

My 2006 Summer Season is finished.  Recall, my trackchasing summer season runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day.  Carol and I will be spending the next two weeks in Hawaii in a trackchasing rehab program.  I hope to return both relaxed and refreshed for a very robust Fall trackchasing season.

 

 

 

 

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

1,082. Buffalo River Speedway, Glyndon, Minnesota - July 30

1,083. Miller Motorsports Park, Tooele, Utah, - August 4

 

1,084. Atomic Motor Raceway, Atomic City, Idaho - August 4

 

1,085. Mission Valley Speedway, Polson, Montana - August 5

 

1,086. Rock Creek Race Track, Kimberly, Idaho - August 6

 

1,087. Stevens County Fairgrounds, Morris, Minnesota - August 9

 

1,088. Norman County Raceway, Ada, Minnesota - August 10

 

1,089. Miller Speedway, Miller, South Dakota - August 11

 

1,090. Gimli Motorsports Park, Gimli, Manitoba, Ontario, Canada - August 13

 

1,091. Bemidji Speedway, Bemidji, Minnesota - August 13

 

1,092. Dayton Fair (figure 8), Dayton, Pennsylvania - August 14

 

1,093. Holmes County Fairgrounds, Millersburg, Ohio - August 15

 

1,094. Lawrence County Fairgrounds, New Castle, Pennsylvania - August 16

 

1,095. Armada County Fairgrounds, Armada, Michigan - August 17

 

1,096. Spencer Speedway, Williamson, New York - August 18

 

1,097. Yates County Fairgrounds (figure 8), Penn Yan, New York, - August 19

 

1,098. Tillsonburg County Fairgrounds, Tillsonburg, Ontario, Canada - August 20

 

1,099. Marshfield Fair, Marshfield, Massachusetts - August 21