GREETINGS FROM MOULTONBOROUGH, NEW HAMPSHIRE

ALL PICTURES HAVE BEEN UPDATED AT WWW.RANLAYRACING.COM  FOR THIS TRACKCHASING TRIP.  MY WEBSITE HAS MORE THAN 5,000 PHOTOS OF THE TRACKCHASING SIGHTS I’VE SEEN DURING MY TRAVELS.

I WOKE UP IN MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE THEN WENT TO SLEEP IN SAN CLEMENTE, CALIFORNIA.  THIS IS WHAT TRANSPIRED TODAY.

TRACKCHASING TOURIST ATTRACTION

I envy our European trackchasers on one important front.  Virtually all of the racetracks they see race during the day.  Why is that important?  When the races run during the daylight, it gives the trackchaser the chance to experience all of the interesting and edible things that happen at night in each locale.

 

I would love it if more American tracks raced during the day.  As it is, the vast majority of U.S. tracks race at night.  That makes seeing “Trackchasing Tourist Attractions” more difficult.  By the way, I have proposed limiting trackchasing to just one track per day.  This would free up time for more local touring. 

 

I would love to be able to see the “stick and ball” sporting events that all too frequently operate at night in some of the country’s most famous sporting venues.  Of course, when I need to be at the local track for a 6-7 p.m. start time, that eliminates many of the fine evening eateries that exist across the country as well.

 

Nevertheless, this was a weekend for ice racing.   The ice races I would be attending race during the day.  That gave me free run to explore the nighttime activities of New Hampshire.  In anticipation of my adventure, I had picked up a copy of the morning paper.  I found something exactly to my liking.

 

I would be able to attend the New Hampshire Class I (that’s “eye,” not “one”) Girls High School state championship basketball game.  The game was being played at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester.  Carol and I still attend San Clemente High School girl’s basketball games.  We love basketball.  It would be even more special to see a game for the state championship.

 

Tonight’s match up was held in a nearly new gym that was part of an impressive athletic complex.  In addition to a weight room the size of my house, they had flat screen TVs so spectators could watch the game while they were in the lobby buying refreshments.  The seating consisted of roll out wooden bleachers that are commonly found in a normal high school gym.  I was surprised to see the gym only filled to 2/3 capacity.

 

The state championship game would be between the Lebanon Raiders and the Saint Thomas Saints.  Lebanon’s colors were maroon and gold, the same as my high school.  When I went to high school in East Peoria, Illinois, our nickname was the Red Raiders.  The political correctness police have since had our nickname shortened to the Raiders to match Lebanon’s nickname I guess.

 

Today’s game was not a massive offensive display.  High school basketballers play four eight-minute quarters.  I was rooting for the blue and white suited Lady Saints.  They had three six foot one girls, but overall were a bit short on talent. 

 

At halftime the Lebanon team led 17-14 on a last second three-point shot.  During the second half, the Lebanon Raiders extended their lead to a final score of 34-23.  No, these girls couldn’t shoot straight but it was a hard fought game.

 

I’ve seen my share of major sporting events on a national and world level.  With that being said, I was most happy to see a state championship high school basketball game.  I once went to the Iowa boy’s basketball state finals two years in a row while I was living in California.

 

These girls will remember this game for the rest of their lives.  The stories about this game will be told nearly every week or month forever.  That’s probably more than can be said about this month’s Super Bowl game.  This was a great Trackchasing Tourist Attraction.

 

 

 

 

PEOPLE/STRATEGY/TRAVEL NEWS

 

The Strategy                                                                                    

 

Today’s ice racing event was a good trackchasing strategic play for one reason.  This group only schedules 8-10 races a year.  Since the early part of the winter was so warm, there was no ice to race on during January.  The Lakes Region Ice Racing Association might only race 3-4 times this season. 

 

This made seeing one of their tracks that runs so infrequently a major trackchasing coup.  Couple that with the fact that very few “traditional” tracks are racing at this time of year, and I was lucky to be trackchasing at all.

 

My pinpoint “air strike” trackchasing strategy is paying huge dividends as it relates to my driving distances.  It is early in the season to draw any final conclusions, but take a look at this data.

 

In 2006, before I signed up with my airline sponsors, I went trackchasing at 109 different tracks in North America.  I averaged driving 324 miles to each of these tracks.  Of course, that’s after I flew to a somewhat central location to begin each trip.

 

So far, in 2007, I have attended nine tracks where I flew into a locale and rented a car in North America.  What is my average driving distance for each of these tracks?  It’s just 124 miles!  I’ll know more about the significance of this advantage as the season progresses.

 

At this point, I’m saving 200 miles per track.  What’s the value of that?  It takes 3-4 hours to drive 200 miles.  It costs about $20 to buy gas for a 200-mile trip.  I may even get an extra track or two if I can fly into places where the tracks are closer together.  Multiply that advantage by the total number of tracks I see in a season and the savings are huge.

 

Finally, I currently have seen 1,156 different tracks.  Imagine if every track in North America, there are probably more than 2,000 of them, had a red dot on a North American map.  You can visualize how close some of those dots might be with more than 2,000 of them on a map.  Now take 1,156 of those dots off the map.  The remaining dots on the map won’t be nearly as close together.  That’s how it works in trackchasing.  The more tracks you see, the further apart the remaining tracks will be.  However, I might be able to reverse that trend with “pinpoint air strikes.”

 

 

 

 

 

The Trip

 

The exciting part of this trackchaser trip began AFTER the races were finished.  The 120-mile drive to Boston’s Logan Airport was uneventful except for the 3-mile backup at the I-93 tollbooth.  It’s bad enough to have to pay tolls, but doubly bad when you have to pay and wait because the toll collectors can’t handle the volume.

 

Nevertheless, I arrived an hour before my 6:14 p.m. non-stop departure to Los Angeles.  I was marveling at the fact that I had just witnessed some fine ice racing in the beautiful snow-covered Lakes Region of New Hampshire.  In less than 24 hours, I would be bike riding in the secluded hills and valleys of the Southern California bike trails I frequent.  Ain’t life grand?

 

Yesterday I had already checked the flight’s availability.  The system gave me a “very good” reading.  I don’t know if there is anything better than “very good.”  The flight was also scheduled to depart on time.  That was amazing considering the huge storm that blew through the Midwest yesterday and was bearing down on the east coast this afternoon.

 

However……life is like golf.  It’s never simple.  Just when you think you have it by the tail, you don’t.  When I went to check in at the airport, the load factor reading had changed to “risky.”  It turns out an earlier flight had been cancelled.  This could be a problem.  My flight was the last departure of the night.

 

To add to my discomfort, my rolling bag was singled out for additional inspection by a member of the TSA (Transportation Security and Administration).  It turned out they didn’t like seeing my portable GPS unit.  The TSA worker then went through the entire contents of my bag.  I didn’t realize I had that much dirty laundry!

 

The TSA man was most deliberate.  I guess when you’re be paid by the hour there is no rush to get passengers through the system quickly.  While I was watching my bag being searched, I noticed a female TSA agent giving a security pat down to a rather attractive female passenger.  I started thinking that maybe getting a part-time job as a TSA screener might not be so bad after all. 

 

About that time my thought process was interrupted with these words, “Sir, would you stand on the yellow footprints and extend your arms out with your palms facing down?”  I was about ready to get my own pat down.  All of a sudden the task of doing this for a living with passengers like me, didn’t seem as attractive as I had thought.

 

Once past security I rushed to my gate.  I was there just in time to learn that the Boston-San Francisco flight had just been cancelled at the gate next door.  I kid you not.  They actually called the Boston police to prevent a near riot.  When the San Francisco passengers realized there was a flight going to L.A. next to their gate they stampeded toward it.  Those passengers were now trying to get on my flight.  I would never make it!

 

The only remaining flights were either cancelled due to the approaching storm or full.  If I didn’t make the L.A. flight, I would have to get a hotel for the night and try again tomorrow.  Rats!  I didn’t want to do that when the flight had looked wide open less than 24 hours ago.

 

I waited several minutes and heard some good news.  The airline had found a plane for those Boston area folks going to San Francisco.  That was good; at least they wouldn’t be going to LA now.  Still, the crowd boarding the LAX flight was huge.  It looked like there would be no way to get on.

 

Finally, after everyone had boarded there were just three of us waiting as stand-bys.  The gate agent was one of those people who gave a lot of non-verbal and sometimes negative verbal feedback while he worked.  As he punched in letters and numbers into his computer, he was shaking his head no, moaning and mumbling.  This didn’t make me feel very good about getting on.

 

To make a long story end in just one more paragraph, I did get on.  The plane’s capacity was 183.  The plane went out with 178 people on board including me.  I arrived home at about 11:17 p.m. Pacific (2:17 a.m. ice racing time).  Somehow, I felt very lucky to be able to do that considering how dire the situation had looked.

 

 

 

 

 

The People

 

I want to give a shout out to today’s ice racing drivers.  These people are paying an entry fee but don’t get any prize money whatsoever.  They race only for trophies.  I don’t know what their entry fee is, but the track in Wisconsin had a $150 entry fee last week.

 

They did take up a small “plow fund” collection for the 4-5 people who brought pickup snowplows.  I doubt the money collected paid for their gasoline that was used. 

 

The racing program offered the club’s slogan, “Just plain fun.”  Yep!  They were just out having some fun on a relatively warm Sunday afternoon.  Of course, as a trackchaser I was just out having some fun as well.

 

By the way, the Lakes Region Ice Racing Group, being a non-profit organization has an annual event called the “Latchkey” race.  During the past 22 years, they have raised $183,100 for charity.  Let’s give a hand to these drivers, they deserve it.

 

 

 

 

 

RACE TRACK STATS:

 

LEE POND ICE TRACK, MOULTONBOROUGH - TRACK #1,156

 

This was my 11th lifetime track in the Granite state, home of the Paper Birch state tree.  I improved my state ranking from 15^th to 14^th where I am now tied with Andy Sivi.  I only need three more NH tracks to crack to the state’s top 10 and avoid the five point NGD penalty levied for poor state performance.  Paul Weidman leads the state with an incredible, for New Hampshire, 27 tracks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

RACE TRACK NEWS:

 

LEE POND ICE TRACK

 

Today was the best weather day I have ever experienced in my ice-racing adventures.  The temperature hovered at about 40 degrees, with a clear blue sky and lots of sun.  The best thing about the day was there was little or no wind.  I think I could have worn my “golfing trousers” today.

 

I was seeing my first ever event sanctioned by the Lakes Region Ice Racing Club.  They are a non-profit group that began back in 1979.  They race on a one-third mile flat (obviously) ice track.  They alternate between the Berry Pond and the Lee Pond.

 

Today’s races were at the Lee Pond.  I was told the schedule called for the race to be at the Berry Pond, but was diverted because they were having “water” problems.  I didn’t need to be parking the National Rental Car Racing Pontiac Grand Prix on a pond with water problems.

 

This morning I had to make a decision.  I could have gone to the ice races in Jaffrey, NH or here at the Lee Pond.  One of the competitors emailed me that the Lakes Region ran five different divisions to Jaffrey’s two.  That persuaded me to head for the Lee Pond.

 

There were indeed five classes racing today including the stocks (4), modified (4), 4-cylinder front wheel drive (6), 4-cylinder rear wheel drive (8) and the 4-cylinder youth class (3).  That’s only 25 cars spread over five classes.  I suspect Jaffrey might not have been to far off from those totals.

 

I arrived at the track at 11:40 a.m.  The racing was scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m. and it did.  I like arriving early for events like this.  I can scout the pit area, take pictures and get a good lay of the land.

 

I was again pleasantly surprised to have Bruce Spencer join me for the races today.  He lives just 25 miles down the road or so in Bristol, NH.  He’s very knowledgeable about the local ice racing affairs.  I benefited from his local knowledge today.  By the way, Bruce was even able to see my trackchasing TV pilot episode.

 

To begin the program a driver’s meeting was held.  The drivers were warned that “some water” was starting to build up on the high side of turn four.  That didn’t sound good.  The race director told everyone to avoid this water or they might regret it. 

 

Each of the five classes ran some nearly caution free heat races.  They finished those heat races in about 50 minutes.  This efficiency seemed to catch the club by surprise.  With those heats were finished, the word went around the pit area that “maybe we should run a second round of heats.  We won’t give trophies for those heats.”  This is exactly what they did. 

 

I’m learning something about ice racing.  First, each class doesn’t have very many cars.  Secondly, there is a fairly high attrition rate.  Today at least one car dropped out of the program per class before the second round of heats began.  Yesterday, the open comp class started with four and the feature was checkered early when only one car was still running.  If you want to see the best ice racing, you had better be at the track for the first round of heats.

 

Following the conclusion of the second round of heats, I looked at my watch.  It was 2:21 p.m.  I had been at the track for the better part of three hours.  I was looking at a 120-mile drive to the Boston airport.  It was time to boogie and I did.  I bade Mr. Spencer farewell in the hopes we will reunite next summer somewhere in New England.

 

 

 

WEATHER CONDITIONS

 

The trackchasing.net website says I only have seven ice tracks to my credit.  I may not have a tremendous amount of experience at this, but I know a great winter weather day when I see one and this was one!

 

Probably the biggest hassle with winter weather is the wind.  As noted yesterday the 20 M.P.H wind took the 20-degree temperature down to a -10 degree wind chill index.  There wasn’t much wind today.  It was definitely shorts weather.  That probably doesn’t bode well for much more ice racing this season.

 

 

 

 

RENTAL CAR UPDATE:

 

As an “Executive Select” member of the National Rental Car Emerald Club, I get my pick of the best cars they have.  If my goal is to trackchase both hard and smart, isn’t that the way it should be?

 

My Pontiac Grand Prix has an XM satellite radio.  I always try to pick a car that does.  For the first time that I can ever remember, my rental car has heated seats.  That was a plus on a day like today.  My Lexus has heated and cooled seats, but with our weather I never use the heat.  O.K., you caught me.  On some of our warmer days, I will discreetly turn Carol’s seat on full heat just to get a reaction.  Remember, she’s a library girl.  In reality, she enjoys the attention.

 

Friday total driving miles - 93

 

Saturday total driving miles - 72

 

Sunday total driving miles - 211

 

 

I drove a bit out of my way seeing the beautiful New England countryside.  That increased my total miles driven to 376.  I paid an average fuel price of $2.27 giving me a 9.8 cent per mile fuel charge.  The Pontiac Grand Prix provided fuel mileage of 23.1 M.P.G.  The car cost 17.1 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 – 1,156

 

2.  Allan Brown, Comstock Park, Michigan – 1,105 (-51)***

 

3.  Guy Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania – 1,087 (-69)*

 

4.  Rick Schneider – Bay Shore, New York - 1,067 (-89)*

 

7.  Ed Esser, Madison, Wisconsin – 974 (-182)**

 

 

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

 

** Special exemption.

 

***  This is an exciting new development.  I will go into much greater detail in a future Trackchaser Report.  Stay tuned.

 

 

 

 

LIFETIME NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY STANDINGS

 

2007 (current thru 2/18/07)**

 

With gains in Idaho, New Mexico and Wisconsin, I have now erased a .08 deficit (four positions) and have a .06 lead (three positions.) 

 

1. Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 7.04

2. Gordon Killian, Sinking Springs, Pennsylvania – 7.10

3. Allan Brown, Comstock Park, Michigan – 7.55

 

**Until the end of the year, NGD rankings are unofficial.  Rankings are affected not only by the leader’s activities but by other trackchasers impact on the leader’s position. 

  

 

 

Other notables

 

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

 

31.  Carol Lewis, San Clemente, California - 304

 

32.  Chris Economaki, Ridgewood, New Jersey – 302 (-2)

 

33.  Gary Jacob, Turlock, California – 301 (-3)

 

34.  Ron Rodda, Lincoln, California – 297 (-7)

 

 

 

 

 

2007 TRACKCHASER STANDINGS

 

1.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California - 18

 

2.  Mike Knappenberger, Reading, Pennsylvania - 12

 

3.  Carol Lewis, San Clemente, California – 10

 

3.  Guy Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania - 10

 

5.  Ed Esser, Madison, Wisconsin – 7

 

5.  Rick Young, Maxville, Ontario, Canada - 7

 

7.  Will White, Quakertown, Pennsylvania – 5

 

8.  Gordon Killian, Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania – 4

 

8.  Roger Ferrell, Majenica, Indiana – 4

 

10.  Rick Schneider, Baytown, New York - 3

 

 

Tracks have been reported by 25 different worldwide trackchasers this season.

 

 

 

 

 

 Thanks for reading about my trackchasing,

 

Randy Lewis

#1 Trackchaser Living West of the Mississippi

 

If you’re gonna complain about the winter, you don’t deserve the summer.

 

 

 

 

CUMULATIVE TRAVEL DISTANCES:

 

AIRPLANE

 

Los Angeles, CA – Boston, MA – 2,608 miles

RENTAL CAR

 

Logan International Airport – trip begins

Milton, NH – 105 miles*

Moultonborough, NH – 251 miles

Logan International Airport – 376 miles - trip ends

 

* This is not always the direct mileage from the airport to the first stop as detours along the way may add to the stated mileage.

 

 

AIRPLANE

 

Boston, MA – Los Angeles, CA – 2,608 miles

 

 

 

 

Total Air miles – 5,216 miles

 

 

Total auto and air miles traveled on this trip – 5,592 miles

 

 

 

 

TRACK ADMSSION PRICES:

 

Northeast Pond - $10

Lee Pond - $5

 

 

 

 

Past trackchasing reports are available at:

www.ranlayracing.com

 

Official trackchaser standings can be viewed at:

www.trackchaser.net

 

Some of my standings data comes from: www.trackchaser.net

 

 

 

 

 

 

UPCOMING TRACKCHASING PLANS

 

I have a feeling the ice-racing season is nearly over.  I only regret that I got such a late start with the ice in 2007.  Look for me to set some ice racing records next year, now that I’ve got a taste of it.

 

Next week promises to provide a significant level of trackchasing diversity.  You’ll see what I mean soon.

 

 

 

 

 

RACETRACKS VISITED IN 2007 (** not the first time to visit this track)

 

 

1,139.  Meremere Dirt Track Club, Meremere, New Zealand - January 1

 

1,140.  Meeanee Speedway, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand - January 1

 

1,141.  Top of the South Speedway, Richmond, New Zealand - January 2

 

1,142.  Woodford Glen Speedway, Christchurch, New Zealand - January 3

 

1,143.  Robertson Holden International Speedway, Palmerston North, New Zealand - January 5

 

1,144.  Taupo Motorsports Park, Taupo, North, New Zealand - January 6

 

1,145.  Waikaraka Park International Speedway, Auckland, New Zealand - January 6

 

1,146.  Angels Stadium of Anaheim (inner oval), Anaheim, California - January 6

 

1,147.  Angels Stadium of Anaheim (outer oval), Anaheim, California - January 6

 

1,148.  West Valley Speedway, Surprise, Arizona - January 14

 

1,149. Sandia Motorsports Park (road course), Albuquerque, New Mexico - January 28

 

1,150. Grand Prix De Lanaudiere, Lavaltrie, Quebec, Canada – February 3

 

1,151. Ste-Eulalie Ice Track, Eulalie, Quebec, Canada – February 4

 

1,152. St Guillaume, St Guillaume, Quebec, Canada – February 4

 

1,153. Caldwell Rodeo Arena, Caldwell, Idaho – February 10

 

1,154. Balsam Lake Ice Track, Balsam Lake, Wisconsin – February 18

 

1,155. Northeast Pond Ice Track, Milton, New Hampshire – February 24

 

1,156. Lee Pond Ice Track, Moultonborough, New Hampshire – February 25