GREETINGS FROM BYHALIA, MISSISSIPPI AND THEN BYRAM, MISSISSIPPI

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I WOKE UP IN PORTAGEVILLE, MISSOURI, AND WENT TO SLEEP IN JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI.  THIS IS WHAT TRANSPIRED TODAY.

PEOPLE/STRATEGY/TRAVEL NEWS

 

The Strategy                                                                                    

 

The key to successful trackchasing is knowing when and where the racetracks race.  As I write this, I have 1,271 racetracks in North America that I have never seen.  There may be a few in that total that are no longer active.  I keep a track in my “active” database if I know they have run in the past.  As long as I have no information telling me they have stopped racing then the track remains in that database.

 

Of those active tracks, 925 have a website.  I can use the track’s website to tell me when they race.  Many of the county fair figure 8 type tracks only race one time per year during their fair.  Most road courses only race a few times per year.  Ovals race the most often.  A typical North American oval track will begin in April or May and race through September or so.

 

I have also identified 547 different racing sanctioning groups.   A sanctioning group could be as big as NASCAR or as small as some ¾ midget group that runs at one or two tracks only.  Virtually every sanctioning group has a website.

 

That makes 1,472 different websites that have the potential for telling me when and where my next racetrack might be.  In addition to this trackchasing source of information, I subscribe to just two weekly racing newspapers.  Those papers are the National Speed Sport News and the Hawkeye Racing News.  As time has gone by these papers are less and less helpful in providing upcoming race dates.  I believe racing papers are on the way out as folks use the internet more and more.

 

By the way, less than half of the 1,279 tracks I still have yet to see are listed in the National Speedway Directory.  Only 567 (44.3%) of my future hit list tracks are in what used to be called the “bible of trackchasing.”  This just goes to show how many “specialty” type tracks have popped up in the last few years.

 

Another very useful information form is “chat groups.”  The groups are sometimes called “forums.”  These are email groups of people who chat back and forth about racing in their area.  I find these groups to be very helpful when I am looking for a last minute race date.  Finally, I have several well-placed racing fans that send race dates my way.  I appreciate that very much.

 

In the past, I used to try to research track schedules in January of the upcoming year.  For the most part, I found that effort to be less than rewarding.  Although tracks are posting their schedules earlier than they ever have, January was just too early to look.

 

In the past couple of years, I have gone to searching on a regional basis.  Last year, I began searching just the southeast and southern tracks in January/February.  Very few tracks race much before April 1 except for these southern-based tracks.  If you go back and look at my early season trackchasing activity, you will see most of it is concentrated in the southern (warmer) areas.

 

Now I have a new group of tracks that will be added to my search list even before the southern group.  What group would that be?  Ice tracks!  The ice-racing season runs mostly in January and February.

 

Of course, as a good trackchaser I share the dates I find on my website at www.ranlayracing.com.  I only add dates to my site for tracks I have never visited.  There are some special dates that do not appear on the website.  Those dates are available to “Platinum” members of my RANLAY Racing group however.  This is a super secret group.  I am sorry.  I cannot provide any additional information regarding this subject.

 

Finally, even if a date was not shared in advance on my website, it is known to everyone when I post my Trackchaser Report following the event.  Reading fellow trackchaser’s reports is how I learn about several tracks that I attend.  No, I did not have a chance to see their track when they first did (because very few trackchasers share very many dates), but I will have a chance to see the track they visited the next time it races.

 

I don’t begrudge any trackchaser who does not share their dates and if they do, only after they have seen a track.  I feel this is their reward for taking the time to do all the research to find that unique date in the first place.  It wouldn’t be fair of me to sit back, do no research, and then complain about the fact that someone else didn’t give me their information. 

 

There are only three trackchasers who share very many dates on a public forum that I am aware of.  Trackchaser Commissioner, Will White shares several dates in the trackchaser email conference.  Allan Brown does a good job of sharing dates on his website at www.speedwaysonline.com.  I share more than a thousand dates once the season gets going at www.ranlayracing.com.  There are a few local guys who are good at sharing a date or two as we go along as well.  Of course, that sharing is very much appreciated.

 

There you have it.  This is the strategy behind finding out who races when and where.  I believe I enjoy doing the research as much as or more than attending the races.  This aspect of the hobby is time consuming but fun for me.

 

 

 

The Trip

 

I left Friday night’s track at just past 11 p.m.  My first plan was to drive nearly three hours and catch a 6 a.m. flight out of Memphis so I could continue with the rest of my North Carolina racing plan.  The more I thought about that the worse the idea seemed.  I guess I just like a few hours of sleep each night.

 

The second plan was strong on simplicity.  I would do a Mississippi trackchasing double on Saturday.  I would then fly home on Sunday and return to San Clemente a day earlier than planned.

 

The third plan I came up with reveals my addiction.  How could I pass up a Sunday race in the Carolinas when the weather conditions were perfect.  I made a pack with myself.  If I could change the return of my rental car from Memphis to Jackson, Mississippi without an extra charge and also get an early Sunday morning flight as far as Atlanta, I would go trackchasing Sunday.  You’ll have to wait to see how that all turned out.

 

By the way, if Friday’s debacle in the Denver airport wasn’t enough, my Friday night hotel experience was.  Long-time readers may recall my nightmarish hotel experiences of several years ago while trackchasing.

 

I don’t have those kinds of problems much any more.  I’ve upgraded my class of motel/hotel.  Tonight was a visit from my “cheap motel” past.  It was nearly midnight.  A Super 8 wanted a hundred dollars for a Jacuzzi room.  I passed.  Finally, I came upon a motel that was listed in my Garmin GPS unit.

 

The hotel had changed names since its GPS inclusion and was now called Pattie’s Motel.  It’s located in Portageville, Missouri.  They advertise that they have weekly rates, although I wouldn’t  want to stay there for more than one night.

 

I was able to get a room just before the lady innkeeper (Pattie?) was set to turn in for the night.  She was nice enough and gave me the key to room #9.  Of course, the key didn’t work.  I had to go back and get another one from the apologetic manager.

 

I just wanted to get some sleep.  Before I could sleep I had to plug in my computer and recharge its batteries.  Both batteries were dead as a doornail.  I was shocked (no pun intended) to find that the electrical outlets would not accommodate my three-pronged AC adapter.  It was two prongs or nothing.  How long ago did two prongs go away?  Anyway, it was an interesting evening at Pattie’s Motel.

 

 

 

 

The People

 

I meet many interesting people with my trackchasing hobby.  This is not just by chance.  I go out of my way to meet people.  Let me tell you about three of these folks.

 

I met and observed two fathers at the Dacosa Speedway this afternoon.  Dacosa was racing go-karts.  A good deal of go-kart racing reminds me of little league baseball.  It’s a real family sport.  You see the fathers working on the engines, the mothers helping with scoring as well as brothers and sisters playing nearby while “Junior” races.

 

There seems to be a good deal of “little league parenting” going on in go karting.  If you don’t know what I mean by “little league parenting,” let me explain.  Parents want their kids to do well in everything they try.  Sometimes they want them to do well a little too much.

 

The parents can get aggressive.  It sometimes seems like they are trying to have the success through their child that they may never have had themselves.  This results in arguments with the officials and sometimes their very own child.  I saw both the good and the bad of such parental involvement today.

 

I spent several minutes talking with the father of a 14-year old senior champ kart driver.  The father told me that before his son started racing, he was “getting Ds and Fs and an occasional C” in school.  Once the son found out he would be able to race if he improved his grades he made the school’s honor roll.  The father was very proud of his son’s achievements.

 

The father went on to tell me that he and his son had discussed the son’s driving style.  After butting heads over the issue for some time, the son politely asked his father to stick to working on the car while he drove it.  The father enjoyed telling me this story as it showed that father/son could have some differences and come to a resolution that could satisfy them both.

 

Not all of the parental involvement was so positive.  One go-kart race featured young drivers in quarter midgets.  I would guess the drivers were in the 5-7 year old range.  One of the youngsters accidentally drove his racer into the back of a fellow competitor.  This caused a yellow flag.

 

During the yellow flag period, the racecars were stopped on the front stretch.  The father of the boy who had started the accident came out to talk to his son.  He came out to the car, knelt down and severely rapped on his son’s helmet (ala Bobby Knight) with his knuckles.  He then proceeded to yell at him to no end in front of several bystanders.

 

I couldn’t see the child’s reaction because he was wearing a full-face racing helmet.  I doubt it was good.  When the racing resumed, I heard one woman telling her friends “if he talked to me like that I would tell him to kiss my ass.”  Yep!  Go karting has its share of little league parents.

 

The final person of note that I met was the announcer at the Swinging Bridge Raceway.  We had a nice interview of the track’s P.A. system.  This gentleman was a golfer and most impressed that I had met Stevie Williams earlier in the trackchasing season.  The announcer is also an assistant pastor at his church.  He’s interested in figuring out how he can better promote his racetrack.  I hope to be able to help him out a bit here.

 

 

 

 

RACE TRACK STATS:

 

DACOSA SPEEDWAY, BYHALIA, MISSISSIPPI - TRACK #1,166

 

SWINGING BRIDGE RACEWAY, BYRAM, MISSISSIPPI - TRACK #1,167

 

These were my ninth and tenth lifetime tracks to see in the Magnolia state, home of the state bird, the Mocking bird.  I hold the fourth place spot just one track behind Sammy Swindell.  Surprisingly, to me anyway is that Ed Esser leads in Mississippi with 15 tracks.

 

 

 

 

RACE TRACK NEWS:

 

DACOSA SPEEDWAY

 

The Dacosa Speedway was an impressive venue, especially for a “go-kart” track.  It’s a high-banked asphalt tri-oval about a quarter mile in distance.  There were a large number of flat karts racing today along with seven Senior Champ karts.  These champs were the only trackchaser countable class racing today.

 

It was 85 degrees with nary a cloud in the sky.  Unlike most kart tracks, this one has a good P.A. and announcer.  They also have a huge BBQ cooker.  I’m talking huge.  It looked good, but I had eaten just before getting to the track so I didn’t try any.

 

I was able to get some great photos of this place.  Check out www.ranlayracing.com to see what I’m talking about.  I spent several minutes talking to the racers and car owners.  One told me that Dacosa would be cutting back on their racing schedule.  Seems like one of the owners is going to college and doesn’t have time for the full-time job of race promotion. 

 

I think kart racing is much more entertaining than most short track stock car racing I see these days.  Many people in trackchasing make comments like this without explaining why they feel a certain way.  I always like to provide specifics to support my opinions.

 

Why would I say that?  Karts don’t have very many yellow flag delays.  The karts are really quick.  In some ways, they are like Indy cars because they can change lanes quickly and make passes.  Karting is also capable to keeping the show moving (once they are done with the time-consuming practice!) with one race following another and little down time.  No yellow flags, passing and an efficiently run program would make me like any class of racecars.

 

The Senior Champs were about the sixth class to race today.  They put on a good show with seven karts.  Overall, it was a fun afternoon of racing.  There are not many Saturday afternoon shows for a trackchaser to see.  The Dacosa Speedway will soon be moving to Saturday nights as the warmer evening temperatures come around.

 

 

 

 

SWINGING BRIDGE RACEWAY 

 

For some unknown reason, I thought this was an asphalt track.  It’s not.  It’s a quarter mile brown dirt oval.  The track used to be called the Jackson Motor Speedway even though it is located outside of Jackson in the rural town of Byram.

 

The Swinging Bridge Raceway was my “Signature” Mississippi racetrack.  Now that I’ve seen it, the Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus is my signature track in this southern state.

 

I had called in advance to confirm starting times.  I was told that racing would begin at 7 p.m.  Not everyone has the same definition as to what “racing” is.  I consider racing to be wheel-to-wheel competition.  Some folks see time trials as racing.  Some think hot laps are racing.

 

It was a bit unusual to see two uniformed security people waving people across a set of railroad tracks at the entrance to the speedway.  I guess this was because there was no signal at this crossing.  It was also somewhat unusual to be assessed a one dollar parking fee when I was still some 400-500 yards from the parking lot.  The parking money went to support the local fire department.

 

I arrived at 6:50 p.m.  As I almost always do, I found something that I don’t ever recall seeing as a racetrack.  The ticket taker was sitting in a booth that looked like it had bulletproof class.  There was one of those shiny silver metal trays, which slid back and forth for the exchange of tickets and money.  It was just like doing drive-thru banking.  Never seen that at a track before.

 

They weren’t even packing the track at 7 p.m.  That would come later.  They ran their first race at 7:53 p.m.  This is not good.  This is not as bad as it could have been since the final checkered flag of the night flew at 9:32 p.m. 

 

Despite a late start, they did a good job of keeping the show moving which allowed them to finish so early.  They were also aided by small car counts.  This was a semi-banked quarter-mile dirt oval.  I don’t really like to see 25-car races on tracks of this size.  That just means there will be 4-5 yellow flags or more in the early laps until the field is reduced to a more manageable number.  On tracks like this, I think 12-14 cars are just about right.

 

The mini-stocks and street stocks had the most cars with ten and nine respectively.  There were four stingers, a class for beginners.  There were also five late models and two UMP modifieds that were lumped together.  I spoke with the promoter and she apologized for such a low car count.  This small amount of cars made the $12 admission fee a bit on the steep side.

 

The track has a large wooden grandstand.  They also sell boiled peanuts, a southern delicacy.  The P.A. is strong and the announcer keeps everyone well informed.  I listened to radio frequency 452.8125 to get the low down on what was happening behind the scenes. 

 

Non-racing fans may not understand what is said on the track’s radio frequency.  Imagine going to Staples Center for a Lakers game and being able to listen to the manager of the building directing all of the backstage activities as well as being able to listen to the coaches talk to the players.  That’s what listening to the racetrack radio is like.  Sometimes the language is quite colorful.

 

It was darker in the grandstand than I thought it should have been.  I think I may know why.  There were many bugs out tonight.  I thought it was too early in the season for bugs, but I guess not.  If there were lights in the grandstands, it would probably attract more bugs.

 

I was a little surprised to see the track’s management spilt up the street stocks and mini-stocks into two heat races each.  They made each of those races have a maximum of five cars.  I think it would have been more entertaining for the fans to have all of the cars race in their class at once.  Rather than have two heats of 4-5 cars and then a 9-10 car feature, why not have two races of 9-10 cars each.  Heck, they could even have three races of 9-10 cars each for 10 laps or so.  I think the crowd would enjoy races with more cars competing and the drivers would enjoy the extra track time.

 

I’ve got to give a major shoutout for the flagman.  He did a great job of keeping the program moving.  I could hear his direction over the radio.  He held onto his yellow flag as long as he could when there was a problem on the track.  When one driver was a minute or so late, he didn’t hold up the race for him.  He threw the green flag and the tardy driver entered the track nearly a lap down.  That’s what you’ve got to do, if you’re going to keep the show moving and show the drivers you mean business. 

 

The crowd was small, maybe about 200 people.  This track has a ways to go, but they have nice people running the place.  I was impressed with the four-cylinder beginners stock car group.  I was not as impressed with their racing as their gender diversity.  The was the first time in 1,167 tracks that I have ever seen a class race that was open to both men and women where the ladies outnumbered the gentleman.  The stingers had three woman (two sisters) and a fellow.  The race was won by a woman of course!

 

I was happy to see the show get over at such a reasonable hour, since I had a 6 a.m. flight the next morning.  They did take an eighteen-minute intermission in the middle of their racing.  I suspect they will not finish so early when their car counts increase.  I do hope they can do better than starting nearly an hour late.

 

 

 

 

WEATHER CONDITIONS

 

Compared to last week’s frigid Georgia/Tennessee temperatures, this was very comfortable.  Global warming is back!

RENTAL CAR UPDATE:

 

This was my second day with the National Rental Car Racing Chevy Malibu.  I like cars with leather interiors and this car has cloth. 

 

 

Friday total driving miles - 278

 

Saturday total driving miles - 370

 

 

 

 

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 – 1,167

 

2.  Allan Brown, Comstock Park, Michigan – 1,106 (-61)*

 

3.  Guy Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania – 1,090 (-77)*

 

4.  Rick Schneider – Bay Shore, New York - 1,067 (-100)*

 

7.  Ed Esser, Madison, Wisconsin – 986 (-181)**

 

 

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

 

** Special exemption.

 

 

 

 

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 - 309

 

32.  Chris Economaki, Ridgewood, New Jersey – 302 (-7)

 

33.  Gary Jacob, Turlock, California – 301 (-8)

 

 

 

 

 

 

2007 TRACKCHASER STANDINGS

 

1.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California - 29

 

2.  Ed Esser, Madison, Wisconsin – 21

 

3.  Mike Knappenberger, Reading, Pennsylvania - 15

 

3.  Carol Lewis, San Clemente, California – 15

 

5.  Guy Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania - 13

 

6.  Rick Young, Maxville, Ontario, Canada - 8

 

7.  Will White, Quakertown, Pennsylvania – 5

 

7.  Gordon Killian, Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania – 5

 

8.  Roger Ferrell, Majenica, Indiana – 5

 

10.  Pam Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania - 4

 

Tracks have been reported by 27 different worldwide trackchasers this season.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading about my trackchasing,

 

Randy Lewis

#1 Trackchaser Living West of the Mississippi

 

The dogs bark, the caravan marches on.

 

 

 

 

CUMULATIVE TRAVEL DISTANCES:

 

AIRPLANE

 

Los Angeles, CA – Denver, CO – 861 miles

Denver, CO – Springfield, MO – 635 miles

 

RENTAL CAR – SPRINGFIELD, MO

 

Springfield Regional Airport – trip begins

Malden, MO – 238 miles*

Byhalia, MS – 507 miles

Byram, MS – 650 miles

Jackson International Airport – 669 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.

 

 

 

 

TRACK ADMSSION PRICES:

 

Malden Speedway – $10

Dacosa Speedway – Free

Swinging Bridge Raceway - $12

 

 

 

 

Past trackchasing reports are available at:

www.ranlayracing.com

 

 

Official trackchaser standings can be viewed at:

www.trackchaser.net

 

 

Some of the data in this report comes: www.trackchaser.net

Garmin GPS

 

 

 

 

 

 

UPCOMING TRACKCHASING PLANS

 

Tonight was my sixth different trackchasing state in the month of March.  I’ll try for one more state this weekend.  I may increase that total even more before the month is finished.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

1,157. New Hendry Country Speedway, Clewiston, Florida – March 3

 

1,158. Florida Sports Park, Naples, Florida – March 4

 

1,159. Honeoye Lake Ice Track – Road Course, Honeoye, New York – March 10

 

1,160. Houston Raceway Park, Baytown, Texas – March 16

 

1,161. Houston Motorsports Park, Houston, Texas – March 16

 

1,162. Dawgwood Speedway, Chatsworth, Georgia – March 17

 

1,163. Toccoa Speedway, Toccoa, Georgia – March 17

 

1,164. Tazewell Speedway, Tazewell, Tennessee – March 18

 

1,165. Malden Speedway, Malden, Missouri, Tennessee – March 23

 

1,166. Dacosa Speedway, Byhalia, Mississippi – March 24

 

1,167. Swinging Bridge Raceway, Byram, Mississippi – March 24