GREETINGS FROM SAN FELIPE PEDRO, NEW MEXICO

 

 

SPECIAL NOTICE

Each Trackchaser Report that I post before May 5, 2007 will be a bit more concise that normal.  Why?  Our daughter Kristy is being married on Cinco de Mayo.  For you gringos that would be May 5, 2007.  I am in serious preparation for the Father of the Bride wedding speech, so all of my free time must be devoted to this celebration.

 

Of course, if Kristy gives her approval you can see the entire text of this speech following the wedding at www.ranlayracing.com. 

 

I will not be able to see any new tracks during the wedding weekend whatsoever.  Therefore, it would be appropriate if all worldwide trackchasers took this weekend off in honor of this historic event.

 

 

 

 

AND THE READERS RESPOND

 

Rather than identifying my readers by name in the “And The Readers Respond” section, I will identify them by their geographical region.  This note was from a West Coast reader who was writing to me for the first time regarding the “sky marshal” letter. 

 

Randy:  You are too funny!  I’ve enjoyed your track chasing fun for several years and wanted to tell you, you really got me with your “retiring from trackchasing letter”!  I was rolling on the floor with that one.  Thanks for making my day.

 

 

 

If you would prefer to read this Trackchaser Report directly from www.ranlayracing.com and see the pictures from this trip, simply click on this link or copy and paste it into your browser:

http://www.ranlayracing.com/april27292007.htm

I WOKE UP IN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO THIS MORNING.  THEN I WENT TO SLEEP IN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO BEFORE RETURNING TO CALIFORNIA ON A 6 A.M. FLIGHT MONDAY MORNING.  THIS IS WHAT TRANSPIRED TODAY.

PEOPLE/STRATEGY/TRAVEL NEWS

 

The Strategy                                                                                    

 

My overall trackchasing strategy is to see as many new tracks that meet trackchaser rules as possible.  This weekend I pulled off a four track, three day trip in a state where only 56 tracks had EVER been seen by ALL of the listed trackchasers in the world.  That’s not bad.

 

The Trip

 

I opened the day with a power walk around the neighborhood where I stayed last night on the east side of Albuquerque.  When I walk like this, I am amazed at what I can see and smell.  There was more than one house in the neighborhoods I visited that was having some freshly cooked bacon.  I saw the biggest crow I have ever seen “cawing” in the trees above me.  I was surprised to walk past a high school sports stadium and see the grandstands full of people.  They were attending a track and field meet.  That seemed unusual on an early Sunday morning.  Just as I returned to the hotel, I noticed a trailer with pictures of winged racing cars on it.  I took down their phone number.  You never know when such a contact can lead to some unknown track.  It was a nice power walk.

 

Today’s track is located on an Indian reservation, the San Felipe reservation.  Did you know that the closest active track to my home in San Clemente, California is also on an Indian reservation?  It’s the Barona Speedway.  The track is about 45 miles from my house in a very, very rural part of Southern California.

 

Today’s track is part of the Casino Hollywood property.  Indian casinos rule in this part of the country.  I stopped in the casino briefly and plopped down twenty dollars cash at a blackjack table.  I was immediately given four $5 chips.  I wondered if the blackjack dealer had any idea who she was dealing too?  Did she know that I had studied “Beat the Dealer” by Edward O. Thorpe, a math professor at Cal.  I knew the contents of that epic book backwards and forwards.  Did she know that back in the heyday of the CB (Citizen’s Band) radio, my “handle” was the “blackjack man?”

 

Apparently not.  In just six hands, I was busted.  Maybe I’ve lost my touch.  With some unplanned for extra time on my hands, I sauntered over to the luncheon buffet.  I’m trying to cut back on buffets, but for $6.75, it was a bargain.  Some would say the buffet cost $26.75.  Let’s not quibble over numbers!

 

I will say today’s $6.75 was so much better than the $6.75 I spent last night at the Sandia Motorsports Park it was laughable.  Today’s buffet provided me Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, dinner rolls, blackberry pie and vanilla ice cream all for less than seven bucks.  Now, can you see why I try to avoid buffets?

 

 

 

 

The People

 

I miss Gary Jacob.  Today’s far west afternoon racing was just the kind of track that I would run into Gary a time or two each year.  He was the ultimate West coast racechaser.  I don’t believe anyone will ever match his performance or even come close. 

 

 

 

 

RACE TRACK STATS:

 

HOLLYWOOD HILLS SPEEDWAY, SAN FELIPE PUEBLO, NEW MEXICO - TRACK #1,181

 

This was my seventh track to see in New Mexico.  Heck, it was my fourth track to see this WEEKEND in New Mexico.  I began the weekend in a tie for fifth place in the Land of Enchantment with six other trackchasers including Steve Kinser and Sammy Swindell.  I now leave the state’s borders safely ensconced in first place with a comfortable (considering it’s New Mexico) two track lead over my closed trackchasing fellow competitor.

 

Today’s track supports my primary trackchasing strategy of trying to become the #1 ranked trackchaser is all 13 Western states by 2009 (except California).  At the bottom of this report, you can see where I rank in each of these states as of today.  You can also find out what is the state bird of New Mexico! 

 

 

RACE TRACK NEWS:

 

HOLLYWOOD HILLS SPEEDWAY

 

Today was a full day of racing.  It was the type of program only the avid race fan would enjoy.  Programs like these have driven fans from the short track form of the sport into other activities and hobbies.  I actually had a pretty good time, but I don’ think the occasional race fan would have.

 

The track website told me the program was to begin at 1 p.m.  A New Mexico forum told me the program was to begin one hour later at 2 p.m.  The scheduled start time was of some importance to me.  If the program was finished promptly, I could drive the 31 miles back to the airport and catch the last flight of the day at 5:01 p.m.  My travel success was not solely linked to the Hollywood Hills Speedway’s efficiency.  That last flight of the day was three seats overbooked, so even if I got out of the track in good time, I still might not make it home on Sunday night.

 

I arrived at the track at 12:30 p.m.  I had been very concerned about the possibility of rain.  I was so concerned that I seriously entertained the idea of driving to Southern Colorado to see racing on a road course.  That would have added some 700 miles to my driving distance for the weekend.  I’m glad I hung in with Hollywood Hills at the weather cooperated very nicely.

 

Unfortunately, the Hollywood Speedway did not cooperate in a timely manner.  This is not unusual in the short track auto-racing scene.  A couple of years ago, a leading trackchaser told everyone we should show our respect to even the lowliest street stock driver by staying at the track until the very last checkered flag flew.

 

I could not disagree with that point of view more.  I am the customer.  The racers and the track’s management are here to provide entertainment for me.  Shouldn’t they respect my time?  Shouldn’t they run an efficient show so I can get on the road in a timely manner?  I think they should.

 

The inefficiency of short track racing might not be a fixable problem.  There are just too many things to manage and to many things that can go wrong.  When you have too many moving parts to manage, you cannot have success.  How much success would you have if you tried to floss your teeth with a strand of cooked spaghetti?  It’s just not doable.  I hope you get my point.

 

The Hollywood Hills Speedway is one of the nicest dirt track racing facilities I have ever seen.  I don’t know how many tracks I have in my top five dirt tracks category (it’s probably not five), but this speedway would be in it.  The most noticeable aspect of this speedway is the grandstand.  Imagine a top notch NASCAR track or college football stadium.  Today’s grandstand was one of the best I have ever seen.  There were about 50 rows of aluminum seats, most with backs and a huge V.I.P. tower that ran the length of the entire grandstand.

 

The P.A. system rivaled the one at the Perris Auto Speedway, again one of the best I have ever heard.  The pit area, located beyond turns one and two was large and paved.  The catch fencing was A-1.  The lights, although they were not needed for today’s afternoon show looked to be state of the art.  The mountainous scenery was a gorgeous backdrop for such a quality operation.  Overall, it was a very impressive facility.

 

I’ve seen a few tracks like these being built, often in very remote or off the beaten path locales.  I don’t think private money is building these places.  I believe local governments or Indian casino money is behind these monster facilities.  There is no way a local short track racing program could ever pay for stadiums like these.

 

Although I wax idyllic, not all was perfect with the racing program today.  Let’s get back to that starting time.  Was it 1 p.m. or 2 p.m.?  It was neither.  The ambulance rolled in at 2:19 p.m.  The national anthem went off at 2:38 p.m. and the first race followed at 2:42 p.m.  What would you think if you went to your local high school’s basketball game and they started 42 minutes late?  You wouldn’t know what to say, because it has never happened.

 

The track ran off heat races over the next one hour and three minutes.  That wasn’t too bad.  They went to intermission with these famous words, “We’ll be back to racing in 15-20 minutes.”  When did the next race after intermission start?  The next race began at 4:37 p.m.; 52 minutes after the intermission had begun.  Oh, my!  If halftime at your local high school basketball game lasted for 52 minutes what would you say?  You wouldn’t know what to say, because this would never happen.

 

I guess the track could try to defend itself by saying they watered the track during intermission and it took some time to run it in.  In point of fact, they watered the extreme low groove and the extreme high groove.  This left the middle groove, about three car lengths wide unwatered and so slick it was a constant source of yellow flag delays because of spins.  If the Boone Speedway can completely tear up their track, water it and repack it in 12 minutes, as they do consistently, I would consider any “we watered the track at intermission” explanation as a bogus excuse for such a long delay.

 

I’m not much for dual announcers who talk non-stop so much that you can never even speak to the person sitting next to you.  On the other hand, an announcer who has nothing to say isn’t any better.  Today, for the first 43 minutes of intermission, not one word was uttered.  They did play music for about five minutes during this time.

 

After 43 minutes, what famous words were transmitted across the excellent sound system?  They were something to this effect, “Our grandstand elevator is not to be used by your children.  The elevator is for our V.I.P. guests and our handicapped fans.  Please keep your children away from the elevator.”  Then there was silence for nine more minutes until the 52-minute intermission period was finished!

 

If you are a trackchaser and reading this, I can hardily recommend an at the track race scanner.  When I am by myself as I was today, the scanner really pays for itself with all kinds of background information.  Somehow, I don’t think tracks even know that some fans may be listening to them as they work.

 

I must give full credit to the race organizers today.  I honestly feel they were trying to move the show along the best they could.  However, when you start 42 minutes late and take a 52 minute intermission, you wasted about an hour and a half of your fan’s time.

 

Needless to say, I would not be making a last flight of the day departure today.  That was O.K.  After a while I was curious as to exactly how long this program was going to last.  I stayed until the very last checkered flag flew.

 

The Hollywood Hills Speedway has been sitting idle for the past year or two.  Why does that not surprise me?  This was their first regular race of the year with multiple classes.  I’m not sure if they have new operators or not.  I suspect they do.  From the tone of the race organizer’s radio voice, I believe he was dealing with several first time employees.

 

He had a corner worker whose every move he directed all day long.  The poor guy would head in one direction and then hear over his radio headset that he needed to head immediately in the other direction.  Everyone was well-meaning but it was somewhat comical.

 

The use of the “orange cone” was really hilarious with the infield track workers.  In case you don’t know, an orange plastic safety cone is often used to make sure restarts are fair to each driver.  The cone is placed on the track, normally a car width or two from the outside wall.  The cars are supposed to pass between the cone and the track’s wall, single file when the restart green flag is thrown.  Once all cars drive past the cone, they are free to pass other competitors on the track.

 

Today’s infield worker placed the orange cone about two feet from the low part of the inside groove.  This left a space of 4-5 car widths between the cone and the outside wall.  This was much too wide of a space to be to serve the cone’s original purpose.  Late in the day, this fellow was replaced by a more experienced worker, although he did admit that he would need a college 101 class in “conology” before he could work with the orange safety cone.

 

The second guy did put the cone out into the middle of the track.  The down side to this idea was that the rope connected to the cone wasn’t long enough.  This forced the track worker to have to stand in the low groove just a few feet from the rapidly passing racecars.  This guy was no dummy.  As soon as the lead car passed the cone, he yanked the cone back and ran for his life.  The race organizer wasn’t going to have any of this.  He directed the track worker to keep the cone out until everyone passed by it.

 

I am happy to report that the second place car ran over the cone on the very next restart nearly ripping off the hand of the hapless track worker who was only trying to do his job, by holding onto the cone until all the cars passed.  They didn’t find that cone for thirty minutes!  I’m glad they didn’t, as the track worker surely would have been run over by that point with such a short rope attached to the cone.

 

The race organizer also had some sharp words for his flagman.  The flagger was an experienced individual from what I could tell.  He was admonished for starting the race too soon, before he was given permission and then for not throwing the yellow flag soon enough when he felt a driver had deliberately stayed on the track to cause a yellow.  The entire thing seemed just like a poorly run business where the employees are untrained and the boss has to tell them exactly what to do all of the time.  After awhile they don’t know whether to shit or go blind.

 

I did hear a couple of other quotes over the radio that were unique such as “We have cows in the parking lot.”  Indeed they did.  Folks were told to leave them be and not try to pet them!

 

At intermission, I heard this over the radio about the concession stand, “The friggin concession stand has only one window open and one cashier.  Unbelievable!”

 

Finally, I must get to the racing.  There were four classes racing today.  Fourteen hobby stocks took the feature green flag for 20 laps.  Only five finished.  This might have been the most exciting race of the day.  With just two laps to go, the leader blew a right front tire and slowed considerably.  This allowed the second place car to catch up and take over first place.  Just at that moment the new leader spun out and nearly flipped when his wheel dug a rut in the dirt!  This put the car with the flat tire back in first with less than a lap to go.  Undaunted the spinner recovered and passed the flat tire car to take the checkered flag.  Later, we learned the flat tire car was declared the winner.  Apparently, the other car must have been a lap down.

 

The nine car street stock feature was somewhat unremarkable as they covered a distance of 15 laps.  Eighteen mini-sprints came out for their 20-lap feature.  I believe only five finished.  I was strongly considering leaving during all three of these features, but the weather was nice and the wind blew the dust away from the grandstand, so I stayed.

 

Finally, the 24-car IMCA modified group came onto the track.  They must have had 5-6 yellows in the first couple of laps.  They did have a period in the middle of the race where they ran caution-free for 10-15 laps.  Then they started having more yellow flag stoppages.  Finally, on lap 22 of the scheduled 30 laps, the race organizer had had enough.  He called for a “green-white-checker” that would put an end to racing for today.  I believe it was 6:18 p.m. when the final checkered flag flew.  This was a program that lasted more than four hours and should have lasted less than three hours.

 

I hope none of my readers thinks I have been too rough on the Hollywood Speedway and their employees in this Trackchaser Report.  I pay my own way into these races and feel I have a right to objectively provide my point of view about the racing program.  I hope you will agree that I provide both good points and areas of improvement (O.K. bad points!) when I review a track’s operation.

 

When I criticize, I try to explain why I believe the performance was poor.  I happen to think a track should begin on time or at least very close to the advertised time.  I happen to think that an intermission period should be of reasonable length.  I happen to think that each race should have a time limit and a reasonable amount of yellow flag stoppages.  As a loyal reader of the Trackchaser Report, I know that you too have expectations on how a track should perform.  I trust you would not have been pleased with today’s program either.

 

The Hollywood Speedway’s new slogan that is advertised on local billboards and by the track announcer is “The track is back.”  I say not for long if today’s program is indicative of future programs.

 

As always, I try to balance the good with the bad.  In addition, as always, I invite any of my readers to forward this on to the track management if they think it would do any good.  For those who take advantage of this offer, I have only two expectations.  I ask that you forward the entire report and not just a snippet.  I also ask that you identify me by name as the writer of the material.

 

 

 

 

 

WEATHER CONDITIONS

 

It was a gorgeous afternoon for racing.  Seeing racing on a Sunday afternoon is my favorite time of the entire week to watch a race.

RENTAL CAR UPDATE:

 

I’ll be going with a National Rental Car Racing Chevy Impala with California plates.  The drink holder really sucks in this car model.  The check out clerk at National did a poor job and had little interest in the quality of her work.  I don’t think this is the career she is cut out for.

 

Friday total driving miles – 206

 

Saturday total driving miles – 351

 

Sunday total driving miles – 91

 

Monday total driving miles – 3

 

 

I traveled 651 miles with this rental car.  I paid an average fuel price of $3.00 giving me a 10.4 cent per mile fuel charge.  The Chevy Impala provided fuel mileage of 28.9 M.P.G.  The car cost 16.3 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 – 1,181

 

2.  Allan Brown, Comstock Park, Michigan – 1,106 (-74)*

 

3.  Guy Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania – 1,091 (-90)*

 

7.  Ed Esser, Madison, Wisconsin – 999 (-182)**

 

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

 

** Special exemption.

 

 

 

 

LIFETIME NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY STANDINGS

 

2007 (current thru 5/2/07)**

 

 

1. Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 6.86

2. Gordon Killian, Sinking Springs, Pennsylvania – 7.12

3. Allan Brown, Comstock Park, Michigan – 7.55

 

The current difference between first and second places in the lifetime NGD standings is just 13 overall state positions.  It’s tough to gain a major advantage in the lifetime rankings.

 

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

 

This past weekend Ed Esser picked up two new tracks in Colorado.  This moved him from fourth place in the state into a tie for first place with Allan Brown.  This dropped both Gordon Killian and me from a tie for second place into a tie for third place in Colorado.  This is an excellent example of how any trackchaser can affect the current leaders in the National Geographic Lifetime rankings. 

 

 

  

 

 

Other notables

 

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

 

31.  Carol Lewis, San Clemente, California - 311

 

32.  Chris Economaki, Ridgewood, New Jersey – 302 (-9)

 

33.  Gary Jacob, Turlock, California – 301 (-10)

 

 

 

 

 

 

2007 TRACKCHASER STANDINGS

 

1.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California - 42

 

2.  Ed Esser, Madison, Wisconsin – 34

 

3.  Mike Knappenberger, Reading, Pennsylvania - 17

 

3.  Carol Lewis, San Clemente, California – 17

 

5.  Roland Vanden Eynde, Vilvoorde, Belgium - 15

 

6.  Guy Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania - 14

 

7.  Roger Ferrell, Majenica, Indiana – 9

 

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

 

9.  Gordon Killian, Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania – 7

 

9.  Bing Metz, Tatamy, Pennsylvania – 7

 

 

Tracks have been reported by 33 different worldwide trackchasers this season.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading about my trackchasing,

 

Randy Lewis

New Mexico’s #1 Trackchaser

That’s all the news that’s fit to print from San Clemente where the women are strong, the men are good-looking, and all of the children are above average.

 

 

 

 

 

CUMULATIVE TRAVEL DISTANCES:

 

AIRPLANE

 

Los Angeles, CA – Albuquerque, NM – 676 miles

 

RENTAL CAR – ALBUQUERQUE, NM

 

Albuquerque International Airport – trip begins

 

Tularosa, NM – 188 miles

 

Albuquerque, NM – 512 miles

 

San Felipe Pueblo, NM – 612 miles

 

Albuquerque International Airport – 653 miles - trip ends

 

 

AIRPLANE

 

Albuquerque, NM – Los Angeles, CA – 676 miles

 

 

Total Air miles – 1,352 miles

 

 

Total auto and air miles traveled on this trip – 2,005 miles

 

 

 

TRACK ADMSSION PRICES:

 

Sertoma Speedway – $7

 

Sandia Motorsports Park - $10

 

Hollywood Hills Speedway - $10

 

Total racetrack admissions for the trip – $27

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

I’ll have to wait to resume my trackchasing activity until after next week’s wedding.  Of course, I am trying to win my fourth consecutive trackchasing annual championship but some things in life after even more important than trackchasing.  See you in a couple of weeks.

 

 

 

 

 

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 13

 

1,147.  Angels Stadium of Anaheim (outer oval), Anaheim, California - January 13

 

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

 

1,168. Florence Motor Speedway, Florence, South Carolina – March 25

 

1,169. Foothills Raceway, Easley, South Carolina – March 30

 

1,170. Mileback Speedway, Gray Court, South Carolina – March 30

 

1,171. Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, Florida – April 1

 

1,172. Vegas Grand Prix, Las Vegas, Nevada – April 8

 

1,173. Huntsville Speedway, Huntsville, Alabama – April 13

 

1,174. Low Country Kartway, Aynor, South Carolina – April 14

 

1,175. Dillon Motor Speedway, Dillon, South Carolina – April 14

 

1,176. Valley Dirt Riders, Berthoud, Colorado – April 15

 

1,177. Antelope Valley Fairgrounds, Lancaster, California – April 22

 

1,178. Sertoma Speedway, Tularosa, New Mexico – April 27

 

1,179. Sandia Motorsports Park (outer oval), Albuquerque, New Mexico – April 28

 

1,180. Sandia Motorsports Park (inner oval), Albuquerque, New Mexico – April 28

 

1,181. Hollywood Hills Speedway, San Felipe Pueblo, New Mexico – April 29

 

 

The state bird of New Mexico is…………….the Roadrunner

 

 

 

 

 

In the business world, the U.S. is often divided up into geographic areas that are referred to as East, Central and the “eleven Western states plus Alaska and Hawaii.”  No, I don’t know why they don’t just say the “thirteen western states.”  Those states include  Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming and, of course, Alaska and Hawaii.

 

The far west probably has the most beautiful scenery per square mile anywhere in the United States.  This got me to thinking.  Over the next 2-3 years, I’d like to put a “full-court” press on these far west states for trackchasing purposes.  I want to establish a goal of becoming the number one trackchaser in each of these states except California by the end of 2009.  Becoming #1 in California is not a realistic goal at this time. 

 

Below is a listing of these thirteen Far Western states.  The state’s name is followed by my current rank and how many tracks I need to see to gain at least a tie for 1^st place.  As an example, I’m currently in ninth place in Alaska and trail first place by three tracks.  I’m looking forward to spending more time than usual is the Far West, a great part of our country.

 

Alaska – 9^th - 3

 

Arizona – 1^st

 

California – 2^nd – 48

 

Colorado – 2nd – 1

 

Hawaii – 3^rd – 1

 

Idaho – 3^rd – 2

 

Montana – 2^nd – 1

 

Nevada – 2^nd – 2

 

New Mexico – 1st

 

Oregon – 1^st

 

Utah – 2^nd – 1

 

Washington – 2^nd – 2

 

Wyoming – 2^nd - 2

 

As you can see I don’t have far to go in most states.  However, if I have to get most of these tracks on a one track per trip basis, it could take some time.  Each time I see a Far Western U.S. track, I will keep you posted on my progress.  We’ll see how it goes.