TODAY’S HEADLINES

Several readers sent in their “Sports Spectating Resumes,” …….…….details in “Sports Spectating Resumes.”

 

What makes the Kansas City airport so unusual?..................details in “Rental Car Update.”

 

Midwest Airlines, what makes them so special?............details in “The Trip.” 

SPORTS SPECTATING RESUMES

 

Recall I recently posted my personal sports spectating resume.  I asked readers to send me a list of where they’ve been able to see or have a close-up encounter with legends of sport.  Check these out.

 

 

 

From Florida………

- NBA Finals (Seattle/Chicago)

- NBA All Star Game (Cleveland)

- NCAA Final 4 (Indy, Atlanta, San Antonio, St. Louis & New Orleans)

- Gator Bowl (3 times)

- MLB All-Star Game (Cleveland)

- MLB World Series (Oakland, Cleveland)

- NFL Super Bowl (Detroit, Jacksonville)

- The Masters (practice round – twice)

- PGA TPC (Sawgrass, 3 times)

- Indy 500

- Daytona 500 (3 times)

 

Our Florida reader “would like to see the Kentucky Derby, Stanley Cup Finals and the NCAA Football National Championship game.  That should about do it for rounding out my list.”

 

 

 

From Texas………

 

- NFL Super Bowl (Tampa, Pasadena)

- Cotton Bowl (3 times)

- Dallas Cowboys season tickets (1990-98)

- Played in 1973 Senior college football bowl

- Played in 1973 Coaches All-America game

- Played in 33 Texas Tech football games (1970-72)

- Played in the Sun Bowl twice

 

Our Texas reader states, “My future objectives include the Kentucky Derby, Olympics, Indy 500, ringside seat at a future heavyweight championship-boxing match and the World Series.”

 

 

 

From Colorado………

 

- U.S. Senior Open (mid-80s, talked to Gary Player about his workout regime, a true gentleman)

 

- NFL playoff game (Keezar Stadium, San Francisco – mid-70s)

 

- NFL Championship games – 2 times (Broncos vs. Browns and Oilers, featuring the “Browns” fumble)

 

- International Golf Tournament – Denver

 

- NFL pre-season game in Omaha, Nebraska

 

- Met Bart Starr in a Vail pizza parlor

 

- My wife lived down the street from St. Louis Cardinals pitchers, Bob Gibson in Omaha

 

- Caught a ball in the V.I.P. section at Angels Stadium and had Don Drysdale, who was broadcasting the game next door, sign it.

 

- My wife had Pee Wee Reese in the family home and he signed a ball for her.  Dizzy Dean was a frequent visitor to her parent’s home.

 

 

Thanks to the folks who sent in their “Sport Spectating Resumes.”  As I read each of these, it gave me a feeling of being there.

GREETINGS FROM ODESSA, MISSOURI

 

 

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 IN YOUR BROWSER:

http://www.ranlayracing.com/june13142007.htm

I WOKE UP IN SAN CLEMENTE, CALIFORNIA THIS MORNING.  I WENT TO SLEEP IN BLUE SPRINGS, MISSOURI.   THIS IS WHAT TRANSPIRED TODAY.

PEOPLE/STRATEGY/TRAVEL NEWS

 

The Strategy     

 

This trackchasing trip worked perfectly into my overall trackchasing strategy.  I would prefer not to travel during golf’s four major tournament weekends.  This is the weekend of the U.S. Open at Oakmont near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  I would also prefer not to travel over Father’s Day weekend.

 

This particular trip had me traveling for just two overnights a Wednesday and a Thursday.  The two tracks in Missouri would require only about 250-300 miles of total driving.  Both tracks were featuring one of my most favorite touring groups, the United States Modified Touring Series.  I would gain two lifetime National Geographic Diversity points.  Finally, I would be able to stay in the same hotel for two consecutive nights.  I rarely get to do that.  The weather forecast called for dry perfect weather.  With all of these things going in my favor, this was nearly the perfect trackchasing trip.

The Trip

 

My primary airline sponsors are SkyWest, United and Delta.  Since I gained that sponsorship back in September, 2006, I have done all of my flying with these carriers.  However, I also have the option of flying with just about any U.S. and many foreign carriers.  It takes just a bit more preplanning, but it can be worth it.

 

I’ve really been “mining” the tracks within easy driving distance of the airline hubs of my primary carriers.  This trip would mark my first diversion into the realm of “ZED fare carriers.” 

 

I was flying on Midwest Airlines today.  Their hubs are in Kansas City and Milwaukee.  This trackchasing trip was to begin in the Kansas City area.  For me to get to Kansas City from Los Angeles on United or Delta, I would have to connect in one of their hubs, probably Denver of Salt Lake.  Midwest Airlines would take me non-stop from LAX to MCI (Kansas City).

 

J.J. had told me about the special service offered by Midwest.  They did give their passengers some things I wouldn’t normally expect.  First, they had a full-sized jet with only two seats on each side of the plane rather than three.  The seats were large and leather.  They didn’t offer any first class seats, but these coach seats were nearly as good.

 

They offered meals for $10 each.  That seemed a bit expensive to me and I wasn’t hungry anyway.  I’ll try one next time, because I’ve heard they are so good.  They did give each passenger a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie.  I liked that touch.

 

Finally, they did something, I have never seen in all my days of flying.  I first started flying regularly when I was 22 years old.  I have flown nearly every week since for the past 36 years.  That’s a lot of flights, so it takes something special for me never to have experienced it before.

 

They had an automated flight attendant announcement for virtually every instance where one would be required.  If we hit turbulence, a recorded voice came over and told us to remain seated and fasten our seat belt.  When the flight attendants were going to come through the plane with food and beverage, the automated announcements told us all about it.

 

I’m seeing this more and more, but this is a first inside the airplane.  It is very common with rental car buses to have these automated announcements.  I think businesses are doing it because so many of their employees don’t speak English well.

 

 

 

The People

 

I met an interesting lady at the check-in desk of tonight’s Super 8.  To get to the hotel I had driven East on Interstate 70.  When I reached my desired exit, the state provided directional sign told me to turn right.  This was a well-developed commercial area.  I searched and searched for the Super 8 with no luck.  Finally, I decided to try the other side of the freeway and quickly found the hotel.

 

I told the woman at the hotel desk about my dilemma.  “Yes,” she said.  “We’ve contacted the state about the bad directional sign.  They told us they have 10 years to correct the sign!”  She didn’t seem to upset with this bureaucracy.  That was disappointing.

 

 

 

 

 

I-70 SPEEDWAY – DIRT (OUTER OVAL), – TRACK #1,208

STATE RANKINGS

This was my 36^th lifetime track in the Show Me state.  I move up one position into a tie with Allan Brown for 6^th place.  I’m only one track out of fifth currently held by Andy Sivi.  Ed Esser leads in Missouri with 52 tracks.

RACE REVIEW

 

Sometimes I miss my racechasing days.  You see, I chase tracks today not races.  I’ve been to more than 1,200 tracks and there are about 1,200 North American tracks remaining for me to see.  If you thought I went to most of the best tracks in the FIRST 1,200 I saw you would be right.  A huge percentage of the remaining tracks don’t offer nearly as good racing as the ones I’ve already seen.

 

You might ask, “If you want to see good racing, why don’t you go to Irwindale Speedway or Perris Auto Speedway?  These tracks offer an excellent program and they’re right in your backyard.”  My answer to that question is simple.  I spend too much time going to the races now.  I don’t want to spend my free time from trackchasing going to more races.  I’ve got too many other interests in life and don’t have the time.

 

Nevertheless, not all of the future tracks I will see offer sub-par racing programs.  If they did, I would probably give up trackchasing.  One of my favorite classes of racing involves the low-cost dirt modified.  Hawkeye Racing News’ Keith Knack created those dirt modifieds back in 1979.  They put on great side-by-side racing.

 

Tonight’s program was sanctioned by the United State Modified Touring Series.  This series travels from track to track and state to state all over the central part of the U.S.  They have very full fields of cars.  That can’t be said for most of the tracks, I have visited in 2007.

 

Tonight, they brought a lower than normal 28 modifieds.  That was still enough for four heat races, a “B” main and the “A” feature.  They draw for starting positions and use “passing” points to determine feature-starting positions.  I like all of that!

 

This is the first year for the I-70 dirt track.  The track sits behind the main grandstand of their ½-mile asphalt track that has been in existence for some 30 years.  Actually, the ½-mile track was dirt for a few years back in the day.  I have seen countable racing on both surfaces of the ½-mile track.

 

Tonight’s racing was on the quarter-mile dirt oval.  They also have an inner dirt oval and a traditional figure 8 track connected to the inner dirt oval.  That means I could conceivably be back here some day for the inner dirt oval and figure 8 track.  I’ve even heard talk of a makeshift road course being considered.  Will these promoters never stop with the extra tracks?

 

The U.S.M.T.S. normally pays a large purse for short track racing.  Usually, they pay a minimum of $2,000 to win the feature.  There were only 300-400 fans in the stands for tonight’s Wednesday night show.  I don’t know how they can pay the purse with a crowd that small.

 

I heard the track promoter say over the race scanner that the announcer should, “keep pluggin’ away for tomorrow night’s race, so I can make some money.”  With that internal communication, the announcer immediately went to work over the P.A. recommending the next four nights of U.S.M.T.S. racing.  Yes, this entertainment is a business.

 

The racing was O.K.  The track was too narrow and too dry.  I was glad I had my racing goggles tonight.  Nevertheless, the passing in the feature was good over the 40 laps that were contested.  I love Midwestern modified racing.  I wish each one of you had the opportunity to visit the Boone Speedway, the second weekend of September each year.  This is the mecca for modified racing.  They get more than 300 cars to show up for six straight nights of racing.  In addition, their rib-eye steak sandwiches and fried potato chips are out of this world.

RACE TRACK STATS:

 

Track details

 

Website:  http://www.i70speedway.net/

 

Weather:  The weather was warm with temps in the low 80s.

 

Track type:  oval

 

Surface:  Dirt.  The track was too dry and dusty.

 

Length:  ¼-mile

 

Grandstands:  Even though the grandstand was newly erected, the 16-row wooden bleach boards were a little rickety.

 

P.A.:  O.K.

 

Announcer:  The USMTS uses each track’s local announcer.  The guy did a decent job considering there were so many racers from all over the country at tonight’s show.

 

On time:  Just 15 minutes late.

 

Pit area:  Located beyond turn one.

 

Classes:  They only had the hobby stocks (8) in addition to the 28 U.S.M.T.S. modifieds.

 

Radio Frequency:  469.500.  I had to ask the flagman what their frequency was after searching a long time for it.

 

Concessions:  Excellent!  I bought a paper bag of peanuts that must have weighed more than three pounds.  This many peanuts at Angels Stadium would have cost $20-25.  I am not exaggerating.  I also went with a massive, quality double cheeseburger.  It was huge and I think it cost $4.00.  I doused it all with a $4.00, 16-oz. Budweiser in a designer red bottle.  I felt a little “L.A.” drinking out of such a container and would have preferred a can.

 

Scoreboard:  No

 

Extras:  The dirt track grandstands sit back to back with the grandstands for the asphalt track.  There were a few cars over on the asphalt track practicing.

 

LIFETIME TRACKCHASER STANDINGS UPDATE:

 

This is the only trackchaser within 100 tracks of my lifetime total. 

 

1.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 1,208

 

2.  Allan Brown, Comstock Park, Michigan – 1,110

 

 

 

Other notables

 

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

 

30.  Dwight Bucks, Topton, Pennsylvania – 324

31.  Carol Lewis, San Clemente, California - 319

 

 

 

 

2007 TRACKCHASER STANDINGS

 

1.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California - 70

 

2.  Ed Esser, Madison, Wisconsin – 47

 

3.  Roland Vanden Eynde, Vilvoorde, Belgium - 35

 

4.  Carol Lewis, San Clemente, California – 25

 

4.  Mike Knappenberger, Reading, Pennsylvania - 25

 

6.  Guy Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania - 20

 

7.  Gordon Killian, Sinking Springs, Pennsylvania – 18

 

8.  Paul Weisel, Orefield, Pennsylvania – 17

 

9.  Pam Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania – 16

 

10.  Roger Ferrell, Majenica, Indiana – 15

 

 

Tracks have been reported by 37 different worldwide trackchasers this season.

 

 

 

RENTAL CAR UPDATE

 

Kansas City – Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

 

The Kansas City airport is unusual for a few reasons.  One of them is there “rental car center.”  They had a generic rental car bus that picks up customers when their planes land.  This is different from most airports where each individual rental car brand (Hertz, Avis, National, etc.) has there own bus.

 

This idea is definitely in the minority, but I see it from time to time.  I guess the advantage is that fewer rental car buses are clogging up the roads around the airport.

 

The Kansas City Airport is not huge by most big city standards.  However, their rental car terminal is GIGANTIC.  Imagine one of the bigger shopping malls, you’ve ever seen.  The Kansas City Airport rental car center is like a huge shopping mall.  I was shocked at its size.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading about my trackchasing,

 

Randy Lewis

Alberta’s #1 Trackchaser

If you’re lucky enough to live at the beach, you’re lucky enough.

 

 

 

 

 

CUMULATIVE TRAVEL DISTANCES:

 

AIRPLANE

 

Los Angeles, CA – Kansas City, MO – 1,361 miles

 

 

RENTAL CAR – KANSAS CITY

 

Kansas City International Airport – trip begins

Odessa, MO – 72 miles

 

TRACK ADMSSION PRICES:

 

I-70 Speedway - $15

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIFETIME NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY STANDINGS

 

2007 (current thru 6/11/07)**

 

 

1. Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 6.71

2. Gordon Killian, Sinking Springs, Pennsylvania – 6.96

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 also by other trackchasers impact on the leader’s position in each state. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 from www.trackchaser.net

and my Garmin GPS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UPCOMING TRACKCHASING PLANS

 

This is the general type of racing I grew up watching.  I wish most programs I watched in my trackchasing hobby offered racing like this.  I will get a chance to see these guys run tomorrow night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

1,182. Meridian Speedway, Meridian, Idaho – May 11

 

1,183. Diamond Mountain Speedway, Vernal, Utah, Idaho – May 12

 

1,184. Rocky Mountain Raceways (oval), Salt Lake City, Utah – May 12 

 

1,185. Rocky Mountain Raceways (figure 8), Salt Lake City, Utah – May 12

 

1,186. Modoc Speedway, Modoc, South Carolina – May 18

 

1,187. Possum Kingdom Super Speedway, Belton, South Carolina – May 19

 

1,188. Laurens County Speedway, Laurens, South Carolina – May 19

 

1,189. Fairplex at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds, Pomona, California – May 20

 

1,190. Lowes Motor Speedway (inner oval), Concord, North Carolina – May 24

 

1,191. Lowes Motor Speedway (road course), Concord, North Carolina – May 24

 

1,192. Madison International Speedway (inner oval), Oregon, Wisconsin – May 25

 

** Madison International Speedway (outer oval), Oregon, Wisconsin – May 25

 

1,193. Thunderbird Stadium (figure 8), Bremerton, Washington – May 26

 

1,194. Thunderbird Stadium (oval), Bremerton, Washington – May 26

 

1,195. Whispering Pines Motorsports Park, Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada – May 27

 

1,196. Magic Valley Speedway, Twin Falls, Idaho – May 28

 

1,197. Owyhee Motorcycle Raceway Park, Boise, Idaho – June 1

 

1,198. Race City Motorsports Park, Calgary, Alberta, Canada – June 2

 

1,199. Edmonton International Raceway, Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Canada – June 2

 

1,200. Castrol Raceway, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada – June 2

 

1,201. Hidden Valley Motorsports Park, Drumheller, Alberta, Canada – June 2

 

1,202. Boyd’s Speedway, Ringgold, Georgia - June 8

 

1,203. Fayette County Fairgrounds, Washington Courthouse, Ohio - June 9

 

1,204. Brush Creek Motorsports Park, Pebbles, Ohio - June 9

 

1,205. Brown County Speedway, Russellville, Ohio - June 9

 

1,206. Vinton Speedway, Vinton, Ohio - June 10

 

1,207. Hilltop Speedway, Millersburg, Ohio - June 10

 

1,208. I-70 Speedway – dirt (outer oval), Odessa, Missouri - June 13