DAY 6 – MONSTER MIDWEST TOUR

TODAY’S HEADLINES

Which two worldwide trackchasers did I happen upon tonight?...................more in “The People”.

 

Trackchasing doubles are the height of efficiency.  How many doubles do I have this year?………………..details in “The Strategy”.

 

Click on this link or paste it in your browser to take you to today’s Trackchaser Report via my website at www.ranlayracing.com

 

http://www.ranlayracing.com/july13222007.htm

 

AND THE READERS RESPOND

 

 

From time to time interested readers write me about one thing or another.  Many times, I feel that all my readers would be interested informed and/or amused by the comments I get.  When I wrote this: 

Do you consider this comment racist?...................details in “Racetrack Stats - Concessions”.

 

Concessions:  I had fried rice and an Oreo ice cream flurry.  I must admit that I will go out of my way to avoid either Chinese or Mexican food prepared by white people.  Call me a racist, but the white folks just can’t get in down in these two arenas. 

A reader from England wrote this:

 

“not at all racist old boy, but what I can't understand is how the chinese make such darn good fish and chips but the english can't grasp chinese.”

 

GREETINGS FROM MUNCIE, INDIANA.

 

 

 

 

I WOKE UP IN ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA THIS MORNING.  I WENT TO SLEEP IN MUNCIE, INDIANA.  THIS IS WHAT TRANSPIRED TODAY.

PEOPLE/STRATEGY/TRAVEL NEWS

 

 

 

 

The Strategy     

 

Doing more in less time is always a good idea.  This was my 92^nd new track of the year in just 65 days of trackchasing.  That’s 27 trackchasing doubles, a very strong efficiency rate.

The Trip

 

The trip is what makes trackchasing so interesting.  The mental gymnastics of “what if” is sometimes just about more than I can handle.  Let’s look at what happened today as a case in point.

 

I left the track in Hughesville, Pennsylvania at about 10 p.m. on Tuesday night.  I needed to be in Muncie, Indiana the next day (Wednesday) by 6:30 p.m.  These two locations are about 550 miles apart.  What would be the best way to handle this trip’s logistics.  I had three workable options, some with more limitations than others.

 

The first option was to drive from Hughesville, PA to Muncie, IN.  That was the safest option to insure getting into Muncie on time.  The safest option to use when you want to get something done right is to do it yourself.

 

However, this option came with some serious drawbacks.  First, it would require about 10 hours of driving and some $75 in gasoline.  Secondly, National Rental Car would not rent me a vehicle in Harrisburg, PA to be dropped off in Cincinnati.  I didn’t ask Budget Rental Car (the company I ended up renting from) because I had decided against this option.

 

My second option was to return the car to the Allentown, PA airport after I had picked it up in Harrisburg, PA.  I wanted to return the car to Allentown because their flights back to Cincinnati were more open than the flights from Harrisburg to Cincinnati. 

 

This second option included standing by for a 6:30 a.m. flight to Cincinnati.  This option had two serious drawbacks.  Who in the world wants to be at the airport at 5:30 a.m. (2:30 a.m. San Clemente time) standing by for a flight, especially after I reached my hotel at just past midnight the evening before.  The second drawback was that the flight was already overbooked by one seat.  I might go out to the airport at 5:30 a.m. and NOT get on the flight.  Frankly, this option sucked!

 

My third option was the one I picked.  This was a 2 p.m. flight from Allentown, PA to Cincinnati.  I would land at 3:40 p.m., get my rental car from the long-term parking lot and make the two-hour drive over to Muncie.  I figured I would pull into the Delaware County Fairgrounds at just past 6 p.m. more than 30 minutes before the races were scheduled to start.

 

I picked this option.  Normally, this would have been the perfect choice.  However………..yes, there is always a “however”.  The flight from Allentown was delayed.  It seems the plane had started out in New York where they encountered bad weather.  This had put the plane behind schedule all day.  After much concern, the flight finally transported me from Allentown to  Cincinnati some 90 minutes behind schedule.

 

We landed at 5:30 p.m.  I picked up my rental car from the long-term parking lot at 5:55 p.m.  I was looking at a two-hour drive over to Muncie.  After a couple of restroom/snack breaks, I arrived into Muncie at 8 p.m.

 

My GPS unit does not pick up county fairgrounds locations for some reason.  I ended up calling the fairgrounds to get directions.  Those directions didn’t work for me.  I stopped in a neighborhood where two black guys were just about ready to mow their lawn.  They did their best to help.  Although when you ask two people the best way to get some place, they often try to outdo each other.  I thanked these folks for the info they did give me and soon found the place.  It was now 8:10 p.m.

 

I was more than one and one-half hours late from what I thought was the starting time.  It’s not unusual for some of these county fair figure 8 shows to wrap up in an hour or so.  The entire program could easily have been completed by now.

 

Even though the website said the race would begin at 6:30 p.m., it actually began at 7 p.m.  They were still racing when I arrived.  Tonight’s program included racing on both a figure 8 track and an oval track.  It is very unusual for a county fair to race on two different kinds of tracks in one evening.  I walked up and bought a ticket.  I asked the ticket taker how much of the program remained.  He didn’t know for certain, but thought they were finished racing on the oval.  At that point, I really didn’t mind.  I figured getting one track was better than nothing.

 

As I entered the grandstand, I noticed two prominent trackchasers already seated.  Ed Esser and Roger Ferrell were among the spectators along with Roger’s lovely wife, Brenda.  They soon informed me that although 5-6 races had already been completed, racing remained on both tracks. 

 

It had been a LONG day and the racing was just starting for me.  I was most fortunate to see two new tracks tonight.  I had taken the easy option (sleeping in) and let my destiny be in someone else’s (airlines) hands.  That almost cost me.  However, there’s always a however, things worked out as they almost always do!

 

 

 

 

The People

 

Tonight I spent some time talking to two leading worldwide trackchasers, Ed Esser #7 and Roger Ferrell #18.  These guys are tried and true Midwesterners.  They are as tight with their racing information as any trackchasers I have ever met.  I even offered to trade them a “date you don’t know about” for one of theirs.  They declined.  I think they thought they already knew every race date there was to know and that I could not add any information that would be new to them!

 

They both realized that anything they say to me could end up being printed in a Trackchaser Report unless they expressly state their comments are off the record.  That being the case, I learned several things from these boys.

 

Ed seems to be softening his position about seeing Canadian tracks.  To date, Ed has seen just over 1,000 tracks and has never seen one outside of the United States.  Ed also stated that European trackchasers might have an advantage trackchasing in Europe.

 

Ed has a website (www.2arace.com) where he shares information about his trackchasing.  I asked him why the race dates on his website have a ZERO correlation to where he actually goes.  He tried a few lame excuses and then just smiled.  I did too.

 

Roger feels the age limit for countable racing should be lowered to 12-13 years old.  I do too.  Roger also feels the rules are inconsistent.  He would like to see several changed.  The rules are not going to change in any major way.  My strategy is simply to work within the rules rather than to worry about changing them.

 

I asked Roger why I had not received an email from him notifying me about tonight’s racing.  He told me he figured I would know about this trackchasing double opportunity on my own.  Of course, Roger was right.

 

 

STATE RANKINGS

This track was my 58^th to see in the Hoosier state.  My Indiana total is my fifth highest state total trailing only California, Illinois, Iowa and Pennsylvania.  I currently hold an eighth place ranking just two tracks behind Andy Sivi.  Roger Ferrell has a more than comfortable lead over Jack Erdmann 112-78.

RACE REVIEW – DELAWARE COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS (FIGURE 8 AND OVAL), MUNCIE, INDIANA

It’s a real treat to get two new tracks at one county fair.  That almost never happens.  Tonight they ran 17 different races between the three classes of cars racing on the oval and figure 8 tracks.  Most cars ran on both tracks.  After a while, it was a little confusing.  Overall, there couldn’t have been more than 25 cars total.

 

The Delaware County Fair is medium-sized.  They offered lots of food choices, but restrooms were hard to come by.  I did not even learn of tonight’s event until a couple of days ago while do internet research.

 

 

 

RACE TRACK STATS:

 

DELAWARE COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS (FIGURE 8 AND OVAL) – TRACKS #1,229 & #1,230

 

Track details

 

Website:  None

 

Weather:  It was a warm evening.  The chance of precip was estimated to be 50%.  Although this was concerning, it did not rain until three hours after the program ended.

 

Track type:  figure 8 and oval tracks.

 

Length/Surface:  1/4 – mile dirt oval and traditional, relative to the oval, figure 8 track.

 

Grandstands:  Large covered grandstand with ample seating.

 

P.A.:  Average.

 

Announcer:  Non-descript.

 

On time:  I arrived seventy minutes late, so I don’t know if they started on time.

 

Pit area:  Located beyond turns one and two of the oval.

 

Classes:  FWD and RWD stock cars.  Same cars raced on both the oval and the figure 8 track.

 

Radio Frequency:  Didn’t use the radio.

 

Concessions:  After the races, I settled on strawberry shortcake that sold for three dollars, a good value.

 

Scoreboard:  No, there are very few scoreboards at county fair tracks.

 

Extras:  The woman seated behind me had her son racing.  She knew and used nearly every four-letter word, I’ve ever heard as she and her 10-year old son watched the action!

 

 

RENTAL CAR UPDATE

 

St. Louis – Friday-Monday (10 days)

 

I picked up my main rental car (rented in St. Louis) from the long-term parking lot in Cincinnati.   

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading about my trackchasing,

 

Randy Lewis

Alberta’s #1 Trackchaser

On the plains of hesitation lie the bleached bones of millions who, when within the grasp of victory sat and waited and waiting died.

 

 

 

 

 

 

AIRPLANE

 

Los Angeles, CA – St. Louis, MO – 1,591 miles

 

 

RENTAL CAR – ST. LOUIS (1^st RENTAL CAR)

 

St. Louis International Airport – trip begins

Troy, Missouri – 71 miles

Pittsfield, Illinois – 132 miles

Newton, Iowa – 403 miles

Osage, Iowa – 583 miles

Scottsburg, Indiana – 1,289 miles

 

AIRPLANE

 

Cincinnati, OH – Grand Rapids, MI  – 268 miles

 

 

RENTAL CAR – GRAND RAPIDS (2^ND RENTAL CAR OF TRIP)

 

Gerald R. Ford International Airport – trip begins

Hastings, MI – 25 miles

Gerald R. Ford International Airport – 59 miles - trip ends

 

 

AIRPLANE

 

Grand Rapids, MI – Cincinnati, OH – 268 miles

Cincinnati, OH – Harrisburg, PA - 429 miles

 

RENTAL CAR – HARRISBURG, PA (3rd RENTAL CAR OF TRIP)

 

Harrisburg International Airport-Olmstead Field – trip begins

Hughesville, PA – 95 miles

Lehigh Valley International Airport – 231 miles - trip ends

 

AIRPLANE

 

Allentown, PA – Cincinnati, OH – 503 miles

 

RENTAL CAR – ST. LOUIS

 

Cincinnati – Northern Kentucky Airport – trip resumes

Muncie, Indiana – 1,511 miles

 

 

 

 

TRACK ADMSSION PRICES:

 

Lincoln County Fairgrounds - $20

Pike County Speedway - $Free (normally $3 for fan 55 & older)

Iowa Speedway - $30

Mitchell County Fairgrounds - $15 (pit pass)

Scott County Fairgrounds - $8

Barry County Fairgrounds - $14 (Fair-$5 & Figure 8 race-$9)

Lycoming County Fairgrounds - $13 (Fair-$3 & Figure 8 race-$10) plus $2 parking

Delaware County Fairgrounds - $5

 

 

 

 

 

RANKINGS

 

 

LIFETIME TRACKCHASER STANDINGS UPDATE:

 

There are no trackchasers currently within 100 tracks of my lifetime total. 

 

1.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 1,230

 

 

 

 

Other notables

 

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

 

29.  Tom Schmeh, Knoxville, Iowa – 330

 

29.  Carol Lewis, San Clemente, California – 330

 

31.  Dwight Bucks, Topton, Pennsylvania – 325

 

 

 

 

2007 TRACKCHASER STANDINGS

 

1.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California - 92

 

2.  Roland Vanden Eynde, Vilvoorde, Belgium - 61

 

3.  Ed Esser, Madison, Wisconsin – 60

 

4.  Mike Knappenberger, Reading, Pennsylvania – 43

 

5.  Paul Weisel, Orefield, Pennsylvania – 37

 

6.  Carol Lewis, San Clemente, California – 36

 

7.  Guy Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania - 32

 

8.  Pam Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania – 25

 

9.  Gordon Killian, Sinking Springs, Pennsylvania – 21

 

10.  Roger Ferrell, Majenica, Indiana – 20

 

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

 

 

LIFETIME NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY STANDINGS

 

2007 (current thru 6/29/07)**

 

 

1. Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 6.65

2. Gordon Killian, Sinking Springs, Pennsylvania – 6.86

3. Allan Brown, Comstock Park, Michigan – 7.57

 

**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

 

These are the dog days of July and August.  It’s best for me to just to keep my head down and keep adding tracks to my list.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

1,209. L A Raceway, La Monte, Missouri - June 14

 

1,210. Valley Speedway, Grain Valley, Missouri - June 22

 

1,211. Jamaica Raceway, Jamaica, Iowa - June 23

 

1,212. Calhoun County Fairgrounds (figure 8), Rockwell City, Jamaica, Iowa - June 23

 

** Hamilton County Speedway, Webster City, Iowa – June 23 (new for Carol only)

 

** Iowa Speedway (outer oval), Newton, Iowa, Iowa – June 24 (new for Carol only)

 

1,213. Butler Motor Speedway, Butler, Missouri - June 24

 

** Peoria Speedway, Peoria, Illinois – June 25

 

1,214. Kart Kanyon Raceway, Aztec, New Mexico - June 30

 

1,215. Aztec Speedway, Aztec, New Mexico - June 30

 

1,216. Sunvalley Speedway, Vernon, British Columbia, Canada – July 1

 

1,217. Georgetown Speedway, Georgetown, Delaware – July 6

 

1,218. Delmarva Motorsports Park, Middleford, Delaware – July 6

 

1,219. Hunterstown Speedway, Hunterstown, Pennsylvania – July 7

 

1,220. Shippensburg Speedway, Shippensburg, Pennsylvania – July 7 (Randy only)

 

** Hagerstown Speedway, Hagerstown, Maryland – July 7 (new for Carol only)

 

1,221. Blanket Hill Speedway, Whitesburg, Pennsylvania – July 8

 

1,222. Lincoln County Fairgrounds (figure 8), Troy, Missouri – July 13

 

1,223. Pike County Speedway, Pittsfield, Illinois – July 13

 

1,224. Iowa Speedway (road course), Newton, Iowa – July 14

 

1,225. Mitchell County Fairgrounds (figure 8), Osage, Iowa – July 14

 

1,226. Scott County Fairgrounds (oval), Scottsburg, Indiana – July 15

 

1,227. Barry Expo Center (figure 8), Hastings, Michigan – July 16

 

1,228. Lycoming County Fairgrounds (figure 8), Hughesville, Pennsylvania, Michigan – July 17

 

1,229. Delaware County Fairgrounds (figure 8), Muncie, Indiana – July 18

 

1,230. Delaware County Fairgrounds (oval), Muncie, Indiana – July 18