DAY 2 – JUST A FEW MORE BEFORE TURKEY TIME TRACKCHASING TOUR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The evolution of the trackchaser report (excerpt from www.ranlayracing.com).

 

 

The Trackchaser Report has evolved from my sales management days.  As a salesman (later changed to the more politically correct term of salesperson), my manager would work with me about one day per month.  After the manager's visit, I would receive a "work with" letter, which later became known as a "trip report".  The manager would review our day together while noting the good things that happened and the items I needed to work on.  Most managers employed the "sandwich" technique.  Just like two pieces of bread with the meat in the middle, the report would first focus on the good things I had done.  In the middle of the letter, an improvement opportunity or two was included.  The manager then finished on a positive note.  Later when I became sales manager, I would use the same principles to recognize the good work of my salespeople and encourage them to push for improvement.

Therefore, the Trackchaser Report evolves from the "work with" report.  The TR is meant to both entertain and inform.  When I go trackchasing, I see races.  However, when I go trackchasing I also see people.  I have found that people are more interesting to watch than the races.  I don't limit my people watching to just my time at the races.  I get a chance to watch people at the airport, in restaurants and in all different parts of the United States and the world.  As Allan Funt on the old TV show "Candid Camera" used to say, "People are funny and they do the strangest things".  I hope to capture the strange things for your enjoyment.

My TR will try to entertain you and at times will be somewhat controversial.  If you weren't entertained and/or intrigued by a controversial point or two, then why would you read the danged thing?  Sometimes the TR gets a bit lengthy.  That can be a good thing.  Why?  Because sometimes it takes time to give you the background details that make the story complete.  I know some folks who only read the people section.  Others only read the racing section.  There are still others who only look for the occasional mistake.  Some read every word.  Therefore, the TR will have headings directing you to the section you might find interesting.

The very best part of the TR for me is the feedback I get from readers.  There are more than 1,000 people on my email distribution list of the TR.  As the recipient list has grown, the amount of feedback I receive has also increased.  If you agree with something in the TR report, let me know.  If you don't agree with something in the TR, also let me know.  If you see the TR on this website and want to be added to the email distribution list (you'll get it faster that way), then email me at ranlay@yahoo.com.

Welcome to the Ranlay Racing website and thanks for reading!

 

 

 

TODAY’S HEADLINES

 

How much education do you need?  Is it worthwhile to always be pushing for that extra advantage?...................more in “Rental Car Update”.

 

Would you pay a minimum of $55 for a motel if you were only going to be there for four and one-half hours?.....…………..details in “The Trip”.

 

It’s not often that a woman can make my day and I can make hers. …………..details in “The People”.

 

Today I visited a very special place that I had been looking forward to seeing for a long time….…………..details in “Trackchasing Tourist Attraction”.

 

 

 

 

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/nov16182007.htm

 

 

 

 

GREETINGS FROM WINCHESTER, TENNESSEE AND THEN HOHENWALD, TENNESSEE.

 

 

 

 

I WOKE UP IN A SUPER 8 MOTEL PARKING LOT IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS THIS MORNING AND WENT TO SLEEP IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSE.  THIS IS WHAT TRANSPIRED TODAY.

 

 

 

 

PEOPLE/STRATEGY/TRAVEL NEWS

 

 

 

 

The Objective 

 

The overriding objective with my trackchasing is to see as many tracks as I can while meeting and exceeding all trackchaser rules.  I accomplished that today with a late November day/night trackchasing double.

 

 

     

The Trip

 

Last night’s final feature event of the night finished up at 10:30 p.m.  Most of the time I do not find it necessary to stay for the very last race.  After I have been at the track for a few hours, the incremental entertainment value received by staying for the last race(s) usually isn’t there. 

 

However, last night the United States Modified Touring Series (USMTS) was racing.  They are one of my favorites.  I never leave until their “A” main is complete.  With two divisions of about 40 cars each, that meant 10 heat races, 4 “B” mains and 2 “A” mains.  I was lucky they finished by 10:30 p.m.

 

I had a 150-mile drive north to San Antonio following the races.  My flight to Nashville left at 7 a.m. on Saturday morning.  I would need to be at the airport by about 6 a.m. in order to clear security with enough time to spare.

 

Now, let’s do the math.  The race ended at 10:30 p.m.  I had to drive 150 miles.  I had to be at the airport by 6 a.m. the next morning.  My figuring told me that the best I could do would be getting 4.5 hours of sleep in my motel.  To me, it didn’t make much sense to get a motel for less than five hours, especially when Motel 6 was charging $55 a night.

 

My alternative was to sleep in my rental car.  Frankly, that wasn’t a good choice either.  During my drive up to San Antonio, I called Carol.  She suggested that maybe I shouldn’t trackchase this aggressively.  There would be other times, I could punish the Eastern trackchasing elite (I’m talking about trackchasing numbers here).  Of course, I told her, there is no time like the present to lay some numbers on those boys.

 

I would be sleeping in the car.  I think this was my third night of 2007, where I did not use a motel/hotel.  One of those nights was along a Georgia interstate.  Ironically, the other night was in San Antonio.  On that special evening, I camped out in the airport when I arrived in San Antonio late and had a 5:40 a.m. flight out the next morning.

 

I must tell you that several trackchasers almost always sleep in their cars in order to keep travel expenses down.  I recognize their dedication.  However, I would not be able to trackchase if that were a requirement for me.  I can do it, once or twice a year, but I don’t like too.

 

I had hoped to find an interstate rest area somewhat near San Antonio. However, I had noticed on my 150 drive down to the track that only one such rest area was available.  That location was 70 miles south of the airport.  I didn’t want to drive that far on Saturday morning. 

 

I ended up finding a quite secluded spot in the parking lot of a Super 8 Motel.  I figured I had stayed with Super 8 enough that they “owed me”.  With temps at about 60 degrees, that part of the stay wasn’t bad.  However, a Pontiac Grand Prix is not a Winnebago.  I tossed and turned to the degree that my reclined bucket seat would let me until 5:15 a.m. (3:15 a.m. San Clemente time). 

 

Sleeping in the car was my best choice.  I could have declined the opportunity to trackchase in Texas on Friday night and then again on Saturday afternoon for a race in Tennessee.  There is no trackchaser who routinely or even rarely that trackchases from location to location when such long distances are involved as I do.  I could have purchased a motel for 4.5 hours of sleep, but that didn’t seem financially prudent either.  I did what I thought was best.  If given the same choice, next time I might do it differently and I might not.

 

 

 

The People

 

I had a most interesting “people” encounter today.  I often visit the Waffle House when I come to the Southeast.  The WH is one of my favorite places for a “breakfast anytime” meal.

 

Today, I stopped at a Nashville area Waffle House at about 11 a.m.  Since I was by myself I grabbed a seat at the counter.  Sitting at the counter is a great place to see all of the cooking that is done from a close-up position.

 

I wasn’t greeted or served immediately.  That is somewhat strange for a visit to the WH.  However, a woman who was washing dishes saw that I was waiting.  She came up and said, “I’m sorry the girl who’s working your spot hasn’t served you.  I’ll take your order”.  With that, she immediately grabbed a cherry Diet Coke for me and took my order of a lite waffle (new at the Waffle House) and a bacon, cheese and egg sandwich.  This is my regular Waffle House selection.

 

I had asked for my drink in a “to go” cup.  I had that Coke in about 10 seconds.  My server then examined my silverware.  She determined my fork was not clean and replaced it.  She even said, “The cook’s a little behind”.  With that, she grabbed the bacon from the refrigerator and plopped it on the waiting stove.  I was quickly served the balance of my meal.  Sensing I was trying to cut back with my “lite” waffle, my alert server asked if I wanted “sugar-free” syrup.  No, I wasn’t cutting back that much!  My server came back two more times to see if I needed anything.  Without my asking, she brought a backup Diet Coke and explained that I could pour the second one into the first glass to take with me.  All the while, she was answering questions from other servers as well as serving several other tables in the restaurant.

 

I can be quick to criticize those in her position who don’t do a good job and don’t care if they do.  This woman was not very attractive and looked as if she had fallen behind with her dental care.  As I munched on my waffle, I wondered what had led her to her current stage in life that had her working at the Waffle House.  Were there people in her life that had let her down?  She was so cheerful and hard working.

 

When I was paying my $8.50 bill with my credit card, I asked the cashier if the servers got to keep their tips or if they had to share them with the other servers.  The cashier told me that each server got to keep his/her tips.  “They work hard for them and deserve them”.  Of course, the cashier was correct.

 

I signed my credit card slip.  Then, I reached into my pocket and folded a bill over four times.  I sought out my server, gave her the bill, and thanked her for her service.  Then, I left the restaurant.  From my position in the parking lot, I could see my server’s reaction to the tip.  I was surprised to see her hugging her counterparts and was even more surprised to see her wiping a tear from her eye.  I suspect she might be making 5-6 bucks an hour.  Maybe some of her customers don’t even leave a tip. 

 

I wished a woman that worked this hard and was this effective could reap more of life’s rewards.  I suspect from a material point of view, that she’s not getting her share.  She’s probably doing much better on a personal basis, since she was so pleasant and caring.  It made my day to see her reaction.  My tip for an $8.50 check?  Twenty bucks.  Truth be known, I would have given her more if I had a larger bill in my money clip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

TRACKCHASING TOURIST ATTRACTION

 

 

Jack Daniel’s Factory Tour – Lynchburg, Tennessee

 

I was looking forward to today’s tour at Jack Daniel’s.  You see, Jack Daniel’s whiskey is my favorite spirit.  However, I would not be able to buy any “Jack” at Jack Daniel’s because they are located in Lynchburg, Tennessee and Lynchburg sits in a “dry” county.  That’s O.K., I’ll make up for it somewhere down the road!

 

If you want to know more about Jack Daniels the company and the brand, check them out at www.jackdaniels.com.  Please be aware that you will have to tell them your birth date before you can enter the website.

 

The Jack Daniel’s slogan is “Every day we make it, we make it the best we can”.  When I entered the property, I found the Welcome Center.  On the outside, its décor blended in with the surroundings.  On the inside, I found a modern looking museum atmosphere.  I soon found the information desk and was assigned to tour #4.  The tours are Jack Daniel’s are free.  They leave every few minutes and a tour lasts for one hour and fifteen minutes.

 

Our tour guide was as “Tennessee” as anyone is ever going to get.  I suspect she played it up a little for her guests, but I don’t think she had to work too hard at creating her Tennessee drawl.  She told us that all employees get a free bottle of Jack Daniel’s on the first Friday of each month.  “We call it Good Friday,” she told us.  “But, it makes for a bad Saturday” (botta bing!), she pointed out for what I am sure was her umpteenth time.

 

The business was initially started out by a preacher.  However, his wife soon told him (as most wives would likely do) that he had to choose between being a preacher and making whiskey.  We all know how that discussion would go.  The preacher gave the business to a fellow by the name of Jack Daniel, and “Jack Daniel’s” was born.  Jack was a bachelor and didn’t have anyone bugging him about making whiskey.

 

Jack registered the company back in 1866.  Jack Daniel’s is the oldest registered distillery in the United States.  Although more than 80% of the ingredients in whiskey are corn, it’s the Tennessee water and “charcoal mellowing” process that makes Jack Daniel’s so good.

 

I was impressed by how small and seemingly, “backwoodish” the entire operation was.  We were able to see most aspects of the production process.  The liquid whiskey is sifted through 10 feet of charcoal to purify it.  After fermentation, it is placed in oak barrels for four years or more.  While in the barrels, it gets its flavor from the oak. 

 

I was surprised to learn that you can buy your own barrel of Jack Daniel’s.  There are 240 bottles to a barrel.  A complete pallet is sent to you with the whiskey already bottled and the oak barrel inscribed with your name.  Cost runs from $8,000-$10,000.  There is a wall of plagues that show all the individuals and companies that have ordered their own barrel.  The Bristol Motor Speedway had ordered seven barrels, more than any other individual or group that I saw.  I’m looking to go in with someone else on a barrel.  Any volunteers?

 

The entire operation was fun to visit.  I highly recommend this tour.  I will look forward to the day when I can bring Carol along for this visit.  In the meantime, I think I’ll just have a shot (or two) of Jack with her and call it a night!

 

 

 

 

STATE RANKINGS

Tennessee

Today’s Tennessee tracks were my 19^th and 20^th in the Volunteer state.  When I started the day, I was in eighth place in the Tennessee standings.  These two tracks leapfrogged me past Tennessee’s favorite son, Sammy Swindell and into sixth place.  This was a two-position gain in the lifetime NGD standings.  I now trail Ed Esser and Andy Sivi by eight tracks for a share of fourth place.  John Moore of Knoxville, Tennessee leads in his home state with 54 tracks.

 

I’ve seen five Tennessee tracks in the past three weeks.  When I started this splurge I was ranked outside of the Tennessee top ten and saddled with 15 NGD state position points.  In those three weeks, my improvement to sixth spot here has given me a nine NGD lifetime point gain.  In order to get just one more NGD point, I would have to see an additional eight Volunteer state tracks.

 

Therefore, it is unlikely I will set foot in Tennessee again any time soon.  However, if those trackchasers below me in the rankings make any noise I will have to revaluate.

 

 

 

 

RACE REVIEW

 

WINCHESTER SPEEDWAY, WINCHESTER, TENNESSEE - TRACK #1,291

 

It was a quick 30-minute drive or so from Lynchburg, Tennessee and the Jack Daniel’s tour to the Winchester Speedway.  I was surprised when my GPS directed me to the back side of the track property.  From there I could see the pit area and most of the track.  However, there was no entrance at all on this side of the property.  I quickly took a few side streets and found the track’s only entrance.

 

I paid my $10 admission fee directly from the car.  Hot laps had been scheduled for 1 p.m.  I arrived at 2:15 p.m.  I’ve been arriving so early for my last several tracks, I figured I would have some leeway arriving when I did.  This prognostication proved correct.  The first heat of the day was sitting on the track, while the national anthem played as I arrived.  Perfect timing!

 

The Winchester Speedway is a high-banked red-clay quarter-mile oval.  This is my favorite type of track.  Although Sunday afternoon is my favorite time of the week to watch racing, Saturday afternoon is good as well.

 

The grandstand was a smallish, steeply banked 10-row wooden affair.  A crowd of only about 100-150 people was on hand, despite this being a beautiful fall day with temps in the low 60s.  I watched the heat races from the grandstands.  Car counts were small with 7-11 cars in each of the divisions that included Outlaw Ponies, Modified Streets, Late Models, Mini-Stocks and Pure Stocks.

 

The P.A. system was stout.  The announcer was informative and gave me a strong trackchaser mention during a yellow flag period.  My cheeseburger ($3.00) was good from the concession stand and included fresh fixins’. 

 

I noticed that several fans were watching the races from the comfort of their vehicles surrounding turn one.  With the sun beginning to go down, that looked like the best place to watch the feature events of the day portion of my 22nd day/night trackchasing double of the 2007 season.  It was still light out at 4:27 p.m. when the late model feature checkered.  With just one more feature event remaining, it was time to head on down the road.  I had 122 miles to cover over some mountainous territory before I reached the last half of this day/night double.

 

 

 

 

 

CHECKERED FLAG SPEEDWAY, HOHENWALD, TENNESSEE - TRACK #1,292

 

The starting time for tonight’s race was a bit vague on the website of the Checkered Flag Speedway.  The site told me that hot laps would begin at 5 p.m.  I made a call to the track.  The woman told me she was just guessing with starting times and I could not “hold her to it”.  The late model feature was the main race of the night.  The late models were going to be the second feature on the program.  The race would pay $3,000 to win and was expected to run at about 9-9:30 p.m.

 

This was good news.  I figured I could get there by 7 p.m. or so.  Now, I didn’t need to be in such a big rush.  I took a 15-minute power nap after getting very little sleep the past two nights.  I stopped at Wendy’s for my normal ration of chili.

 

My GPS unit expertly directed me to the track.  It was dark when I pulled in at 7:10 p.m.  I gathered all of my equipment, which included my race scanner, noise-canceling headset, video camera, dirt goggles and digital still camera.  As I approached the ticket booth, I could hear the announcer telling the crowd which drivers were entered in what turned out to be the late model feature.  It was now 7:10 p.m.  This was the race I was told would start after 9 p.m.  No, you cannot set your watch by the clock of America’s short tracks.

 

The late models brought only eleven cars.  There were about 150 people in the stands.  Either the promoter cut the purse or he lost his shirt, probably both.  By the way, when I arrived the ticket booth was already closed.  This saved me $15.  I took this as good Waffle House karma.

 

I don’t know what type of racing went on before I arrived.  The announcer said very little.  There was much more conversation going on the track’s radio channel.  They spent a good deal of time laughing about a driver who was refusing his racing paycheck because he felt the track had allowed another competitor to run over him.  The track management didn’t seem very concerned.  They laughed and said, “We’ll take his contribution.  It will help us pay some of our losses tonight”.  I don’t know why the announcer didn’t say more.  There were certainly a large number of delays in what I was about to watch.

 

The Checkered Flag Speedway is a nice, new-looking facility.  There is a good deal of spectator seating along the entire front straight of this quarter-mile high-banked red clay oval track.  The pit area sits behind the main grandstand and the parking lot is beyond turns three and four.

 

Car counts were small tonight.  The late models had 11 and the modifieds about ten.  Four other classes had from 4-6 cars in each class.  These included some lower level stock cars and the last class of the night, the hummers.  No, not THAT kind of Hummer.  These were little four-cylinder racecars that just hummed along.  It was only about 9 p.m. when the last feature of the night received the black and white flag.

 

I am surprised at the small crowds the tracks that I visited this weekend were getting.  Although it is late in the season, the weather was excellent.  Car counts were also down, even though in several cases the purses were high.  I can only guess that both spectators and competitors have had a long racing season and may be running short on funds.

 

 

 

RENTAL CAR UPDATE

 

Nashville – Saturday/Sunday/Monday

 

I find it very interesting to observe the way people view and manage money.  You may find it just as interesting on how I view and manage money.  I don’t want to spend money wildly.  Some may view the money I spend on trackchasing as “spending money wildly”.  I don’t want to go without.  Some may even think I “go without” as they observe some of my money management techniques.  I guess it just depends on where you’re coming from.

 

I like to spend money on things that make life more convenient.  One of those “things” that is turning out to be a great value is my “anywhere anytime” internet capability.  Yes, there is an expense for this luxury that has now become a necessity.  However, I strongly believe that you need to “spend money to make money”.  Here is how that worked this morning.

 

I had landed into the Nashville International Airport at 9 a.m.  I found a nice quiet spot over by gate C-9 and went to work.  I am talking about “trackchasing financial management” work.  In just a few minutes I would be reducing costs on critical trackchasing raw materials.  Ya, I guess that Procter & Gamble training is continuing to pay off for me.

 

 

Normally, I will use www.sidestep.com as a baseline for rental car pricing.  I go on that site to see what cars are renting for in the market I will be visiting.  Then I call National Rental Car and can usually beat the prices I see on Sidestep with my P&G corporate (retiree) discount or AAA.  In addition to getting a price advantage with National, I also get their very best cars, usually with satellite radio and preferred pickup service.  These preferences are very valuable to my rental car enjoyment.

 

However, a progressive trackchaser cannot sit still.  If you aren’t improving, you’re probably going backwards.  For some reason, I have always wanted to educate myself whenever I felt that more education was practical and carried a worthwhile reward.

 

When I began my sales career in Peoria, Illinois, I enrolled in MBA School at Bradley University.  Within a year I was promoted to a better job in Cincinnati, Ohio and enrolled in MBA School at Xavier University.  In one more year, I was promoted to a better job in Phoenix, Arizona and enrolled in MBA School at Arizona State University.  In my fourth year with the company, I was promoted to a better job in Los Angeles.  By this time I had earned 12 credit hours toward the thirty required for my MBA degree with three different colleges.  However, the nearest major college to our new home, the University of California-Irvine (yes, they are the anteaters) was not willing to accept credit hours from three different universities.  At that point, it was no longer practical, nor did it carry a worthwhile financial reward to get additional formal education.  I plowed all of my efforts into my sales management career at that point and everything worked out very well.

 

I mention the above to reinforce the point that you can never educate yourself enough.  It doesn’t always have to be “school” education, although if you’re trying to impress someone else (as in getting a better job), then “school” education may be your best bet.

 

Now let’s get back to this morning in the Nashville airport.  With my newfound “anywhere anytime” internet capabilities, a new trackchasing planning frontier has opened up.  This required a little “schooling” for me, but the financial rewards would be worthwhile, at least from a “percentage saved” point of view.

 

I am now using Priceline.com when I know that I will not have to change my hotel or rental car plans.  As most of you know, once you book with Priceline, you cannot change your plans.  In the past, I have avoided Priceline because of these policies.  With standby air travel, Priceline made even less sense (also cents) to me.

 

This morning I was planning to fly from San Antonio to Nashville on Southwest Airlines.  Once I was confirmed on this flight in San Antonio, I popped open my laptop and hooked up to the World Wide Web.  I had only five minutes to do whatever I could before we boarded.

 

I already had a National Rental Car reservation.  The price for my full-size car was $36 per day.  Taxes brought my total to exactly $90.  That seemed a little high, but from time to time weekend rental car prices can be this much or more.

 

At least I knew I was going to Nashville in just a few minutes and I knew what price I needed to beat.  First, I bid $15 per day.  This brought my total price to about $42.  However, Priceline rejected this offer. 

 

Normally, when your bid price is rejected, you must change something with your next offer.  You can’t just say, “O.K., you didn’t like $15/day, how about $20/day?”  You must either change the length of your rental, the car size you are requesting or the location or any combination of these factors.

 

Yesterday, when I bid for my car in San Antonio, I first made a bid that was rejected.  Then Priceline came back and said I could raise my bid without having to make any other changes.  I did that and was successful.

 

Today when I bid $15 and it was rejected, Priceline came back and told me that if I raised my bid to $17, I could have the full-sized car I was wanting.  I did that.  In less than a minute, and with my “B group” Southwest fellow passengers boarding the plane, Priceline came back and congratulated me on my purchase.  With taxes I now had my car for $47.12.  With just the click of a few key strokes, I had saved more than forty-two dollars.

 

So……what have we learned from this?  First, it pays to shop around.  Secondly, in order to shop around more places at a rapid rate, you need on the ground technology that is ready to work in the field.  Finally, you need to have educated yourself to get what the system (in this case, Priceline) has to offer.

 

Yes, I saved forty-two dollars and would get the very same product, this time from Hertz.  I didn’t have to spend too much time for this amount of savings.  Your time is money.  However, when I’m sitting at an airplane gate, I’m not making much so just about any effort I expend would be worthwhile financially.

 

My work in the Nashville airport would get me the hotel advantage I needed.  I checked Motel 6 for a baseline price.  A room with them would cost about $45 for the evening with taxes.  I made several offers with Priceline before getting a 2.5 star hotel near the Nashville airport for $60.73 including tax.  I would be staying at the Springhill Suites by Marriott.

 

If you have a moment, let’s think about this.  The Springhill Suites hotel was charging about $120 per night this weekend.  This is a very nice place.  My room has two double beds, each with four pillows.  I have a “sitting room” and two TVs in the room.  There is also a refrigerator and microwave (I still haven’t convinced Carol to make me meals in the room on a trackchaser trip yet).  There was also a large bathroom, high-speed internet and a most complete continental breakfast.

 

Even though this hotel was very nice, it might not be worth it to pay $120 each night when a Motel 6 could be had for $45.  However, when I could buy the Springhill Suites for $60 and a Motel 6 cost $45, the Springhill Suites was a no-brainer.

 

Now, I am kicking myself for not being more financially progressive in this area of trackchasing a long time ago.  I guess the “anywhere anytime” internet feature opened up this possibility only recently.  I can tell you this.  I’m going to be staying in much better places in the future than I ever have.

 

 

I can also say this.  I’ve been trying to gain an advantage (while always being honest and morally upright) all my life.  Whether it was in sports (practice), financial planning (education and discipline) or trackchasing (whatever it takes), I have found that the sum of small advantages adds up in a short time to big advantages. 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading about my trackchasing,

 

Randy Lewis

Alberta’s #1 Trackchaser

Quitting while you’re ahead is not the same thing as quitting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

TRAVEL DETAILS

 

 

AIRPLANE

 

Los Angeles, CA – San Antonio, TX – 1,112 miles

 

 

RENTAL CAR – SAN ANTONIO

 

San Antonio International Airport – trip begins

Corpus Christi, TX – 152 miles

San Antonio International Airport – 306 miles

AIRPLANE

 

San Antonio, TX – Nashville, TN - 820 miles

 

 

RENTAL CAR – NASHVILLE

 

Nashville Metropolitan Airport – trip begins

Winchester, TN – 96 miles

Hohenwald, TN – 219 miles

 

 

 

 

 

TRACK ADMSSION PRICES:

 

South Texas Speedway – $12

Winchester Speedway - $10

Checkered Flag Speedway – Free

 

 

 

 

 

 

RANKINGS

 

 

LIFETIME TRACKCHASER STANDINGS UPDATE:

 

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

 

1.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 1,292

 

 

 

 

Other notables

 

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

 

27.  Ken Schrader, Concord, North Carolina – 352

 

28.  Carol Lewis, San Clemente, California – 349

 

28.  Max Allender, Des Moines, Iowa – 349

 

 

 

 

 

2007 TRACKCHASER STANDINGS

 

1.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 154

 

2.  Ed Esser, Madison, Wisconsin – 104

 

3.  Roland Vanden Eynde, Vilvoorde, Belgium - 100

 

4.  Mike Knappenberger, Reading, Pennsylvania – 88

 

5.  Paul Weisel, Orefield, Pennsylvania – 61

 

6.  Carol Lewis, San Clemente, California – 55

 

6.  Pam Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania – 55

 

8.  Guy Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania - 54

 

9.  Gordon Killian, Sinking Springs, Pennsylvania – 48

 

10.  Roger Ferrell, Majenica, Indiana – 35

 

Tracks have been reported by 40 different worldwide trackchasers this season.

 

 

 

 

LIFETIME NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY STANDINGS

 

Results current thru 11/11/07**

 

 

1. Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 6.35

2. Gordon Killian, Sinking Springs, Pennsylvania – 6.55

3. Allan Brown, Comstock Park, Michigan – 7.69

 

 

**  Results are unofficial.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

Just one more track to see before it’s turkey time on the Queen Mary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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