DAY 2 – JUST CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF THE FAR WEST TRACKCHASING TOUR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NEWS RELEASE

My visit to the Great Basin Raceway was recognized by the local newspaper, the Ely Times.  This is a weekly publication.  Click on this link http://www.elynews.com/articles/2008/07/16/sports/sports03.txt to see what the paper had to tell its readers about the hobby of trackchasing.  This link should be active until Wednesday, July 23, 2008.

 

 

 

 

TODAY’S HEADLINES

 

Why did I come to Nevada today?...................more in “The Objective”.

 

Today was a rather difficult travel day.  It was definitely a “long walk for a short slide” …………..details in “The Trip”.

 

I met an interesting newspaperman today…………..details in “The People”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click on or paste this link in your browser to see the photos from this trip.

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/Ranlay8/080712GreatBasinRaceway

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GREETINGS FROM ELY, NEVADA.

 

 

 

 

I WOKE UP THIS MORNING IN MEDFORD, OREGON.  I WENT TO SLEEP IN EUREKA, NEVADA.  THIS IS WHAT TRANSPIRED TODAY.

 

 

 

 

PEOPLE/STRATEGY/TRAVEL NEWS

 

 

 

 

The Objective 

 

I guess the overriding reason to come to Nevada this weekend was to attempt to move into Nevada state trackchasing lead.  Luckily, I was successful in meeting that objective.

The Trip

 

Probably the most memorable aspect of today’s visit to the Great Basin Raceway was getting there.  I woke up at 4:30 a.m. in Medford, Oregon.  I quickly showered and went to the airport.  I would be flying to either Salt Lake City non-stop (my preferred choice) or to Denver and then onto Salt Lake (my second choice).

 

Both flights were early (6:20 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. respectively) and almost fully booked.  Of course, my second flight option left first.  That meant I would have to decide if I wanted to connect through Denver and land some five hours later in Salt Lake than when option #1 would get me there.  If I passed on the earlier Denver flight and then didn’t make my first choice to Salt Lake at 6:20 a.m., I would be stuck in Oregon.  That meant I would not be able to make it to the Great Basin Speedway, my planned destination.

 

 

My name was called for a seat on the 6 a.m. flight to Denver and then onto Salt Lake City.  I turned down that option.  Now I had to wait to see if I could get on the Salt Lake flight in the next 20 minutes.  I made it!  Now, it was a simple 575-mile flight over to Salt Lake City, Utah.

 

 

When I landed I picked up my rental car.  The rental would start in Salt Lake and end up with me dropping it off in Reno, Nevada.  You’ll learn why that was the preferred idea in a later Trackchaser Report.

 

 

From the Salt Lake City airport it was nearly a 300-mile drive that would take me about five hours to complete.  Yes, the above might give you some indication what it’s like to trackchase in the American Far West.

 

 

I arrived at the track at about 2 p.m.  There were just a few cars in the pit area.  I elected to spend a few hours in a local state park with a lake view.  While I was there a huge thunderstorm came through dumping a good deal of rain.  This concerned me for tonight’s racing, especially after the travel hoops I had jumped through to get this far.

 

 

I was back at the track at 5 p.m.  The ad on the local radio told everyone hot laps were scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m.  There were still only a few cars in the pit area.  The track didn’t look too bad after the rain shower with only puddles of water on the very inside lane of the half-mile oval.

 

 

Nevertheless, the racing did not start on time.  The first heat race did not begin until 9:05 p.m.  There didn’t seem to be a great sense of urgency to get the races going.  With a short car count, the races didn’t last long.

 

 

I finished up the evening driving 80 miles over the mountains.  The roads were winding and I nearly ran down a very large deer.  I think there’s a reason that almost nobody goes trackchasing out in these parts.  It’s just too damn difficult.

 

 

 

The People

 

The elevation of Ely, Nevada is more than 6,000 feet.  The town’s population is only about 4,000.  The town’s newspaper is the Ely Times.  It’s a weekly paper although it used to be published on a daily basis.

 

 

I received a call earlier in the week from John Plestina.  John is the one and only reporter for the entire paper.  His editors had learned of my planned attendance at the Great Basin Raceway.  They wanted John to get some coverage of a visit to Ely, Nevada by the World’s #1 Ranked Trackchaser.

 

 

John and I met in the pit area for a brief photo shoot.  He promised to send a copy of the paper that will include the trackchaser story.  He was intrigued regarding how and why someone could and would want to be doing something like this.

 

 

John had an interesting story himself.  He showed up wearing a Boston Red Sox t-shirt.  Although he grew up in the west, he had spent the last 30 years living in New England, mostly in Maine.  Just last year, he packed up all of his belongings and moved out west.

 

 

John must have a penchant for living where it’s not that easy to live.  Neither Maine nor rural Nevada offers a climate or lifestyle suited for the less than rough and ready.  John, it was nice meeting you.  Good luck in your new location.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RACE REVIEW

GREAT BASIN RACEWAY, ELY, NEVADA

 

Rural tracks in the United States, especially in the Far West have a hard time with car counts.  This weekend was a special two-day late model special.  Unfortunately, there were only 11 late models in attendance.  The track owner told me he once had 39 late model racers for this event.  However, that was not the case tonight.

 

I had spoken to the track owner, Jim Hicks, a couple of times over the past couple of years regarding his track.   Jim is pretty much a one-man band.  The track does not have a website.  Jim was kind enough to give me the year’s schedule.  Every time I talked to him, he recommended I come for his once a year late model special.  I took him up on his offer.

 

Unfortunately, the track received a 30-minute rain shower in mid-afternoon today.  Although I didn’t think the track was that damp, they didn’t seem very well equipped to handle the wet stuff.  I didn’t think they had much of a sense of urgency about getting the program started on time either.

 

This was not at all dissimilar to the very poor job the North Georgia Speedway did with their rain problems earlier this year.  Nevertheless, they did get the show in tonight.  I have now seen 65 new tracks in 2008, with only one trackchasing day rained out.  I think that’s pretty good.

 

Jim Hicks built this track by himself with only the help of his son.  They did a great job on the facility.  The track is a wide and smooth half-mile slightly banked dirt oval.  The lighting is good.  They also have a state of the art aluminum grandstand. 

 

However, beyond having a quality facility, they don’t seem to have the rest of their act together.  Hot laps were set for 6:30 p.m.  The first race did not begin until past 9 p.m.  There was really no need for such a delay.  It had not rained that much.  They just didn’t do anything with the track to get it ready.  Incredibly, the announcer, a woman, had almost nothing to say about the program or the races as they progressed.  I find this type of omission inexcusable when you have fans in the stands.

 

There were only 11 late models racing in the heat races.  There were 4-5 street stock cars in the support class.  You can’t do much with car counts like this and the Great Basin Raceway didn’t.

 

 

 

 

 

STATE RANKINGS

 

Nevada

 

This evening I saw my 21st lifetime track in Nevada.  This breaks a tie with the late Gary Jacob who stands in second place with 20 tracks out here.  This also gives me the undisputed lead in 11 of the 13 Far West states.  A fairly robust 39 worldwide trackchasers have come to this state to support their trackchasing hobby.  Trackchasing’s First Mother ranks third here with eleven tracks.  No other trackchaser has more than six tracks in the Silver state.

 

 

Now you can see the entire up to date trackchaser rankings for the state.  Just click on this link or paste it in your browser:

 

http://trackchaser.net/statregion.asp?country=USA&region=NV

 

RENTAL CAR UPDATE

 

Salt Lake City, UT – Saturday/Monday

I will be driving the National Rental Car Racing Chevy Impala.  This was a one-way rental.  I picked the car up in Salt Lake City and dropped it off in Reno.  Normally, they don’t rent their best cars for trips like this.  However, my Impala had just 5,000 miles on it, a comfortable leather interior and XM satellite radio.  I could not have asked for more.  The Impala was a very comfortable car to drive.  If I were in the market for a car in this price range, this would be a good choice.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading about my trackchasing,

 

Randy Lewis

Alberta’s #1 Trackchaser

When you’re honest, you don’t need a good memory.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TRAVEL DETAILS

 

 

AIRPLANE

 

Orange County, – San Francisco, CA – 372 miles

San Francisco, CA -  Medford, OR – 329 miles

 

 

RENTAL CAR

 

Rogue Valley International Airport – trip begins

White City, OR – 31 miles

Rogue Valley International Airport – 44 miles

AIRPLANE

 

Medford, OR – Salt Lake City, UT – 575 miles

 

 

RENTAL CAR

 

Salt Lake City International Airport – trip begins

Ely, NV – 292 miles

 

 

 

 

TRACK ADMSSION PRICES:

 

Southern Oregon Speedway - $5

Great Basin Raceway – $10 (senior rate)

 

 

 

 

 

RANKINGS

 

 

LIFETIME TRACKCHASER STANDINGS UPDATE:

 

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

 

1.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 1,363

 

 

Full Lifetime World Rankings

http://trackchaser.net/trackchasers.asp

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other notables

 

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

 

26.  Kevin Eckert, Indianapolis, Indiana – 450

 

27.  Ken Schrader, Concord, North Carolina – 368

 

28.  Carol Lewis, San Clemente, California – 366

 

 

 

 

 

 

2008 TRACKCHASER STANDINGS

 

1.  Mike Knappenberger, Reading, Pennsylvania – 80

 

2.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 65

 

3.  Ed Esser, Madison, Wisconsin – 39

 

4.  Roland Vanden Eynde, Vilvoorde, Belgium - 29

 

5.  Guy Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania - 26

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tracks have been reported by 35 different worldwide trackchasers this season.

 

Complete 2008 Trackchasing Standings

http://trackchaser.net/statyear.asp?year=2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIFETIME NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY STANDINGS

 

After the most recent updates (July 1, 2008), I have a comfortable 19 state position lead.  As long as I can keep a 10 state position lead, things will be under control.

 

 

 

 

 

COMPLETE TRACK TYPE CATEGORY RANKINGS OF NOTE:

 

Dirt Track Standings

http://trackchaser.net/statsurface.asp?surface=Dirt

 

Paved Track Standings

http://trackchaser.net/statsurface.asp?surface=Paved

 

Ice Track Standings

http://trackchaser.net/statsurface.asp?surface=Ice

 

Mixed Track Standings

http://trackchaser.net/statsurface.asp?surface=Mixed

 

Oval Track Standings

http://trackchaser.net/statoval.asp

 

Circuit (road course) Track Standings

http://trackchaser.net/statcircuit.asp

 

Figure 8 Track Standings

http://trackchaser.net/statf8.asp

 

Indoor Track Standings

http://trackchaser.net/statindoor.asp

 

 

 

 

 

Official Trackchaser Rules

http://trackchaser.net/rules.asp

 

 

 

 

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 aka “Tonto”

 

 

 

 

 

 

UPCOMING TRACKCHASING PLANS

 

Since I’m already out in the middle of nowhere in Nevada, I might as well pick one more Silver state track off.  Then I won’t have to come back out here again anytime soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RACETRACKS VISITED IN 2008 (** not the first time to visit this track)

 

 

1,299. Barnes Lake Ice Track, Ashcroft (road course), British Columbia, Canada - January 13

 

1,300. Bira Circuit, Pattaya (road course), Thailand - January 19

 

1,301. Cameron Lake Ice Track (oval), Erskine, Minnesota - January 26

 

1,302. Birch Lake Ice Track (oval), Hackensack, Minnesota - January 27

 

1,303. Mille Lacs Lake Ice Track (road course), Garrison, Minnesota - January 27

 

1,304. Mille Lacs Lake Ice Track (oval), Garrison, Minnesota - January 27

 

1,305. Ozark Empire Fairgrounds (oval), Springfield, Missouri – February 1

 

1,306. Atlanta Motor Speedway (road course), Hampton, Georgia – February 2

 

1,307. Brainerd International Raceway Ice Track (road course), Brainerd, Minnesota – February 3

 

1,308. Bay of Green Bay Ice Track (road course), Marinette, Wisconsin – February 9

 

1,309. Lake Speed Ice Track (oval), Tilleda, Wisconsin – February 9

 

1,310. Shawano Lake Ice Track – North Shore (oval), Shawano, Wisconsin – February 10

 

1,311. Cecil Bay Iceway (oval) – Cecil, Wisconsin – February 10

 

1,312. Mototown USA (oval) – Windsor, Connecticut – February 15

 

1,313. Moosehead Lake Ice Track (oval) – Greenville Junction, Maine – February 16

 

1,314. Clarence Creek Ice Track (oval) – Clarence Creek, Ontario, Canada – February 17

 

1,315. Durban Grand Prix (road course), KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa – February 24

 

1,316. Lake La Biche Ice Track (road course), Lake La Biche, Alberta, Canada – March 1

 

1,317. Rice Lake Ice Track (oval), Rice Lake, Wisconsin – March 8

 

1,318. Ashland Ice Track (oval), Ashland, Wisconsin – March 9

 

1,319. Autodromo Hermanos Rodriquez (road course), Mexico City, Mexico – March 16

 

1,320. Hartwell Motor Speedway (oval), Hartwell, Georgia – March 22

 

1,321. Lavonia Speedway, Lavonia (oval), Georgia – March 22

 

1,322. Dover Raceway (road course), Brown’s Town, St. Ann, Jamaica – March 24

 

1,323. Lake Country Speedway (oval), Ardmore, Oklahoma – March 29

 

1,324. Swainsboro Raceway (oval), Swainsboro, Georgia – April 3

 

1,325. Screven Motor (oval), Sylvania, Georgia – April 4

 

1,326. Centerville Super Speedway (oval), Centerville, Arkansas – April 5

 

1,327. Central Arkansas Speedway (oval), Plumerville, Arkansas – April 5

 

1,328. Clinton Country Speedway (oval), Alpha, Kentucky – April 6

 

1,329. Pleasant Valley Raceway (oval), Boise, Idaho – April 20

 

1,330. Bremerton Raceway (road course), Bremerton, Washington – April 26

 

1,331. Port Angeles Speedway (oval), Port Angeles, Washington – April 26

 

1,332. Evergreen Speedway (1/5-mile oval), Monroe, Washington – April 27

 

1,333. Virginia Motor Speedway (oval), Jamaica, Virginia – May 1

 

1,334. Natural Bridge Speedway (oval), Natural Bridge, Virginia – May 2

 

1,335. Sturup Raceway, Malmo (road course), Sweden – May 10

 

1,336. Ring Djursland, Tirstrup (road course), Denmark – May 11

 

1,337. Nisseringen, Naestved (road course), Denmark – May 12

 

1,338. Valentine Speedway (oval), Glenrock, Wyoming – May 17

 

1,339. Gillette Thunder Speedway (oval), Gillette, Wyoming – May 17

 

1,340. Phillips County Speedway (oval), Holyoke, Colorado – May 18

 

1,341. North Pole Speedway (oval), North Pole, Alaska, – May 22

 

1,342. Tanacross Airport (road course), Tok, Alaska, – May 24

 

1,343. Mitchell Raceway (oval), Fairbanks, Alaska, – May 24

 

1,344. North Star Speedway (oval), Wasilla, Alaska, – May 25

 

1,345. Capitol Speedway (oval), Willow, Alaska, – May 25

 

1,346. Elk City Speedway (inner oval), Elk City, Oklahoma, – May 30

 

1,347. Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex (oval), Sweet Springs, Missouri – May 31

 

1,348. Central Missouri Speedway (oval), Warrensburg, Missouri – May 31

 

1,349. Lucas Oil Speedway (road course), Wheatland, Missouri – June 1

 

1,350. Ark-La-Tex Speedway (oval), Vivian, Louisiana – June 5

 

1,351. Monticello Speedway (oval), Monticello, Arkansas – June 6

 

1,352. Paris Motor Speedway (oval), Paris, Texas – June 7

 

1,353. Grayson County Speedway (oval), Bells, Texas – June 7

 

1,354. Prowers County Motorsports Park (oval), Lamar, Colorado – June 13

 

1,355. Moler Raceway Park (oval), Williamsburg, Ohio – June 20

 

1,356. La Junta Raceway (road course), La Junta, Colorado – June 21

 

1,357. El Paso County Speedway (oval), Calhan, Colorado – June 21

 

1,358. York County Fairgrounds (figure 8), York, Nebraska – June 22

 

1,359. Black Hills Speedway (oval), Rapid City, South Dakota  – June 27

 

1,360. Heartland Speedway (oval), Rapid City, South Dakota  – June 27

 

1,361. Newcastle Speedway (oval), Newcastle, Wyoming  – June 28

 

1,362. Jackson County Sports Park (oval), White City, Oregon  – July 11

 

1,363. Great Basin Raceway (oval), Ely, Nevada – July 12

 

 

 

 

 

 

Far West “Chase to be #1”

 

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 1-2 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 third place in Hawaii and trail first place by one track.  I’m looking forward to spending more time than usual in the Far West, a great part of our country.

 

Alaska – 1^st by 2

 

Arizona – 1^st by 8

 

California – 2^nd - trail by 46

 

Colorado – 1^st by 3

 

Hawaii – 3^rd – trail by 1

 

Idaho – 1^st by 3

 

Montana – 1^st by 1

 

Nevada – 1^st by 1

 

New Mexico – 1^st by 4

 

Oregon – 1^st by 1

 

Utah – 1^st by 2

 

Washington – 1^st by 3

 

Wyoming – 1^st by 3