GREETINGS FROM ROSAMOND, CALIFORNIA

THIS IS A BONUS REPORT!

SUPER SPECIAL REALLY IMPORTANT NOTICE

We are proud to announce that our daughter Kristy is getting married on May 5, 2007 to James Peters.  Assuming there are no once in a lifetime tracks to see that weekend, I plan to be at the wedding.  Also, assuming the wedding expenses do not bankrupt us, I plan to resume trackchasing following the wedding.  You might want to check out www.jamesandkristy.com to get the lowdown on all family members and the wedding in general.  If you go to www.kristyandjames.com by mistake, you will find another happy couple about to be married.  However, you will soon realize your mistake and hopefully go to www.jamesandkristy.com. 

 

ALL PICTURES HAVE BEEN UPDATED FROM THIS TRACKCHASING TRIP AT WWW.RANLAYRACING.COM

 

I WOKE UP IN SAN CLEMENTE, CALIFORNIA AND WENT TO SLEEP IN THE SAME BED THIS EVENING.  THAT’S MOST UNUSUAL.  THIS IS WHAT TRANSPIRED TODAY.

 

 

PEOPLE/STRATEGY/TRAVEL NEWS

 

The Strategy                                                                                    

Most of you know that my primary trackchasing objective is to see more tracks than anyone else does.  Even though that is my lead strategy, there are some racing days when that thought takes a backseat.  Today was such a day.  Check out “The People” section to see what I mean.

The People

There were three major wins with today’s racing activity.  Let me tell you what I mean by that.

 

First of all, Carol is in the battle of her young life for the 2006 Women’s Worldwide Trackchasing title.  Yes, she is the defending champion of this award, but this year she is being challenged.  Going into today, a woman from Pennsylvania has seen 53 tracks.  After today, Carol has seen 56 tracks.  There is still enough time in the season, for anything to happen.  You can check www.trackchaser.com to see how this contest shakes out on somewhat of a real time basis.

 

In the meantime, I’m trying to keep this catfight from becoming a real hair pulling, eye-gouging affair between two women who are trying to go through the same door at once.  Carol has the lead and she doesn’t want to give it up.  The Pennsylvania woman has seen more tracks this year than she ever has, so she seems motivated.  I’m betting on Carol, but who really knows at this point.

 

The second major result at today’s event involved daughter Kristy.  This young lawyer was seeing her first ever road course racing event.  Let me give you some background on Kristy’s trackchasing history.  She was born in 1977.  I did not begin listing my trackchasing companions on a track-by-track basis until 1986.  This means that I have no record of Kristy’s actual trackchasing activity for the first 8 ½ years of her life.  Someday, I’ll go back and look at family photos to see what tracks can be added to her list prior to ’86.

 

Starting from 1986, Kristy has 21 lifetime tracks to her credit.  Below is a summary of her results.

 

TRACK	CITY	STATE	DATE	COUNTRY
Ascot Park	Gardena	California	5/25/86	UNITED STATES
Santa Maria Speedway	Santa Maria	California	9/11/87	UNITED STATES
Cajon Speedway	El Cajon	California	4/1/89	UNITED STATES
Orange Show Speedway	San Bernadino	California	6/23/90	UNITED STATES
Ventura Speedway	Ventura	California	4/28/91	UNITED STATES
Calistoga Speedway	Calistoga	California	7/6/91	UNITED STATES
Twin City Raceway	Kenai	Alaska	8/5/95	UNITED STATES
LaSalle Speedway	LaSalle	Illinois	8/31/97	UNITED STATES
Irwindale Speedway - 1/2 mile	Irwindale	California	5/25/99	UNITED STATES
Northhampton International Raceway	Northhampton		6/26/99	ENGLAND
Hednesford Hills Raceway	Hednesford Hills		6/27/99	ENGLAND
Coventry International Motor Speedway	Coventry		7/3/99	ENGLAND
Irwindale Speedway - 1/3 mile	Irwindale	California	8/6/99	UNITED STATES
Paramatta City Speedway	Granville	New South Wales	c 1999	AUSTRALIA
Little Log House Speedway	Hastings	Minnesota	7/28/06	UNITED STATES
Elko Speedway (outer oval)	Elko	Minnesota	7/28/06	UNITED STATES
Elko Speedway (inner oval)	Elko	Minnesota	7/28/06	UNITED STATES
Elko Speedway (F8)	Elko	Minnesota	7/28/06	UNITED STATES
Chickasaw Big Four Fairgrounds	Nashua	Iowa	7/29/06	UNITED STATES
Buffalo River Speedway	Glendon	Minnesota	7/30/06	UNITED STATES
Willow Springs International Speedway	Rosamond	California	11/12/06	UNITED STATES

 

For a trackchaser with just 21 tracks, she has an interesting trackchaser resume.  First of all, she has seen racing in two foreign countries, Australia and England.  To her credit, she organized a racing trip all by herself to Paramatta City Raceway, near Sydney, with some of her friends while she was a college exchange student living in Australia.

 

She has also seen a racetrack in Alaska.  This was a great father/daughter trip just for the two of us.  There were two highlights from this trip.  First, Kristy made friends with the local tow truck driver at the track.  This allowed us to watch the races from atop his truck all afternoon.  Also on this trip, Kristy and I went salmon fishing.  She caught a 55-pound King Salmon!  I refinanced our mortgage to pay for the fish to be filleted and sent back to San Clemente.  That was the most expensive fish I ever ate!

 

I mentioned there were three major pluses to the trip today.  The third plus involved Kristy’s fiancé, James, and his attendance at the Willow Springs International Raceway.  Today was the first auto race that James, also an attorney, had ever attended.  He grew up in Wisconsin and Oklahoma and for some reason, never made it to a racetrack until now.

 

Of course, it wouldn’t be right for the future son-in-law of the #1 Trackchaser Living West of the Mississippi to walk down the aisle without having been to a racetrack would it?  Of course not!  James had a fun time with today’s road course and is looking forward to some oval and figure 8 racing action soon.

 

My first visit to the Willow Springs International Raceway was back in 1991.  I remember Bobby Unser being the Grand Marshall that day.  Little did I know I would return some 15 years later with three more trackchasers in tow.

The Trip

Today’s racing took up the full day.  We left San Clemente at 9:30 a.m. and didn’t get back home until nearly 11 p.m.  The non-racing highlight of the day was a visit to Zankou chicken (www.zankouchicken.com) and Mashti Malone’s Iranian ice cream parlor (http://www.mashtimalone.com/) following the races.  Los Angeles may have as many unique hole in the wall eateries at New York does.

 

The Zankou chicken restaurant is a local outfit that features a special garlic paste that we plastered all over our rotisserie chicken.  It was delicious.  Here’s what the critics have to say about this place.

 

“This might be the best roast chicken in town at any price: moist, juicy, and fragrant with garlic-infused marinade.”

-- Los Angeles Times

 

Here are some of the foods we feasted on:

 

SHAWERMA
Marinated and spiced slices of Beef stacked on a spit and grilled against an open fire.

TARNA ^®
Marinated and spiced slices of Chicken stacked on a spit and grilled against an open fire.

FALAFEL
Crushed Garbanzo and Fava Beans, Split Peas, mixed with exotic natural spices and deep-fried in peanut oil.

HOMMUS
A paste made of blended Garbanzo Beans mixed with sesame sauce, fresh garlic and topped with salad oil.

 

Following our garlic chicken experience, we went to the Mashti Malone’s ice cream parlor.   When was the last time you visited an Iranian ice cream shop?  You will not find flavors like Rosewater Saffron or Pomegranata Sorbet at Baskins-Robbins.

 

Here is what Bon Appetit had to say about Mashti Malone’s.

“When two Iranian brothers bought an ice cream parlor called Mugsy Malone’s some 20 years ago, they couldn’t afford to replace the entire sign; thus was born this only-in-America shop that has since become a source for area restaurants.  Fans love the Middle Eastern accents in Orange Blossom ice cream and Rose sorbet.”

 

Pavia Rosati

 

We can always count on eating at the most unique and tasty places when we travel with Kristy and James in Los Angeles.  The conversation was lively especially when we discussed the topic of computer dating.

 

 

RACE TRACK STATS:

 

WILLOW SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY, ROSAMOND, CALIFORNIA – CAROL’S TRACK #287 – 11/12/06

 

This was Carol’s 54^th lifetime track to see in the Golden state.  This was Kristy’s ninth California track and, of course, James’ first.  Carol ranks 5^th in California.  Kristy and James have no ranking because in order for any American trackchaser to have any rankings whatsoever on www.trackchaser.com, they must first have 200 lifetime tracks.  I don’t make these policies, I just explain them.  Gary Jacobs leads the state with an incredible 149 tracks.  That’s 51 more than I have here!

 

 

RACE TRACK NEWS:

 

WILLOW SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY

There are several countable racetrack configurations at this facility.  Most of them do not run countable racing, but they probably have in the past and I’m hoping they will in the future.  Here is a list of those tracks.

 

-        Willow Springs International Raceway – 9 turns – 2.5 miles

-        Streets of Willow – 10 turns – 1.5 miles

-        Horse Thief Mile – 11 turns – 1 mile

-        Willow Springs Kart Track – 9 turns - .625 miles

-        Willow Springs Speedway – ¼ mile asphalt oval & figure 8

-        Walt James Stadium – 3/8 mile clay oval & ¼ mile paved oval

-        Hillside Mountain – Off road

 

That makes nine tracks that could hold countable racing at this facility.  I’ve only seen racing at two of the tracks (WSIR and Willow Springs Speedway – oval).

 

The Willow Springs International Raceway is unique.  It was built in 1953 and is an Official California State Point of Historical Interest.  It is America’s oldest and first purpose-built road racing circuit. 

 

The course has a dramatic elevation change.  From the flat start/finish area, the cars race up the side of a mini-mountain before turning back down hill.  Spectators can see nearly the entire track from almost anywhere on the track.  That is very unusual.

 

Today’s racing was sanctioned by the Vintage Auto Racing Association (www.vara.com).  Today there were six classes of racing.  Please checkout www.ranlayracing.com for some great pictures of the racing and the facility.  You can even see a picture of my all-time (for 2006 anyway!) favorite racecar.

 

We also enjoyed the unique food this road course offered.  Road courses almost always provide special culinary offerings.  We dined on egg salad and tuna fish sandwiches.  This was supplemented by chili and taquitoes.  You can’t beat that variety.

 

 

WEATHER CONDITIONS

This track is located just north of Los Angeles.  It’s amazing how rural this area can be when it’s so close to such a large metropolitan locale.  The sky was blue and the air was clear.  Temperatures were in the low 60s.  With the sun shining, it was a gorgeous day for this outing.

 

 

RENTAL CAR UPDATE:

 

No rental car today.  We motored along in the Carol Lewis owned and Life of Virginia sponsored Lexus LS 430.  It’s a great road car.

 

Saturday total driving miles – 286

LIFETIME TRACKCHASER STANDINGS UPDATE:

 

These worldwide trackchasers are within 100 tracks (plus or minus) of my current trackchaser total.

 

1.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 1,126

2.  Guy Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania – 1,072 (-54)*

3.  Rick Schneider – Bay Shore, New York - 1,060 (-66)*

4.  Gordon Killian, Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania – 1,035 (-91)*

7.  Ed Esser, Madison, Wisconsin – 956 (-170)**

 

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

 

** Special exemption.

 

 

 

Other notables

 

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

33.  Ron Rodda, Lincoln, California – 297 (+10)

34.  Johnny Gibson, Grand Island, Nebraska – 290 (+3)

35.  Carol Lewis, San Clemente, California - 287

36.  Sammy Swindell, Bartlett, Tennessee – 279 (-8)

 

 

 

2006 TRACKCHASER STANDINGS

 

1.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California - 135

2.  Mike Knappenberger, Reading, Pennsylvania - 98

3.  Ed Esser, Madison, Wisconsin – 96

4.  Roland Vanden Eynde, Vilvoorde, Belgium – 86

5.  Paul Weisel, Orefield, Pennsylvania – 80

6.  Guy Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania - 67

7.  Roger Ferrell, Majenica, Indiana – 62

8.  Allan Brown, Comstock Park, Michigan - 59

9.  Carol Lewis, San Clemente, California – 56

10. Pam Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania – 53

 

 

LIFETIME NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY STANDINGS

 

2006 (current – 10/29/06)**

 

1. Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 7.08

2. Gordon Killian, Sinking Springs, Pennsylvania – 7.10

3. Allan Brown, Comstock Park, Michigan – 7.86

 

**Lifetime NGD results could be affected by current track counting proposals

 

  

 

 

 

Thanks for reading about my trackchasing,

Randy Lewis

#1 Trackchaser Living West of the Mississippi

 

If you don’t want mud in your eye, don’t stand at the fence.

 

 

TRACK ADMSSION PRICES:

 

Willow Springs International Raceway – $10

 

 

Total racetrack admissions - $10

 

 

 

 

Past trackchasing reports are available at:

www.ranlayracing.com

 

Official trackchaser standings can be viewed at:

www.trackchaser.com  

 

Some of my standings data comes from trackchaser.com

 

 

 

 

 

UPCOMING TRACKCHASING PLANS

 

My next trip is going to be VERY unusual.

 

 

 

RACETRACKS VISITED IN 2006 (** not the first time to visit this track)

 

992.  Watermelon Capital Speedway, Cordele, Georgia - January 14

 

993.  Cross Roads Motorplex (asphalt oval), Jasper, Florida - January 15

 

994.  Norfolk Scope Arena, Norfolk, Virginia - January 20

 

995.  Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California - January 21

 

996.  Oregon State Fair & Expo Center, Forster Livestock Arena, Salem, Oregon - January 28

 

997.  Morosso Motorsports Park, Jupiter, Florida – February 4

 

998.  Thunderbowl Speedway of Ocala, Ocala, Florida - February 4

 

999.  Cross Roads Motorplex (dirt oval), Jasper, Florida - February 5

 

1,000. Auburndale Kartway, Auburndale, Florida - February 10

 

1,001. Ocala Speedway (asphalt oval), Ocala, Florida - February 12

 

1,002. Speedworld Speedway, Surprise, Arizona - February 19

 

1,003. Lowe’s Motor Speedway (1/5 mile asphalt oval), Concord, North Carolina - February 25

 

1,004. Concord Raceway, Concord, North Carolina - February 25

 

1,005. Antioch Speedway, Antioch, North Carolina - February 25

 

1,006. Green Valley Speedway, Gadsden, Alabama - February 26

 

1,007. East Bay Raceway (inner oval), Gibsonton, Florida – March 17

 

1,008. Volusia Speedway Park West (1/6M oval), Barberville, Florida – March 18

 

1,009. Speedway Park, Fruitland Park, Florida – March 18

 

1,010. Sand Mountain Speedway (road course), Fort Meade, Florida – March 19

 

1,011. Anderson Motor Speedway, Anderson, South Carolina – March 31

 

1,012. Westminster Speedway, Westminster, South Carolina – March 31

 

1,013. East Lincoln Motor Speedway, Stanley, North Carolina – April 1

 

1,014. Margarettsville Speedway, Margarettsville, North Carolina – April 2

 

1,015. Sunny South Raceway, Grand Bay, Alabama – April 7

 

1,016. Barber Motorsports Park, Leeds, Alabama – April 8

 

1,017. Coldwater Raceway, Coldwater, Alabama – April 8

 

1,018. Talladega Short Track, Talladega, Alabama – April 8

 

1,019. Ballymena Raceway, Ballymena, Northern Ireland - April 14

 

1,020. Oulton Park, Little Budworth, England - April 15

 

1,021. Somerset Rebels Banger Raceway, Rooks Bridge, England - April 16

 

1,022. Mendips Raceway, Shipham, England - April 16

 

1,023. Oval Raceway, Angmering, England - April 17

 

1,024. Arlington Stadium, Eastbourne, England - April 17

 

1,025. Southside Speedway, Midlothian, Virginia - April 28

 

1,026. Motor Mile Speedway, Radford, Virginia - April 29

 

1,027. Wythe Speedway, Wytheville, Virginia - April 29

 

1,028. Summit Point Raceway, Summit Point Circuit, Summit Point, West Virginia - April 30

 

1,029. Old Dominion Speedway – inner inner oval, Manassas, Virginia - April 30

 

1,030. Shenandoah Speedway, Shenandoah, Virginia – May 4

 

1,031. Bridgeport Speedway (inner oval – front), Bridgeport, New Jersey - May 5

 

1,032. Empty Jug, Hawley, Pennsylvania - May 6

 

1,033. Oakland Valley Race Park, Cuddebackville, New York - May 6

 

1,034. Thunder Mountain Speedway, Center Isle, New York - May 6

 

1,035. Motocross 338, Southwick, Massachusetts - May 7

 

1,036. Glen Ridge Motorsports Park, Fultonville, New York - May 7

 

1,037. Calumet County Speedway, Chilton, Wisconsin - May 19

 

1,038. Grant County Speedway, Lancaster, Wisconsin - May 20

 

1,039. Blackhawk Farms Raceway, Rockton, Illinois - May 21

 

1,040. The Milwaukee Mile (Road course), West Allis, Wisconsin - May 21

 

** Angell Park Speedway, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin – May 21 (new track Carol only)

 

1,041. Park Jefferson Speedway, Jefferson, South Dakota - May 25

 

1,042. Superior Speedway, Superior, Wisconsin - May 26

 

1,043. Brainerd International Raceway, Brainerd, Minnesota - May 27

 

1,044. Canby Speedway, Canby, Minnesota - May 27

 

1,045. Crawford County Fairgrounds (figure 8), Denison, Iowa - May 28

 

1,046. Tri-State Speedway, Sisseton, South Dakota - May 29

 

1,047. Sheyenne River Speedway, Lisbon, North Dakota - May 29

 

1,048. Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch, Pahrump, Nevada – June 3

 

1,049. The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, Nevada – June 3

 

1,050. Hibbing Raceway, Hibbing, Minnesota – June 6

 

1,051. Buena Vista Raceway, Alta, Iowa – June 7

 

1,052. Lebanon Midway Speedway, Lebanon, Missouri – June 8

 

1,053. Rocky Top Raceway, Coal Grove, Ohio – June 9

 

1,054. Midvale Speedway (oval), Midvale, Ohio – June 10

 

1,055. Midvale Speedway (figure 8), Midvale, Ohio – June 10

 

1,056. Spring Valley Raceway, Millport, Ohio – June 11

 

1,057. Rialto Airport Speedway, Rialto, California – June 17

 

1,058. Lawrenceburg Speedway (figure 8), Lawrenceburg, Indiana - June 20

 

1,059. Lawrenceburg Speedway (temporary oval), Lawrenceburg, Indiana - June 20

 

1,060. Thunder Mountain Speedway, Knox Dale, Pennsylvania - June 21

 

1,061. State Park Speedway, Wausau, Wisconsin - June 22

 

1,062. Dodge County Fairgrounds Speedway, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin - June 23

 

1,063. Lucas Oil Speedway (oval), Wheatland, Missouri - June 24

 

1,064. Lucas Oil Speedway (figure 8), Wheatland, Missouri - June 24

 

1,065. Tri-City Speedway, Pontoon Beach, Illinois - June 25

 

1,066. Lake Ozark Speedway, Eldon, Missouri - June 29

 

1,067. Poplar Bluff Speedway, Poplar Bluff, Missouri - June 30

 

1,068. Indianapolis Motor Speedway (road course), Indianapolis, Indiana – July 1

 

1,069. Rush County Fairgrounds, Rushville, Indiana – July 1

 

1,070. Rock Castle Speedway, Mount Vernon, Kentucky – July 2

 

** Windy Hollow Speedway (oval), Owensboro, Kentucky – July 2

 

1,071. Heartland Park Topeka (dirt oval), Topeka, Kansas – July 3

 

1,072. Thunderhill Speedway, Mayetta, Kansas – July 3

 

1,073. Little Valley Speedway, Little Valley, New York – July 13

 

** Twin State Speedway (oval), Claremont, New Hampshire – July 14

 

1,074. Twin State Speedway (figure 8), Claremont, New Hampshire – July 14

 

1,075. Canaan Speedway (asphalt oval), Canaan, New Hampshire – July 14

 

** New Hampshire International Speedway, Loudon, New Hampshire – July 15