Raceway Closures--

[AB195]

Just chit-chatted with Allan Brown, the historical known author of National Speedway Directory, and Americas Speedways Past And Present, and came up with a few interesting stats, for those that care to read on.

An average of 10 Raceways a year are lost to attrition, whether it be urban sprall or bad track management; the biggest loss occured in the '70's.

However, as odd as that seems, we (we?) have been gaining an average of 22 to 31 tracks a year for the past 6 years; newly built, yes newly built tracks, and others that have remained dormant for some time comming back into operation once again.

Dormant Raceways, closed for at least 5 years or less, opening back up under new management, with a revamped look, there were 29 of them last year, and had been an average of 50 a year until last year.

Hilltop Raceway in Ohio was the longest closed Raceway to re-open, as it had been 31 years since it had last seen action.

The average Dormant Raceway re-opening is 5 years or less, with most falling silent for good after 5 years or more.

Alot can be taken from these stats, as bleek at times it seems, old Raceways come back from time-to-time, and new ones are also being built.

[Osmosis Jones]

Glimmering hope......

so there's still hope for St. Pete (Sunshine Speedway) then?



Good talking to ya yesterday, Rog.....

[flraceguy]

You know it is a great thing to see those stats as such (I haven't consulted on a track in a couple of years)... One of the problems of the older speedways is the owners/managers fall dorment and when things get tough they shut 'er down... Thankfully many racers are coming back, some with their own money, some with "investor's portfolios and finding out that their is money to be made and lots & lots of racing to be done yet.. Mind you, some do it for love of money, some do it for love of racing, and yet their are some who do it for love of both... Albeit few and far between... I consulted on a couple (successfully), and the new owners & managers really have made a go of it... Thank goodness for short track... and thank God that we all love short track...

[Todd McCreary]

However, as odd as that seems, we (we?) have been gaining an average of 22 to 31 tracks a year for the past 6 years;

interesting.

did he say where this is occurring? CT has an editorial about losing Wall Stadium and there no longer being any asphalt tracks in the entire state of NJ. i also don't think think there have been any 'new' tracks in Florida for quite a while.

also, what is he counting as "tracks". i know they count drag strips and road courses and i think they're also counting gokart tracks nowadays.

[AB195]

Todd-----Allan was referring to oval dirt and asphalt tracks only, and he was shooting this info from his hip, not his books.
I know, I know-- sounds kind of out-there on the stats, and he concurred about Florida, but He (I think) couldn't have been too far off on the numbers.
But, what can I tell ya', that's what He told me, and who would be better to know?
But there are pockets of building (SW) and there are pockets of demise (Fla).
These stats are merely averages for the 48 States herein we live.
(OK, maybe Canada too)
I'll dig deeper, with another long-distance phone call with him, I only had about 90 seconds to drag this stuff out
Hope this helps some.
R.

[Todd McCreary]

These stats are merely averages for the 48 States herein we live.
(OK, maybe Canada too)

the Speedway Directories i have list tracks for Canada as well as Alaska, Hawai'i and Puerto Rico.





Allan was referring to oval dirt and asphalt tracks only

cool. there are ways to get it done.

[ronabneysr]

dirt tracks great location gold mine ft meade fla

i can't believe after as much work that was done on sand mountain speed way i think that was name of place he gave me a rule book . and track was really starting to look good and fast that they just gave up and quit

i would have clawed my way till i got it opened they can't have over 100 people even live in that town

[BJ Cavin]

I was told Sand Mountain was a zoning issue? Apparently the county didn't approve the trackand it was built without proper permits? I could be wrong on that but I believe that's the way I heard it.

BTW...When I was growing up in the upstate of South Carolina we were literally surrounded by tracks, everything from the local fairgrounds to the historic Greenville-Pickens Speedway. When I moved to Florida six years ago there were still 10 tracks within 100 miles of where I lived in Boiling Springs. A few of those are gone now, and even Greenville-Pickens was threatened at one time. Up there the biggest threat is growth and curfews. Both have put a major damper on the racing.

[georgep]

I was told Sand Mountain was a zoning issue? Apparently the county didn't approve the trackand it was built without proper permits? I could be wrong on that but I believe that's the way I heard it.

BTW...When I was growing up in the upstate of South Carolina we were literally surrounded by tracks, everything from the local fairgrounds to the historic Greenville-Pickens Speedway. When I moved to Florida six years ago there were still 10 tracks within 100 miles of where I lived in Boiling Springs. A few of those are gone now, and even Greenville-Pickens was threatened at one time. Up there the biggest threat is growth and curfews. Both have put a major damper on the racing.

BJ there is another BIGGER FACTOR GREED and the YANKEE factor. The land in SC is becoming more and more Horse oriented with Polo people and breeders buying LARGE chunks for crazy money. They then set about trying to change everything they way they had it from where they moved. So you have the NOISE, CURFEWS and the big dollars for housing developments. IF you have a 100 acre site with a race track and you can sell that land for $15,000.00 and UP and acre what are you going to do?
We have (2) by me that are trying very hard to stay alive and two guys have teamed up to manage the two tracks so they can both stay alive. One has a curfew and is a possible racing gold mine and the other has no curfew but is to far away from major roads to really grow. We will see how they survive the high school football season.

[AB195]

Hey you guys, do you remember Rocky Fisher?
East Bay Raceway, that 3/8 mile gumbo clay oval that was actually patterned after Eldora Raceway, was opened up by in 1977 by His Sked of Sprints: Wolfgang, Allen, Kinser, Gordon, Swindell, etc.....
He was the promoter, as Westerman will tell you.....lot's of rainouts, and a bunch of races, and lot's of bad press. But... 30 years ago......he promoted this, and a host of other Raceways had followed. I think, Lake City 1/2 mile, when it was dirt, and Orlando SpeedWorld in 1977 for a biggie, a 400 lapper on asphalt.
It was because of this Forida Promotional Sprint Car Series, that he was able to re-open a long lost Raceway in Fort Wayne, Indiana, which had been dormant for umpteen-odd years.
I know, there is bad press out there about him some 30 years ago, as Westerman has clued me in, but I have also heard the other side of the story from Rocky himself.
But that aside, another Raceway has been brought back to life....in Indiana.
And numorous Sprint Car Fans have been made since then.

[ancrdave]

Rocky promoted some good shows down here in Jan.-Feb. from 1977-79... It was in response to Plant Field and the IMCA Winternationals demise... Rocky's shows were held on dirt at Lake City, East Bay and at Volusia... Asphalt shows were at Golden Gate, Sunshine, Desoto and Orlando... The first two Florida 500's were held at Golden Gate and both were won by Don Mack of ND... After the Gate closed, Rocky moved the race to OSW where it got rained out on Sat. nite but was re-scheduled for Sunday afternoon... When everybody got back the following day, there was a sign posted saying the race had been canceled and Rocky (and everyone's entry fee) was nowhere to be found... Apparently some got their money back and some didn't, but it was really the only blemish on the shows he promoted down here...