Tony Stewart, Lakeland??

[Rick Williamson]

Zoning hasn't changed. I haven't seen the signs that have to be posted before that happens. Besides I heard not to long after the track was mostly removed, that soil samplies were not good for what the new people wanted to do with it. That's why it's just sitting there doing nothing.

[Mike Bresnahan]

sad but true......

The problem is, a race track for local racing, in this economy especially, is not a profitable or wise business venture. The only real asset any track around here has, is the actual land itself. As a business, the risk of over head far out weighs the potenial for profit. Any smart business person is not going to invest the hundreds of thousands of dollars it takes just to HOPE to break even or at best on a good night, clear a few thousand bucks. There are just too many other options for the typical family to spend their hard earned money on. As a father of two boys who love racing, it's still very hard to sell them on a night of sweating in the bleachers vs. a night of bowling, movies, mini golf etc. The alternative is usually cheaper anyways....... Imo, nascar has done far more to hurt local racing than good, but thats probably for debate on a seperate post.

[Todd McCreary]

As a father of two boys who love racing, it's still very hard to sell them on a night of sweating in the bleachers



how bout sweating in the pits?



That's why it's just sitting there doing nothing.



supposedly, it's not "doing nothing".

just talked to a guy last week who thought Lakeland was still open because he heard cars turning laps while he was attending the mud bogs a month ago.

he's not a circle track guy, so i had to clue him in that all of the outside facilities were gone.

[Bigbuck]

wonder

There's not enough left of that place to consider using it as a racetrack again. The track surface and walls are there, but eveything else looks like a bomb leveled the place.



and the most expensive part of an asphalt track to build would be ... what?

Just wonder what it lookes like before it was there at all??

[Frasson118]

Before it was there, it was a 1/4 mile track, inside of a basically abandonded 5/8 mile track. Where the back stretch stands are now, used to be the front stands then.

When the 1/4 miler was open (great Friday night shows there, by the way), you could see the light poles and a basic oval for the bigger track. In earlier years, the bigger track did run some shows, but in my days, it was kind of a teaser.... the big track was there, but un-usable.

The 5/8 mile section is something I'd like to learn a bit more about!

[Jimmy McKinley]

Jerry, I think they ran like two or three USAC Sprint Car or Silver Crown shows on the big track in about '71 or '72 before it was deemed too dangerous, with exposed guard rail ends and easy-to-hit light poles after someone (don't remember who) got seriously hurt (or killed). I think the story might be in Eddie Roche's first Florida Stock Car book somewheres.