Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

I heard from a very reliable source that Manzanita Speedway will close at the end of the month. The property has been sold to make way for some sort of commercial development. I was hoping this was just a rumor since there has not been an official announcement, but the person relaying this information is a current employee and was notified yesterday of the sale.

Just like Ascot, tear it down and do nothing with the land.

Save your butt, get a colon screening TODAY

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Same as Baylands too!

I find it hard to believe that they will close at the end of this month. One would think that existing contracts with sponsors and agreements with sanctioning bodies would keep it open at least until the end of this season. I hope this NEW POSTER is just trying to stir up crap. Besides, unless the area surrounding the speedway has changed in the past 10 years, it's doubtfull that it would be developed for residentual use. Most of the area is salvage yards, recycling facilities and industry. If the sale and pending closure is true, dirt track racing will lose one of it's most historic and storied places. Tracks like Manzy can never be duplicated. How sad. (if true)

WaDo, Roger

cheroger,

I have better things to do than stir up crap. I only posted this to inform all the racing fans that have had the privilege to sit in the grandstands at Manzy and watch some of the greatest drivers ever to bolt themselves in a sprint car and do battle on one of the legendary race tracks. As I said, a current employee was notified yesterday that they were out of job and the deal needed close by April 1. If you have been to Manzy in the last year, you can not fail to notice that there are residential areas within a half of mile of the race track.

NEW POSTER

I hope that this isnt true..... Did you say April 1st? practical joke?

Cheroger,

Made my first trip to Manzanita in several years for last month's Copper on the Dirt and one thing that struck me was just how much of the area has been developed. That alone concerned me.

And, unfortunately, my sources would indicate that the original post is accurate.

Final race is April 11.

didn't the post say the land was sold for some kind of commercial development? i saw nothing about residential.

to indy and beyond!!

I am glad I made it there many years ago. I was amzed at the gringos hanging out across the street while the Outlaw Motorhomes were parked there too, it was a nasty looking neighborhood.

Also made it to Ascot the year they closed it...1989

I am glad I'm not getting older...

I called the track today and it's true. April 11th will be the last race.

 "We have met the enemy and he is us." 

Looks like it's moving past the rumor stage.

http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/post/abcteam/vpost?id=3360238

I am BEYOND sick! I just MOVED here from Florida a year and a half ago to be near this place! If it wasn't for Manzy, I would have never even visited Arizona! I fully intended to have my ashes scattered on the track there when I kick off................. How could the Martins stoop so low as to pull this off without making ANY effort to make sure that it remained a speedway??

I'd imagine it is already zoned for commercial - it could be re-zoned for residential. Residential development in itself is a commercial enterprise.

Phil Taylor

home-theater-systems-advice.com

I must admit that I haven't been there for at least 5 years, evidently and understandably the area has developed. I lived in the area from 83-90 and made most of the races there during that time. My business sponsored Ron Davis one year and I did a number of special promotions to help boost my business, all worth my time and effort.

What I don't understand is how and why the owner sold without a condition to finish this year. The fallout from this can't be positive for sponsors both track and car owners and sanctioning organisations that have contracts or at least agreements for events this year. It looks as if the new owners really don't give a damn about racing, only their own interest. I was not a hugh fan of Keith Hall, however I doubt that he would have sold out the racers. Maybe the owners will step forward and explain their position.

I'm quite sure that this news will have Canyon Raceway looking at a number of possibilities and maybe they can bring the racing community in the Phoenix area something to look forward to.

R.I.P, Manzy,

WaDo, Roger

Develop what? The gangs? Last year during the Western World they had helicopters circling off of Turn 1 for what I later found out was a gunfight between either gangs or drug dealers and law enforcement.

I hope USAC schedules the Western World for somewhere. It is a shame to have yet another track swallowed up by ??????????????

I just heard that it went into escrow and Southwest Crane and Rigging is buying it .

Yep! It's not a rumor.

Do you think Hank Arnold and Buddy Taylor are rolling over in their graves. Both gave up their lives at the joint. The memorial races for these two heroes were always some of the best racing. It was worth it to go just to see the "Twister" one more time. Mel Martin, how can you sleep knowing that you have just destroyed a racing landmark? How much money does one man need? I would like to see you stand in front the drivers that supported the track for so me years and explain what you are doing, is the right thing. Oh I'm sure they would pat you on the back and say "good job".

"The Training Track of Champions" ........soon just a memory.

First Keith Hall has had nothing to do with Manzy for some years now.

I'm flabbergasted, there have been so many improvements at that track in the last two years and the Martins are from the racing community. It's like a family member has died, a kick in the chest. I was 10, it was 1958 went I first went to Manzy. Numb, I'm just numb...No, I'm pissed big time.

Kenny

Half the lies they tell about me aren't true. 

Same thing happened to the Devil's Bowl in Dallas in the early 60's. They were forced to close due to the noise restrictions in the rapidly developing area. The owners just bought land out in the country (Mesquite, TX) and built a much better track. Perhaps the same thing will happen there in Phoenix.

Ok, I'd like y'all to think about this: I'm sure that most of the people who read this board are racers or rabid hard core open wheel race fans like me. I kid you not, I MOVED 2200 miles across the country after living in Daytona Beach Fl for 35 years to be near Manzy and the best non winged open wheel racing in the country. I'm sure there will be a lot of sentiment from people wanting to attend the last races at this fabled facility and I will admit that was my first line of thinking. But then it occured to me that I would simply be putting MORE money in the pockets of the very person who betrayed the racing community by selling us out in this dirty underhanded manner, without even putting the place on the open market thus giving at least a chance for someone to buy the place and maintain it as a speedway. I understand economic neccesity as well as anyone in these tough times, I can see that maybe the Martin's got in over their heads and needed to sell, but someone PLEASE explain to me why it had to be done this way??? My line of thinking at this point is NOT TO SPEND ONE MORE DIME of my money that will go into these people's pockets! Why postpone the inevitable and in the process line the pockets of the very party that stuck the knife in your back? Seems to me that we ought to just walk away!

I just don't understand the April 11th deal. They had to have sponsor money and had to pay sanction fees. You would think they would either not start the season or at least let the season run its course.

I think there has got to be a whole lot more to the story than is being let on to.