Forum: Oklahomatidbits.com General Forum (go)
Moderators:  /  David Smith Jr

It's done. Great memories but it's over. For me, there's no tradition at this speedway since Lanny reconfigured the track. For the general population of OKC, the speedway is nothing more than a blip on the radar. It happens everywhere, for many different reasons. Ascot and Manzanita had much stronger pedigrees and they, too, are history.

Now it's time for someone to step up like the owners of Perris or Dave Ellis in Phoenix.

kiss my ass nonwing bill.

Hmm....Again we agree Bill.

you too larry

I'll get right on that buddy.

nonwing is correct

the track lost alot when it was changed

there is nothing to be done now, its gone!

Tons of history and awesome racing will live only in our memories

RIP State Fair Speedway

Jayson Ellis

Larry are you hoping with a new racetrack, to get fans cheering you instead of booing?

I hate to say it also but it's over. We can try and try to save it but it will never happen. The are alot worse tracks around but only the big city's loose theres. If Tulsa could of been saved it would have. I know the reasons are different but it still could of been done.

JIMMY MINTER 'AKA'dirtrack234                  
Yesterday 
is history, 
tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift. That is 
why they call it the present.

This is completely shameful. It's understandable if you fellas are not fans, but this is going too far.

Larry Neighbors - if there was ever a Hall of Fame for pathetic people - you should be the first inducted. check this out - copied and pasted from the KFOR News Forum - and see just the complete disgrace he is.

Now if somehow this is not you then I apologize. But the complete retarded nature of it (and your name signed with it) just reeks a lil much lol. It's one thing to indrectly benefit from the destruction of a track you yourself grew up at. It's another thing entirely to lobby for it. I mean - actually lobby for it. Thats some Benedict Arnold shit right there. Nevermind the reasoning in that lol (makin noise going in circles? really?!?!?). There isn't a single honorable soul left in the dirt track racing community that should have any respect for you whatsoever. You are a cancer to this sport. If honor was something every dirt track promoter had - there shouldn't be a track left in this state for you to be welcome at. Because that right there is about as low as it gets. But aside from your own ego - you're small nuts. actually - little tiny miniscule nuts. It really makes it appreciable to see even a few represent this sport with honor. There is not more of a disgrace to this sport than you - not just in OKC, or in the state of Oklahoma - but in the entire country. It's almost unbelievable that you insulted damn near every driver in the whole sport. I mean - damn dude - most of us would never question your lack of charachter - but.....WOW!! Thats overboard!. For the hundreds of thousands involved in some way with this sport - you are the lowest of the lot. You betray a history that your ego is always so quick to proclaim that you helped to shape. You are in position to be a positive ambassador to this sport - and yet you only bring it shame. btw - if you are still so ignorant as to send me near-unreadable e-mails full of slurred insults and empty threats - as you have in the past - could you please send them to my yahoo account? I don't check my AOL account very often. thanks in advance

NonWingBill - ultimately - it would be less than 0.5% of the total maps budget to fix SFS. just because you don't like the promoter or current track configuration is no reason to completely give up on the track. I understand your support for the city - but that track does not have to come down for the sake of progress. both can exist and even thrive (potentially of course). Initially I was going to lump you in with Larry - but there is really no comparison. I think you wanna see good things for this sport - Larry just wants to feed his own oversized ego. And you have much more honor. Brian - you should not address Bill with contempt. Just remind him that both can happen. Bill doesn't like the current promoter nor the current track configuration. Just remind him it's not a sure thing that we will have another. Those are things that can be remedied - maybe not likely to - but even Bill can understand that there are people who still care. who still care to defend the track - as it is. On that note Bill - with respect I would like to say - I don't think those comments are constructive. SFS does not have an equal yet - and until it does - patrons of this sport should defend it.

I can understand if you don't like the current configuration - or promoter. But I aint seen other tracks hosting 40-50 sprints on a weekly basis. And just a few years ago it was much much more. There is a laundry list of complaints about Lanny Edwards. much of it is understandable. But all I can think right now is that the dude stood up when no one else did - and the track ran a few more years - and they were really really good years. The gap between SFS and everywhere else was extremely obvious. I could see 50+ sprints at a weekly show at SFS for 10$ - and then the very next night go pay 10$ at Meeker to watch single digit fields in every class (split up into 3 - 3 car heats no less lol). And as disappointed as I was with that show - I didn't really feel like jumpin on here to say bad things. There a good many people who find enough to like about such a show. But you must realize that there is no guarantee someone will "step up" to run a show that had the quality the Fairgrounds does. As for a "blip on the radar" - hell thats most tracks lol. Except maybe the ones in the boons where there is nothing else to do. There are enough cars in the greater metropolitan area to have a great weekly show - and yet there would be nothing outside of SFS. It seems the flavor of the week to jump on the Meeker bandwagon - and that makes it rather obvious that a whole lot of people have never been there. Nothing against Brill (at least in regards to this) - but that track is not currently capable of hosting truly quality weekly racing. It's as if he has not even tried to be able to host it. That track has had potential - and now it's potential is damn near stratospheric - but he has neither the capacity in the stands or in the pits to host all he COULD get. Maybe I am wrong - heck I hope I am. I hope he's out there making the investment - overhauling and increasing the capacity both in pits and stands - but I can't say I have the highest of hopes.

There are avenues that could have been explored even before the MAPS vote. There are still avenues to explore. It's not just about SFS. SFS does have a history that is paralelled by none - as well as a quality to both its show and its facility - but we just can't throw in the towel everytime a track is under fire. And if people won't even at least show some integrity for the sport they proclaim to support - or some respect for the history of such tracks - it really makes one wander. But I still stand by it - there isn't a dirt track that isn't worth saving. Even if it's a track that has operated on the lowest level of quality - patrons of the sport should show integrity to defend it. Who knows - that might be the best track in a few years.

The point I am gettin at is it SHOULD NOT be over until it's really over. Why has no one had the foresight to go beyond local officials. Of course they want it down! Even if lookin to state and federal levels is ultimately not succesful - it's never known until it is tried. I think many are thinking there are people who are looking into this collectively - like a concerted effort - I don't think there is. So far no one has shown a clue as to what is going on. We've allowed ourselves to be completely blindsided. ok - that is in the past. But there are stil things to at least look into. As for those in this thread - either take part in that - or get the fuck out of the way. No matter the success of any efforts - its stil worth it to try. It's called integrity. If you believe in something - you stand up for it. I understand Neighbors believes in his property values - and avoiding the constant wounds to his ego he receives at SFS). I understand Bill has absolute faith in the progressive dreams of local city officials - even if they are at a detriment to the sport. And I think he even has good intent with that....I think the Enid patrons are probably like most others - so completely discouraged with the lack of effort from anyone that they think it's probably indeed done.

BUT - it's disgraceful and absurd to stand before the dirt track racing community for whatever ones personal preference - and advocate the destruction of what has for decades to now been the premier dirt track in the state of Oklahoma. Fans, drivers, ol' timers - it doesn;t matter - if we cannot at least show the integrity to stand up for the track that has given us so much - then we do not deserve it. We'll deserve eactly what we will likely get.......which despite the disillusioned and desperate hopes...... won't be much.

So I implore anyone who appreciated what the Fairgrounds has been for 50+ years - to pester your local officials for why they can spend millions to dump rock in a nasty river - but not spend a fraction of that to preserve such a historical piece. Remember - even Presidents have graced the grounds at that track. I'm very suprised that no one has thought to seek state or even federal delcaration for historical landmark. I think there are many things that have been ruled out that maybe should not have. I think we should have makin the stink for such a lucrative sum and less than 0.5% - thats right - ZERO POINT FIVE PERCENT going to fix the Fairgrounds. We should bitch about that. to anyone. to everyone. Is the dislike of a promoter really grounds for letting such a track go down? No. just means more work to be done if the track was saved. But each of us must remember that there are no saviors - no one with the bright shiny answers. There is only you.

If we truly love this sport. whether taking part or spectating - then in any degree we should at least try. There is no honor in a defeat in which no effort was made. Even if you can only spare 5 minutes a day (i can relate) - it's still SOMETHING. But I am sick of seeing such brazen bullshit of people who call themselves fans - just so willing to bend over and take it and even smile about it - like it might be a good thing. There is nothing good about losing SFS. The chances are not great that some awesome thing will happen and make it all better. the odds are it won't. We can look at Arizona and yeah Tucson stepped in to fill a void - but who has stepped in to fill the void Hollywood Hills left in New Mexico. Talk to people who attended Baylands or Ascot - ask them how they still feel about it. The negatives can be blunted - although in this case I don't see Meeker blunting losing SFS - I doubt they will host ASCS shows or even 2 full fields of 360 sprints on a weekly basis - but generally the negatives are not blunted.

We cannot profess to really like this sport - and not defend this track. Defending SFS is not at a detriment to anyone or anything. It doesn't make downtown any less nice. It doesn't make Thunder games any less enjoyable. It is not even a detriment to those who like to play in shit there at the Fairgrounds. It doesn't hurt anyone. And on the positive side - more dirt track fans grace the grounds of SFS every year than any other track in this state (i would bet). Like any other track - sometimes they don't get the track right (this year they did ok for the most part) - but you at least know that the quality field of cars is THERE. It;s sad it's even been up for question what exactly we will be losing.

We have every reason to at least try to defend SFS. If I have offended anyone with this - well it probably serves you right - it's shameful not just to throw in the towel - but to not even try. For those who just don't care - go join Neighbors - maybe ya'll could all pitch a tent and celebrate losing the most hostoric track in the state.

But stop getting on here and spouting out such defeatist and disgraceful unconstructive stuff. It accomplishes nothing - except to unnerve everyone else from trying. And it's important to try. It's important to show that integrity to defend it - even if the track is not perfect - but to honor what the track means to us - and to all those who graced its grounds before us.

For those who want to pursue that integrity - I think it's very worth to look into the historical landmark aspect. Instead of phone calls to the Fair Board - who are smiling thick at our failure to unite - we should call the Capitol. Call whoever it is that involved with such a decision. Even lawyers - for in many instances it takes legal means to achieve these types of things. Contact Lanny Edwards - who has a vested interest in this deal. If people want to organize against him later - knock yourselves out, have at it - but at present he can only be an asset to this cause. But whatever you do - don't just sit tight and twiddle thumbs because of the defeatist attitudes some have displayed. Remember that whereas we may not succeed - it's important to put up the fight. It's not just about the track - it's bigger than that - it's about this sport as well. A lot of peoples response to this is to declare that this is not a sport. that a dumb circle could be cut in a field and you guys race. I try to correct them. To explain the amount of time and effort you guys put into your cars - the sacrifices many of you make to do it - even stating that it cannot be easy for anyone to put a drivers suit on and crawl in cramped quarters when its 107 degrees outside lol. And that there are a lot of people like me that enjoy watching what you guys do and have endless appreciation for the meticulous time and effort you put into it. All the things that define a sport are right here, but a lot of people don't see it this way. Even if not just for situations right now - but for the sake of the future of this sport - the notion many people have (even Neighbors with his redneck nascar wannabe description is furthering) needs to corrected. We need to remind people that this is a SPORT - and its worth preserving - and that maybe they should even come and check it out. ok well anyway. The writing is on the wall - it's time to get involved and get creative - or get out of the way.

we need to get more notice out. wherever possible. whenever possible.

How much would could a wouldchuck chuck if a 
wouldchuck could chuck would

fan- about too early in the morning for a rant like that.....whew, I'm going back to sleep. I don't know Larry Neighbors, but can't imagine any racer to be happy to see this track shut down.

nonwing- agreed, although the Manzy reference made me get a lil choked up, that was a track WORTH saving. Ascot if for nothing else but Turkey Night, a sad loss indeed.

418- I love the Boo Birds, always gonna have a guy that can out dollar everyone at local dirt tracks, bad thing is, that Neighbors dude can out drive most as well..step up or keep your eye out for the blue and yellow flag!

Was a good run for SFS. I miss the 1/2 mile personally. Outlaw in Muskogee is a top notch facility offering Friday night racing. The best crowd orientated track I've been to in this state. Saturdays in Ada usually pretty good for the first half of the season. Brill's OK so long as you're in the pits or a lawn chair (those main grandstands scare the shit outta me). Lawton, Creek, Ardmore, now El Reno?? Still lots of options not too far off the beaten path to get your "redneck", wheel to wheel fix!

Merry CHRISTmas Everyone! God Bless!

I did NOT post that comment on that site!!!

Larry Neighbors

If you didnt ill bet you now who did PRICK

Lance aka (FUNNN)


                     

I do feel for the fans of okc!!! It use to be a place that Great racing occured. The half mile and the old quarted mile hosted some of the best ever!

BTW: thanks for the name calling.

NP anytime PRICK take up Jacks

Lance aka (FUNNN)


                     

I'll give that a try WANNA BE!

Dude i dont want to race or will i prob ever. Im a fan that loves this sport and its terrible to see a racer want a track tore down and that my friend is you.

Almost forgot how long has your family lived by the track.

Lance aka (FUNNN)


                     

All my life.

I said I understand from a fans stand point. I will also agree that bad racing is still racing.

However, SFS is a junk racetrace but because of the control of the fairboard and the state no private owners or other cities ever got off the groung trying to build a track.

I just hope now that it will be closed someone can build a better track with nice facilities. I know some people hate change but it's not always bad.

Larry Neighbors

I've been to Ascot and Manzanita and they did have "stronger pedigrees" but they were not nearly as nice as the fairgrounds. I went to one of the last Don Peabody Classics at Ascot and it was unreal. Like the first turn at Lawton in the olden days but more so and with braver drivers.

I've got a lot of years invested in the fairgrounds but it was obvious 20 years ago that inner city tracks were a dying breed. I would say it lasted longer than expected. That doesn't mean you shouldn't fight for a few more years, though.

What am I going to do with my 300 race lifetime pit pass?

Will Brill upgrade to the point of being a replacement? It's kinda far.

As for the 80 year olds who want to sleep, unless they bought the house when they were very young, the track was there when they bought it. And it's a lot quieter now. Kinda like people who buy a house next to an existing airport and bitch about the noise.

Go find 4 Sons Raceway and open it up.

Whatever happened to the asphalt track across from Crossroads Mall?

Just a few thoughts.

WOW! Larry I thought you was a fan favorite. I feel bad that I cheered for you now. You add excitment to races. I think I will keep cheering for you. Trust me there are alot of closet Larry Neighbor fans everywhere.

Ha Ha.....Thanks.

I think a few people on here think I am the one shutting it down. I just think that it is time to move on to another place. Hell the outlaws won't come back and every ASCS show is follow the leader. It makes me mad/sad everytime in and see the old half mile all grown up with weeds and dirt piles on the back chute.

I gotta say "Put the old girl to rest" her glory days are LONG gone!

Larry Neighbors