Forum: Racing From The Past (go)
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I was looking at the Lakeside Speedway site. The track is under water and they are talking about refunds for pit stalls that were bought, that shocked me do you have to buy your pit parking spot now?

Ray

I had heard some were doing that. If you want the same place every week I say why not, its their money. I just came back from Colorado and some of the cars were arriving at the track at noon. The pits were open, so that is another way to get your choice. Nothing like getting to the track several hours early. This track had absolutly no shade, bake city. The temp was only ninety-eight for a high that day. One could do that here but the humidity would about wipe you out.

About the water, in Topeka both tracks had drains built in. The fairgrounds had one in the number three corner. In fact if you drive down Topeka Blvd. you can still see the drain. The slope is the slope from the corner that was never changed. The little track out east had a drain in the back stretch just out of the number two corner. Both tracks drains were put in during the sixties, one never thought about a drain for a bowl. Something to think about..

Drain would not of helped Lakeside as it's flooded by the Corp of Enginers miss management of the Missouri river.

Curt Grogan

Ya you can't drain something in river bottom anyway. The old Lakeside was maybe high enough you could can drain it. It will take a couple of months of dry weather or some big pumps and where do you pump it to?

Warren Vincent
Cans 4 Kansas Heroes

People I know around the Atchison area were told that they would not be able to get back to their homes untill December. This was in late May that they were told. I will agree that the corp did a very poor job, as they always do.

As for the pumps, one would be surprized how quick the water can be removed once the flood water leaves. A five inch pump can move almost two million gallons in twenty-four hours. Most large fire trucks have a pump that has an intake that size. Now the dry time will take a lot longer.

The old Lakeside may have had a drain but I am not sure. It was built on a hill top so all one needed to worry about was the water that fell on it.

It kinda startled me . I have not helped with a car since 1978 and then here in Tulsa everybody just parked in the same spot every week. I do not recall any dispute over a parking spot. I had heard that the promoters make all their money from the pit gate.

Ray

Heck anymore promoters will try and make a buck anyway they can, sell concrete pit pads etc., kind of like this USRA Sanction deal tracks around the midwest that tracks are doing and several in this area are a member of as well, it is an Insurance Policy to help cover your driver in case of accident, I am sure they still have insurance bought by the track but this is prolly like a supplemental type deal to help lower cost for promoters oveall insurance premiums I would think, they have a pts. fund deal set up for the Members of the USRA (United States Racing Assoc.) and you buy a liscence to run at their facilities and you get pts. towards this National pt. fund at the end of the year and I really believe it is just another way to lower the promoters ins. premiums and keep his costs down for him as all his participants at his place and either have a liscence for a one time fee or others who chose not to join pay an extra amt. of money on top of their pit pass each night they run at a sanctioned track, just another sign of the times these days as promoters find ways to keep the doors open and getting help from their customers the racers to help keep the gates open.It's the bottom line in being a promoter today.

Just heard another track shut down and has changed ownership in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex area, track is called Cowtown Speedway in Kennedale, Tx.

J.D.