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

How many tracks did you attend this year and how many races did you attend?

David Smith Jr.
www.oklahomatidbits.com

17 Tracks: Dirt Track at Texas Motor Speedway, Route 66 Motor Speedway (Amarillo), Elk City Speedway, Enid Speedway, Southern Oklahoma Speedway, Oklahoma Sports Park, Brill Motor Speedway, Thunderbird Speedway, Caney Valley Speedway, Humboldt Speedway, 81 Speedway, Dodge City Raceway Park, Salina High Banks Speedway, Salina Speedway, Lawton Speedway, Kansas State Fairgrounds, Eagle Raceway....Pretty weak this year

David Smith Jr.
www.oklahomatidbits.com

Got me beat. 12 tracks 30 races

OCRS 12

USMTS 11

ASCS 3

NCRA 1

Ardmore 3

Ada 2

Brill 1

Creek 2

Salina 4

Monett 2

W Plains 1

Lucas Oil 1

TBird 2

TriState 2

Caney 2

Humboldt 6

Took pics at all. It was a great year. Looking forward to next year.

37 races 24 race tracks

Devils Bowl - 1

Lawton - 1

Salina Highbanks - 1

Creek County - 1

State Fair Speedway - 0

Texas Motorplex NHRA - 1

"They're steering them sum bi***es with their right 
foot!"

Lawton 5, Devil's Bowl 5, Lonestar 1, I-30 1 (currently at the room after a rain out), Creek County 1, OSP 1, Brill 1, TMS 1, Cowtown 1, Salina Hibanks 1. That's what comes to mind, been a good year, got to attend a few new (for me) tracks. 18 total, seems low but all I can remember off hand.

I used to keep a log of this each year lol. Sure not as many the past few years with friday night's at SFS cut out - but here goes.

Port City Raceway - 13 (covered three)
I-44 Riverside Speedway - 10 (covered six)
Creek County Speedway - 4 (covered two)
Lawton Speedway - 4 (covered two)
Cowtown Speedway - 2 (covered Big Chill in February)
Enid - 1 (NCRA 360's on a blazin' hot night)
Tulsa Shootout and Chili Bowl - 7

so 41 races @ 7 tracks

Keep wandering if I left any out, don't think so. Think most of them were shows I was covering - only a handful of the visits to Port City and Riverside were strictly for entertainment. Got a late start on attending shows this year - wasted away much of the first half of it sitting at the computer waiting for the phone to ring & pulling all nighters.

Only attended a few sprint car shows after Memorial Day - but from August (Riverside's Mini Sprint Nationals) on chased mini sprints on both ends of the turnpike. Won't see many next year outside of I-44 Riverside and Port City. Although I hope to get in all the mini sprint specials next year including whatever happens in the DFW area. Would like to venture down to EMSA territory on a good weekend notwithstanding mini sprint commitments around here. Starting with the Mini Sprint Nationals in early August at Riverside - my lady, the kids, and I had a blast just sticking to the mini sprint tracks. The racing at both is better than ever. It was a very strong year for mini sprints between PCR and Riverside and 2013 promises to be every bit as good - or even better
ok that kinda turned into a plug lol.

I don't think I'd call that weak David. You chased down NCRA effectively and did a good job. Lots of miles there (and ESPN all night too lol).

Mike Spivey that's a terrific photo.

Jeff (SFSFan) - still not sure why the hell my persistance has not paid off lol. Why didn't you go to Port City? We largely like the aspects of open wheel dirt track racing - slicing, dicing, daring sliders. You have got to take the family to Port City dude! About 85% of the time that place is on - awesome track prep and TONS of cars (averaged over 120 throughout the season). I'm ploring you brother - you gotta check it out. But do it for a two day show if you can - I'd hate for your rookie visit to be one of the few times the place isn't in perfect form. My first one was like that - but a couple months later gave it another shot and was blown away and have been ever since. Over thirty 5 hour round trips and only two weren't fantastic (those being the first trip which had a makeup show involved so no time to fine tune the track - the second being in september this year when it LITERALLY rained throughout the entire program). The place has the IT factor like SFS did, but of course smaller. tiny little 1/8th mile bullring and the stands could prob only seat a few hundred. But it's not just our click that enjoys the 5 hour round trip. There are about a dozen folks we see each time we've gone that have come from central Missouri - addicted to the action.

The Inaugural Donnie Ray Crawford Memorial over Labor Day Weekend this year was by far the most special moment I've ever seen at a race track. It wasn't just the pre-race on saturday either - all three nights of racing were outstanding with a special atmosphere rare to be experienced as a fan in this sport. And yeah all six A Features on the final night were amazing.

I know you like the big sprints, I always did too and to a degree I still do. But the mini sprint specials at the two tracks here were all sensational this year. Not a dud among em. What's even better - both tracks closed the season with specials that features two sets of heats and full programs each night. And the talent at the two tracks is just ludicrous. Sooner State mini sprint racing isn't even close to being done producing talents that will achieve success far and wide.

Another shameless plug perhaps lol.

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

"its useless to put on the brakes when you are upside 
down"   -Paul Newman

I recently discovered this forum as the moderator posts on other forums I frequent and posts alot of the stuff C Ray Hall promotes throughout the region so I like to keep track of that since I consider 81 Speedway my true home track. Though I have not made it there for a program in a number of years. I rarely comment, so please excuse the length of this post. This thread truly captured my interest so I decided to give my input.

In 2012, I have attended TMS Dirt Track 3 nights; Boyd Raceway 14 nights; Cowtown 12; Kennedale Speedway Park 3; Lonestar/Kilgore 3 nights (LOLMDS/Sprint Nationals); Abilene 3(Southern Challenge); ArkLaTex 2 (Doug Murphrey Memorial); Heart of Texas 1 (USMTS); Southern Okla Speedway 2 (USMTS); and Heartland Park Topeka, Ks 1. I have been a hearty chaser of races to my financial detrament for a number of years. Where ever the Air Force sent me domestically I chased races when allowed for over 24 years. Upon retirement from USAF, I always favored Texas because I spent half of those years here. Of all the tracks I attended this year the race at ArkLaTex was by far the best on night two! and in prior two years it stayed at the top of my list.

In the coming years the amount of times I attend races will be substantially curtailled because I will be moving back to my home state of Kansas and my priorities will be changing from more selfish desires to that of a relationship. Make no mistake, I will continue to roam forums and read trade papers to see what is going on out in the racing world be it in Oklahoma or in Texas as well as in Kansas when I am not in attendance at a track. I do plan to add some new tracks in Kansas next season. Specifically Humboldt as I never knew of it till recently and always was centered around Wichita, Hutch, Salina while growing up. Once I reached active duty then the real chasing began. I hope someday to see an interactive listing of the people in the region who have a listing of their all time tracks visited. Some may be able help me remember some tracks attended which have closed over the years. Have most pleasant day.

Can I change my name to ModifiedFanRob?

My worst year in the last decade ... by far ...

Salina Highbanks -- 1

Dodge City -- 2

Ada -- 2

Thunderbird -- 1

Devil's Bowl -- 1

Lawton -- 2

I-44 -- 1

Enid -- 1 (Can't really count this one. Left after a couple races due to the dust bowl)

Time to turn in my man card with a pathetic showing like that.

"I'd pay $15 to watch a sprint car sit still."

I forgot a few. 1 more at Humboldt, and since David didn't specify dirt only, Kansas Speedway.

And while it was definitely dirt, I'm not sure it can be classified as a race, I shot 3 days at the SCCA National Championship Rally Cross. So that would be 14 tracks and 36 races.

Not the most races - When I drove for Stanley Reed, we ran 55 races a year for several years. But definitely the most tracks including 8 tracks I had never been to before.

Let's see if I can beat that next year.

82 races. Will have to check on tracks. Might not be done yet

Cool of RaceChaser05 to share.

Mr. Spivey I gotta think that the winner of such an award would come from the Indiana, Ohio, PA area. As Mike Whitworth and I once talked about a few years ago - if you live in the right part of Ohio - there are about 15 open wheel shows alone to choose from. Lots of speedweeks up there, too.

Wander if Kevin Eckert would be a solid contender for that award.

I hit near 100 back in 2003 or 04 something like that. It was easier to go on a binge back then - gas was a fraction of what it is now and there were more tracks, more cars, more quality shows. Everything costs a lot more now. And I got older lol.

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

Back in the 90's it was an automatic 8-12 a month , OKC on Fri nights, Tulsa Speedway on Sat nights, Creek County on Sundays.

No way now with the $$ of gas & low car counts wouldn't even be worth using the pike pass for it.

OkcFan12 ( Cody ) I regret not making it to Port this year. Especially for the DRC. I definitely plan on attending at least once next year. Here's why the relunctancy: I am a fan of horsepower. Hell, I could watch time trials around Devils Bowl all day. The small cars just don't quite do it for me but I will say that the talent and wheel to wheel racing with all the slide jobs and "close calls" are probably unmatched by any dirt track racing. Those guys are crazy lol. The times I have been to I-44 I was always impressed by how "ballsy" (sp?) those guys are.

I will go to Port because I value your opinion and I know if you say it is an awesome place, I whole heartedly believe you and will check it out just based on that. We go to Topeka and Ennis for NHRA almost every year. Nothing like the smell and sound and feel of nitro, and I think we are addicted. So to go see a bunch of motorcycle engines that sound like bumble bees is hard to get excited for. For me. My opinion. But, like I said, the ACTION is awesome to see. But I will contact you when we go to Port and we'll sit with you guys and have a blast. Just giving you some background in my thinking lol.

"They're steering them sum bi***es with their right 
foot!"

Not sure how many races I attended this season and don't feel like looking back at the calendar at the moment, but I may update it later. I spent most weekends at Florence Speedway. Brownstown Speedway and Lawrenceburg Speedway would come in second and third on the list with regards to frequency.

Tracks I attended this season:

Florence Speedway - Union, KY

Brownstown Speedway - Brownstown, IN

Lawrenceburg Speedeway - Lawrenceburg, IN

Tri-State Speedway - Haubstadt, IN

Richmond Raceway- Richmond, KY

Ponderosa Speedway - Junction City, KY

Bloomington Speedway - Bloomington, IN

Moler Raceway Park - Williamsburg, OH

Route 66 Speedway - Amarillo, TX

I like dirt!