Forum: Minnesota Dirt Track Racing Forum (go)
Moderators: StanM

Is this track really for sale?  I see it listed on racingjunk.com.  Very sad if true.

I believe it's been for sale for a couple of years.

None of these tracks are making much of a profit if any.  Grass roots racing is facing a lot of problems, especially since the economy tanked in 2008.  Most of the promoters are pretty tight lipped about their situation but it's a tough business.  Car counts have been going south for years now.  I remember when there used to be B Features in every class at CLS at the weekly shows.  I know a lot of us here are Sprint Car fans and a lot hard core Sprint fans could care less about the other classes but those classes need to prosper each and every week for tracks to be successful.  Local short tracks depend on working people like us to field cars in these weekly classes, the cars are the product that they offer the fans.  When classes can only muster enough cars for one or two Heats and half what a normal field for a Feature would be fans lose interest and find something else to do.  When people stop going every week each and every fan who can no longer attend is a hit to the bottom line. 

We look around at other sports and forms of entertainment and I can't think of any others that depend on the working man to be part of the entertainment.  It's a tough deal nowadays so we're fortunate to have so many tracks in the area and the UMSS has been bucking the trend and gaining more cars.  Especially the Traditional Sprints.  I'm trying to put myself in a position to get out to more races again next year so I can be a part of the solution and not a part of the problem.  Keeping my fingers crossed that I can pull off a better season than the last two. 

Stan Meissner

The first couple years ogilvie opened the stands were packed.  I think the track conditions caused people to lose interest.  I know a lot of the drivers will defend the dryslick tracks and that kind of racing but as a fan I usually find that to be very boring racing and I might as well go to Elko to see that kind of racing.  The cars are slower and a lot of times the only passing is when somebody gets out of line. Occasionally there gets to be 2 lanes but not very often.  As a driver, I got a race car to go fast and get the adrenaline high from that, not pussyfooting around the track at half throttle.  These wingless sprints are slower than a 4 banger hornet on the dryslick. I would rather finish midpack on a fast track having fun than finish towards the front on a dryslick one lane track trying not to get so bored that you miss the preferred line. That's my opinion anyway.

Track conditions, shows lasting too late for families with kids, there are a lot of reasons they don't pack these places.  Keep in mind that money is tighter than it was when they first opened as well.  Ogilvie is a nice track so I hope it doesn't go the way of Fox Ridge. 

Stan Meissner

Hi, I bought Ogilvie Raceway and adjoining properties this past week.  We have plans to spruce up and expand some events and profit centes at the track.  I will try to post a dedicated thread in relation to this, thanks, glen.