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

this is not a typical i-44 night this is normally a great family atmosphere that i am comfortable taking my 7 year old daughter to

HEY,HEY,HEY, yall just wait a minute. It's called having security and it sounds like that might be the problem.I have never been to I-44 but it don't take a rocket scientist to figure this one out. It may have started with a call on the track whether if it was needed or not I was not there. But after talking to people that were there it was probably needed.

Hell just because it was at a race track people want to freak out.

This shit happens at any kind of event not just race tracks. That's why event holders have to spend a little extra money and hire off duty officers as SECURITY...

 Randy       

       DIRT TRACKIN
"When it's wet slide it in"

We did have some security there, and when i left last night after talking to April, we talked about hiring more security for the next weeks races. Like with anything you live and you learn, we have never had a brawl like that so we were a little understaffed in that department but we are going to make changes to settle it all.

David Foley

"Just let me make it to the Dirt Track.. Truck then u 
can break down!!!"

I know what I saw and there were NO beer goggles involved - I rarely drink more than one beer and these days that single one comes few and far between. I, for a fact, INDEED saw a girl run across the track and stomp on someone's head. And later, there was INDEED a VERY young child that looked to be no older than 3, maybe 4 tops, walking around on the track in turn four while the crap was getting sorted out - but that was after the fight had moved to the pits off turn 3 - regardless, that child had no business being where he was - PERIOD. I counted 5 OKC PD cars on our way to the car - I didn't see anyone in handcuffs in the back of a car but admittedly wasn't looking - I was busy trying to "soft-sell" answers to my son's questions as to why there were police there and how come we had to leave before the races were over. Even if there were "only FOUR" police cars - WTF difference does it make -- that would be four too many IMHO. The incident should never have escalated to such an extent - regardless. And THAT is my POINT!!

It was an embarrassment to the sport of racing - at any level. Anyone who thinks otherwise is biased and sorely mistaken. That was a brawl like I have NEVER seen at any track anywhere and I'll match my race chasin-years list of tracks with anyone on here. It's stupidity like what happened at I-44 last night that paints racing in a redneck stereotype. I'm not the one who is killing racing in OKC - it's idiots with behavior like last night's and mental midgets who condone such ridiculous antics.

I didn't need nor care to get any closer to see what was going on as I had my young son with me who didn't need to see that crap. Perhaps if others had kept their seats the incident would not have escalated to ludicrous levels (and a baby in a stroller wouldn't have been hurt). I understand that tempers can flare in racing - but that was simply ridiculous and everyone involved should be ashamed of their behavior.

OH ... And I didn't mention the soccer/racer-mom that was stomping back and forth along the front stretch fence - right in front of us under the flagstand - challenging the driver of the blue 32 to fight (??!!) because she thought the driver had flipped her off under caution ...just another example of commendable behavior ...

@"Chunks" you say there was "no girl involved" in the fight - then you turn right around and say she was "trying to get her dad to stop fighting"....apparently by stomping some guy on the head. And I saw the injured child when it was brought to the vacant "sports medic's" van and it looked like it had a knot on his/her forehead. Evidently you need to get your facts straight before posting.... I know what I saw and it was the definitive clusterf@ck!

If it makes you feel better about yourselves to make me the villain in this deal - go right ahead - I'm sure it was all my fault for wanting to take my son to the races....

Phil Taylor

home-theater-systems-advice.com

That seems to be the problem a track trying to save money with some good ole' boys as security. And thinking that will never happen to us. Wake up it's a high temper sport if there would have been uniform off duty officers as security it would have never got that far out of hand. So what is the track going to do with the White's are they suspended for good or will they only get a slap on the wrist and just get a couple of weeks. Now is the time to show how big of balls the track and officials have. If you let them have the upper hand in this situation you as a track and officials are screwed.

I can make these comments because as a past official for many years. This has happened to me before, So now as a track it is the time to stand your ground and don't back down.

 Randy       

       DIRT TRACKIN
"When it's wet slide it in"

I wish I could post my pictures just to prove you wrong Phil. I took pictures from the time the fight started until the time that the fight stopped. The little girl that your referring to about stomping someone face in was the 15 y/o boy that was in the back of a cop car that you failed to see. And he didn't "Stomp" anyones face in, he kicked once and the track officials took him down and he wasn't able to make anymore moves. Trying to get someone to stop fighting in my eyes is not involved in the fight. There were 2 girls down there in fire suits, one was the driver that got black flagged and the other was the cousing of the 15 y/o boy trying to get him off the track. My whole point in last nights post after yours is, YOU HAVE NO ASSOCIATION WITH THE TRACK SO KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT. Simple as that. You don't know the whole story, and it's plain to see that you didn't even try to find out the whole story before you left. The whole thing was a seriously bad judgment call on alot of peoples behalf. The father for thinking that kicking someones butt will make him feel better about his daughter getting black flagged, the guy in the stands that came rushing down out of the stands to get involved, the 15 y/o for rushing down on the track when he wasn't involved in the first place. The list could go on and on for faults and bad judgement.... you used bad judgement to open your mouth when you didn't know the whole story. You didn't have a radio headset on to hear the conversation of what went on before everything went down. As for you not wanting to come back out to the track for another 2 years, that's a shame because your going to miss some of the best racing, from some of the best young talent in Oklahoma. And it's a shame that your son isn't gonna be able to see it either becuase his father thinks that there isn't anything but rednecks and hillbilly's at I-44.

Chunk's Racing Images
Yukon,OK

Chunks you are apparently biased in the deal. The "girl" I saw run down the track and stomp on a guy's head had longish/bushy blond hair, wide hips and was wearing a driver's uniform - if that was indeed a boy the kid needs some steroid therapy. I never said she/it "stomped anyone's face in" .... those are your mistaken words and I don't appreciate you putting words in my mouth - I said she/it stomped on a guys head. That happened within the first minute or so of the deal. Perhaps you didn't see it - I did. Whether it was a girl or boy is irrelevant - it should never have been allowed to happen. You can spin it any way that makes feel better about yourself - I know what I saw and it was a total meltdown. And stomping on someone's head is indeed being involved in the fight - spin it how you wish .... you just make yourself appear more biased with each defensive statement.

As for keeping my mouth shut because I have no "association with the track" it's obvious you do as the "track photographer" - so perhaps you should be a bit more professional in the manner with how you address the track's paying customers. I was just there as a race fan and expected to see some good racing and I am entitled to my opinion - last I checked this is still a free country - and I'll "call 'em like I see 'em" with or without your permission....

Up until the fiasco the racing had been pretty decent (as I noted earlier) but simply telling the fans to leave with not so much as "we're very sorry folks - this doesn't normally happen here ... bring your ticket stub for half off the next race event" - combined with an apparent lack of control over their racers (or perhaps more importantly their families) left me with a very dim view of the professionalism of the track operators and participants. I can understand if there was bad weather that shortened the racing program - I've been to way tooooo many rainouts over my 50+ years of attending races. Weather is a factor no track operator has control over ... adequate security is indeed within a track operator's control. If they misjudged the need for security and called the races due to that -- it is indeed the track operator's fault and they should at least offer half off admission to the makeup date.

And I didn't feel the need to stick around and get the whole story - I was sick of the crap and just wanted to go home - hell as far as I knew the fight was still going on somewhere in the pits ... and just who do you suggest I get the full story from? The track announcer wasn't saying a damn thing about the mess........ all he did is tell everybody the races were over for the night.

Phil Taylor

home-theater-systems-advice.com

Very good post by all but Phil. I was there and I am still in shock on how things were handled. Uncle is 100% correct. This crap is killing racing in OKC. EVERYONE envolved, officials, the dad and wanna be's should share the blame. I was an embarrassed to even be associated with Mini sprint racing last night and I wasnt envolved. It is not the norm at I-44. 99% of the time its bad fast, competitive racing. We will be racing at Port City until things are better.

Josh Marchum is fine (thank God)but his car is junk!

Money isn't everything, but it sure keeps your kids 
close!

Ya know I havnt been around for awhile and some may wish I wouldnt come back but I have to weigh in on this.

I blame it on the Olahoma Racer! I dont know where it started because it's been around for awhile but in OK. it seems that the respect that fellow drivers give each other is much lower than the surrounding states. I know fights happen at all tracks but now it's showing up at the track where we raise our Young Guns. What our we teaching these kids and these were kids involved.

It seems that once you cross our state line you can see the difference immediately. Promoters dont put up with the crap that goes on here and what goes on here is whats ruining racing in OK. Have I been in fights yes, Have I seeked out people that I felt did me wrong Yes. Have I been proud of this NO not when you reflect back on your actions and see where this type of OK. Racer is being raised and whats happening to racing around here.

This crap has continued to go on at MOST tracks around not all but most. you see new promoters come in and try to change this image only to find out that if a crowd favorate is involved there is a different standard for them than one that may not be and is critisied for doing the right thing. I 44 has a though call to make next week and it will be an indication on if the same type OK racer and Ok. type of track is what they want or are they going to clean up their image of OK. racing.

Officals, Racers and Crew came close to having an all out brawl last night at a track where these kids race. Reflect on that for a moment and tell me why we can be proud to call ourselves Oklahoma Racers and I will be glad to go away again!

BOBCAT

"Racing is an Addiction cured by Poverty"         
BOBCAT

Not trying to argue here but I don't quite understand the harshness towards Phil. I don't think it's right to call him an idiot or say since he has no association with the track to his mouth shut. That is BS. Fans have a right to post. And he was posting from a fan's perspective and I don't see where he was being malicious. If he was wrong in what he said it was misinformation not lying. To me a lie is intentional and misinformation is not necessarily that. Bottom line is I-44 better get a grip on that kind of stuff. To end the races early due to it is unfair to the fans who pay money that helps keep a track in business. And it's not fair to the other drivers and non troublemakers. To me a situation that out of control is outrageous.

As a fan like Phil I was unaware we couldn't comment on this site based on what we saw. Granted we didn't have pics to back and look at but that doesn't mean we are making up things. Phil's account of what happened is pretty close to what was seen by my friends and myself. We may not have the details as we don't have access to the entire venue, but we saw what we saw, and it was, a bunch of people acting stupid. The acts of a father were way out of line from what we could see from the stands, but we have no idea what happened in the pits prior to the stupidity.

On an earlier post it was mentioned that the flagman in turn 1 warned the driver in question, I thought that was the job of the actual flagman with the black not the yellow from turn 1. I did not see the black waved from the flagstand until the yellow came out. If it was for rough driving the warning should have come from the flagstand, or do the rules change weekly?

And it should be mentioned that the racer/soccer mom/mom's Phil mentioned are instigators a lot of times. On a number of occasions at least one of them and their children have given the "your #1" sign to drivers as they were leaving the track. Last race, there were threats to the #32. Last night again after Josh had been taken off the track in an ambulance she was threatening the #32. Unfortunately it appears that this area of the stands are more interested in escalating track events as opposed to letting the officials handle it.

J.M.

I just want to say one more thing on this, besides the first part of that where the dad and the owner got in to the melee, NO OTHER TRACK OFFICIAL WAS TRYING TO FIGHT. We all were there to break it up and for two of us we got sucker punched for trying to break it up.

David Foley

"Just let me make it to the Dirt Track.. Truck then u 
can break down!!!"

And for that matter the owner wasnt looking for the fight the Dad was and as for the Whites to answer an earlier question, I cannot and will not say what will happen for them, because i truly havent heard what will be done.

David Foley

"Just let me make it to the Dirt Track.. Truck then u 
can break down!!!"

Just to let you know, I am the official in T1 and yes i did point at the driver. And yes the Flag man did point the Black flag at the Driver also. Just letting u know not trying to be an A$$.

David Foley

"Just let me make it to the Dirt Track.. Truck then u 
can break down!!!"

Thats cool, I don't think your being an a$$, I just missed it. Sometimes I wish we could hear what is going on.

LOL and sometimes i wish i could take my headset off,

David Foley

"Just let me make it to the Dirt Track.. Truck then u 
can break down!!!"

As a track promoter I am embarrassed at what took place on Fri. night. Who what when or where does not really matter. What concerns me is the children that witnessed what most parents would reprimand. Any party instigating fighting will be suspended indefinitely. We have never had a fight like this before and was the first to say yes we need more security and will take care of that immediately. I am sorry the announcer did not give more information to the fans. It was his first night . With changing to Fri. our previous announcer was unable to announce. With everything that was happening I failed to tell him what to say. My biggest concern was the baby who had been knocked down the bleachers.I have spoken with all parties who were involved willingly or unwillingly and everyone is OK with the exception of some bruises. Fighting will not be tolerated under any circumstance.

We will make up the 3 features on June 4th before the regularly scheduled race

On the plus side it is my hearts desire to have a race and donate all the proceeds to charity. This is the values I would like to promote rather than fighting over things that do not really matter. We are so blessed in the racing community and take so much for granted. I do not know at what point we have decided it is OK to say some of the things I hear said about fellow racers etc. I do not know when winning became more important than your friends and race family. Taking the checkered flag or out whiting each other on the computer does not create a winner. That is what I would like to make sure our youth know. To help each other instead of attaching each other.

I would like to know who is in on having a benifit race?

Kirk and I are more than willing to donate our time and track.

Extreme Sports Medics will donate their services.

The land owner is willing to donate the money we usually pay him.

The loaner is willing to donate his pay.

All the staff has agreed to donate their services for the night. ( There are a few I have not reached yet)

I would like these guys for jumping on board to help teach our kids a valuable lesson. But most I would like to thank god for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this.

I still have a few calls to make on Mon. but so far everyone is in.

I would like to pick a few charity's and have our youth vote on who they would like to donate it too. I will talk to a few people this week to get some ideas of where there is a need in Oklahoma and suggestions are welcomed

I am talking out loud and would like feedback.

I would like to have no entries/pit passes with only hat to pass at the back gate and let the drivers give what they think is appropriate. I also would like to see the purse donated to whatever charity our kids pick.

Of course all the Grandstands $ and Concession $ will be donated as well.

Any one who would like to help has ideas or wants to be involved please shoot me an email [email protected]

Edge of your seat racing every Friday night @ 8PM

I-44 Speedway Promoter
[email protected]
www.i44speedway.com
http://www.facebook.com/I44Speedway

"There's a fine line between Hobby and Mental Illness"

Hi everyone, this is a new forum for me. I'm the mom of the 32 (who says he never flipped off anyone in the stands) and the 8 who was take off the track in the ambulance. First of all, yes Josh is ok, but after he left the track I took him in my own vehicle to the ER where we spent the next 4-5 hours getting a CT scan and every bone in his body x-rayed. Fortunately, nothing was broken but he experienced a pretty bad concussion and he bruised and skinned up his shins pretty badly. The car is totalled.

Secondly, I want to thank the I44 infield and ambulance crew for everything they did - they really took care of Josh, making sure to keep him safe and his neck steady. He was limp when they turned him upright. I don't think I'll ever forget watching all those men lifting up the front of the car to get Josh horizontal to pull him out flat onto the board. Thanks to everyone who helped! BTW, I understand when the race restarted, Trey was on a mission to win the race in honor of his brother, which he did, regardles of whether a crazy woman was taunting him to fight. FWIW, he says he didn't even notice her.

@marchanracing - I'm very glad your son Josh is OK - that was a "major league" flip he took. I didn't see Trey flip anyone off either. I did see him give a very slight tap to the leader as they went into 3 on the lap prior to him taking the lead the first time (before the next to last caution) but it was nothing malicious or nasty at all - just the very slightest of a tap square on the leader's rear bar. Maybe that was the ex-leader's mom or relative that got all bent out of shape - but I did hear her loudly say (and apparently she imagined) he flipped her off to the others sitting with her ... he coulda just been pulling off a tearoff and she misinterpreted it? I never noticed him look at her the whole time she was taunting him ... his helmet stayed straight ahead the whole time and I saw no gestures directed toward her.

Again - I'm very glad your son wasn't seriously hurt as he indeed took some very hard hits in that tumble. And tell Trey that was one heckuva move he put on the ex-leader on the restart when he blew by him on the outside in two - he had his elbows up and was gassin it! Like I said earlier - there was some pretty decent racing until the stupidity broke out ...

Phil Taylor

home-theater-systems-advice.com