Speedworld Off-Road Circuit - Surprise, Arizona

 

09-05-03 Speedworld Road Course

 

 

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RANLAY Racing Trackchaser Report 

 

 

 

DAY 3 – “I HAD TO STAY CLOSE TO HOME” TRACKCHASING TOUR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GREETINGS FROM SURPRISE, ARIZONA

 

TODAY’S HEADLINES

 

 

I ate well on this trip.…………..details in “The Trip”.

 

 

Trackchasing is a great hobby but it’s not for everyone..................more in “The People”.

 

 

The people vote with their “what”…………..details in “Race Review”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SEE THE PHOTOS; ENJOY THE PHOTOS

 

If you would like to see photos from today’s trackchasing adventure go to www.ranlayracing.com, click on the “Trackchaser Reports” tab and then click on “#1,425 Speedworld Off-Road Circuit” for the pictures and story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THIS MORNING I FLEW INTO PHOENIX FROM ALBUQUERQUE ON SOUTHWEST AIRLINES.  SOUTHWEST IS AN ASSOCIATE SPONSOR OF MINE.  THE EMPLOYEES AT SOUTHWEST ARE A FRIENDLY LOT.  ON SUNDAY EVENING I CAUGHT A FLIGHT BACK HOME TO LOS ANGELES.  THIS IS WHAT TRANSPIRED ON DAY 3 OF MY 11TH TRACKCHASING TRIP OF THE 2009 SEASON.

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE OBJECTIVE, THE TRIP AND THE PEOPLE…AND A WHOLE LOT MORE

 

 

 

 

The Objective 

 

 

I have only one track remaining to be seen in Arizona….and this wasn’t it.

 

 

My “tracks to be seen” database didn’t even include today’s Speedworld Off-Road Circuit.  This track just came up on the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing series schedule a couple of months ago.  The track is located on the old site of the West Valley Speedway oval track.  That place just opened a couple of years ago and it’s already part of racing history.

 

 

I enjoy trackchasing in the Far West.  However, I won’t be doing much of it in the future for two reasons.  First, we don’t have many tracks in the 13 Far Western states.  Secondly, of the few tracks we do have, I’ve seen most of them.

 

 

 

The Trip

 

 

This trip was simple.

 

Yep!  They don’t get much simpler than this.  When I landed my brother was waiting to pick me up.  He drove me to the track in his Oldsmobile.  After the races he drove me back to the airport.  It wasn’t long before I was at the Parking Spot in Los Angeles and then greeting “Trackchasing’s First Mother” at home.  She already had her bags packed for our next week-long trip.  Yes, the Lewis clan is a travelin’ lot.

 

 

I had left home on Friday morning and returned on Sunday night.  During that time I had driven nearly 1,000 miles and flown another two thousand.  The trip was “people rich” with my day with Juan Alvarez who was visiting from Colombia and with my brother Mark who lives in the Phoenix area.  The trip was also productive with three tracks added in three days.

 

 

 

The food of the southwest is different and it’s delicious.

 

 

Mark and I capped off our day of trackchasing with a wonderful Mexican meal in Phoenix.  We stopped at the “Tee Pee” Mexican restaurant.  This restaurant was made famous when former President George W. Bush ate here on January 21, 2004.  Most “hole in the wall” places have to be pretty good if they can get a sitting president to eat at their place.

 

 

I had the shrimp fajitas.  This is a very healthy dish when served with corn tortillas rather than flour.  The service was great, the portions ample and above all the food tasted suburb.  I can heartily give the Tee Pee Mexican restaurant in Phoenix a RANLAY Racing Money Back Guarantee.  It’s one of the best Mexican restaurants I have ever eaten at.

 

 

I also have to give a shout out to the La Hacienda Express semi-fast food Mexican restaurant in the Albuquerque airport.  I had breakfast there this morning just as I did two weeks ago.  The green chili stew will challenge your taste buds if you like spicy food.  I’m surprised they make it that hot since so many “gringos” pass by their restaurant.  For me, the hotter the better, I have a cast iron stomach.

 

 

 

The People

 

 

My brother is a “closet” trackchaser.

 

My brother and I have trackchased together all over the country.  For the past several years Mark has lived and worked in the Phoenix area.  Beyond a few core tracks, there isn’t much racing in Arizona or the southwest in general.  It’s hard to be a trackchaser when you live in a trackchasing barren wasteland.  Overall, for Mark, that’s probably a good idea.  Trackchasing can be a great hobby but it’s not for everyone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RACE REVIEW

SPEEDWORLD OFF-ROAD CIRCUIT, SURPRISE, ARIZONA

 

 

 

Much of the racing I see if just not very entertaining.

 

 

 

The first two nights of trackchasing on this trip had been very low on the entertainment value charts.  What was disappointing about the racing was that I was entertaining an international guest last evening and the program was just awful.

 

 

 

Today was different.  The racing program was full of entertainment.

 

 

 

I often say that the people “vote with their feet”.  Another way to say it is the people “vote with their butts”.  Whichever way you want to think about it the result is the same.  People won’t waste their time watching crap.  However, they’ll beat the doors down if you can entertain them.

 

 

The first two programs of this week charged about five dollars for admission and had less than 100 people in stands.  This afternoon the general admission price was $30 and the grandstands were packed with a minimum of 5,000 people.  What was the difference?  Lots.

 

 

 

What makes up a successful racing program?

 

 

There are so many elements of a successful racing program.  Why can’t the people “who don’t get it” just watch the successful people they come across in their lives and just imitate them?  If it because they are jealous of them?  Is it because they just don’t understand what their successful competitor is doing?  Is it because the “loser” simply can’t do what needs to be done?  It all seems pretty simple to me.  Imitate the best in your business, at a minimum.

 

 

 

What did today’s crew at the Speedworld do right?

 

 

What was the Speedworld Off-Road Circuit group doing right?  First, they had a great announcer who kept the crowd both entertained and informed over a quality P.A. system.  That was a great start.  However, the crowd was dominated by the “twenty something” surfer dude types.  I doubt that kind of person was too dependent upon having someone tell them too much about what was going on.

 

 

The track layout was perfect for spectator viewing.  The dirt track was a road course with essentially four straight-aways all positioned in a parallel fashion directly in front of the grandstands.  These four straights created about six sets of turns.  Several large jumps were part of this track.  When the trucks and buggies drove over these jumps the racers soared through the air some 20-25 feet off the ground.  Often they were in the air for more than five seconds at a time.

 

 

There were plenty of cars racing in each class.  Most races started 15-30 cars.  They raced side by side all over the track.  There was plenty of bumping and banging all through the track.  The races were short and there were no mind numbing yellow flag stoppages.  If a car stopped on the track the worst that happened was a “corner yellow”.

 

 

Toward the middle of the race, they waved a “competition” caution.  This caution flag was displayed for no other reason than to bunch up the field and make the racing closer for the fans.  The “traditional” race fan and his three friends would turn up their collective noses at such a ploy.  Folks, we don’t live there anymore.  If you can entertain them they will come….if you can’t they won’t.  My brother is not an ardent race fan although he is a mega sports fan.  I asked him what he thought of the “competition” caution flag.  Without hesitating he told me he loved it.  To him it made the racing all the more interesting.

 

 

Add to all of this the fact that each person’s general admission ticket allowed them to walk through the paddock area and you have the recipe for success.  You don’t have to take my word for it.  Remember, the people vote with their extremities.  They each paid 30 bucks to see today’s racing.  Most tracks across America can’t get 10% of today’s fan base to pay $10 each night to see a race.

 

 

If you’re not having the success if one area of your business or personal life check out the folks who are.  Then simply imitate their best qualities.  It’s not that difficult to improve, but normally something has to change or the results won’t change.

 

 

Do I think the lion’s share of short track race promoters who have poorly run shows can really improve?  In a word, no I do not.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STATE COMPARISONS

Arizona

This afternoon I saw my 24^th lifetime track in the Canyon state.  The racing Eckels, Bruce and Pat are in second place with 19 tracks.  That’s a good number in a state like this.

 

 

Now you can see the entire up to date trackchaser rankings for the state.  Just click on this link or paste it in your browser:

 

http://www.autoracingrecords.com/tc/statregion.php?country=USA&region=AZ

 

RENTAL CAR UPDATE

 

No rental car!

 

 

My brother provided the wheels is his maintenance starved Oldsmobile.

 

 

 

 

 

Coming soon!

 

 

 

 

How do fellow P&G retirees really think?

 

 

 

 

Why I fear Ed Esser.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading about my trackchasing,

 

Randy Lewis

Alberta’s #1 Trackchaser

I am we Todd it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TRAVEL DETAILS

AIRPLANE

 

Los Angeles, CA – Dallas, TX – 1,233 miles

 

 

RENTAL CAR

 

Dallas-Ft. Worth International Airport – trip begins

Amarillo, TX – 353 miles

Milan, NM – 767 miles

Albuquerque International Airport – 877 miles – trip ends

AIRPLANE

 

Albuquerque, NM – Phoenix, AZ – 328 miles

 

 

PRIVATE CAR

 

Sky Harbor Airport – trip begins

Surprise, AZ – 44 miles

Sky Harbor Airport – 89 miles – trip ends

 

 

AIRPLANE

 

Phoenix, AX – Los Angeles, CA – 369 miles

 

 

Total Air miles – 1,930 (3 flights)

 

 

Total auto and air miles traveled on this trip – 2,896 miles

 

 

 

 

 

 

TRACK ADMSSION PRICES:

 

Tri-State Speedway - $5

Uranium Capital Speedway - $4 (regular admission $7; senior rate)

Speedworld Off-Road Circuit - $25 (saved five bucks with website coupon

 

 

Total racetrack admissions for the trip – $34

 

 

 

 

 

COMPARISONS

 

 

LIFETIME TRACKCHASER COMPARISONS UPDATE:

 

There are no trackchasers currently within 200 tracks of my lifetime total. 

 

1.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 1,425

 

 

World Lifetime Trackchasing Comparisons

http://autoracingrecords.com/tc/statlife.php

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other notables

 

These worldwide trackchasers are within 10 tracks (plus or minus or more) of Carol’s current trackchaser total.

 

26.  Kevin Eckert, Indianapolis, Indiana – 460

 

27.  Carol Lewis, San Clemente, California – 377

 

28.  Ken Schrader, Concord, North Carolina – 374

 

 

 

 

 

2009 TRACKCHASER STANDINGS

Lifetime track totals in (  ).

 

 

1.  Bing Metz, Tatamy, Pennsylvania – 48 (359)

 

 

2.  Ed Esser, Madison, Wisconsin – 36 (1,199)

 

 

3.  Paul Weisel, Orefield, Pennsylvania – 27 (663)

 

 

3.  Mike Knappenberger, Reading, Pennsylvania – 27 (630)

 

 

5.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 25 (1,425)

 

 

 

 

 

Tracks have been reported by 30 different worldwide trackchasers this season.

 

Complete 2008 Trackchasing Comparisons

http://autoracingrecords.com/tc/statyear2008.php

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIFETIME NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY STANDINGS

 

Final 2008 National Geographic Diversity results have been posted.

 

 

 

 

 

COMPLETE TRACK TYPE CATEGORY COMPARISONS OF NOTE:

 

 

Dirt Track Comparisons

http://autoracingrecords.com/tc/statdirt.php

 

 

Paved Track Comparisons

http://autoracingrecords.com/tc/statpaved.php

 

 

Ice Track Comparisons

http://autoracingrecords.com/tc/statice.php

 

 

Mixed Track Comparisons

http://autoracingrecords.com/tc/statmixed.php

 

 

Oval Track Comparisons

http://autoracingrecords.com/tc/statoval.php

 

 

Circuit (road course) Track Comparisons

http://autoracingrecords.com/tc/statcircuit.php

 

 

Figure 8 Track Comparisons

http://autoracingrecords.com/tc/statf8.php

 

 

Indoor Track Comparisons

 http://autoracingrecords.com/tc/statindoor.php

 

 

 

 

 

Official Trackchaser Rules

 

http://autoracingrecords.com/tc/rules.php

 

 

 

 

Past trackchasing reports are available at:

www.ranlayracing.com

 

 

Official trackchaser comparisons can be viewed at:

http://autoracingrecords.com/tc/index.php

 

Some of the data in this report comes from

http://autoracingrecords.com/tc/index.php

and my Garmin GPS aka “Tonto”

 

 

 

 

 

 

UPCOMING TRACKCHASING PLANS

 

I can’t believe it but it’s international trackchasing time again!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RACETRACKS VISITED IN 2009

 

 

1,401. Death Valley Raceway (oval), Armargosa Valley, Nevada - January 3

 

 

1,402. Lake Weyauwega Ice Track (oval), Weyauwega, Wisconsin - January 11

 

 

1,403. Marion Pond Ice Track (oval), Marion, Wisconsin - January 11

 

 

1,404. Grandvalira Circuit (road course), Port d’Envalira, Andorra - January 17

 

 

1,405. Kuna International Raceway (oval), Kuna, Idaho - January 25

 

 

1,406. Circuito Efren Chemolli (oval), Buenos Aires, Argentina - January 31

 

 

Ozark Empire Fairgrounds (oval), Springfield, Missouri – February 6 (new track for Carol only)

 

 

Lake Speed Ice Track (oval), Tilleda, Wisconsin – February 7 (new track for Carol only)

 

 

1,407. DeltaPlex (oval), Grand Rapids, Michigan – February 8

 

 

1,408. Losail International Circuit (road course), Doha, Qatar – February 13

 

 

1,409. Lake Washington Ice Track (road course), Mankato, Minnesota – February 15

 

 

1,410. Bahrain International Circuit (road course), Sakhir, Bahrain – February 27

 

 

1,411. Dubai Autodrome (road course), Dubai, United Arab Emirates – February 28

 

 

1,412. Dunkin Donuts Center (oval), Providence, Rhode Island – March 6

 

 

1,413. Fur Rondy Grand Prix (road course), Anchorage, Alaska – March 8

 

 

1,414. Perris Auto Speedway (road course), Perris, California – March 14

 

 

1,415. Autodromo de Tocancipa (road course), Tocancipa, Colombia – March 22

 

 

1,416. Motorland Aragon (road course), Alcaniz, Spain – March 28

 

 

1,417. Circuto de Murca (road course), Murca, Portugal – March 29

 

 

1,418. High Plains Speedway (oval), Clovis, New Mexico – April 19

 

 

1,419. Flomaton Speedway (oval), Flomaton, Alabama – April 22

 

 

1,420. Kapelluhraum (road course), Hafnafjorour, Iceland – April 25, 2009

 

 

1,421. Monadnock Speedway (oval), Winchester, New Hampshire – April 25, 2009

 

 

1,422. Berlin Lions Club Fairgrounds (oval), Berlin, Connecticut – April 26, 2009

 

 

1,423. Tri-State Speedway (oval), Amarillo, Texas – May 1, 2009

 

 

1,424. Uranium Capital Speedway (oval), Milan, New Mexico – May 2, 2009

 

 

1,425. Speedworld Off-Road Circuit (road course), Surprise, Arizona – May 3, 2009

 

 

 

Official end of RANLAY Racing Trackchaser Report