2022 Trackchasing Goals
Welcome to my 2022 trackchasing goals page! This year I enter my second year of trackchasing semi-retirement. “Semi-retirement”? Yep. Why semi-retirement? Well…I’ve seen racing at nearly every permanent track in the United States. For me, there’s not much left to see. But there are a few (maybe 20) remaining, so I’m not stopping trackchasing yet. I’ll still continue to see a lot of the “pop-up” tracks that continue to pop-up for a night or two all over the country.
My goals will be much more relaxed to befit a gentleman trackchaser in semi-retirement. My goals will be fewer. Nevertheless, I will still try to achieve those goals as I always do. What are my goals? Let’s take a look.
Just to make things clear my 2022 trackchasing goals will appear below in BLUE. My latest goal results (posted quarterly) are printed in RED.
Why do I even establish goals? Having goals in life is important. It doesn’t take much effort to set a few goals. However, there are some aspects of goal setting that ought to be considered. By setting goals you can “stretch” to achieve more and/or improve yourself in whatever area you find important.
If you’re going to set goals there are a few things that will make the process better. First, the goals have to be as specific as possible. The more specific they are the easier it will be to see if you achieved your goals. It’s also most important to tell folks who care what your goals are BEFORE you try to achieve them. If one doesn’t do that it’s easy to “forget” about a goal when it is not achieved. It’s all too easy to pat yourself on the back for a goal that might only have “materialized” AFTER you achieved it! I’ve seen a trackchaser or two fall into this category. Finally, it doesn’t do much good to set “softball” goals. What’s a softball goal? Softball goals can pretty much be achieved just by getting out of bed in the morning. I see that a lot too. No softball goals!
I think you will find my goals specific. I publish my goals during January of each year. So there you go. My goals are “out there” for all to see. Now I’ll go about doing the best I can against those goals that are important to me in trackchasing. At the end of each quarter, I’ll post the results. Stay tuned. I probably won’t make them all but I will be trying.
GOALS/RESULTS
Below you will find my trackchasing goals for my 2022 trackchasing season.
Goal – Get out there and do it!
I enter the 2022 trackchasing season having seen racing in 85 countries at 2,760 tracks. These totals dwarf the results of my fellow competitors.
As I mentioned, in today’s trackchasing world there are not that many tracks left for me to see. Why? I’ve already seen racing at most of them! Additionally, permanent racetracks are closing down at a continuous rate. So my goal will be to simply get out there and see as many as I want to from this point forward.
It’s important to note that I am NOT retiring from trackchasing. Far from it. I’m simply going to put a lot less time into hitting the road to see those new tracks. Am I tired of trackchasing? No. I’m as fired up about the hobby as I ever have been. It’s just that with so few real racetracks left to visit I can both understand and accept my situation.
I’ve seen racing at all but about 25 permanent ovals and road courses in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Nevertheless, I’ll be “out there”. I hope to see you somewhere over the “long and dusty trackchasing trail”.
2022 – 1st Quarter Update
For the first quarter I wouldn’t say I’ve done all that much for “big” trips but I have been “out there and doing it”. I ended the quarter seeing racing for the first time at 11 tracks in seven states. Most of those track visits were at ice racing locations. At six of those eleven tracks I was the first trackchaser ever to visit the venue. Of those eleven new track visits one was huge!
I’m talking about the NASCAR Cup race at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Who would have ever dreamed that a huge series like NASCAR would run their top division around a football field? Of all of the racetracks I have ever visited I have never experienced the “vibe” that was at the coliseum for this race. It was sort of like a rock concert. It was actually amazing. Someone said that 70% of the ticket sales for that race came from first-time NASCAR race watchers. If that is true that is beyond amazing.
In the first three months of the 2022 season, I have seen racing at 11 new tracks. The entire TEN trackchasers who followed me in the standings in 2010 have seen in 2022…just eight new tracks. Wow! The Foyts, Andrettis, and Unsers of trackchasing, yes the original stars, have left the building!
It is truly a disappointing commentary that there are no new trackchasers who have both joined the hobby and achieved the results these ten gentleman did. I’m not sure, back in 2010, I would have predicted this result.
Trackchaser 2010 2022
Randy Lewis 1,612 11
Others
Ed Esser (deceased) 1,345 0
Guy Smith 1,343 3
Gordon Killian 1,276 0
Alan Brown 1,191 1
Rick Schneider 1,109 0
Roland Vanden Eynde 1,108 2
Andy Sivi 1,063 0
Robert Helmick 1,033 2
Jack Erdmann (deceased) 916 0
P.J. Hollebrand 903 0
Stay tuned during the second and third quarter. I truly do have some very BIG trackchasing trips planned that should propel far past the goal in this category.
2022 – Goal results – April 1, 2002 through the balance of the year.
From the beginning of April through the rest of the year I have continued to take those really BIG trips.
I trackchased down in Mexico. This was my 12th different trip to Mexico to trackchase beginning in 2007. I don’t believe a single other trackchaser has ever made more than one trip to see racing south of the border.
I continued trackchasing all over Europe where I saw racing in Germany, Slovenia and Italy with Carol. This was my first racing trip to Slovenia. My trackchasing country total now stands at 86.
My next jaunt to Europe had me making a return trip to Scotland. There I added four different tracks to my European list and met up with some old and new Scottish friends.
I made several treks up north to Canada adding nine more Canadian tracks to my lifetime total during the 2022 season. All of those tracks were seen in Ontario and Quebec. My lifetime Canadian track total now sits at 188.
One of my biggest and best trips of the year was an outing to both Sweden and Finland. That trip added seven new tracks to my lifetime totals. My totals in those countries now stand at Sweden (7) and Finland (3). Much thanks to Nicklas Åkerlund for his help on this trip!
In September I returned to Europe with Carol to trackchase in the Netherlands and Belgium. Then a few weeks later we were back across the pond seeing races in Germany and the Czech Republic.
I kept up my “big trip” trackchasing plan by finishing the year and celebrating New Year’s Eve trackchasing in Australia. I’ve spent five New Year’s Eves down under. This trip included races in the three Australian states of New South Wales, Queensland and west Australia. My lifetime Aussie continent track list now sits at fifty.
I had a lot of help from my foreign-based contacts with these trips. I couldn’t do this by myself. I met so many nice folks from literally all over the world. I had the chance to see so many of them at the tracks. I won’t mention them by name here for fear of leaving someone out.
In total I spent 79 days outside of the United States. No matter how you look at it that’s a lot of BIG trips. I feel I met my goal…no, I smashed my goal in this area.
Oh yes, one more thing. I wasn’t just trackchasing outside of the United States even though I did see racing in 13 countries. I trackchased in 21 states in the U.S. I went racechasing to see the Bristol dirt race and the Eldora Million, a million dollar to win show for late models. Those two races were definitely highlights of the year.
Goal – Keep seeing those Trackchasing Tourist Attractions
I have long said that my hobby is really about just three things. Of course, I want to see racing at tracks all over the world that I haven’t visited. I also want to continue to enjoy the logistical challenge of attacking this hobby from the most remote part of the United States, southern California, of any trackchaser going.
It is the third leg of my trackchasing stool that I find offers outstanding value for money when I make these trips. I want to see unique parts of the country and the world. I want to visit those places “close up”. If you have followed my hobby for a long you know I call these places “Trackchasing Tourist Attractions”.
I mentioned I’ve seen racing at quite a few racetracks and there aren’t that many left to see. Well, I’ve seen my share of Trackchasing Tourist Attractions as well. But…there are still lots of places to visit. I don’t mind returning to some of my TTA favorites.
If you’d like to see where I’ve been so far check out this link.
Trackchasing Tourist Attractions
2022 – 1st Quarter Update
It’s always fun to see “what there is to see” when I’m out on the long and dusty trackchasing trail. I did quite a bit of that during the first quarter of the year…often in some quite chilly conditions.
NIU Convocation Center – (College basketball – Northern Illinois Huskies vs. Bowling Green University Falcons) – DeKalb, IL
Knapp Center (College basketball – Drake Bulldogs vs. Bradley Braves) – Des Moines, IA
Saint Thomas Ice Arena (College hockey – Minnesota State Mavericks (#2 ranked) vs. St. Thomas Tommies) – Mendota Heights, MN
Northwest Airlines History Center – Bloomington, MN
Mill City Museum – Minneapolis, MN
Papst Museum – Milwaukee, WI
UW Panther Arena (NCAA basketball – Milwaukee vs. Cleveland State) – Milwaukee, WI
Crisler Arena (NCAA basketball – Illinois vs. Michigan) – Ann Arbor, MI
National Barber Museum – closed when I went there even though I was there during published hours (just 10 hours/week) they were supposed to be open. Exterior viewing only – Columbus, OH
2022 – Goal results – April 1, 2002 through the balance of the year.
Trackchasing Tourist Attractions
I have said many times, and I will say it again. When I wrap up my trackchasing hobby and see that final checkered flag, I do not want to be known as a person who simply “went to race tracks”. That is NOT what my hobby is about.
Beyond simply seeing racing at tracks I’ve never been to I want to experience the local culture and see the biggest and most important attractions in the areas I visit. I’ve had that approach from day one with my trackchasing.
Here’s just a partial list of the places I’ve been able to visit during the last portion of my 2022 trackchasing season. I think you would have to agree. This is a pretty extensive and impressive group of Trackchasing Tourist Attractions.
Tuskegee University – Tuskegee, AL
Mississippi Civil Rights Museum – Jackson, MS
Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum – Jackson, MS
Tulsa Botanical Gardens – Tulsa
Center of the Universe – Tulsa
Double decker bus city tour – Queretaro, Mexico
BMW Museum – Munich, Germany
Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum – Buffalo
Piteå Church – Pietå Sweden
Piteå Museum – Pietå, Sweden
Snook’s Car Museum – Bowling Green
Bowling Green State University campus tour – Bowling Green
Pilson city walking tour – Pilson, CZ
Berlin City Tour via Hop On Hop Off bus – Berlin
Berlin water boat tour along the Spree – Berlin
Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum – Oranienburg
Friedrichstadt Paladt – Performance of Arise (one of the best ever TTAs) – Munich
Dresden city walking tour – Dresden
Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral Church tours – Prague
Pedal Planet – Prague
The Orloj – Prague
Český Krumlov Palace tour – Český Krumlov
Mozart Dinner Opera – Boccaccio Ballroom – Grand Hotel Bohemia, Prague
Boise River Greenbelt hike – Boise
Canisius College tour – Buffalo
Brenke Fish Ladder – Lansing
City Botanical Gardens – Brisbane, Queensland
Lyric Theatre (Mary Poppins) – Brisbane, Queensland
River Cruise – Brisbane, Queensland
Motor Museum of Western Australia – Perth, Western Australia
Gloucester Park harness racing – Perth, Western Australia
Goal. Trackchasing/Exercise
This is one of my fun and, at the same time, one of my most difficult goals to achieve. I very much enjoy exercising. It’s one of the things that keeps me young. When I’m traveling out on the long and dusty trackchasing trail it is difficult to take time to exercise. The more I trackchase the less time there is for taking care of one’s good health.
I will continue having a goal of power walking four miles a day for five days each week. When power walking opportunities are not available I will substitute with elliptical training. If and when I meet this goal I will have walked a bit more than 1,000 miles for the year.
2022 – 1st Quarter Update
The goal is at least four miles a day of walking at least five days a week. Depending on the amount of travel I do and the “current injury report” oftentimes I do better against the goal or not. Here were my results during the quarter.
January – 18
February – 18
March – 31
Total – 67
My goal is always 65 exercise efforts a quarter. I got off to a very slow start in January and February. Then I kicked ass in March. Given the winter weather where I traveled I’ll take a +2 start to the year.
2022 – Goal results – April 1, 2002 through the balance of the year.
Trackchasing/exercise
This year I traveled almost 200,000 miles using airplanes and rental cars. I traveled overnight for 181 nights in 2022. Imagine the time it takes to travel 200,000 miles and be on the road roughly every other night.
Because of my active lifestyle I knew it was important to establish some kind of an exercise goal to stay in shape. What would that look like?
On March 2, 2022 I set a goal to walk a minimum of 4 miles every day. No, I’m not talking about five times a week or six times a week but seven times a week…four miles at a minimum EVERY day.
I’m glad to report that through December 31, 2022 I have not missed a single day of walking at least four miles a day. As a matter of fact, I’ve averaged nearly 5 miles a day since March 2. This is the best, by far, that I’ve ever done against my trackchasing/exercise goal. This amount of walking has now become a habit and a way of life. Every day I figure out exactly how I’m going to be able to “get my steps in”.
Goal – Share the experience
As you know I am active on various forms of social media. If you’re reading this you have found my website. My site, www.randylewis.org, continues to get well over 20,000 views each month.
My YouTube channel (channel name: ranlay) features more than 1,500 racing videos. I have more than 2,500 YouTube subscribers. To date, my channel has received nearly 1.5 million views. I also offer SmugMug photo albums covering each trackchasing day from sunup to well past sundown. These albums share literally hundreds of thousands of photos simply “depicting the experience”.
I mentioned that I have seen racing at nearly 2,800 racetracks. When I had visited about 425 tracks I decided it would be a good idea to create and post a travelogue of the experience from each track and each day of trackchasing. As I enter the 2022 season I find that I have posted just a bit more than 51% of those nearly 2,800 adventures.
That means I have TONS of sharing still to come from both the “classic” tracks I’ve seen in the past and the stories from tracks still to come. If my website can get 20,000 views each month with only half of the trackchasing stories posted I can’t imagine what the viewership will be when even more fully illustrated stories get posted.
2022 – 1st Quarter Update
Some 18% of my YouTube views come from outside the U.S. As expected about 92% of the views are from males. I’m a bit surprised that 65% of the views come from folks aged 25-44 and only 3% from people over 65. I guess that says something about oldsters and tech.
I have more than 2,600 YouTube subscribers to my channel. However, almost 98% of my views come from non-subscribers. That surprised me some.
I currently have 1,428 (51.5% of all tracks) Trackchaser Reports posted on my website. I have the stories written for all of my track visits, beyond about track #425 when I wasn’t writing reports, but I don’t have the time to post them all. I work at it a little all the time but realize they will all never get posted. And that’s the way it is.
2022 – Goal results – April 1, 2002 through the balance of the year.
My website, www.randylewis.org continues to do well. I have Trackchaser Reports from nearly 1,500 of my trackchasing visits posted on my site. Some of those posts have tens of thousands of views. Every year my website gets more than a quarter of a million views.
In addition to posts from individual tracks I have all kinds of summaries by state, country and more. If you use the search box in the upper right corner of my home page you will find other posts on key financial and life strategic topics. You will be able to see how I came to be able to do what I do with my hobby of trackchasing. To me trackchasing is all about seeing racing and seeing and experiencing the sights and sounds on the way to the race and figuring out how to get from point A to point B…and how to finance the entire hobby. As some of you know you could spend days and weeks just reading all the stories that have come my way through this hobby.
My YouTube channel (channel name: Randy Lewis) has 1.6 million views and 2,800 subscribers. The total watch time is nearly 50,000 hours! Just over 20% of my total views come from people who live outside the United States. The largest percentage (39.2%) of my YouTube views are aged 25-34.