Greetings from Harrah, Oklahoma
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From the travels and adventures of the
“World’s #1 Trackchaser”
OK Corral Dirt oval Lifetime Track #2,681 THE EVENT Editor’s note: I get the chance to meet a lot of nice people when I’m out on the trackchasing trail. Those folks can be racers, fans and race promoters. Today I hit the jackpot in that area. I met the race promoters, Frank and Michelle Bardaro. During the evening I had the chance to chat for a good long time with fans Mandy Taylor-Griffin and her husband Steve. I also was able to talk on the phone after the race with yard kart racer David Hardy. All real nice Oklahoma folks. I AM A TRACKCHASER. My name is Randy Lewis. I live out in San Clemente, California. We’re only 74 miles north of the Mexican border. I’m not sure a person could pick a more inconvenient location in the continental United States if they wanted to be a world-class trackchaser. My residential location virtually assures the idea that I must fly to virtually every track I visit. I am a “trackchaser”. I trackchase. Have you ever in your life heard of “trackchasing”? I didn’t think so. Trackchasing for me is all about three things. First, I enjoy auto racing. Secondly, my hobby requires a good deal of overnight travel. When I venture out to see a race at a track I’ve never seen before I do not want my trip limited to racing only. The very last thing I want when I’m done trackchasing is to have memories of only racing. I want to take some time to see the local attractions of wherever I might be visiting. Those visits in many cases will provide more long-lasting memories than whatever I saw on the track. Finally, I want to create a logistical plan that allows me to accomplish the two points mentioned above without depleting my retirement account. That’s trackchasing for me. Hundreds of trackchasers have stopped for a moment to create their own personal trackchasing list. I think that is great. However, I will tell you that no one has ever taken trackchasing more seriously than I have. Do I have any data to back up that assertion? I do. To date, I have seen auto racing in 85 countries at more than 2,670 different tracks. Does that sound serious to you? I’ve been able to see the world doing this. If you’re interested in exactly what I’ve been able to experience all around the U.S. and the world I recommend you click on this link. Trackchasing Tourist Attractions After each and every event that I attend I post a YouTube video, a SmugMug photo album and a very detailed Trackchaser Report about the experience on my website at www.randylewis.org. My trackchasing contributions generate a good deal of interest in what I am doing. My YouTube channel (ranlay) has more than 1.3 million views. My website gets more than 20,000 views every month. Because I have seen racing in 85 countries at this point I am considered the World’s #1 Trackchaser. That’s good enough for me. Now I encourage you to drop down a few spaces and read about today’s trackchasing adventure. As you discover what went on at this track just think about the idea that I’ve done this nearly 2,700 times. I don’t mind admitting I am addicted to the hobby of trackchasing. It’s just fun! If you’re interested in looking back and seeing where I’ve been the following link is for you. If you’ve got a question, comment or whatever please leave it at the bottom of this report. It’s very easy to do. Or you can visit me on Facebook. Thanks! FOREWORD Friday, February 26, 2021. This weekend is the last weekend of February 2021. There is some significance to the last week of February in the world of trackchasing. In most circumstances that’s the very last weekend for ice racing in those locations where it’s cold enough to have ice racing. That being the case I had a robust six-track ice trackchasing weekend planned for Minnesota and Wisconsin. In the back of my mind, I was a little concerned about the trip. Warm weather was descending upon this part of the country. At least warm enough weather to possibly cancel some of my ice trackchasing plans. A couple of days before I was set to make this trip I got a message from my Kansas-based trackchasing buddy, John Simpson. John had discovered a new track location racing on Friday night this weekend. I didn’t have any trackchasing planned for Friday. This new track discovery had a somewhat unusual name. The track’s name was the “OK Corral Indoor Arena”. Well O.K then! The OK Corral was located in Harrah, Oklahoma just outside of Oklahoma City. By the way, you know the O.K. Corral name became famous for the gunfight that happened in Tombstone, Arizona in 1881. This was an intriguing recommendation. I figured I could fly from Los Angeles to Dallas and then drive up to Oklahoma City for the Friday night show. From there I could still make it up to Minnesota and Wisconsin for the weekend just at it as if I had never stopped to see any racing in Oklahoma. This became my new best plan. If you have read my reviews for very long you know that is common for my plans to change at the very last minute. The OK Corral would be my 10th new track visit of the 2021 trackchasing season. It would also be the eighth track out of those ten where I was the first trackchaser ever to visit the track that I was seeing. I find that statistic beyond amazing. There are hundreds of listed trackchasers, some of which have been reporting track visits from as long ago as the 1930s. Doesn’t it seem unusual that, with all of those trackchasers, I could end up being the first trackchaser to see racing at eight tracks out of my first ten for the year? I did have a minor concern about the go-kart racing to be held at the OK Corral on this Friday night. Were they going to offer any classes which meet and exceed the somewhat strange and at other times arbitrary trackchasing rules? There was only one way I could confirm what I needed to confirm. I had to go to the top of the food chain and talk to the real decision-makers at the track. Those decision-makers turned out to be Frank Bardaro and his wife Michelle. I got in touch with them via phone. We had a nice conversation which probably took the better part of 45 minutes. I soon learned that Frank and Michelle were very passionate about race promotion. Frank has been doing this for 14 years. I think at the same time they were pretty impressed that a fella was going to come from California all the way to there a little racetrack in Harrah, Oklahoma. I could just tell by our conversation that we hit it off. At a minimum, their “yard kart” division (above) would meet trackchasing rules. They’ve had a few events already this year. The yard karts always brought two or more competitors. Frank also told me that the QRC winged sprint karts were going to be a big attraction with a $1,000 to win feature race purse. After talking to this amazing couple I was convinced that I was going to the OK Corral. On Wednesday of this week, I got the second shot of my Moderna Covid vaccination plan. The next day I wasn’t feeling so well. I had read stories about other people having a little bit of difficulty with their second shot. I felt achy with chills and fever, nothing really major, but just being uncomfortable. Luckily by the time, Friday morning rolled around I was feeling better. On Friday morning I hopped on a jet airplane in Los Angeles bound for Dallas, Texas. My original plan was to rent a car in Dallas and drive three hours north to Oklahoma City. After the go-kart racing was finished on Friday night I would drive back to Dallas. I figured if I did that I might have to sleep for just a few hours overnight in my car during the wintertime. Then I would fly from Dallas to Minneapolis. Upon further reflection, I changed the plan. I rented a car from National Car Rental on a one-way basis. I could pick up the car in Dallas and drop it in Oklahoma City when I was finished with it. This would give me enough time to get a hotel in Oklahoma City on Friday night. Carol thought that an excellent plan. She always thinks I should stay in a hotel and not sleep overnight in my car! All of my travel logistics worked out really well. I found a parking spot at the OK Corral but it wasn’t without some complications. At first, I didn’t exactly know where I should park. I kept following the entrance road until I was within about 30 feet of entering the arena and pulling onto the go-kart track itself! The National Car Rental Racing Toyota Camry was not going to be well-suited for this high-banked dirt kart track. It was difficult backing out of the dilemma without running over a couple of race teams pitted outdoors. When I did find a parking spot I was soon being introduced to Michelle, wife of Frank tonight’s track promoter. She was parked in a white diesel pick-up truck in the dark. She called me over and soon I was signing a pit release. Then Michelle handed me with a VIP pit pass. Later I was told this was the only VIP pit pass administered for tonight’s races. Yes I was going to be the guest of honor of both Frank and Michelle Bardaro. I accepted their kindness and generosity with the responsibility that came with it. I needed to check out their entire operation and share what I found with you the sports fan. Frank told me during our phone call that they’ve been racing inside the OK Corral since 1970. I would later come to learn that Frank‘s grandparents had developed the property for horse lovers. As a matter of fact, Michelle had been a barrel racer back in the day. This was an old classic simple barn-type building. Tonight it was home to a very small but very high-banked dirt oval. Most of the cars were pitted inside the building but there were several outside as well. This weekend the OK Corral was holding a two-day event. Tonight was day one with practice and one heat race for each class of racer. Tomorrow’s agenda, which would be bigger and with more cars in attendance, called for each class to race their second heat and their feature event. Frank told me that a couple of classes would be racing for $1,000 to win. That’s a very large purse in the world of go-kart racing at this level. I know I always tell you this when I really want you to pay special attention. Don’t miss the YouTube video from tonight’s racing! I was able to get some very close-up footage of the high-speed wheel to wheel racing. There were about a dozen classes competing tonight. Virtually every class had a competitive heat race. I’m also always telling you that it’s the people that make these events so diverse and enjoyable. I didn’t get to meet Frank the promoter until tonight’s racing was finished. Nevertheless, while I was watching the racing from down near turn one I struck up a conversation with a local couple. The woman Mandy Taylor-Griffin, had quite a history with racing. She had worked at the old Fairgrounds Speedway in Oklahoma City. Mandy was good friends with the OKC promoter Bud Carson and his sprint car racing son Shane (above). Tonight Mandy and her husband Steve were at the races to follow several family members who were competing. Mandy and Steve had just purchased a motorhome following Steve’s retirement. They have all kinds of plans for upcoming races including the Bristol dirt race that I hope to attend as well. Mandy was one of the most enthusiastic, friendly and positive people I’ve ever met. She had run several marathons and was actually teaching running at a local high school. On the other hand, Mandy had suffered her share of medical challenges. Her list of ailments was as long as any list of ailments I’ve ever heard of for a single individual. Nevertheless, she had a smile on her face and looked to me on the outside to be in perfect health. Mandy knew a lot about racing. She mentioned she had grown up with it and followed her favorites including Shane Carson all over the Midwest. I wished Mindy and her husband Steve the very best in retirement. I could tell they deserve it. Maybe I’ll see them in Bristol. Next up I needed to find Frank the track promoter. I asked a couple of people to point him out to me. From there Frank and Michelle would take me under their wing and show me all around. First, Frank took me to his racing trailer. Inside was a mini modified race car. The mini-modifieds were not racing tonight. Frank told me there were 35-40 of them in the area. They would be competing at a special place here in Oklahoma soon. Where was that special place? Just outside the OK Corral! Frank was going to build a high-banked outdoor dirt track for the mini-modifieds and other kart classes that were racing tonight. The new track is going to be located just outside the OK Corral Indoor Arena. You can bet I’ll be back in Harrah, Oklahoma when he gets that track finished. Frank and Michelle, like virtually every promoter I’ve ever met in my life, are very proud of their facility. The track has been in their family’s possession since 1970. They’ve been racing there for more than 50 years. That’s impressive. Frank told me that he’s got the full support of the local government. He can do anything he wants with the property originally developed by his grandparents. Frank is an enthusiastic and passionate promoter. Although at this stage he no longer cares too much for the motorcycle group. Too many headaches! When tonight’s racing program was finished and having met and had plenty of time to talk to Frank and Michelle and other fans at the track it was time to head over to my Oklahoma City hotel. Priceline had given me a fantastic deal on a Fairfield Marriott and suites property. The hotel was located just a couple of miles from the airport. That was going to be an excellent location considering my flight left tomorrow morning at 7 a.m. for Minneapolis. As mentioned until about three days ago I had never heard of the OK Corral in Harrah, Oklahoma. Thank you John Simpson for that update. I continue to find it amazing that now eight tracks out of the ten that I’ve seen this year have never been seen by a single trackchaser other than me. I just don’t understand that. If you get the chance to see a race down at the OK Corral Indoor Arena on their high-banked track I suggest you don’t miss it. I can only think of one other kart track, and that was in downstate Illinois (New Berlin above), that ever had the banking this track does. This allowed the go-kart drivers and winged outlaw kart drivers to really slam their machines into the turns at high speeds. Very exciting. Oh, one more thing. If you are a kart racer in and around Oklahoma you’re going to want to support these shows. You won’t find nicer people than Frank and Michelle to race for! Good evening from the OK Corral in Harrah, Oklahoma. Randy Lewis – 85 countries – 2,681 tracks. Oklahoma The Sooner State This weekend I saw racing at my 41st lifetime track in the Sooner, yes, the Sooner State. I hold the #1 trackchasing ranking in Oklahoma. Oklahoma ranks #20, amongst all the states, in tracks seen for me in the U.S. Here’s a link to my all-time Oklahoma state trackchasing list. I have made 31 separate trips to Oklahoma seeing these tracks. Thanks for reading about my trackchasing, Randy Lewis World’s #1 Trackchaser Peoria Old Timers Racing Club (P.O.R.C.) Hall of Fame Member Oklahoma sayings: Land of the red man JUST THE FACTS LIFETIME TRACKCHASER COMPARISONS The three most important trackchasing comparisons to me are: Total lifetime tracks seen Total “trackchasing countries” seen Lifetime National Geographic Diversity results Total Lifetime Tracks There are no trackchasers currently within 795 tracks of my lifetime total. Don’t blame me. Total Trackchasing Countries My nearest trackchasing competitor, a native of Belgium, has seen racing in more than 30 fewer countries compared to my lifetime total. Current lifetime National Geographic Diversity results That’s all folks! Official end of the RLR – Randy Lewis Racing Trackchaser Report Click on the link below to see the video production from the racing action today. Click on the link below for a photo album from today’s trackchasing day. You can view the album slide by slide or click on the “slide show” icon for a self-guided tour of today’s trackchasing adventure. For more than 50 years they have raced at the OK Corral! 
