2001-2005…the beginning of trackchasing

Over the years Carol has shown she’ll try just about everything.

It’s the ARCA race in Nashville. Later I got drive on this track during an SCCA weekend.

Eastern track chasers have missed the boat on desert off-road racing. This event prompted one of the several “Randy Rules” that are now part of trackchasing’s “guidelines”.

My stepfather and I went to well over 100 tracks together despite living nearly 3,000 miles apart. I tried to teach him golf…..

Folks, from a numbers point of view few tracks have held much significance. However, the Freedom Raceway at my 500th track was one of my most special milestones.

This track had to be one of the most “backwoods” venues I had ever visited. It’s nearly impossible to believe the track hosted a NASCAR Grand National event (forerunner of Sprint Cup) in 1958 with Junior Johnson winning!

I was glad to get this track chasing double before the Louisville Motor Speedway was forced to close. As it was I had to sit through a rain delay to get this track in the books.

It’s the famous Barnyard Raceway in Rhode Island. I tried to get this one for years before finally succeeding.

No those aren’t my sock it’s my golf tan! My stepfather and I stopped here to meet with the owner long before I ever saw a race here in 2001.

We go to Maui twice a year. In 2001 we made the trip specifically to see this track.

The racing surface was loose and dusty.

Carol and I wrapped up our 2001 trackchasing season with a Mexican cruise.

In 2002 I retired and we began building our dream house overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

A spring trip to the south found me at the North Alabama Speedway in Tuscumbia.

As big UCLA fans we hung out with legendary basketball coach John Wooden whenever we could.

A trip down to the Master’s golf tournament yielded three new tracks in the Carolinas.  This was Arnold Palmer’s last Masters appearance.

This was quite the trip as Phil, Mike and George will attest.

On this evening I was in town for the big ASA race at South Boston Speedway.

I go to the little tracks too like Bakersfield Raceway Park in Indiana.

Tour of Northern Arizona University’s football stadium. This is the largest wood spanned building in North America.

I love the old covered grandstands like this one in Webster City, Iowa.

Sprint car special – pit area of the Sixty-Seven Raceway Park

These were some unusual machines competing at the Starlite Speedway. Oh by the way, this track was visited on June 30, 2002. That’s the date I retired!

I joined journalist Dave Sully at the Merrittville Speedway In Ontario, Canada. Dave wrote a very nice story for one of the local sports magazines regarding my visit.

I made it to the Kansas Speedway for inaugural race featuring Indy Cars.

Nick O’Brien, Ed Esser and Will White join me at Manitowoc.

I’m joined by Will White and Ed Esser on “trackchasing double” night.

When I’m near the Quad Cities (IL) you’ll find me at a Hungry Hobo restaurant with owner Pryce Boeye.

Only a handful of track chasers have seen racing in Washington, D.C. That’s RFK Stadium in the background.

Now THAT’S a junkyard in rural Pennsylvania.

This was the prettiest car at the Thunderhill Raceway Park up in Willows, California.

A round of golf with National Speedway Directory owner Allan Brown in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

The governor of South Dakota wins this figure 8 race in Parker, South Dakota.

Over the year’s we’ve hosted several racing visitors to San Clemente. Here journalists Dave Sully, wife Marcia and Dave Roberts enjoy lunch at the San Clemente beach.

Trackchasing has certainly taken Carol and me all over the world….a few times.

What a great field of cars for the enduro at Delaware Speedway.

One of the best things about traveling the country is visiting family members who live faraway. We’re in Florida here with my stepfather Bill, his wife Betty (blue) and my Aunt Gravetta (red).

During the winter months we often follow the UCLA basketball Bruins on their road trips. This game was played at the University of Oregon’s famous Mac Court. What a place!

This was afternoon county fair racing just like they’ve been doing for almost 100 years. Fun.

When we go trakchasing we never miss the sights. Here we returned to our honeymoon destination, Disneyworld.