Martinsville Speedway

 

First Virginia visit – 1986.

My very first track to see in Virginia was visited back on Saturday afternoon April 26, 1986.  I love the Martinsville Speedway.  I’m the only trackchaser that does a lot of things when it comes to “racechasing”.  Of course “track chasing is when someone attends a race for the sole purpose of visiting a new track without regard to the quality or type of racing.  “Racechasing is when someone goes to a race for the sole purpose of seeing their favorite driver, their favorite racing series and/or the best racing.  It doesn’t matter to the racechaser if they have been to that track one time or one hundred times.  The real racing fan will travel hundreds of miles (often times thousands of miles) just to see their favorite track.

 

 

The Martinsville Speedway is 2,475 miles from my hometown in San Clemente, California.  Google Maps tells me it would be a 35-hour drive.  I have never driven to Martinsville from San Clemente.  However I have been to Martinsville SEVEN times even though it’s more than 2,000 miles from my home.  You just don’t see that in the world of trackchasing.  No trackchaser has ever been to a track that far from his home that many times.  It just does not happen.

 

 

Why do I like Martinsville so much.  First, I like NASCAR Sprint Cup racing.  Some short track racing fans think liking NASCAR means not liking short track racing.  They like short track racing so, to them, that means they can’t like NASCAR racing.  I think that line of thinking is a form a “class envy”.  NASCAR is like Wal-Mart.  When they started out as a small fish in a big pond everyone loved them.  Think Wal-Mart being so far behind K-Mart or NASCAR being so far behind Indy car racing many years ago.  Today Wal-Mart has demolished K-Mart.  K-Mart is just about out of business.  NASCAR has demolished Indy Car racing.  I don’t know if Indy Car racing is about out of business but they aren’t doing very well.

 

 

I’m hear to tell you that being a fan of NASCAR and being a fan of short track racing is NOT mutually exclusive.  You can like ’em both.  I do!  However, NASCAR does so many things I wish short track racing could and would do.  They start their shows on time.  They don’t cancel because of a bad weather forecast.  In fact, they will stay for hours working on the track to get the show in on the day the race was scheduled.  NASCAR starts full fields of 43 cars.  How many short track feature races start half that many?  The best NASCAR drivers show up at every race.  If you can’t come to the race you can watch it on TV or listen to it on radio.  NASCAR facilities are neat as a pin.  The restrooms are as good as any major sports stadium you will see.  NASCAR offers free parking, great concession choices and lots of passing.  Check out your local short track and see how many changes for the lead they have in a 30-lap feature.  Then check out how many lead changes NASCAR has on an average of every 30 laps.  NASCAR will win that deal.  Think NASCAR is too expensive for you?  I’ve paid an average of $20 per ticket for the last several races I’ve attended.  That price is for seats across from pit road and near the start/finish line.  Is NASCAR competitive enough for you.  During the first seven races of the 2014 season there were seven different winners.  Does that happen at your local short track.  Yes, I love short track racing but I wish they could do a lot of things as well as NASCAR does them.

 

I’ve seen some great racing at Martinsville.  On that very first trip to the track my stepfather Bill Virt and good friend Jim Sabo joined me.  Below is a list of the winners during my visits to the Martinsville Speedway.

 

 

October, 2012 – Jimmie Johnson #48

October, 2009 – Denny Hamlin #11

 

October, 2005 – Jeff Gordon #24

April, 2002 – Bobby Labonte #18

April, 1994 – Rusty Wallace #2

April, 1986 – Ricky Rudd #15

April, 1986 – Brett Bodine #21

 

 

 

Nearly every year I plan to visit Martinsville unless I have a family conflict or something else that will prevent me from getting to Martinsville.  We usually have a Maui timeshare conflict with the April dates in recent years.  Nevertheless, I plan to be back at Martinsville as soon as I can.  I can’t pass up those Martinsville hot dogs!

 

  

You might have remembrances about the Martinsville Speedway.  If so, please feel free to share in the comments section below.  If you have any photos from back in the day, send them to me at Ranlay@yahoo.com.  I’ll try to include them here.

 

From the travels and adventures of the

“World’s #1 Trackchaser”

It was a wild and wooly Saturday trying to beat hurricane Sandy and more!

 

Editor’s note:  In 2012 I visited Martinsville Speedway on a Sunday afternoon following a track chasing double in Georgia and North Carolina the day before.  My Martinsville experience is detailed in this Trackchaser Report.

 

 

THE KEYS TO THE TRIP

I remain a true race fan…………….more in “Race Review”.

 

Where not to go on your next vacation……………..more in “The Plan”.

 

Hurricane Sandy was creating a huge risk for my upcoming trackchasing plans………..details in “The Plan”.

 

 

GREETINGS FROM

SAVANNAH, GEORGIA,

TROY, NORTH CAROLINA AND EVEN MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA

WHO, WHAT, WHY

AND WHERE

 

 

The Plan  

 

Why do I really enjoy trackchasing? 

I often say the challenge of putting the travel plan together and seeing what the local area has to offer are the top reasons I enjoy trackchasing.  Today was one of my more difficult “day/night” trackchasing doubles I’ve had over the years.

 

 

Hurricane Sandy was bearing down.

First, I was trying to beat hurricane Sandy from giving me my first rainout of 2012.  This time I won.  Maybe next time I won’t.  I was also driving like a maniac to option #1, a North Carolina oval track for Saturday evening.  In the back of my mind I thought I might have already been there.  I stopped to do a little more research.  I HAD been there.  After seeing more than 1,800 tracks I will be the first to admit that I can no longer remember them all.

 

That put option #2 on the table, a kart track in South Carolina.  I couldn’t get in touch with them by phone.  So I used my laptop, while driving 80 M.P.H. to check out a kart-racing forum.  There I learned that weather was going to be a problem for them.  While I was reading the posts about their race the track actually sent a message to the forum saying their race was cancelled by rain!  Of course this did not break my trackchasing days rainout streak since I had already seen a new track in the afternoon.

 

Option #3 was another dirt oval in western North Carolina.  I tried to head to that track thinking they were racing at night.  Again, checking the website while moving on up I-95 brought bad news.  They were expected to begin their race in 2 p.m. in the afternoon!  I couldn’t get there until 10 p.m.  They would be finished by then.  Things were not looking good for an evening race.

 

Just one option left. 

There was one lone track ahead.  My afternoon race was in Georgia.  I would have to drive through South Carolina and all the way up into North Carolina to make option #4.  I was just surprised I HAD this many options this late in the year.  Would I make it in time?  It didn’t look good.  They would have to start their show late for me to make it.  I always complain about late starting shows.  Not this time!  Because they started late and I made it to track #1,805.

 

Let’s not go here.

Then on Sunday I had a choice.  I could fly to Chihuahua, Mexico for a Mexican NASCAR race.  That sounded like a good idea….until I did a Google search on “Chihuahua”.  It came up on the “Ten Most Dangerous Cities in the World” list.  That didn’t sound good.  Here’s that list if you want to know where NOT to go on your next vacation.

 

The Top 10 List:

1 San Pedro Sula, Honduras

2 Juarez, Mexico

3 Maceio, Brazil

4 Acapulco, Mexico

5 Distrito Central,  Honduras

6 Caracas, Venezuela

7 Torreon (metropolitana), Mexico

8 Chihuahua, Mexico

9 Durango, Mexico

10 Belem, Brazil

 

Why Martinsville?  Because I’m a real race fan!

Not a problem.  All along my real plan was to make a return visit to the Martinsville Speedway (Virginia) for some NASCAR Sprint Cup racing.  This would be my seventh race to see in Martinsville.  Martinsville is about 2,500 miles from my front door.

 

Visiting Martinsville was part of my continuing plan to go back to tracks where I really like the racing.  That’s one thing I don’t care for with some of our leading trackchasers.  They are so focused on only seeing new tracks they never travel to see the best of the old ones.  Although I love trackchasing I also like taking trips to see some of my old favorites.

 

 

The Trip 

 

Variety of sleeping arrangements is the spice of life? 

I woke up this morning in New Orleans, Louisiana.  I went to bed in Charlotte, North Carolina.  This is what today looked like.

 

On the first night of the trip I slept in an airport chapel.  Last night I slept in a 5-star hotel but just for about five hours.  Tonight I was back in a Motel 6.  Variety is the spice of life right.

 

 

I need a travel planner.

Beginning the day in New Orleans I would first fly to Atlanta and then onto Savannah, Georgia.  Once in Savannah I would get a one-way rental car (sponsored by National).  I’d keep that car for a day.  Then I would close out its contract in Charlotte.  Then I would re-rent the SAME car (because I liked it) for one-day and drive it up to Martinsville for the day.  Folks, sometimes the logistics of cost and convenience can by overwhelming…but not to me!

 

A good little airport.

The Hilton Head/Savannah airport is one of the best smaller airports in the country.  It’s very laid-back and reminds you that you have entered the south.  However, I didn’t much care for standing in line at the National Rental Car counter.  “Small” markets often don’t have “Emerald Club” special service.  With the Emerald Club I simply walk out to where the cars are and pick anything I want.  I’ve worked hard to put efficiency systems in place that produce above average results.  When they aren’t available I must travel like “John Q. Public”.  I don’t care for that!

 

I was taking a HUGE risk today.

I took a HUGE risk attending the NASCAR race in Martinsville on Sunday.  The storm effects from hurricane Sandy were scheduled to make landfall on Sunday night/Monday morning.  Airlines were already moving their planes out of harm’s way in New York, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia.  New York had even shut down their subway system.

 

I absolutely HAD to get home on Monday.  Why?  I had a race and business meeting in Las Vegas on Tuesday and would be leaving from there on Wednesday for trackchasing country #63 (Don’t miss the country #63 naming contest coming your way soon!).

 

Even though both airports in Washington were completely closed on Monday I found a way home.  I would fly from Charlotte to Philadelphia.  Philly is only 150 miles south of Washington, D.C.  Once in Philadelphia I could fly untouched by the once in a lifetime storm back to Los Angeles.  Now THAT’S pinpoint airstrike capability.

 

 

Observations

 

Value for money.

I must confess that after the races on Saturday night I stopped at McDonalds and had a double cheeseburger, fries and a large Diet Coke.  The sum total of that meal?  $3.21.  Where in the world can you go and get that much food for such a low price.  It tastes good too.

 

 

No wonder they sold two million of these the first hour they were on the market.

My new iPhone 5 is a magnificent machine.  It’s doing all the GPS work for this trip.  It gives me weather forecasts, radar maps, airplane times and departures.  It works as a modem for my laptop, which allows me 100% internet capability 100% of the time.  I use it as a dictation machine so I don’t forget the details that go into each of these reports.  I even used my iPhone to bring up the seating chart for Martinsville Speedway.  Oh yeah.  I can make phone calls with it too!

 

ONE CANNOT LIVE WELL OR SLEEP WELL

IF ONE HAS NOT DINED WELL

 

Waffle House – At every exit all over the Southeast

 

Waffle House, my breakfast home away from home.

I try to limit my Waffle House visits to just one time per trip.  However, I might not be back in the Southeast again this year.  That being the potential case, I ate at WH twice on this trip.

 

There’s nothing better that stopping at the Waffle House after a NASCAR race.  It’s the best.  Too bad Waffle House isn’t located in California.  If they were I would weigh 400 pounds.

RACE REVIEW

GRAND PRIZE OF AMERICA –

SAVANNAH, GEORGIA

 

Washed out to sea? 

First of all, I have NO idea where they got the name of this racetrack.  The “Grand Prize of America” racetrack?  Did they win the lottery for the land or something?

 

I was minorly concerned that hurricane Sandy was going to come ashore in Savannah and wash us all out to sea.  The weather map showed REALLY bad weather within 50 miles all up and down the coast.  However, the wind and rain held off.  In 70-degree temperatures all I had to put up with was heavy cloud cover.

 

This was racing for vintage cars.

Today I was be seeing racing promoted by the “Historic Sports Car Racing”  (HSR).  I’ve seen a few of their events in the past.  They do a good job and always bring large car counts of, what else, historic sports cars.

 

The GPOA (The track) is a permanent asphalt road course.  It opened in 1997.  The circuit is 1.96 miles long with ten turns.  I have seen all but 3-4 of these kinds of tracks in all of the U.S. and Canada.  Sadly, there were not many good viewing points for the racing today.

 

I made up for that significant drawback by getting a very up close and personal look at each racecar in the paddock area today.  If you like historic racing sports cars then you won’t want to miss the photos from today.

 

Demographics.

This was definitely the “wine and cheese” set.  There were major new car displays by Porsche, Jaguar and Ferrari.  It would be nice to have one of those wouldn’t it.

 

The crowds at this afternoon’s race and this evening’s mud bog racing could not have been more different demographically.  It was an interesting statement about “Americana”.  I actually ran into a freelance journalist this evening who was attending the F8 racing for a book he was doing on “Americana”!

 

There wasn’t much racing to see.

Spectators could see the cars racing down the front straight.  However, the Jersey barriers blocked much of the view even from there.  I would estimate that I could see racing on maybe 20-30% of the track today.  I never expect much from these tracks for spectator viewing.  Today was even less than normal.

 

My best advice.  If you want to see some beautiful vintage sports cars take a look at the pictures.

 

 

UWHARRIE FIGURE 8 –

TROY, NORTH CAROLINA

 

 

My fourth choice might have been the best choice. 

The Uwharrie figure 8 track was my FOURTH choice for an evening race.  It was only fourth because it was the furthest away from this afternoon’s track in Savannah, Georgia.  How far was it?  The distance was 281 miles.  However, I actually drove further than that because I tried to go to the first three options before I headed to Troy, North Carolina.  As each option dropped off, for a variety of reasons, I got on a straighter and straighter line to Troy.

 

I’ve had a few tracks over the years where I didn’t know if I would make it in time to see the race or not.  Most of the time I have made it but not always.

 

Tonight’s figure 8 race was supposed to begin about 7 p.m.  I was not going to get there until after 8 p.m.  Normally that would be an equation for disaster.  During the day at Uwharrie they were having a major mud bog event.  Following that they planned two figure 8 races and a demolition derby.

 

I had one thing going for me.  The drive toward Troy, North Carolina was on the way to Charlotte.  I was headed there this evening anyway to return my one-way rental car and stay for the evening.  If I arrived at tonight’s track and they were finished I would just keep on driving to Charlotte.

 

These guys race just two times each year.  It would be a shame to come this close and miss it.

It had been dark for a couple of hours.  My iPhone Apple Maps GPS was gronking overtime.  Much of the drive was along North Carolina state highways.  I had been in contact with the promoter, “Johnny”.  He was impressed that the “World’s #1 Trackchaser” was coming to see his promotion.  I just hoped I would make it in time.

 

Normally on a “bonsai” run like this I will still stop to get something to eat.  There was no time for that.  These guys only run their figure 8 two times each year.  I didn’t want to be this close and miss their fall race.

 

 

At least they kept the light on.

When I got nearer the venue I could see the bright lights of a “county fair” type operation in the distance.  That was good news.  At least they hadn’t shut the lights off yet!

 

I came screeching up to the front gate which was several hundred yards from the bright lights.  The promoter’s wife was handling ticket sales.  She told me her husband had requested she give me a complimentary admission.  That was great but I had a more important concern.

 

“Have they run the figure 8 race yet” I asked her.  “No, the mud bog ran late today.  They’ll be racing figure 8 in about thirty minutes” she told me.  She didn’t have any idea how good her words made me feel.

 

 

It had been a long time since I had eaten.

It was about this time that I realized I hadn’t eaten anything since this morning’s Waffle House late breakfast/early lunch.  I was starving.

 

I parked my car and walked through a horse stables.  I was still 200 yards from the track.  However, the concession stand was between me and the racetrack.  That was good.  There were only two women working the concession trailer and the long line moved slowly.

 

 

Sandwich of the year nominations.

The wait must have been 15 minutes.  However, the wait was worth it.  I chowed down on both a huge BBQ sandwich and chilidog (the size of my forearm) smothered in slaw, chili and a cup of mustard.  These sandwiches are in the running for “sandwich of the year”!

 

I was licking my fingers as I hurried on down toward the track.  They were just moving the huge tractor tires into the “ring” (which really isn’t a ring at all).  These tires would provide the markers of the figure 8 track.

 

 

Let’s get this party started.

There would be two races.  The first for small cars (just 3) and the second for V-8 powered car (about six).  You’re going to have to trust me on this one.  The three-car figure 8 race was one of the more entertaining F8 races I’ve seen this year.

 

 

Put your boxing gloves on and bring your best trash talk.

The crowd must have liked it.  They wanted to have a fight with the winner.  When the three cars pulled to a stop in the ring at the checkered flag all “heck” broke loose.  Somebody started beating on one of the drivers while he was still in the car.  Then a mini melee broke out.  It was all great fun!

 

I tried to capture what I could in the dark and on the run with my video camera.  However, I did have a minor concern that one of the locals (remember these are country boys who go deer hunting every Saturday morning) might go get something stronger than his fist.  As an “investigative” reporter for you I didn’t want to get shot.  The fight ended up like many of them do with the women having a major shouting match.  Yes, it was all good fun down on the farm.

 

 

High-speed demo derby action.

Following the second figure 8 race I went down on the track level to watch and film the demo derby.  I’m starting to become a fan of demo derby.  For the longest time I didn’t really care much for it.  However, after our visit to the Salt Lake City area this summer where we saw a fantastic DD I like ‘em.

 

This was one of the best programs of its kind I’ve seen all season.  The concessions rated an A+.  There was a huge fight with participants from the pits and the stands.  Finally, the figure 8 racing was above average as was the demo.  This was a fun place to visit on this Saturday evening.

 

Don’t miss the film footage of this evening’s activity.  I was limited by the dark of night but tried to get what I could for you.  I was lucky to make it tonight.  Johnny, the promoter, was more than kind to me.  I appreciated that very much.

 

 

 

 

MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY–

MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA

 

 

I’m a big fan of Sprint Cup. 

I’m a big fan of NASCAR Sprint Cup racing.  I watch every race on TV from start to finish including all of the pre-race discussion.  Over the past 10-15 years NASCAR racing has become a “big-league sport” along with the NFL, MLB and NBA.

 

I like to attend at least one NASCAR race every season in person.  I would estimate I’ve seen about 30 Sprint Cup races in total but that’s only a guess.  I have seen racing at every venue where they race.  However, I did not see Sprint Cup racing at every one of those tracks.  By the way, my most listened to channel on my XM satellite radio system is the NASCAR channel.

 

 

NASCAR is ripping off their fans with pricing!  Not!

One of our leading trackchasers has always complained that NASCAR tries to rip off the fans.  He says they charge exorbitant amounts for all of their goods and services.  Compared to other major league sports that couldn’t be further from the truth.  Heck, today’s event cost me less than some SHORT tracks I attend.

 

Permit me to elaborate.  First of all, parking is free when you park on the property of a NASCAR track.  That’s what I did today at Martinsville.  They had acres and acres of free parking.  My local track the Perris Auto Speedway, a short track, charges $5-8 for parking.  Carol and I went to a concert the other night.  They charged $30 to park near the theatre.  Parking is ten bucks at Angels Stadium.  NASCAR parking is free!

 

I never pay retail when I go to a NASCAR track.  You wouldn’t need to either.  NASCAR allows for a very convenient “resale” market.  I simply carry a sign that reads “need one” or “need two” as the case may be.  I have not paid more than $20 U.S. for a Sprint Cup ticket in several years.  How much did I pay today?  Twenty dollars!  What was the face value of the ticket?  $70 U.S.  We pay more than twenty dollars per ticket for EVERY major league event we attend in and around the Los Angeles area.  NASCAR tickets can be bought cheaply!

 

How about food and drink?  Today, I stuffed myself on the famous “Martinsville hot dogs”.  They’re red in color.  I always say you can never get enough “red dye” in your system.  How much is a Martinsville hot dog?  Two bucks.  That’s right.  A 20 oz. bottle of Diet Coke was about four bucks.

 

 

NASCAR’s too expensive.  Really?

Let’s summarize.  I parked for free.  I bought a ticket on the front straight with a great view of pit road and all of the action on this ½-mile track for $20.  Then I scarfed down three hot dogs and a Diet Coke for ten bucks.  Total outlay = $30 U.S.  My gosh.  Could NASCAR be any LESS expensive unless they gave you everything for free?

 

Just as a point of comparison the “Turkey Night” midget races at the Perris Auto Speedway carry a general admission ticket price of $40 U.S.  There is no “resale” market for those.  If you want to go it’s forty dollars and eight bucks to park.  Good luck getting a hot dog for two bucks.

 

 

Come prepared.

If you go to a NASCAR race you need to come prepared.  I needed a seat cushion and noise-cancelling headphones.  These races are LOUD.  I would need cash to buy my ticket.  Of course, a race scanner is a must as well.  I bring a “need one” ticket sign.  Patience won’t hurt either.  Traffic can be heavy.  You’ll need a seating chart.  Don’t forget to take time to get your scanner updated with the latest frequencies.  Finally, schedule enough time to visit all of the souvenir trailers!

 

 

Great racing.

How was the racing?  Excellent.  I like Martinsville because it’s the shortest circuit on the circuit if you will.  I like lots of other NASCAR tracks but Martinsville is one or my two or three favorites.  You can see everything really well.  I paid ten dollars to get my Uniden race scanner updated with the latest driver channels.  I enjoy a NASCAR race much more when I can “listen in” like I did today.

 

 

I am a true race fan.

Today I was seeing my 7^th lifetime race at Martinsville.  The track is some 2,500 miles from my home, yet I still find a way to get there frequently.  Why?  Because I am a true race fan.  Yes, I see far more novelty events that I should with my trackchasing hobby.  However, when it comes to going back again and again to the Eldora’s, Knoxville’s, Talladega’s, Martinsville’s and the life I do.  Why?  It doesn’t help my trackchasing numbers any.  I do it because I am a true race fan.

 

STATE COMPARISONS

GEORGIA

 

 

The Peach State

This evening I saw my 27th lifetime track in the Peach state yes the Peach state.  There are about ten tracks remaining to see in Georgia.  These are Saturday night ovals and kart tracks.

 

NORTH CAROLINA

 

The Tar Heel State

This evening I saw my 42nd lifetime track in the Tar Heel state yes the Tar Heel state.  I have more than twenty tracks remaining to see down here.  Those are a mix of figure 8, oval and kart tracks.  Several race on Friday night, which is always an advantage.

 

 

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 

Georgia sayings:  Where the elite eat in their bare feet

North Carolina sayings:  Sweet as a glazed donut and cool as a Smoky Mountain breeze

 

 

TRAVEL DETAILS

 

AIRPLANE

Los Angeles, CA (LAX) – Houston, TX (IAH) – 1,382 miles

 

 

RENTAL CAR #1 

George Bush (Houston) Intercontinental Airport – trip begins

Avondale, LA – 201 miles

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport – 412 miles – trip ends

 

 

AIRPLANE

New Orleans, LA (MSY) – Charlotte, NC (CLT) – 451 miles

Charlotte, NC (CLT) – Savannah, GA – 171 miles

 

 

RENTAL CAR #2 

Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport – trip begins

Savannah, GA – 14 miles

Troy, NC – 281 miles

Charlotte/Douglas International Airport – 392 miles – trip ends

 

 

RENTAL CAR #3 

Charlotte/Douglas International Airport – trip begins

Martinsville, VA – 131 miles

Charlotte/Douglas International Airport – 274 miles – trip ends

 

 

AIRPLANE

Charlotte, NC (CLT) – Los Angeles, CA – 2,131 miles

 

  

Total air miles – 4,135 (4 flights)

Total rental car miles – 1,078 (3 cars)

 

Total miles traveled on this trip – 5,213 miles 

 

 

 

TRACK ADMISSION PRICES: 

NOLA Motorsports Park – Free (sponsored)

Grand Prize of America – $25 I think

Uwharrie Figure 8 – Free (sponsored)

Martinsville Speedway – $20 (purchased from a fan and not part of my trackchasing budget)

 

 

Total racetrack admissions for the trip – $25

 

 

 

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 300 tracks of my lifetime total.  Don’t blame me.

 

1.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 1,805

 

 

 

Total Trackchasing Countries

There are no trackchasers currently within 10 countries of my lifetime total.

 

1.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 62

 

 

 

Current lifetime National Geographic Diversity results

 

1.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 5.29

 

 

That’s all folks!  Official end of the RLR – Randy Lewis Racing Trackchaser Report

 

 

 

EDITOR’S NOTE  

The style of this report will differ from my normal Trackchaser Report.  That’s because I went to Virginia to “racechase” not “trackchase”.  We’ll talk about the difference as we go along.

 

 

GREETINGS FROM MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA

 

TODAY’S HEADLINES

  

There comes a time when the lamb must be separated from the flock. …………..details in “Race Tickets”.

  

Would you take mostly public transportation to cover nearly 3,000 miles over a 34-hour period in order to be a race fan?………………more in “The Trip – Monday”.

 

Ten good reasons why NASCAR racing is the best. ………..details in “NASCAR – Good or Bad?”.

 

 

NASCAR – GOOD OR BAD?

 

 

Like Wal-Mart?

  

NASCAR is like Wal-Mart.  Some people love ‘em and some people hate ‘em.  Both NASCAR and Wal-Mart came from very humble beginnings.  When these organizations were small and mostly unheard of, people loved them.  Then when they begin to be noticed by more and more folks, they were no longer the “underdogs”.  People love the underdog.  Sometimes they don’t like the ultra successful.  It’s, regrettably, human nature to wish ill to the “big dogs” in whatever arena is being observed.

 

 

If you would like to see a good comparison regarding NASCAR, please visit my website at www.randylewis.org.  There you will find reasons why leading trackchaser Guy Smith doesn’t like this sanctioning group.  You will also see 50 rebuttals to his arguments on why I think NASCAR is an excellent racing organization.  Click on this link to see what I’m talking about:

 

NASCAR – Good or bad?

 

 

Ten reasons why NASCAR racing is the best.

 

I’ll list just ten reasons why I think NASCAR offers just about the best racing going.  The funny thing about NASCAR racing is that they do very well in so many areas that trackchasers complain about at the local tracks they attend.

 

1.   They start their races on time.

2.   They bring complete fields of cars to every race.  Each Sprint Cup race always has 43 starters.

3.   They publish a schedule at the beginning of the year and don’t deviate from it.

4.   The NASCAR tracks offer free parking.

5.   They have refreshments at or below prices offered at comparable major sporting events (NFL, MLB, and NBA).

6.   There is plenty of quality spectator seating.  You won’t fall through  a broken bleacher board at a NASCAR track.

7.   The racing is side by side.  Most races have more than 10 different leaders and more than 20 different lead changes.  Most races have extremely close finishes.

8.   NASCAR markets it drivers and they all race in every event.

9.   NASCAR races are all on TV and can be watched anytime if you can’t make an event.

10. NASCAR has the best drivers in the world.  Drivers come from many other sanctions (Formula One, Indy car, etc) and can rarely be competitive.

 

 

TRACKCHASING VS. RACECHASING

 

 

Do you know the difference?

Do you know the difference between “Trackchasing” and “Racechasing”?  There is a huge difference.  The “trackchaser” makes his/her decision on where to go with just one thing in mind.  Can a “new track” be added to the lifetime track list.

 

 

On the other hand, the “racechaser” doesn’t really care if they will be going to a new track or not.  They are interested in the quality of the race.  The race rules; not the track.

 

  

Every trackchaser began as a racechaser.

I think it would be safe to say the top 40 trackchasers all began their interest in racing at “racechasers”.  They went to the tracks that offered the very best racing.  They often went to these same tracks tens or even hundreds of times.  Somewhere along the line, they switched over to being a “trackchaser”.  The thrill of “seeing a new track” trumped any concern about the quality of racing.

 

 

I know that was true for me.  Yes, I enjoyed good racing, but “good racing” was getting harder and harder to come by.  I knew that a new track would give me that “new track thrill” 100% of the time.  If I went the “good racing” route, I had a much lower “good racing thrill” success rate at the end of the day.

 

  

Trackchasers won’t go far to racechase.

Today there are almost no trackchasers who will travel more than 100 miles to go back to a track that offers good racing.  Trackchasing is a “one and done” racing hobby.  Oh yes, there are some people who will call themselves a race fan but don’t be fooled.  They aren’t willing to take a long trip to see really good racing.  They will only go back to a track they’ve already seen “if it’s convenient” and mostly nearby.  There are a few minor exceptions to the rule as I scan the worldwide top 40 trackchasing rankings (http://autoracingrecords.com/tc/statlife.php).

 

 

I continue to travel back to tracks a long way from my home to see tracks with great racing.  Today was my fifth lifetime visit to the Martinsville Speedway for NASCAR racing and I live nearly 3,000 miles from this track!  I went back to the Boone Nationals this year (one of the best racing venues in the country) but I can’t give myself “racechaser” credit for that.  My primary reason for going was so Carol could see Boone.

 

 

Trackchasing is a “one and done” hobby for just about everyone.

Ed Esser (#2) follows the Badger Midgets for the thrill of good racing on a weekly basis.  However, his interest is aided by the track being located in his backyard.  Gordon Killian (#4) probably exemplifies as well as anyone a willingness to travel a long way to see good racing even though he is primarily a trackchaser.  Each summer Gordon goes from Pennsylvania to Knoxville, Iowa for the sprint car nationals.

 

 

Allan Brown (#5) still visits many of the big races at the big tracks.  However, he doesn’t go there so much as a racechaser but for the business generated from selling his National Speedway Directory.  We have a few more trackchasers who are probably more “racechasers” than “trackchasers”.  They just ended up on the trackchaser list, almost as an afterthought, because their years of racing had taken them to 200-300 tracks.  I still don’t see many of those folks traveling beyond their local neighborhoods to re-visit the best tracks on their resume.  I believe the “racing Eckels” still make longer trips back to their favorite NASCAR tracks as race fans.

 

 

Let me be clear.  There is nothing wrong with being a trackchaser at the exclusion of going to races for the pure desire to see good racing.  It’s just that from a racing standpoint, the plethora of “novelty” race programs such as county fair figure 8, stadium off-road road events, monster truck program temporary tracks and the like don’t make for very good “racing”.  This is especially true compared to NASCAR Sprint Cup, the Knoxville or Boone Nationals and the big dollar dirt stock car events like the World 100 as well as the major asphalt short track races all over New England.  In point of fact, the trackchasing hobby has beaten the “racechaser” out of nearly everyone.

 

 

I get the biggest thrill out of going to a new track.  However, I usually know that the “true racing” just isn’t going to be there as it will be at the many NASCAR tracks, Knoxville Nationals, Boone Nationals and major late model and World of Outlaws sprint specials I’ve seen over the years. 

 

 

However, it is impossible to be in two places at once.  If you’ve already seen hundreds or even more than a thousand new tracks, the remaining ones probably are not going to be the best racing options.  That’s just the way it is.  At that point the “race fan” must get their racing fix watching four cars “battle it out” around a muddy pair of tractor tires for a scintillating six laps.

 

 

On the other hand, the racechaser who pursues the same high quality races at the same high quality tracks will never know, or possibly understand the thrill of traveling all over the country and the world seeing new places and new things.  It’s just impossible to have it both ways.

 

 

 

The Objective 

  

Mr. Sabo was in the building.

My objective was pure and simple.  I was flying east to meet my good friend, “Mr. Sabo” for a day of NASCAR Sprint Cup racing.  He and I first went to the Martinsville Speedway in 1986.  We saw Ricky Rudd win that day.   

 

 

The Trip 

 

Racechasing trumped trackchasing this weekend.

There was a “trackchasing” element to this trip.  The full plan called for me to go trackchasing on Saturday night with Mr. Sabo who was driving up from Florida.  Although the weather forecast had a high probability of rain, we had racing options in both North Carolina and Virginia.  I was flying in from Las Vegas via Newark and then onto Greensboro, North Carolina.  When I landed in Newark, I called the North Carolina track.  They were rained out.  However, my call to Virginia confirmed they were racing.

 

 

At just about that time I learned my flight into Greensboro had been delayed.  This was a double whammy.  First, it meant there would be no racing for us tonight.  Once I landed late, we couldn’t get to the Virginia track in time for any racing.

 

 

No good deed goes unpunished.

Secondly, my plan to actually BUY an airline ticket for this part of the trip had been foiled.  Yes, I purchased an air ticket to fly from Las Vegas to Greensboro.  I did this so I would not have to risk flying standby, showing up late and inconveniencing my travel partner, Mr. Sabo.  As Carol frequently says, “No good deed goes unpunished”.  She is usually right.  I bought a ticket to assure I would make the flights I needed and then those flights did not deliver me on time!!

 

 

SUNDAY

 

Today was reserved for the big boys!

Sunday was reserved for NASCAR Sprint Cup racing.  These are the “big boys” of racing featuring my favorite Jeff Gordon and other “sub-favorites” like Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Carl Edwards.  Of course, I would have to endure the boorish behavior of Kyle Busch but nothing’s perfect is it?

 

 

I would like to go to 1-2 NASCAR Sprint races every year.  However, “trackchasing” gets in the way of that plan.  My favorite NASCAR tracks are Talladega, Richmond, Bristol and of course, Martinsville.  This would be my fifth weekend visit to this beautiful little short track.  I wouldn’t pay a nickel to see races at Indianapolis, Sonoma, Pocono and a few other NASCAR tracks.  However, I do watch every Sprint Cup race flag to flag on TV.

 

 

MONDAY

 

Would you even consider this transportation plan?

As you know, I don’t own a car.  That makes getting from the Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Virginia back to my home in sunny San Clemente, California somewhat of a chore.  I ended up taking mainly “public transportation”.  Heck, if I can make this type of effort to be a “race fan” and a “racechaser” you would think all of our “trackchasers” could go back to the tracks they’ve seen all across the country a time or two, wouldn’t you?  Here is what my modes of travel were in the more than 24 hours it took me to get home.

 

 1.    Mr. Sabo’s Jeep Safari moved me from Martinsville to Greensboro, NC after the race.

2.   After a nice sleep at the Courtyard by Marriott, the hotel reserved a limo to take me some 10-15 miles from the hotel to the Piedmont Triad International Airport.

3.   At the airport, I boarded a flight from Greensboro to Memphis, Tennessee (570 miles).

4.   In Memphis, I joined Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for a flight back to Los Angeles (1,622 miles).

5.   When I arrived at LAX, I boarded a “FlyAway” bus from the airport to the Los Angeles Union Train Station.

6.   At the train station, I hopped on the “Gold Line” commuter train to the Fillmore stop in Pasadena.

7.   From the train stop, I walked a mile to our daughter’s home in Pasadena.

8.   Then I joined Carol and played with the grandbabies until they went to bed.  At that point, I drove Carol in the “Carol Lewis owned and Life of Virginia sponsored Lexus LS 430” back to San Clemente (67 miles).

 

 

I arrived home some 34 hours after the race in Martinsville ended.  Yes, even though I am a trackchaser I am still a REAL race fan and not a pretend race fan.  There is a difference of course.

 

 

THE NASCAR FAN’S PRIMER…..OR WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL NASCAR TRIP.

 

WEATHER

 

 

NASCAR is one of the very best at “getting the race in” during periods of questionable weather.  Weather.com told us the chances of a rain free Sunday were excellent.  Nevertheless, Jim and I had cleared our schedules for a Monday rain date just in case.  We didn’t need it, but we were prepared if bad weather had come our way.

 

COMMUNICATION

Jim was coming from Florida.  I was coming from Las Vegas.  We were meeting up in Greensboro, North Carolina.  We needed to be on the same communications page and we were.  Jim and I are both competent “texters”.  We texted each other continuously as our paths came closer and closer to intersecting.  Soon we were reunited for another fun weekend of racechasing.

 

 

 

HOTEL

Hotels are famous for raising their prices during a NASCAR weekend.  They also commonly require 3-4 day “minimum stays”.  However, getting great prices on hotel rooms is one of my specialties.  I’m sure by now it is one of your strengths as well. 

 

 

My experience tells me that Motel 6 does not raise their prices when a major sporting event is being contested in their neighborhood.  Therefore, I booked a Motel 6 in Greensboro, NC that was located about an hour from the track.  We got two nights of lodging for a bit more than $100 in total.

 

 

However, I always want to have something better than a Motel 6 if I can afford it.  I tried www.priceline.com and was rejected.  Maybe the NASCAR folks had “gotten to” Priceline.com.  Nobody wanted to rent me a hotel anywhere near the track for a reasonable price during the “Martinsville weekend”.

 

 

I waited about two months and tried again.  This time I was successful.  We got a very nice Courtyard by Marriott for LESS than what the Motel 6 was charging.  It pays to keep trying.  The Marriott was miles above what the Motel 6 would have been.

 

 

PARKING 

NASCAR tracks offer FREE parking.  That’s a lot better than every major professional sports stadium in the country.  Yes, you can pay $20-30 to park in someone’s front yard, but you don’t have too and you shouldn’t.  Since this was my fifth time to visit this track, I knew where to go for the free parking.  By the time the race was over and we cooked up some grub on Jim’s propane powered grill, the traffic was gone and we sailed out of there in record time.

 

 

RACE TICKETS

Possibly the most important requirement for a successful NASCAR outing would be getting tickets.  NASCAR critics will be quick to tell you how many open seats there are at NASCAR races today.  They seem to want to link the open seats with poor quality racing.

 

 

I don’t think that’s the case at all.  Has anyone noticed how much demand has dropped off for EVERY consumer purchase since the economy went into a tailspin?  Do these same critics comment on the terrible crowds so many short tracks are getting this year?  I’ve been to several tracks this season where the attendance didn’t break the 200 people mark!  I think the best way to look at it is how many seats did the track sell.  The Martinsville Speedway opened in 1947.  Today it has 65,000 seats.  There were definitely some open seats on Sunday.  I would estimate the crowd at 50,000-55,000 people.  That’s a pretty good-sized crowd for a half-mile track I would say.

 

 

We didn’t have any tickets.

We arrived at the track without any tickets.  Ticket prices for this one-day event ranged in price from $10-$77 according to the track’s website.  Some of the very best start/finish line seats went for $99 and included admission to Saturday’s race as well.

 

 

I don’t get to nearly as many NASCAR races as I would like.  Therefore, when I do go I went to get the very best seats.  However, I don’t want to pay face value for our seats.  Therefore, I wasn’t interested in buying any tickets from the track itself.

 

  

Professionals…..stay away.

I was confident we would be able to buy tickets from folks at the track who already had tickets.  There are two kinds of sellers in this category.  There are the professionals and the amateurs.  I had no interest in trying to buy a ticket from a “professional”.  I consider myself a “professional” in the art of buying and selling sports tickets.  To put it bluntly I wouldn’t want to have to do business with someone like myself!

 

 

Therefore, when the scalpers approached us, I simply told them, “We don’t want to do business with professionals.  You’re too good for us!”  They seemed to understand and left us alone.

 

  

Where was the ‘lonely lamb’?

I was looking for that one lonely lamb that had strayed too far from the flock.  Yes, I was looking for “fresh meat”.  When we found it, the slaughterhouse would not be far away.

 

 

Jim and I interviewed several people trying to sell their tickets.  We didn’t discover them.  They discovered us.  That’s because I brought something to the track that is required of any ticket buyer worth his salt.  I had a sign!  It simply read, “Need 2”.  It is absolutely amazing what the power of a simple sign will do.

 

 

Most NASCAR fans buy their tickets up to a year in advance.  When they have to commit that far in ahead of time, their plans are likely to change and often do.  We were looking for the party of four or more who had two of their “friends” bail on them.  Those people would be willing to “get what they could” for their extra tickets.

 

 

I brought along a seating chart of the track.  I also printed out a page that told me how many rows each of the more than 30 sections of seating had.  Information like this is crucial.  We wanted to be high up in the grandstand so we could see the entire track.

 

 

We talked to at least 20 people wanting to sell their tickets.  When one does this a lot as I do, I recognize similar types of behavior from people.  People see my sign and say to me, “I’ve got one”.  Can’t people READ?  The sign says, “Need 2”!

 

 

Another group of people just want to be helpful.  They come up and say, “There’s a fellow right over there that has tickets” and point off in that direction.  Unknowingly to them they are pointing out a ticket scalper!  I thank them for their help and move on.  We must have had ten people trying to “help” in this manner.  Actually, I think this is part of the “southern culture”.  Folks are generally a lot nicer or more thoughtful in this part of the country.

 

  

Look at those poor folks, honey.

There’s a third type of person that I run into when I’m carrying my sign.  They are the folks who bought their tickets a year ago for fear they wouldn’t get a good seat if they didn’t (a major misconception).  Usually, it’s an older couple.  Remember I’m 60 years old, but act like a 30 year old.  Quite often the woman says to her husband, “Look honey, they don’t have any tickets”.  The comment is usually spoken in a tone reserved only for the homeless when they are lying under a blanket on skid row.  Little do they know!

 

 

Jim and I walked through the souvenir trailers with me holding up my “Need 2” sign.  Folks approached us with offers to sell but they didn’t have tickets in the right section or high enough up in the grandstand for us.  However, I am a patient fellow.  I was surveying the situation and waiting for that “one single lamb” to come our way.

 

 

Then when we were least expecting it, it happened!  We were near the Dale Jr. souvenir trailer when a couple of guys noticed my sign.  They weren’t aggressively trying to sell their tickets.  I suspect that had they not seen my sign they might just as well have “eaten” the two extra tickets they had.  My sign did all the work.

 

 

It turned out this was a party of four guys who had six tickets.  Yes, two of their buddies had canceled on them.  The best thing about this situation was their ticket location.  Their seats were in row 53 (66 rows total) of section K within yards of the start/finish line.  The face value on these tickets was $77 each.  These were the most expensive tickets in the place.  This seat location was the very best we had been offered all day.

 

  

The slaughterhouse was open for business.

Now it was time to talk price.  This is a critical time in the negotiation process.   I told the seller that we couldn’t afford (didn’t want) to pay much for the tickets.  I’m sure my comment sent shivers down his back.  Here he had a potential buyer of two, up to now, useless pieces of cardboard in his pocket.  He didn’t want to lose the chance to sell his tickets.  However, now he was faced with buyers who “couldn’t afford to pay much”.

 

 

What would he sell his two $77 (total face value for the two tickets $154) for?  I waited to hear what he had to say.  “We’ll sell ‘em for $50”.  I had to clarify.  “You’ll sell both tickets for $50?” I asked.  Yes, he would.

 

  

It was time to nibble.

Yes, my heart was smiling.  We had separated the lamb from the flock.  The slaughter was beginning.  Even though these were the very best seats, we had been offered the deal wasn’t done yet.  It was time to “nibble”.  Yes, if you have spent the major portion of your corporate life in negotiating courses, you would be most comfortable with the “nibble”.

 

  

The slaughter was complete.

Even though these were EXACTLY the seat locations we had been looking for and even thought the price was EXACTLY what we had been looking for I couldn’t resist the following comment.  “You know, your seat locations are good, but we’ve been looking at tickets down toward turn one”.  (By the way, this was a perfectly true statement.  We HAD been looking at tickets in turn one….we just didn’t WANT tickets down toward turn one.).  “Would you take $40 for the two tickets?”  The seller thought for a moment and considered his options.  “Yes, I’ll sell ‘em for that price”.  We quickly exchanged two twenty dollar bills and the tickets were ours.

 

  

What can we learn from this?

 

Lots of things!

1.    You don’t have to buy tickets to major events months in advance.

2.    You will need some patience and a willingness to talk to several   people before closing a deal.

3.    You need a sign telling the “non-professional” what it is you want.

4.    You need seating charts of the venue so you can tell if the tickets being offered are in a good location.

5.   You’ll need cash to close the deal.

6.   You have to be able to say “No” when the deal isn’t right for you.

7.   You need to “nibble” to get the last few rubles that any deal has to offer.

8.   You need to be polite and respectful throughout the entire process. 

9.   You need to be discreet so the authorities don’t get involved.

10.  You will need a plan to spend all of the money you DIDN’T have to spend on the tickets you just bought!

 

 

 

 

CONCESSIONS

Unlike many major sporting events, NASCAR allows fans to bring coolers of food and drink into the grandstands.  We didn’t do that.  Once inside we dined on “The Famous Martinsville Speedway Hot Dog” that is sold for the more than reasonable price of just two bucks.  The hot dog is RED and comes with onions, coleslaw and chili.  They sell about 50,000 of these at each race.  A 16 oz. beer was just five dollars.  At Staples Center in LA, the price of a beer is about twice this price.  We added a large bag of peanuts for $4 and we were set for the day.

 

 

NOISE CANCELLING HEADPHONES

NASCAR races are extremely loud.  Of all the countable racing I have seen nothing is louder.  Years ago, I invested in the best pair of headphones money could buy.  It was money well spent.  I use them whenever I visit racing that has the power to blow out my eardrums.

 

 

RACE SCANNER

When I bought my head phones I also bought a top of the line Uniden Bearcat scanner.  I bought all my gear from www.racescanners.com.  Once I got to the track, I went to the “Race Ready” trailer (www.getraceready.com) and they “programmed” my scanner with the radio frequency that each pit crew would be using today.

 

 

They charge $10 for one race or $25 for the entire season.  The process takes about 60 seconds.  This allows me to listen in on the driver/crew communications of every team.  I also get the Motor Racing Network (MRN) radio broadcast and the NASCAR channel.  I couldn’t imagine sitting through a 500-lap race without having all of this “inside” information.

 

 

POST RACE TAILGATE PREP

The traffic getting out of a NASCAR race can be problematic.  When the race was finished we took our time leaving the grandstand.  We watched some of the post race victory celebration and then wandered back to the parking lot.  Once there, Jim took over.  He had lawn chairs for our tailgate party and an easy to use propane-cooking grill.

 

 

Then, just as if “Trackchasing’s First Mother” were doing the cooking, Jim brought out his “spread”.  He grilled onions and green peppers.  He had his famous macaroni salad.  Then he brought out the big guns as in spicy Italian sausages and huge cheddar cheese hamburgers.  We sat back, watched the sunset and the traffic clear and munched on this culinary delight.  We saved our “man-size” Halloween cookies for when we got back in our hotel room.  It was all deeeeelicious!

 

 

SUMMARY

As you can see, a lot goes into the planning and implementation of a successful major sporting event effort.  However, as you can see, with the right kind of preparation, you can get the very best in amenities for a more than reasonable price.  I hope this primer helps you the next time you’re considering an outing similar to this.

 

 

RACE REVIEW

 

MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY, MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA

 

 

Today’s race was fun.

I thought the race today was very good.  They started on time!  The race had 43 cars in the feature event.  By the way, NASCAR runs a “features” only program, which I love.  Of course, the unsponsored cars (about 5 or 6) could only complete about 40 laps before they pulled in for the day.  Without a sponsor the tire budget for a single race would be greater than what I spend on airfare for an entire trackchasing season.

 

 

The race featured 21 lead changes amongst 12 drivers.  That’s more of each than the World of Outlaws sprints might have in an entire season.  There were 12 cautions for 77 laps within the 500 lap event.  However, with a race scanner, the cautions were entertaining as we could listen to the crews talk to the drivers.  Jeff Gordon uttered an expletive or two in the direction of Juan Pablo Montoya.

 

 

Dale Jr. was pitted right in front of us.  It was disappointing to see him have three blown right front tires.  These were likely due to a bad brake system that melted the bead that secures the tire to the rim.  Dale also “missed his pit box” causing him to come into the pits in 16^th place and leave in 32^nd.  Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon never do that but Dale Jr. does it nearly every race!

 

 

At the end of 501 laps (yes, it was a green/white/checkered flag finish) there were still 20 cars racing on the lead lap.  That’s fantastic.  The race took 3 hours and 34 minutes to complete.  This compares favorably to the time it takes to complete a major league baseball game or NFL football game.  I don’t think a normal racing event be it NASCAR or short track should take much longer than this.  Of course, when I got home I had to watch the recorded version of the race to see if I missed anything.  Denny Hamlin still won the TV version of the race.  I can’t wait to get to another NASCAR event.  I’m not ruling out seeing another race this year.

 

 

Coming Soon – RANLAY Racing Exclusive Features!

Trackchasing politics revealed….they’re about ready to kill each other. 

 

Who have been Randy’s three toughest trackchasing competitors? (October 2009)

 

Should a “handicapping” system be used in trackchasing?

 

 

Thanks for reading about my trackchasing,

 

Randy Lewis

Alberta’s #1 Trackchaser

What would Jesus tweet?

 

 

 

TRAVEL DETAILS

 

PERSONAL CAR

San Clemente, CA – Las Vegas, NV – 321 miles

 

 

AIRPLANE

Las Vegas, NV – Newark, NJ – 2,243 miles

Newark, NJ – Greensboro, NC – 461 miles

 

 

FRIEND’S CAR

Greensboro, NC – Martinsville, VA – 46 miles

Martinsville, VA – Greensboro, NC – 46 miles

 

 

AIRPLANE

Greensboro, NC – Memphis, TN – 1,622 miles

Memphis, TN – Los Angeles, CA – 570 miles

 

 

Total Air miles – 4,896 (4 flights)

 

 

Total auto and air miles traveled on this trip – 5,309 miles

 

 

 

 

 

TRACK ADMSSION PRICES: 

Las Vegas Motor Speedway – $17

Martinsville Speedway – $20

 

Total racetrack admissions for the trip – $37

 

Official end of Randy Lewis Racing Trackchaser Report