Lists.
Lists! Where would a trackchaser be without his or her list? I’m glad you stopped by this section of my website. It’s chock full of what else? LISTS! However, I think you’re going to love the photos that accompany the listing of tracks that I’ve attended. You’ll see the friends and family that have accompanied me on so many trips. You’ll see some unique racing photos and “Trackchasing Tourist Attractions”. I prepared all of this just for you so take your time. You’ll see the track locations and dates when I visited. Try to imagine what it is like getting from one track to another. It’s best a blast seeing all of these places. I’m not just talking about the racetracks.
It’s entirely possible that until you ran across this website you had never heard of “Trackchasing”. I’ll agree it is a niche hobby but one of the most fun things that anyone can do. Some folks think that trackchasing is just about watching races. For me that couldn’t be further from the truth. Take a look at my “Trackchasing Tourist Attractions” tab (linked below) on this site. Trackchasing has taken me to each and every one of those places and some places with several return trips. Yes, I like racing. However, I like touring the country and the world as much or more.
Trackchasing Tourist Attractions
Collecting.
Trackchasing is a “collecting” hobby. For me it’s all about collecting experiences. It’s also about counting. You might be a stamp collector or a coin collector. If a stamp or coin has zero value to you or anyone else you’re not likely to spend much time or money going after it. This is true of trackchasing as well. If a track isn’t going to add to a trackchaser’s totals you won’t see anyone showing much interest in that track.
Trackchasing is competitive.
Competition.
Trackchasing is a very competitive hobby. Trackchasers will go to great links to see one more track so they can beat the next guy or gal. Some trackchasers (not me!) have even been accused of cheating by others in the hobby. That’s how serious it can get. The main trackchasing group has been full of “office politics” for years which has kept several from having any interest in being part of the hobby whatsoever. I am not a member of any formal trackchasing group. I prefer to simply list my results for all to see and enjoy. Some trackchasing websites you might visit are almost exclusively limited to lists. To the people who organize those sites you won’t see much but lists and trackchaser rankings. Does that tell you that the hobby might be competitive?
I think you’ll have to agree, after reviewing this website, that is not the case at www.randylewis.org. Trackchasing, the way I do it, mainly involves seeing the world. Yes, the track brings me to these unusual places. However, I’ll be at the track for just a few hours. When my trackchasing is finished (and often before it even starts) you’ll find me seeking out the most unusual places to tour. Who wants to go to “Timbucktoo” just to see a stock car race? I want to explore Timbuckoo and the surroundings. I’ll also seek out the area’s best and most unique restaurants. I love to eat ethnic foods of all kinds. Touring and eating is a main attribute of every trackchasing trip I take.
Rules.
The hobby of trackchasing has rules. The rules were established long before I began thinking of myself as a trackchaser. Therefore, please don’t judge me on how tracks are counted. I’m not responsible! I didn’t vote on the rules that started this hobby and I don’t vote on them today. I simply try to conform to the current trackchasing rules so my results can be compared equally to others who have decided to pursue the hobby. Before I ever began trackchasing I simply counted one visit to a racing location. I never considered counting a figure 8 track. In fact, before figure 8 tracks were “voted in” about fifteen years ago I never went to a free-standing figure 8 race in my life. I didn’t count a track twice if the surface changed or if there was a big oval track and a little oval track. I didn’t make it a practice to visit any road courses either.
However, let me make one point perfectly clear. I don’t mind in the least counting my tracks using the current trackchasing rules. The one advantage of having everyone count their tracks according to ONE set of rules (whatever those rules are) is that everyone can then compare their results with anyone else. On the side, a trackchaser can then keep their “own” list using any standard they want. I’ve been the “World’s #1 Trackchaser” since 2006 using the common rules that most trackchasers abide by. So what are those rules?
Configurations.
In the world of trackchasing tracks are defined by their configuration (oval, road course, figure 8 track) and their surface (dirt, paved, mixed). That’s why the hobby is called TRACKchasing. In it’s most simplified version if adults race on any combination of these configurations and surfaces in wheel to wheel competition then seeing a race there makes that track “countable”. Official trackchasing rules bar competitions like drag racing, motorcycle racing, rallies and demolition derbies.
Below is the key to surface types and track configurations so you can understand my lists a bit easier.
Surface types: D=Dirt, P=Paved, M=Mixed
Configurations:
O=oval
Most of the tracks I have seen have been ovals. Most of those ovals have been dirt tracks.
RC=Road Course
I’ve seen racing in more than 70 countries. Most foreign countries race on road courses. Typically road courses are my least favorite type of spectator racing. However, road racing have several other aspects that make attending an event a good deal of fun.
F8=Figure 8 track
Figure 8 tracks are most common at county fairs in the U.S. and Canada. I’ve seen more than 300 F8 tracks. Iowa, Nebraska and Michigan have the best big car F8 racing that I’ve seen. Ontario and Pennsylvania have good small car F8 racing. However, it is Missouri that has the very best small car F8 racing in my judgement.
I’m sure you’ll figure everything else out from there! As you review my lists you might find it interesting to imagine what it took to get from point A to point B to point C, etc. on a particular trip. I have had some pretty wild itineraries during my millions of trackchasing miles traveled. As an example, I once saw racing at a track in Iceland in the afternoon. That evening I pulled into a track in New Hampshire to catch their racing!
One more thing….prior to 1980 I didn’t think to record the date when I visited a new track. I guess at the time I never thought I would be a trackchaser! Tracks seen before 1980 (71 of them) are listed as “Pre-1980″ and in the approximate order in which I saw them. Additionally in 2001 the trackchasing group voted to add figure 8 tracks to the countable configuration list. At the time trackchasers were allowed to count, retroactively, all of the figure 8 tracks they had seen up to 2001. This added ten tracks to my list and those tracks are listed with a date of “retroactive” in the year 2001.
So, here’s a link to my complete list of tracks where I’ve seen racing. As this is updated I have seen racing at more than 2,300 racetracks in 74 countries. Here’s that link: