Monticello Motor Club

From Orefield to Monticello to Cleveland!……………more in “The Details”.

I would be visiting a country club but I wouldn’t need my golf clubs……………more in “The Details”.

Bad behavior is, well…..bad behavior……………more in “The Details”.

When you keep your eyes open you can stumble across the most amazing things……………more in “The Details”.

Who has the best highway drivers? ……………more in “The Details”.

I have a history with harness racing……………more in “Attractions”.

Good weather and a ‘Good Neighbor’ program………..details in “Race Review”.

‘You have full run of the place’………..details in “Race Review”.

Call me anything you want just don’t call me late for lunch………..details in “Race Review”.

Let’s just take time to think about this for a moment………..details in “Race Review”.

From Orefield to Monticello to Cleveland!

I woke up this morning in Orefield, Pennsylvania.  I went to bed in Cleveland, Ohio.  This is what today looked like.

I had been the overnight guest of Paul Weisel at his home in Orefield, Pennsylvania.  On my way out the door I had just enough time to meet Paul’s buddy Pete.  The two of them are largely responsible for the excellent racing museum, the Eastern Auto Racing Historical Society, located on Paul’s property.

Going to upstate New York was going to be fun.

I was very much looking forward to a 2-hour drive up to Monticello, New York.  This is beautiful country and I was heading to what I was expecting to be a spectacular new racing layout, the Monticello Motor Club.  I would not be disappointed.

I would be visiting a country club but I wouldn’t need my golf clubs.

The Monticello Motor Club is a “country-club” style racing complex.  There are about 20 or more of these types of race tracks in the U.S.  Their business model is similar to what you might know as a golf country club.

Having been a golf country club member for nearly 20 years I know something about that type of operation.  Essentially the club operates to benefit it members.  Members typically pay an initiation fee and then monthly or maybe annual dues.  Those monies would entitle them to private use of their club (or race track).  Members can bring in guests anytime they want.  Occasionally, the club will even open themselves up to the public for a few days each year.  They do this to both advertise the club’s benefits as well as generate additional revenue for the club, which keeps the dues lower for the members.  That’s how a golf country club works.

I couldn’t say for sure but I’m pretty certain that’s the way it works with most “country-club” style racing businesses as well.  I didn’t know anyone personally at the Monticello Motor Club.  However, I had sent an e-mail in advance just to make sure that I, as a non-member, could enter the club today.  In a moment I will tell you how that all went.

Bad behavior is, well…..bad behavior.

However, before I go any further I must give you some more background on other trackchasers visits to Monticello.  When I first read the review I didn’t know what to think or what to expect.

Some time ago trackchasing commissioner Guy Smith made a visit to Monticello.  I honestly don’t know all the details but in reading what Guy wrote we appeared to be dismayed by the “snooty” treatment he got while visiting there.  As you will come to learn my experience at Monticello was similar to being treated like a “King”.  I have come to believe that Guy Smith, and actually some other trackchasers, have a serious case of “class envy”.

Class envy, in my opinion, is a terrible thing to have.  What is “Class envy” anyway?  In my words it’s a resentment toward people who have or appear to have more than you do.  More of what?  I guess it could be a lot of things.  Maybe it’s money, education, political, social or family status or even something else.  It’s just a resentment of people who have something “more”.   Frankly, I think class envy is a symptom of a major character flaw.

You can learn so much on a golf course.

I’ve been a golfer for many years.  Golf teaches you a lot about life.  One of the many lessons I learned on a golf course if that “There is always someone you can beat and someone who can beat you!”  That’s why I have NEVER had a feeling of “Class envy” in my life.  I don’t feel badly when someone has “more” of something than I have.  I ADMIRE them!  They’ve obviously done something to deserve, and likely cause, their good fortune.  As they say in Europe, “Good on them”.  I don’t know where Guy Smith is coming from when he appears to be so down on the “country club” set for operating a private racing business.  I can’t go to his high school during a school day and set up a family picnic even though his school is supposed to be “public”.  I can’t walk into the Eldora Speedway anytime I want just to look around.  Enough said!

Take a peek behind the “Race Review” tab.  You’ll see why I had such a fantastic day at the Monticello Motor Club.

After the races……..

When you keep your eyes open you can stumble across the most amazing things.

Shortly after I left today’s track I approached Goshen, New York.  Wouldn’t you know it?  I stumbled across a most interesting “spur of the moment” Trackchasing Tourist Attraction.  More on that right behind the “Attractions” tab..

Cost effectiveness and efficiency!

Tomorrow’s racetrack would be in Ohio.  The best way for me to get there was to fly from Newark, NJ to Cleveland, OH.  I gassed up in New Jersey on my way back to the Newark airport.  New Jersey is one of only two states, the other being Oregon, where it is mandated the gas station attendants refuel the car.  That’s what a good union lobby will do for its workers!

I had rented a Hyundai Sonata hybrid automobile.  With that gas-miser I needed only 12.1 gallons of petrol to cover 544 miles.  That’s about 45 M.P.G. making my fuel costs less than 10 cents a mile.

The return of a rental car at Newark is a bit cumbersome.  After I turned the car in I had to ride the “Air Train” back to the airport terminal.  Fortunately, I was able to use my TSA pre-check capabilities.  That program is now available at 40 airports.  They expect to add 60 more soon.  Pre-check is one of the best values and greatest efficiencies a frequent traveler could have.

With my airline sponsors I fly standby.  Flying standby gets much easier following Labor Day and before Thanksgiving. Unfortunately there aren’t that many tracks racing during this time.  However it is a lot easier on the mind and body to know that the flights I’m standing by for our generally wide-open.

Who has the best highway drivers?

During my driving time out here I found that many of the drivers I encountered on the roadways were either idiots or morons. The idiots are those going much slower than me.  The morons are those going much faster.  Yes, I kid because I care!  However, in all seriousness, there are some very poor drivers in America.  I believe Europe has the best highway drivers hands down.

Priceline.com, my trackchasing sponsor for hotels, came through again.  The Cleveland airport’s Holiday Inn carried a price tag of $120 U.S. per night.  However, I would not have to pay that outrageous sum.  Priceline got me in for just $45 per night for my three-night stay.  Then when I introduced my “frequent stay” Holiday Inn details they threw in a $15 buffet breakfast in the hotel dining room.

TRACKCHASING TOURIST ATTRACTION

I very much enjoy the racing when I go on trackchasing trips.  However, I am not the type of person who would feel the trip was complete if I simply left home, went to the race and came back home.

I do a good deal of traveling.  I want to do my best to see the local area when I come for a visit.  There are usually unusual attractions that one area is noted for more than any other locale.  I want to see those places.  I want to touch them and feel them.  When I leave an area, I want to have memories of these special places that I call Trackchasing Tourist Attractions.  I will remember those experiences long after the checkered flag has fallen on whatever race I have seen that day.

Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame – Goshen, New York

I have a history with harness racing.

Just off the highway I saw a sign for a harness racing museum. I had time so I stopped. I was soon exploring the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame.  Admission was free and I enjoyed myself for about an hour in the museum. They have several films and other interactive displays which makes this a fun place to spend an hour or so. I used to go to the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, Illinois with my grandparents and watch the harness racing, which was always a lot of fun.

Monticello Motor Club – Monticello, New York

Good weather and a ‘Good Neighbor’ program.

Today I would get the chance to see the North American Road Racing Association group race.  I couldn’t recall ever seeing NORRA compete before.  There are very few wheel to wheel race events open to the public at Monticello.  I felt fortunate to fit today’s racing into my busy schedule on a day that would morph into having picture perfect weather.

Today’s racing was also open to the track’s neighbors as part of a “Good neighbor” program.  That’s a very good way to make sure those folks who could be a pain in the you know what aren’t.  Heck, I should have established a “Good neighbor” program in MY California neighborhood when I moved in.  It might have saved me a lot of money on sewer easements.  However, the “neighbors” were not going to get the V.I.P. treatment I did today.

Lots of tracks could learn something from this type of hospitality.

My initial track contact was Matt Gottlieb, the track’s V.P. of Marketing.  I found out that Matt was the track’s very first employee dating back to 2008.  In an email to Matt I told him about my trackchasing background and he welcomed me with open arms.  When I entered the track property it did remind me of entering a prestigious private golf club with its impressive entrance.

Matt and his assistant Kim took a lot of time to tell me about the Monticello Motor Club’s mission as it was about to become my 1,909^th lifetime track.  First they took me into the clubhouse.  There they showed me a scale model of the track property.  Much work has been completed but more is on the way.  They gave me a full color brochure that was used to educate prospective club members.  Matt and his group had certainly done their homework in this area.  The Monticello Motor Club has some excellent expansion plans coming up for the racer and the track member.

‘You have full run of the place’.

Racing was set to begin at 11 a.m. for the NORRA group and then, following lunch, at 1 p.m. for the Monticello member racers.

From there they gave me just one other piece of guidance.  What was that?  “You have full run of the place!”.  With that I was off taking pictures and videos to share with my readers.  Later Kim came along to answer all of the questions that my visit to Monticello was creating.

During the race program I ran into some fellows from New Zealand.  We struck up a conversation based upon the “U.S. Open Tennis” tournament t-shirt I was wearing.  They were most interested in my trackchasing hobby.  They had also done a good deal of travel.  We had a lot of common “stops”.

Call me anything you want just don’t call me late for lunch.

In between races I was invited to join the club members for lunch.  It was fun sitting in the large covered space for this catered lunch.  This gave me a chance to meet several racers/members and, as always, ask questions and listen to the answers.

A TV interview no less.

When the NORRA race was finished the celebrations and made for TV interviews began.  As I was taking photos of the winners “Deb” the NORRA Promotions Director introduced herself.  It wasn’t long before she was having me interviewed for their future TV broadcast of today’s race.  I was more than happy to “share the trackchasing” word as I do just about everywhere I go.

People are all pretty much the same regardless of how many zeros their checking account balance has.

You could sense there was a good deal of camaraderie between the drivers.  The NORRA drivers had raced all over the country this year.  Today’s event was their season finale.

There were several trophy presentations and champagne celebrations.  In reality just getting a trophy is as important to these high dollar drivers and car owners as it is to the lowest level figure 8 division at any county fair in America. What does that tell me? People love and crave recognition.

Let’s just take time to think about this for a moment.

Yes, let’s think about this for a moment.  Coming into my visit to the Monticello Motor Club I didn’t know anyone.  All I had done was send an introductory email to a generic track email address.  I would guess that more than half the time when I do that the racetrack NEVER gets back to me.

However, at Monticello, they told me they were looking forward to my visit.  When I showed up they spent several minutes showing off their beautiful new facility.  Then they let me roam around the place to my heart’s content.  At lunchtime they made sure there was a spot at the table for me, a visitor they had just met.  Then toward the end of the day they went out of their way to get me interviewed for NORRA’s TV broadcast.  It is specific examples like these that lead me to conclude it would be fantastic to be a member of the Monticello Motor Club.  It’s too bad I live so far from Monticello, New York and don’t have a racecar!

STATE COMPARISONS

New York

The Empire State

This afternoon I saw my 65th lifetime track in the Empire state, yes the Empire state.  I love upstate New York.  Back in 1979 my family and I lived in Connecticut but we were only about 200 yards from the New York state line!

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

New York sayings:  If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.

What did it take to get there?

AIRPLANE

Los Angeles, CA (LAX) – Austin, TX (AUS) – 1,241 miles

RENTAL CAR #1

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport – trip begins

San Antonio, TX

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport – trip ends – 237 miles

AIRPLANE

Austin, TX (AUS) – Newark, NJ (EWR) – 1,504 miles

RENTAL CAR #2

Newark Liberty International Airport – trip begins

Saylorsburg, PA

Newberrytown, PA

Monticello, NY

TRACK ADMISSION PRICES:

San Antonio Speedway – $15

Borger’s Speedway – $5 ($5 senior savings)

Susquehanna Speedway Park – $10 ($2 senior savings)

Monticello Motor Club – Complimentary admission

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

1.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 1,909

Total Trackchasing Countries

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

1.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 65

Current lifetime National Geographic Diversity results

1.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 5.10

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