Providence Raceway

 

 

 

THE EVENT

 

Today’s undertaking was just one of more than 2,000 trips that have taken me up, down and around the long and dusty trackchasing trail. If you would like to see where I’ve been and experience those adventures here’s the link:

 

 

Randy’s Complete Track List

 

 

If you’ve got a question, comment or whatever please leave it at the bottom of this report.  It’s very easy to do.  I’ll try my best to respond.  Thanks!

 

 

 

ON THE WAY TO THE RACES

 

Sleep in. Exercise. Eat.

Carol and I woke up in the Roanoke, Virginia Sheraton Hotel and conference Center. It was nice to be able to stay in one hotel for two straight nights. Actually yesterday and today we were able to sleep into a reasonable hour. That is not always the case on the trackchasing trail.

 

 

Probably because our hotel caters to large business meetings their fitness center was well above average. They probably had 20 quality elliptical trainers and treadmills. I spent 45 minutes on an elliptical trainer getting some aerobic exercise.

 

 

Then we were off to a Zaxby’s restaurant. Zaxby’s is sort of a fast food/casual chicken dining restaurant. They’re located mainly in the south. I have always liked them. One of their best features is there soda machine of all things. It allows for more than 100 flavor combinations. I had happy to report that Jack in the Box has now gone to these machines. Yep. You can learn a lot reading these reports.

 

 

 

What was there to do in Roanoke, Virginia?

For most of this trip (this is day #33) I’ve been averaging more than 400 miles of driving every day. However before today’s race in southern Virginia we didn’t have much driving to do. We will have free time to search out local Trackchasing Tourist Attractions.

 

 

I Googled “Things to do in Roanoke”. I soon had some excellent ideas of how we would spend a good part of our day. Trying to see as many local attractions when I take these trips is very important to me.

 

 

This hobby is not just about racing.

I have often said I simply don’t want to go to the dirt track and have that be my only experience in whatever area I am visiting. When I have the time I’ll go out of my way to seek out local attractions. Somewhat surprising to me was the number one Trip Advisor recommended activity in Roanoke.

 

 

TR suggested “Black Dog Salvage” as the place to visit. I would come to learn that “Black Dog Salvage” offers an eclectic variety of antiques and furniture. The first salvage operation for Black Dog Salvage came back in 1999. For the past five years they’ve had a very successful TV show on the DIY network.

 

Not all that keen on antiques.

I would say that Carol and I are not very much into antiques. Neither of us was very impressed with the offerings, which were substantial, at Black Dog Salvage. To us it was sort of like a way overpriced garage sale. We spent the better part of an hour there with virtually nothing, except a large midget looking racecar, drawing a second look from me.

 

 

The 4-5 foot long little red midget race car was sitting over in the corner. It didn’t come with an engine but did have a price tag of $1,800 US. I was a little surprised they didn’t have very many toys for sale.

 

 

This was the best of the bunch of TTAs.

Following our visit to Black Dog Salvage we headed over to the Virginia Center of Transportation Museum. They had a little bit of everything related to transportation including several antique cars, some planes as well as buses, trolley cars and of course the main attraction, trains.

 

 

A Studebaker taxicab?

The one automobile that impressed me the most was a 1962 Studebaker Lark taxicab. I’m pretty sure I had never seen the Studebaker taxi in my life.

 

 

They also had a 1955-56 Curtis Turner Ford Sunliner convertible stock car number 26. Curtis Turner is now a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. He won races early in his career on the old Daytona Beach beach course.

 

 

Admission to this museum was seven dollars for folks over 60. I don’t think either one of us was blown away with their offerings. I would love to have been able to have gotten inside some of the passenger trains. However we had to settle for viewing most of the train displays from outside the cars. Nevertheless, we knocked off what Trip Advisor told us were a couple of the top attractions in Roanoke.

 

 

Ford, you can do better can’t you?

Our current rental car is a Ford Fusion. I am not very happy with it at all. Right now it looks like the two main cars that offer satellite radio from the National Car Rental Company are the Ford Fusion and the Hyundai Sonata.

 

 

My assessment of the Sonata is that is head and shoulders above the Ford Fusion. Maybe that’s why finding a Sonata on the rental car lot nowadays is difficult and there are a plethora of Fusions.

 

 

Side by side comparison.

The rental car I had before this Fusion, for 27 days, was a Toyota Avalon. I put more than 11,000 miles on that Avalon during that time and didn’t have any trouble with my back at all.

 

 

Now after two days with the Ford Fusion my back hurts and we’ve only covered 600- 700 miles. For some reason we can’t figure out how to operate the tilt steering wheel. It’s one thing when I can’t figure out something like this. I give up easily. But when I delegate the assignment to Carol and she can’t figure it out that’s something. She never gives up.

 

 

With the steering wheel in the pulled up in position I can’t really see the gas gauge or the bright lights. By the way the regular headlights on this car are some of the most pathetic I’ve ever seen. When I flipped on the bright lights there was almost no change. Carol said the brights looked like the regular headlights of our Lexus back home. I can’t imagine Ford could have paid any less for what seem like “toy” windshield wipers.

 

 

 

 

THE RACING

 

 

Providence Raceway – Henry, Virginia

 

 

A long walk for a short slide.

Following our marginally enjoyed touring attractions we headed south to Henry, Virginia for tonight’s senior champ kart racing at the Providence Raceway.

 

 

They were going to be about 20 classes of go-karts racing tonight. Only two of those classes would count under the someone archaic trackchasing rules. I had copied the race order of those 20 classes into the my phone.

 

 

Practice a lot, qualify a lot, race not a lot.

Kart racers seem to do a lot more practicing and qualifying than they do racing. Today’s schedule called for practice to begin at 2 p.m. followed by qualifying and racing. That left it very open ended as to when the actual racing will begin.

 

 

I have some experience with these types of karting promotions. I knew they would take forever to practice and then qualify. With practice starting at 2 p.m. we would be just fine showing up at 6:30 p.m. That’s what we did.

 

 

My experience with kart racing was paying off. As we paid our $10 pit admission price we learned that practice and qualifying had just wrapped up when we arrived. Yep. It had taken nearly five hours to practice and qualify.

 

 

The driver’s meeting.

The driver’s meeting was next with racing to follow.  We quickly parked our car and headed for the meeting. I love attending these meetings. Normally they don’t last very long, 10-15 minutes at the most. In the driver’s meeting I always get some background information that helps me understand what the balance of the racing program is going to be like. We got some inside information today which was most helpful.

 

 

Much more racing in 2016.

First of all the Providence Raceway would be racing on just three dates in 2015. Today was their second race day of the year. However in 2016 they plan to run a full schedule with approximately two racing dates each month.

 

 

Tonight’s event was very popular with the current racers. The race director told us they had 209 entries spread over 20 classes. That’s a huge kart count.

 

 

Buggy!

By the way as soon as we got out of the car we noted how “buggy” it was at the track. I doubt they sprayed for bugs or mosquitoes. Most of the flying insects appeared to be gnats. They can be annoying. Additionally the setting sun was like a blowtorch.

 

 

It pays to have the right information.

I knew when the two trackchasing acceptable classes were going to race within the 20-class structure. The first of the two senior champ kart events would be race #10. Then the same senior champs with some lead weight added would return at the senior champ “heavy” class for race #17. It might not be for 2-3 hours or more from the time the first race went off until race #10 hit the track.

 

 

Guys, I have to say this.

The drivers meeting wrapped up with the obligatory speech from the flagman. He told the drivers that if they had any rough driving they were going to be disqualified. I’ve heard that speech a million times but rarely if ever is it ever followed up on.

 

 

I’ve heard this a million times too.

The race director told everyone they were going to do their very best to keep the show moving since there were so many racers. Each class would have a 20-lap feature event. Each of those races would have a 20-minute time limit. If the time ran out before 20 laps were completed the race would be considered finished.

 

 

Almost immediately after the race director told us they were going to do everything possible to speed the program along they announced the first race would begin at 7 p.m. nearly 30 minutes after the driver’s meeting. I couldn’t help but wonder why the first race tonight couldn’t start FIVE minutes after the conclusion of the driver’s meeting.

 

 

Decision time.

Carol and I had a decision to make. We could stand out in this muggy and buggy hot weather for probably a couple of hours with nothing happening from a trackchasing point of you. Alternatively we could hop in our car and find a nice restaurant. There we could relax and have our evening meal. We would then get back to the track in plenty of time for the 10^th race of the night featuring the senior champ lights.

 

 

 

You can probably guess what we decided to do. We were hampered a bit because we were in a “no service” AT&T cell phone service area. With no service we couldn’t get directions or ask Yelp! for a restaurant recommendation.

 

 

Nevertheless we headed out of the track on the same route we had used coming in. In about 10 minutes cell service returned. I could now do a Yelp! search.

 

 

Nineteen people recommended we eat here.

Soon the Bootleggers Cafe in Rocky Mount, Virginia was popping up on our Yelp! screen. Some 19 reviewers had given the place a 4.5 star rating. That was good enough for us.

 

 

It took us a little while to find the restaurant. I knew it would take us 45 minutes or more to eat. Then it might be another 20-30 minutes of driving time to get back to the track. I figured if somehow we missed the 10th race of the night we would certainly still be in business for the 17th race of the night.

 

 

Crab cakes and more.

The Bootleggers Cafe lived up to the reviews of the folks who had posted on Yelp! We dined on crab cakes, a large steak burger and a Philly cheesesteak. It was all excellent. I recommend Bootleggers.

 

 

It was dark now and time to head back to the racetrack. We didn’t have any trouble finding it although it’s location is most rural.

 

 

Who was racing?

As we expected they were in the middle of the race events when we returned. I just needed to find out what race group was competing. All of the classes other than the two senior champ kart groups were flat karts. I can’t tell one flat kart from another. I had no idea which flat kart group was on the track when we returned. Nevertheless, it didn’t take long to find out that the seventh race was on the track. We had timed everything perfectly.

 

 

A cute little kart track.

By the way tonight’s track was a snazzy little operation. Everything was manicured perfectly, the track lights and the light standards illuminated things well.

 

 

Most kart tracks do not have an announcer to describe the racing. Normally the only thing spoken over the PA system tells the drivers which class is scheduled to run next. That was the case tonight. With 209 competitors in the pits each had probably brought three or four pit workers/family members to the track. There was a large crowd.

 

 

It wouldn’t be long before the 10th race of the night featuring the trackchasing acceptable senior champs would run. I parked our car in a strategic position where we could watch the racing from inside the air-conditioned comfort of the National Car Rental Racing Ford Fusion. The car had a good air-conditioner.

 

 

Patience is key.

In about a half hour thirteen senior champs appeared on the track and ran their 20-lap feature. They had five or six or maybe more cautions for spinning and crashing racers. Each of the four classes that we saw race had quite a few spins. Nevertheless at about 9 p.m. we had seen the race we can come to watch. We soon made our way northward.

 

 

 

 

AFTER THE RACES

 

 

Picture perfect? Not exactly.

Following the race we would have a four-hour ride north to Reston, Virginia. Once in Reston we would have a beautiful Westin Hotel awaiting our arrival.

 

 

However, things were not as picture perfect as they might have seemed. We had made a fairly strong commitment to tonight’s go kart racing. We left Roanoke at 5 p.m. to head to the track. We would not be arriving into Reston, Virginia until nearly 2 a.m. That’s nine hours of traveling to visit the track for what amounted to a 20-minute race.

 

 

This was not Carol’s first tennis match.

However Carol, a significant part of trackchasing’s number one trackchasing couple, knows how the system works. She may not always be in love with the program but she understands the commitment it takes.

 

 

Trash…two ways to handle it.

Speaking of Carol, she has a different approach to “trash management” on these trips than I do. My plan is to empty out the floor of the backseat at each gasoline stop. That means I will empty the trash about every 8-10 hours…..or every few days.

 

 

Carol is into cleanliness to a greater degree than me. At every interstate rest area. she wants to throw out the trash. I say, “Knock yourself out”.

 

 

After the races we spent much of the drive on the way up to Northern Virginia listening to the Angels play the Baltimore Orioles on satellite radio. With us being on the East Coast and the game starting three hours earlier on the West Coast we were in a perfect situation to listen to the entire game. Unfortunately tonight our favorite team did not prevail.

 

 

Re-positioning.

Tonight we are re-positioning ourselves to take advantage of a trackchasing opportunity in New Jersey tomorrow afternoon. I’ve had a track in Belmar, New Jersey on my radar for many years. There are not many tracks that race on a regular Sunday afternoon basis but this one does. I’ll tell you more about that in my next report.

 

 

Good night.

 

 

 

Virginia

 

 

The Old Dominion state

This evening I saw my 24th lifetime track in the Old Dominion state, yes the Old Dominion state. Ironically I have seen racing at 24 or more tracks in….24 states.

 

 

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

Virginia sayings: Where the south begins

 

 

 

QUICK FACTS

 

 

AIRPLANE

Los Angeles, CA (LAX) – Chicago, IL (ORD) – 1,745 miles

 

 

RENTAL CAR #1

O’Hare International Airport – trip begins

London, KY

Indianapolis International Airport – trip ends – 766 miles

 

 

RENTAL CAR #2

Indianapolis International Airport – trip begins

Bedford, KY

Indianapolis International Airport – trip ends – 603 miles

 

 

RENTAL CAR #3

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport – trip begins

Aitken, MN

Morten, Manitoba, Canada

LaGrange, IN

Manchester, IA

Oskaloosa, IA

Bowling Green, IN

Buncombe, IL

Ionia, MI

Osgood, IN

Hemlock, NY

Taylorville, IL

Cambridge, MN

Mora, MN

Urbana, IL

Bedford, KY

Owenton, KY

LeMars, IA

Belleville, KS

Grayslake, IL

Brazil, IN

La Grange, KY

Grayslake, IL

Sturgis, SD

Martinsburg, WV

Tazewell, VA

Henry, VA

 

 

 

TRACK ADMISSION PRICES:

Laurel County Fairgrounds – $10 (not a trackchasing expense)

Trimble County Recreational Facility – $10

Aitken County Fairgrounds (oval) – complimentary admission

Aitken County Fairgrounds (RC) – $8

ALH Motor Speedway – complimentary admission

LaGrange County Fairgrounds – $10

Delaware County Fairgrounds – $10

Mahaska County Fairgrounds – $5

Sandstone – $15 (include pits)

HBR Raceway – $10 (included pits)

Ionia Free Fair – $13

Ripley County Fairgrounds – complimentary admission

Hemlock County Fairgrounds – complimentary admission

Christian County Fairgrounds – $8

Isanti County Fairgrounds – $12

Kanabec County Fairgrounds – $10

Champaign County Fairgrounds – $6

Dirty Turtle Off-Road Park – complimentary admission

Owenton County Fairgrounds – $10

Plymouth County Fairgrounds – complimentary admission

Belleville High Banks – $20

Lake County Fairgrounds – $8

Staunton MX – $15

Oldham County Fairgrounds – $10

Lake County Fairgrounds – $10

Buffalo Chip – $20

Berkeley County Youth Fairgrounds – $10

Tazewell County Fair Speedway – $10

Providence Raceway – $10

 

 

 

 

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

 

1. Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 2,145

 

 

Total Trackchasing Countries

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

 

1. Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 70

 

 

 

Current lifetime National Geographic Diversity results

 

1. Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 4.88

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

Click on the link below to see the “Video Plus” production from the Providence Raceway

 

 

[enter YouTube videos]

 

 

 

Reminder.

Click on the link below for a photo album from today’s trackchasing day.  Double click on a photo to begin the slide show or watch the photos at your own pace.  Hover over a photo to read the caption.

 

Providence Raceway with two major Trackchasing Tourist Attractions