8/19/2023 - Lawrenceburg Spdwy. - Gaines Memorial $3K to Win
 

20th Annual Dick Gaines Memorial Saturday at Lawrenceburg Speedway

The 20th Annual “Dick Gaines Memorial,” featuring the Kelsey Chevrolet sprint cars, will be held on August 19th at the Lawrenceburg Speedway in Lawrenceburg, Ind. Saturday night’s race honors the memory of one of Indiana’s greatest sprint car heroes, Dick Gaines, who was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1992.

Gaines, the country boy from Floyds Knob, Ind., started racing in April 1949. The then 16-year-old drove a 1939 Ford sedan two-seater with no shocks. During his early years, Gaines turned over and crashed a lot in stock cars, taking about ten years of ‘rough and tumble’ racing to hone his racing skills.

In 1963 Gaines began driving for famed car owner Dizz Wilson. In the five years Gaines drove Wilson’s #70 it is estimated they won over 160 races. They were nearly unbeatable, winning Lawrenceburg Speedway track championships in 1963 and 1965 (he also added a third title in 1976).

In 1970 Gaines moved to Kinser Brothers Racing, teaming up with Karl Kinser. They raced all over the Midwest and the South, winning at places like Eldora, Salem, Indianapolis Raceway Park, Kokomo, and others. They won the “Little 500” at Anderson Speedway by four laps in 1973 and again in 1976, and in 1974 he won the “Knoxville Nationals,” beating Jan Opperman on the final lap.

In 1976 Gaines and Kinser won 29 of the 41 races entered – an astonishing 70% win average!

On September 17, 1977, while leading a race in Champaign, Ill., a rookie driver darted from the inside of the track directly in front of Gaines causing a multi-car crash. Gaines’ car flipped along a guard rail, then vaulted high into the air before slamming down and bouncing once more. Gaines’ injuries included a broken sternum, a lacerated and dislocated finger, and a severe case of double vision.

Those injuries would eventually force Gaines to retire from a racing career that spanned nearly thirty years and in which he amassed over 600 victories. On February 5, 2000, Gaines suffered a heart attack at home, passing away at the age of 67.

Please join us Saturday night to honor Dick Gaines and the Gaines Family. The Kelsey Chevrolet Sprints 25-lap feature will pay $3,000 to win / $300 to start. Also competing will be the KOI Auto Parts UMP Modifieds, Impact Sports Pure Stocks, and the Bessler’s U Pull & Save Hornets.

Dick Gaines Memorial Sprint Feature Payout:
1- $3,000, 2- $1,500, 3- $700, 4- $600, 5- $500, 6- $450, 7- $400, 8- $375, 9- $350, 10- $325, 11- $300, 12- $300, 13- $300, 14- $300, 15- $300, 16- $300, 17- $300, 18- $300, 19- $300, 20- $300.

There will also be $100 tow money to all sprint cars that do not start the feature and a $63 hard charger award for the driver that advances the most positions from the originally posted feature lineup.

As part of their Dog Daze of Summer promo, the track is also hosting a “Pet Food & Toy Drive” in conjunction with their friends at Kroger. For each item you bring to donate you will receive a chance to win a $100 Kroger gift card.

General admission gates are set to open at 5:00 pm Saturday with hot laps at 6:00 pm, and opening ceremonies are scheduled for 7:00 pm. Adult general admission is $22, children (7-12) are $7, and those 6 and under are free. Pit passes are $35 for all ages (pit passes cannot be purchased as an upgrade from a promo ticket, family four pack, or a theme night).

August 19, 2023 – Lawrenceburg Speedway
20th Annual Dick Gaines Memorial

Racing to feature:
• Kelsey Chevrolet Sprints ($3,000 to win / $300 to start)
• KOI Auto Parts UMP Modifieds
• Impact Sports Pure Stocks
• Bessler’s U Pull & Save Hornets

4:00 pm Pit Gate Opens
5:00 pm Front Gate Opens
6:00 pm Practice
7:00 pm Opening Ceremonies

General Admission:
Adult $22
Children (7-12) $7
Under 6 FREE

Pit Passes:
• All Ages $35

Special promotions, tickets, and Family Four Packs are only redeemable at the main front gate entrance.

Pit passes cannot be purchased as an upgrade from a promo ticket, Family Four Pack, or a theme night.

For more information, please visit www.lawrenceburgspeedway.com or the “Lawrenceburg Speedway” Facebook page.

Re: 8/19/2023 - Lawrenceburg Spdwy. - Gaines Memorial $3K to
 

Yay for raceday!

Re: 8/19/2023 - Lawrenceburg Spdwy. - Gaines Memorial $3K to
 

Per JJ Hughes facebook post 12 cars at the Burg.

Pretty sad, $3000 to win and only 12 cars.

Very sad. 3000 dollars to win and you get 12 cars.

Only 11 took time.

1st heat: Bisbee, Hughes, and Cling top 3.

Bilbee not Bisbee, wow.

Heat 2: Ballou, Webber, Carly (sp)?

Feature: Bilbee, Ballou, and Hughes a distant 3rd. Robert was charging at the end, but I don't know if he could've gotten around him.

I couldn’t find Lawrenceburg on my race pass. Don’t they use my race pass?

Re: 8/19/2023 - Lawrenceburg Spdwy. - Gaines Memorial $3K to
 

27 cars signed in last night at LPS for the MSCS show, which paid $5000 to win, 20 (maybe 21, only 20 took time) at Paragon. Given the facts that many teams are Indianapolis area based, fuel costs are continuing to increase and it is late in the racing season (depending upon the teams plans, probably 70%+ complete) I don't find it surprising that the car count at Lawrenceburg is the lowest of the three.

While I hope that a new promoter is found for Lawrenceburg and that the new promoter continues to run sprint cars, I foresee an uphill struggle to attract quality fields of cars week in and week out.

Also BOSS was at Wayne County. I believe 21 cars there.

You can only slice the pie so many ways before it starts to be not worth eating.

Re: 8/19/2023 - Lawrenceburg Spdwy. - Gaines Memorial $3K to
 

The pie is more than just number of tracks running. It's number of simular classes among other things.

Florence doesn't even pay a Super LM champion anymore and only has about five or six Super LM races.

I love pie!

Hopefully they had a big enough crowd to cover purse………..

Re: 8/19/2023 - Lawrenceburg Spdwy. - Gaines Memorial $3K to
 

Would a 10 race, special events type of schedule make sense for Lawrenceburg? Something similar to Tri-State and Kokomo.

Re: 8/19/2023 - Lawrenceburg Spdwy. - Gaines Memorial $3K to
 

I got tons of ideas and will share em. Im sure some wouldn't work but others possibly would. I'll share them at a later date.

Getting it leased and the track concession and prep equipment bought out or replaced, is the first thing or nothing happens.

Re: 8/19/2023 - Lawrenceburg Spdwy. - Gaines Memorial $3K to
 

Of course they did. The promotor saved $2400 in A-main purse money with the short field of cars. They basically paid $825 more than a weekly purse. Pit passes were $5 more than a regular race. Not sure how much they charge for weekly show grandstands. It was $22 for this race.

1- $3,000, 2- $1,500, 3- $700, 4- $600, 5- $500, 6- $450, 7- $400, 8- $375, 9- $350, 10- $325, 11- $300, 12- $300
Total purse $9200

Weekly sprint car purse $8275

So what would you estimate attendance was?

Re: 8/19/2023 - Lawrenceburg Spdwy. - Gaines Memorial $3K to
 

Couple of things to remember:
1. This race has not had a great car count in a while. I did not make it last year, but the year before was either right at 20 cars or close. I believe the year before was just under 20. I have been to 3 of these in the last 6 years and I can only remember 1 having a B main. I think they only sent 3 or 4 cars home that night.

2. August is historically a slow month for the sprinters. After so many races in July it seems several small teams are still recovering.

3. you have Silver Crown and Midgets both running this weekend. Not to mention all of the other races. This eliminates some of the tour guys looking for laps.

I hope they did but wouldn’t be so sure. Much more to pay out than just the sprint purse. Of course you have the other classes, insurance, track lease, payroll, fuel for track equipment and I’m sure there are other expenses. Race track promoter isn’t a game I’d wanna play

Back in the day I played race track promoter at the ‘burg and we were fairly successful. Today I wouldn’t go down that road, to many things have changed - demographics, age of fans, cost of race cars, overhead (insurance, fuel, payroll, lease, maintenance, etc). Unfortunately weekly racing may soon be a thing of the past.

Re: 8/19/2023 - Lawrenceburg Spdwy. - Gaines Memorial $3K to
 

I’m not the promoter, nor will I ever be, but I love fantasy booking race schedules. This is just my opinion about what I would try if it was my business venture. I don’t have the money or the proximity to Lawrenceburg to give this a real shot. I find it interesting that the people who complain about young racers coming in and using daddy’s money to buy a ride are often the same people who say “if you know so much then go buy a race track and do it yourself”. You can bet if I had rich daddy money I would be out buying a race track, so I’m going to ignore reality for just a moment to suggest a schedule like this. 10 events - keeping some of the annual events that appear to have been pretty successful and add in a few new shows. 6 Sprint races and 5 races for each of the 3 local classes - Modifieds, Pure Stocks, and Hornets. 2 shows with winged sprints and 2 with late models, plus Midget Week and Night of Destruction.

Lawrenceburg 2024
April 6 - USAC Sprints (plus Modifieds and Hornets)
May 11 - BOSS Sprints (plus Modifieds, Pure Stocks, and Hornets)
May 27 Memorial Day - WoO Sprints (plus Pure Stocks)
June 8 - USAC Midget Week (plus Sprints)
July 6 - Merrill Downey Memorial (Modifieds & Late Models, plus Pure Stocks)
July 21 - USAC Sprint Week (plus Modifieds)
August 3 - Night of Destruction
August 31 Labor Day Weekend - FAST & BOSS Sprints (plus Hornets)
September 13 - Ironman Late Model Series (plus Modifieds, Pure Stocks, and Hornets)
October 5 - USAC Sprints Fall Nationals (plus Pure Stocks and Hornets)

Re: 8/19/2023 - Lawrenceburg Spdwy. - Gaines Memorial $3K to
 

My ideas are a lot different save the usac dates and WoO. I think a lot more creativity has to be done and a different direction. Think PORT ROYAL.

You are IOW/BURG. Let’s hear your survival plan.

Re: 8/19/2023 - Lawrenceburg Spdwy. - Gaines Memorial $3K to
 

I’d like to see what you have in mind. I loved the Lucas Oil Late Model races Lawrenceburg used to have, which ironically went away a few years ago and were replaced by a high paying race for that series at Port Royal. I looked at the major late model and sprint car series schedules before I made my suggestion, and I was having a tough time finding places to add shows at Lawrenceburg. I thought about an XR Series or FloRacing Series race on a week night but I know streaming services are like an ex-wife to promoters in Indiana.

Re: 8/19/2023 - Lawrenceburg Spdwy. - Gaines Memorial $3K to
 

Oh, It's a lt's a lot of If's and ideas.

I'll see if I got time tomorrow to mention it all. Im sure some would work. The others take some hard work in scheduling and cooperation.

Re: 8/19/2023 - Lawrenceburg Spdwy. - Gaines Memorial $3K to
 

The Date Lucas Ran LM's was moved to Mansfield and Ironically that track doesn't exist anymore. Im thinking the Wed's prior to North South or make a bigger Latham weekend. Possible Hell Tour Week date. Gotta be something that will pull both numbers of cars and fans.

That deal is like WoO. Start at a Hundred Grand and add to it to even get the date. It's just not as simple anymore as saying, Here's the date. It pays umpteen thou and you'll have a big count and crowd. Everyone that has dates that work has em already.

Love to see High Limit there sometime.

Bring the All-Stars “Hoosier Fall Classic” back.

I sure hope someone steps to the plate and keeps it going. I know one thing. I haven’t been there since we raced a midget on the old track back in the day. If the weather looks good, I’ll be making the run down there in October.
Like many of you said it’s probably tough to get a good weekend date these days with the premium series. I believe the right promotional group might be able to get it done

Why don’t the current owners (the city) take the risk of running by hiring someone to oversee it, someone that knows racing.
To me it’s gonna be hard to find someone that is willing to pay for the opportunity to spend lots of money, work long hours and be the brunt of criticism.

Curious, with 20:20 hindsight, was it a mistake to remake the track into a larger, high bank, horsepower track? I have never been there, just read a lot about it here. Don’t go because there are too many other options closer to Central IN.

Re: 8/19/2023 - Lawrenceburg Spdwy. - Gaines Memorial $3K to
 

From a owners perspective, Yes, It's worse, From a fans perspective. It's better We had Five to seven years with the new stands, concession and restrooms and had pits full of cars with the old quarter..

AND 200-500 fans in the stands............... Id say a reg show now has 1200-2000
Keep in mind the old track flooded a lot from the hydraulics of the river dropping It's basically all gravel underneath the area. They raised the infield at least three feet and added two track pumps and a huge pumping station near the grounds entrance. And a mosquito infested ditch that was used to pump out the track is now leach lines buried . Only time I've had problem with Bugs since is the Cicada year. I used to get ate up down there.

Re: 8/19/2023 - Lawrenceburg Spdwy. - Gaines Memorial $3K to
 

The story I've heard was that the local movers and shakers wanted a track geared for USAC Silver Crown races plus whatever else.

The quarter mile track ran with the new grandstands was a far cry from the old falling down grandstand era. That quarter mile with the falling down grandstands was something else. Racers used to pull up onto the track after the races to get paid, I’d walk out and look at those race cars. Track was often tacky enough after the races to suck your shoes right off your feet.

Re: 8/19/2023 - Lawrenceburg Spdwy. - Gaines Memorial $3K to
 

Exactly, The wall outside the stage on the track side had caved in and the city demanded the track cut down and back away from the fence, Bobby and safety crew also built a ten ft perimeter outside the fence. Once that happened, It more often than not was a catfish track, Vs the Two groove "BURG" that Mel had in the 80s. You're totally right that the track rolled all night and stayed tacky. Maybe a couple rubber lines but not slick top to bottom Mell had that thing so juiced that it was often 9pm before we started racing and support features had to be doubled at next show due to curfew.

Re: 8/19/2023 - Lawrenceburg Spdwy. - Gaines Memorial $3K to
 

This is a huge if in the continuation of Bur g and possibly the right one.
Either way, I see the city going to have to invest heavily again.

We ran tqs there a lot, on the old and the new track, before the internet, before, and after, it was a crap shoot if it were flooded or not, , if the foot ball field outside of town was under water, we just pulled there to eat, no big deal ,we had to eat some where anyway, I preferred the old track, but that's why we had QC rearends, so we could adjust!

I know there were many improvements made to the facility but that didn’t require a larger track, right. They could have raised the track to avoid the water problems but kept it the same size. It is what it is now.