IndianaOpenWheel.com Sprint Car & Midget Racing Forum
Forgot Password?

Reply  Indiana Open Wheel > Indiana Open Wheel Forum > East Bay Raceway Park
Thread Tools
1/26/23, 9:46 AM   #1
East Bay Raceway Park
Stevensville Mike
Stevensville Mike is offline
Senior Member

Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,180
 

I know from a few years ago the track was/was going to be purchased by the company that owns the adjacent land and its future was marked.

Having been behind on a few things, I was watching opening night of the Winternationals with the Top Gun Sprints on Flo last night and the announcer stated that the track would be open next year to stage the 2024 Winternationals. That news was quite welcome in this house.

Maybe I missed something but I thought that this year was the swan song for the track.
__________________
Chiming in live from the West Coast of Michigan.... Mike
 
1 member likes this post: EBookerFan
1/26/23, 10:23 AM   #2
Re: East Bay Raceway Park
openwheelfan1
openwheelfan1 is offline
Senior Member

Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,351
 

2023 was SUPPOSED to be the final year for East Bay from everything I’ve read and been told. The adjacent company was going to use the land. Perhaps the need for the land wasn’t as urgent as they anticipated. I doubt that the long term prospects for East Bay have changed, perhaps just the timing.
 
1/26/23, 10:54 AM   #3
Re: East Bay Raceway Park
Charles Nungester
Charles Nungester is offline
Senior Member

Race Count This Year: 6
Race Count Last Year: 14
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 21,203
 

There was a approx date of three to five years before the new owner would takeover the land. Maybe delayed a bit by Covid or something else but it's days are numbered. What number that is only the mine knows.
__________________
Charles Nungester
 
1/26/23, 12:41 PM   #4
Re: East Bay Raceway Park
cornerthree
cornerthree is offline
Senior Member

Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 576
 

Well by the looks of it they are not investing any money into the up keep. Looked like a dump.
 
1/26/23, 2:59 PM   #5
Re: East Bay Raceway Park
RacingFan52
RacingFan52 is offline
Member

Race Count This Year: 1
Join Date: Oct 2022
Posts: 56
 

It has always been a dump, at least it was in the 70's.
 
1/26/23, 5:17 PM   #6
Re: East Bay Raceway Park
Stevensville Mike
Stevensville Mike is offline
Senior Member

Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,180
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by cornerthree View Post
Well by the looks of it they are not investing any money into the up keep. Looked like a dump.
I've been there a half dozen times, or so, over the past 10 years. It was never anything to write home about but I always felt the racing was great.

You don't think they spent money on painting the back wall? To me it looks like a tagged box car going down the tracks.
__________________
Chiming in live from the West Coast of Michigan.... Mike
 
1/26/23, 6:18 PM   #7
Re: East Bay Raceway Park
Charles Nungester
Charles Nungester is offline
Senior Member

Race Count This Year: 6
Race Count Last Year: 14
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 21,203
 

Really wish I could find the interview of the promoter and why he sold when he's got guaranteed shows for Jan and Feb every year. It was on Open Red or something. But the Jist was, The cost of racing is getting way out of hand and every year there's less and less cars and he sees the time coming that putting a quality show together will be almost impossible.
__________________
Charles Nungester
 
1/26/23, 9:49 PM   #8
Blitzman
Blitzman is offline
Senior Member

Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 472
 

Went there 2 years ago for the ASCOC show. We nicked name the road getting back to the track as “drop dead body road”. Couches & trash littered the road. The property line of the pits were littered with tires & trash. It was after the Lucas oil LM week of racing. The track it’s self was racey. The stand alone ASCOC show for $40 wasn’t thrilling, but it was a bucket list track. If Jan/feb of 2024 is final year, May think about getting down there.
 
1/26/23, 10:46 PM   #9
dsc1600
dsc1600 is offline
Senior Member

Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 562
 

They announced a year or 2 ago that while the track is closing, they would run the 2024 Speedweek shows. Probably because it’s the only show that makes any money.
There have been rumblings the track may not close after all, but that might just be internet talk.
 
1/26/23, 11:31 PM   #10
Grocery Guy
Grocery Guy is offline
Senior Member

Race Count This Year: 6
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 2,009
 

Here's a brief article on the sale of East Bay Raceway:

The famed East Bay Raceway Park enters purchase agreement with Mosaic Co. In the background of the race track, you’ll see a large hill. Over that hill, sits the refuse for one of the largest mining companies in the world. Solid and liquid refuse sits over the hill on the east and west ends of the track. The plant itself sits on the south end of the race track. Mosaic Co is a fortune 500 company based in the United States. In 2018, they moved their headquarters from Minnesota to Florida. The company is a leading crop nutrition companies with a focus on potash and phosphate. They have offices and mineral plants all over the world. A large portion are based in Florida and Brazil. The bullring dirt track is essentially in the way. Now, the company has presented an offer to buy out the speedway when they need it. The track has agreed to the potential sale.

Sadly, the racetrack land is more valuable to the mining company. When the Lucas Oil Late Models race there in 2 weeks, expect about 70 late models. Probably the best dirt track racing in FL.
 
2 members like this post: PIT CART, Stevensville Mike
Reply Indiana Open Wheel > Indiana Open Wheel Forum > East Bay Raceway Park





All times are GMT -4. The time now is 3:53 PM.


Make IndianaOpenWheel.com your homepage
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
© 2005-2024 IndianaOpenWheel.com
Mobile VersionLinks: Dave Merritt - Chris Pedersen - Carey Fox - Carey Akin - Joe Bennett - Brandon Murray - Dave Roach - John DaDalt - Racin; With D.O. - Jackslash Media