Just Sad

openwheelKT · 11/10/09, 9:05 AM

I caught this on the channel 13 news in Indy last night. The old stadium/track is being used as a junk yard holding place now. There is some video along with the story. Place looks terrible. Sure did have some good memories of the place.

http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=11472968

TQ29m · 11/10/09, 5:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by openwheelKT

I caught this on the channel 13 news in Indy last night. The old stadium/track is being used as a junk yard holding place now. There is some video along with the story. Place looks terrible. Sure did have some good memories of the place.

http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=11472968

I seem to remember several nights, that it looked like that after the feature!!!Bob

Seadog · 11/10/09, 5:36 PM

The nicest driver I think I ever met was at 16th Street Speedway. Ron Smoker - what a great guy. I remember he commuted by car every weekend fron New England to Indy and back just to race a midget. I was happy when he won the title in a real nail biter. IIRC, he was in the Parker Machinery 24 car.

nowings4me · 11/10/09, 5:58 PM

Man, that track was always rough, but unbelievably fast for it's size. Every time I drive past there, I wish it was still open for racing. I always wondered how many gazillion dollars were lost on that deal. Sad to see that entire property looking like it does now.

tqracer65 · 11/10/09, 5:59 PM

There was definately some real good racing there. If only somebody could afford to buy it and make it back into a racetrack and bring it up to be one of the nicest in the area, would take some money but would be pretty cool.

REH24 · 11/10/09, 6:01 PM

Funny I drove down by the race track just yesterday coming from the USAC office to see if it was still around as I thought the city was planning on tearing it down. Lot of memories watching the midgets run there. Seems like always a good show, like the night Jay Drake turned Tony Stewart over intentionally. The funny thing was Tony was letting Jay stay at his house while racing in the mid-west but Tony took it all in jest.

REH

jackhole · 11/10/09, 8:24 PM

LMFAO!! Did nobody see the comments under the story?

UMAN -
"PIC-A-PART IS RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD SELL THE CARS TO THEM. PEOPLE STILL NEED PARTS. JUST PULL THE VEND. NUMBERS"

Guest -
"I know it may be difficult for you, but did you actually read the story??"

Thanks, JACKHOLE

v8j · 11/10/09, 9:11 PM

the lead paint was the big problem their as far as being used now

mac miller · 11/10/09, 11:17 PM

The neighbors complained about the noise saying that the race cars drowned out the normal sound of gunfire in the surrounding neighborhoods.

Not a real great area of town....

TQ29m · 11/11/09, 10:59 AM

My first trip there, was in the mid to late 40's, actually to a baseball game, my second trip there, was to opening night as a race track, close to 50 years later, surprising how sometimes your mind will recall things you thought were totally forgotten. We raced there off and on, until it was closed, a real momentum track, a slight lift, and you were history. Bob

11/11/09, 10:59 AM	#10 Re: Just Sad - 16th Street Speedway
TQ29m Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 6,214	My first trip there, was in the mid to late 40's, actually to a baseball game, my second trip there, was to opening night as a race track, close to 50 years later, surprising how sometimes your mind will recall things you thought were totally forgotten. We raced there off and on, until it was closed, a real momentum track, a slight lift, and you were history. Bob __________________ "Being old, isn't half as much fun, as getting there"! Ole Robert I!

11/10/09, 5:36 PM	#3 Re: Just Sad - 16th Street Speedway
Seadog Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 2,136	The nicest driver I think I ever met was at 16th Street Speedway. Ron Smoker - what a great guy. I remember he commuted by car every weekend fron New England to Indy and back just to race a midget. I was happy when he won the title in a real nail biter. IIRC, he was in the Parker Machinery 24 car.

11/10/09, 5:58 PM	#4 Re: Just Sad - 16th Street Speedway
nowings4me Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 310	Man, that track was always rough, but unbelievably fast for it's size. Every time I drive past there, I wish it was still open for racing. I always wondered how many gazillion dollars were lost on that deal. Sad to see that entire property looking like it does now.

11/10/09, 5:59 PM	#5 Re: Just Sad - 16th Street Speedway
tqracer65 Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 211	There was definately some real good racing there. If only somebody could afford to buy it and make it back into a racetrack and bring it up to be one of the nicest in the area, would take some money but would be pretty cool.

11/10/09, 6:01 PM	#6 Re: Just Sad - 16th Street Speedway
REH24 Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 302	Funny I drove down by the race track just yesterday coming from the USAC office to see if it was still around as I thought the city was planning on tearing it down. Lot of memories watching the midgets run there. Seems like always a good show, like the night Jay Drake turned Tony Stewart over intentionally. The funny thing was Tony was letting Jay stay at his house while racing in the mid-west but Tony took it all in jest. REH

11/10/09, 8:24 PM	#7 Re: Just Sad - 16th Street Speedway
jackhole Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 28	LMFAO!! Did nobody see the comments under the story? UMAN - "PIC-A-PART IS RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD SELL THE CARS TO THEM. PEOPLE STILL NEED PARTS. JUST PULL THE VEND. NUMBERS" Guest - "I know it may be difficult for you, but did you actually read the story??" Thanks, JACKHOLE

11/10/09, 9:11 PM	#8 Re: Just Sad - 16th Street Speedway
v8j Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 591	the lead paint was the big problem their as far as being used now

11/10/09, 11:17 PM	#9 Re: Just Sad - 16th Street Speedway
mac miller Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 240	The neighbors complained about the noise saying that the race cars drowned out the normal sound of gunfire in the surrounding neighborhoods. Not a real great area of town....