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-   -   8/19/2023 - Lawrenceburg Spdwy. - Gaines Memorial $3K to Win (https://www.indianaopenwheel.com/showthread.php?t=123963)

flagboy55 8/22/23 9:10 PM

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

motorhead748 8/23/23 8:22 AM

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.

The55 8/23/23 1:19 PM

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.

Charles Nungester 8/23/23 2:09 PM

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.

Danny Burton 8/23/23 2:35 PM

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

Originally Posted by The55 (Post 567959)
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.

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

mlamb 8/23/23 2:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charles Nungester (Post 567960)
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.

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.

Charles Nungester 8/23/23 2:59 PM

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

Originally Posted by mlamb (Post 567963)
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.


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.

Charles Nungester 8/23/23 3:07 PM

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

Originally Posted by motorhead748 (Post 567958)
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.


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.

TQ29m 8/23/23 4:07 PM

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!

The55 8/23/23 8:36 PM

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.


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