Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

just got home from the track, turned on the lights, all lights were on except 2 towers on backstretch and pit lighting. This place is lit up like no other. enjoy the pictures, more on our website in the photo gallery.
www.lawrenceburgspeedway.com
http://www.lawrenceburgspeedway.com/...ting%20001.JPG

http://www.lawrenceburgspeedway.com/...ting%20002.JPG

http://www.lawrenceburgspeedway.com/...ting%20004.JPG

http://www.lawrenceburgspeedway.com/...ting%20014.JPG

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

looks like a lot of that water went away by the end of the day :)

Lightings great! I knew it would be.

Thanks for the Pic's
Chuck

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

Thanks Chuck, Now if i could only get the crews to work at night, wish me luck with that. The water only dropped 2 or 3 inches in 24 hours, the river is suppose to drop alot the next few days and that will let the pumps catch up, and dry out the infield.
Take care, Dave

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

Looks good, now the contractor can work all night. I can think of about 20 things that would make the track look better:Steer

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

Dave,

Has a practice day been scheduled yet? I don't see one on the website?

Thanks.

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

Phil, Let me put it this way, when we have a for sure opening date we will have a practice on the tuesday before, we also plan on having a practice session every tuesday for at least 3 weeks if not more. I can not really say when the track will be ready to race, this last flood we had really got me down big time. Its all out of my hands, all i can do is freak out!! lol
Take care and hope to see you soon, Dave

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

Dave, how big is the track now? It almost looks like a half mile insted of a 1/4. I'm a little concerned with where the seats are in turn one. Hopefully, they are back far enough so that you wouldn't get hit by a stray sprinter.

Oh BTW, great job. I know you have been getting a bunch of suggestions and remarks on how you should do it. Hang in there, it's going to be an awesome facility for everyone.

George Wilkins

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

the fifteen day forcast is calling for very little rain in the next 2 weeks, let's keep our fingers crossed for early June. Can't wait to take the grandbabies, they can't wait either. Lori

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

Let's go racing!!!

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

After talking to the photog from L'burg, I think another photographer and myself are going to a race this year.

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

any progress on the dirt?

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

Id suggest everyone call Bray Aspenburger contracting and tell them to get on the ball or face 700 race fans in person or at least tell them you wouldn't recomend them to anyone and even warn em.

To be fair, They did amazing work when they worked until some new supervisor showed up.

They did start moving a bit today but not much.
Been three weeks since a truckload of clay was moved.
Chuck

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

ALLELUIA FOR LAWRENCEBERG!!!!! Good things do come those who wait.
remember Lawrencebergers, and racers the new website for Lawrenceberg is up and running. TandSracingphotos.com. It is as new as the racetrack.They still have some work to do on it also but it is up and running.
Doink

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

Dave,

Is the MASS show still on for June 6, and 7th? From the photo posted on here looks like a well performed face lift.

Alex Shanks

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

NOT going to happen!!! I would not expect a race at the burg till July. SUCKS for everyone .

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

The way things are going with construction at The 'Burg, I wonder what would happen if it is not done by July 9?

Would Gas City get 4 nights of racing?

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

They could have the track done with 48hrs worth of work. They just won't do it for some reason and the reasons they give are Bull.

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

Talked briefly with Bill Cunningham ('Burg mayor) at Kroger's yesterday a.m. He says that the pile of racing surface dirt behind the old pit area has been a mud bog and not yet workable to move to the track. This is the big hangup. Billy is really pumped up about the project and was telling me about "140 m.p.h." speeds and "six USAC events" per year. Not sure I'm buying all that but I've known Bill for a long time. He's a good guy and though I'm an outsider (Greendale resident), it seems to me he's been a fine mayor for The 'Burg.

Stopped by the speedway yesterday. Not much going on. Guy in a front end loader digging around in the aforementioned pile of racing surface dirt. I would presume this is to help it dry out quicker. Workers and equipment were pretty much dedicated to ditch filling behind the main grandstand. New pit area looks to me like a major challenge to complete. All my race track construction experience mtells me.........O.K., I don't have any :doh: .....still, I don't see race cars circling the 3/8 'Burg oval for some time. JMO, as always.:checkered:

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

Duh.. the pile of Clay is all wet ...

Since that Clay was brought in last fall - wouldn't the contractor have known that it had to be covered with big construction tarps to keep it dry? It does rain a lot here in the Spring!

I am not in construction - but, isn't there a piece of machinery that could be brought in to dry the clay - I know it could not get real hot - it would make bricks - but tumbling - even with no heat - wouldn't that dry out the clay?

Would the following piece of machinery work?

http://www.westpromachinery.com/p_dryers-rotary.htm


Thought I read that the Tech building is just being finished. To me, that is separate from the track - they have had since October to build a simple tech building.

Apparently, all the events for the fair will not happen - what a shame. What a great time to show off a great investment.

I could see 6 USAC races - they would be used in a TV package. What other reason for so many lights.

140 MPH ??? I do not see it. Maybe he means top speed at end of straight.

This would be faster than Eldora, but with less banking and shorter track. Must be the clay - "Stickier than Eldora"

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

Originally Posted by FishBurger:
Talked briefly with Bill Cunningham ('Burg mayor) at Kroger's yesterday a.m. He says that the pile of racing surface dirt behind the old pit area has been a mud bog and not yet workable to move to the track. This is the big hangup. Billy is really pumped up about the project and was telling me about "140 m.p.h." speeds and "six USAC events" per year. Not sure I'm buying all that but I've known Bill for a long time. He's a good guy and though I'm an outsider (Greendale resident), it seems to me he's been a fine mayor for The 'Burg.

Stopped by the speedway yesterday. Not much going on. Guy in a front end loader digging around in the aforementioned pile of racing surface dirt. I would presume this is to help it dry out quicker. Workers and equipment were pretty much dedicated to ditch filling behind the main grandstand. New pit area looks to me like a major challenge to complete. All my race track construction experience mtells me.........O.K., I don't have any :doh: .....still, I don't see race cars circling the 3/8 'Burg oval for some time. JMO, as always.:checkered:

I know a lot of people that want nothing to do with 140 M.P.H. in a non wing sprint car. Maybe with a wing or a late model. We will have to see what happens before anyone will know for sure. J.M.O.

Jerry #66j
www.joshspencer.com

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

The clay is supposed to hold moisture, that is why it is used on race tracks. I would think that the quickest way to dry it out is to spread it on the track. I hope you all are wrong about mid July for an opening date.

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

This Burg speedway construction has turned into a huge joke. Every week I stop down and look at the track to see if we might be getting close to seeing a race there, and every week I see basically the same thing I saw the week before. I am starting to feel very sorry for Dave R. he has to keep getting on here and telling all of us what is going on and that he hopes to have a race soon when actually who really knows when we will see a race at The Burg. I love racing and can't wait to see racing at the Burg, as for now I have to decide every week if I want to spend the time and money on the gas to ride to North Vernon (which is a very good place to watch sprints). Starting to wish we had the OLD Burg back. Bob Bressert

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

5/29 - 11:00 a.m. update: Noticed on our way home from Bob Evans (stove still broke...cook still on strike) that they are indeed moving dirt from the pile to the track this a.m. :thumb Don't know if the new pit area has dried out enough for trucks to haul in crushed rock, flyash, asphalt, or whatever the surface is going to be. Lighting installation could be underway however. Again, I'm nothing more than an interested bystander (47 years worth), so don't take my opinions for gospel. :checkered:

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

Tired of waiting . My sponsors are tired of the excusses .They are local and it does them no good to advertise in North Vernon. This is a load of garbage. Which is starting to stink like the rest of lawrenceburg.I think the mayor is getting a kick back and the fair board or who ever really owns the track is getting the shaft. Someone from RPM or the city needs to be down there every day with thier foot up the contractors you know what.Dave cant do it they have him running around doing damage control and rescheduling lost events. the only way to get the clay to dry out is to move it and spread it. As far as the infield flooding that should have been taken care of before all the track work began. The project manager on this job is an idiot,that has absolutly no time management skills.I stopped by the other day and the few workers that they had in there could have been clocked with a sun dial.There is no sense of urgency at all. Just totally frustrating.....

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

When we do finally race, does anybody expect to have a perfect surface the first night or even the tenth night? It will be a crap shoot for a while before anybody knows for sure what kind of prep is involved with the new surface.

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

I am guessing the surface will be less then perfect for about a month. No fault of the crew or prep work, just a new surface. If it is perfect from the get go do you think the contractor should get credit?:rolleyes:

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

Just for clarification purposes. The ditch project and new pits are a totally separate project. That area behind the motor cycle track is not yet part of the speedway. Just the fill they are digging out of the ditch.

But they are working on getting that land for use from the conservation dept, I believe the Corp of Engineers.

Chuck

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

Originally Posted by mudslinger 85:
the fair board or who ever really owns the track is getting the shaft.

I've been told that the local American Legion post actually "owns" the fairgrounds property including the speedway and has leased it to the city of Lawrenceburg for 99 years at a buck per. The city, in turn, then negotiates a sub-lease for the contract operator of the track (RPM now), exhibition hall, the midway (for flea markets and such), and the motorcyle track. Further, it is my understanding with respect to the speedway, that the city gets it's buck regardless of success or lack of same by the promoter. There are some further wrinkles in special cases, WoO for example, but I'm under the impression that this is pretty much how it works. All that said, and though it's really none of my business, I am interested in the details. So, if anyone here can clarify, correct, or expand upon the above, without physical and/or ego damage to ole FishBurger, please do so. Thank You! I must be off. :checkered:

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

Originally Posted by FishBurger:
Talked briefly with Bill Cunningham ('Burg mayor) at Kroger's yesterday a.m. He says that the pile of racing surface dirt behind the old pit area has been a mud bog and not yet workable to move to the track. This is the big hangup. Billy is really pumped up about the project and was telling me about "140 m.p.h." speeds and "six USAC events" per year. Not sure I'm buying all that but I've known Bill for a long time. He's a good guy and though I'm an outsider (Greendale resident), it seems to me he's been a fine mayor for The 'Burg.

Stopped by the speedway yesterday. Not much going on. Guy in a front end loader digging around in the aforementioned pile of racing surface dirt. I would presume this is to help it dry out quicker. Workers and equipment were pretty much dedicated to ditch filling behind the main grandstand. New pit area looks to me like a major challenge to complete. All my race track construction experience mtells me.........O.K., I don't have any :doh: .....still, I don't see race cars circling the 3/8 'Burg oval for some time. JMO, as always.:checkered:

Is that the same Mayor who told the crowd at Funfest that the new work was to start as soon as the final checkered flag flew at Funfest, and then had NO work done for 2 months or more? And the contractor was going to work 24/7 and the track will be ready for a early April practice date, and "were not going to forget about the local racers" as he plans to build a track that will do nothing but hurt the locals racers?:rolling

http://home.fuse.net/kewendel/Mayor_...gham_Lburg.jpg
Everything will be alright!!

When are the hundreds of thousands of dollars of Landscaping going to be done? I want to see some bushes and plants.

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

Originally Posted by itsanonwingthing:
Is that the same Mayor who told the crowd at Funfest that the new work was to start as soon as the final checkered flag flew at Funfest, and then had NO work done for 2 months or more? And the contractor was going to work 24/7 and the track will be ready for a early April practice date, and "were not going to forget about the local racers" as he plans to build a track that will do nothing but hurt the locals racers?:rolling

Yep, same guy Keith. :O: The same guy who has been portrayed as a big time racing fan. And he may well be for all I know. But, it must be some form of racing that I and other friends seldom frequent. I know Billy has been to Talladega, Knoxville, IA for nationals, and Eldora for Kings Royal. But, I haven't bumped into the lad at Bloomington, Gas City, Winchester, Salem, or Terre Haute in like....ever. Heck, I've only seen him at The 'Burg twice. Once to judge the "bikini contest :rolleyes:" and once for Lawrenceburg City workers night. Maybe he got there early, stayed up in the suites, and left late. Or maybe he is a straight line racer like Dave used to be. I know he ran a hemi powered Crosley at Edgewater back in the day. He gets major props for that. Seriously though, he's a hard working, well intentioned guy. I don't buy any kickback theories. I just think the city got in over their heads and relied upon some bad advice and depended upon some undependable people. Standard disclaimer: JMHO.

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

Nonwing ,you hit right on the head . I heard those exact words . Which were followed up with WHAT EVER IT TAKES ,what a bunch of crap.This guy is a weasel. I 'm thinking about taking the car down to city hall and showing them how to do a little landscape and dirt work.

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

I don't have a dog in this fight, per say, but I did stop by the track over the holiday weekend and in my not so humble opinion, IT IS FREAKIN' AWESOME!

I can't wait for the first race to happen, and when it does, I don't care if it is sprints or tin tops, I WILL BE THERE!

It will be one of if not the premier facilities in the midwest, not just Indiana! It should be done now, but when it is, it will be the best track most racers and fans will have a chance to enjoy.

I am like most others, I wish it was ready now!:thumb

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

Chuck, a little PR work needs to be done here! Where are Ya!

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

Originally Posted by Sprint Fan:
I don't have a dog in this fight, per say, but I did stop by the track over the holiday weekend and in my not so humble opinion, IT IS FREAKIN' AWESOME!

I can't wait for the first race to happen, and when it does, I don't care if it is sprints or tin tops, I WILL BE THERE!

It will be one of if not the premier facilities in the midwest, not just Indiana! It should be done now, but when it is, it will be the best track most racers and fans will have a chance to enjoy.

I am like most others, I wish it was ready now!:thumb

3 million dollars will make any small dirt track look AWESOME.

They could have spent a lot less $$, expanded the old track, continued the existing wall around the track, and probably had a good number of shows in the books by now.

Me thinks the Mayor is trying to make himself look like a hero, I guess he needs the attention. All he has to do is sit back and figure how to spend the millions the City has in it's bank account.

No doubt it will be one of the finest facilities ever, but I am a little concerned how many good competitive local Sprints/Mod/Stock car shows will take place in '09 and beyond!

Only time will tell!

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

All in all, I think Cunningham is a well intentioned guy. No this track doesn't help the local racer unless some serious purse increases happen. Yet the change allowes for possibly a long future and bigger events that could help the local economy more than whats there now. (If this is good or bad, It's your view, Not mine)

Two more pretty much facts is the contractor is stonewalling, First with draining the water with a sump pump (Finally done) Now stating it's two wet but cranes have been on property hangin light poles.

Didn't I mention tarps for the pile three weeks ago?

I feel bad for the racers and everyone but I think the point in time of recovering Losses for Rudy is beyond reasonable. Either the city or contractor should step up if not vollentaraly. Then thru legal channels.

As I understand it, RPM has made every effort they know how to get the track done and operating to the point of doing it themselves but not being allowed too.

Sprint Week
 

Man, I'm getting a little concerned about the first two races of Sprint Week. Has anyone started a contingency plan?:confused: I can save a couple of vacation days if it starts at Gas City on the 11th.

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

i heard there was not enough clay on the pile to do the track. many more truck loads needed. we will see!!!

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

Originally Posted by Charles Nungester:
Yet the change allowes for possibly a long future and bigger events that could help the local economy more than whats there now.

The local economy needs help????? Chuck, the City has like 90 million in the bank, and has to find ways to spend all of the money they have, including helping neighboring communities, paving the streets with bricks, building new schools, Lawrenceburg International Speedway, etc.

Since the first renovations were finished, the 'Burg has hosted USAC Sprintweek, All Stars sprints/Fall Classic, WoO Sprints, WoO Late Models, Lucas Oil Late Models, and guess what, there were 100's of seats available for ALL of those shows. Now if Rudy is able to get more people in the seats, and get 6 or 7,000 to show up at these races, then kudos’ :applaud:to him.

Bigger shows mean bigger ticket prices, and people just don't like to fork out that much money for one race. A $35-40 ticket for a "Big Show" can also get you into 4 regular/local shows, and you could see just as an exciting race (or 4) at those events.

The City could have shared that money spent (wasted?) on the new track with some of the other Indiana tracks. (hate to sound like a democrat, lol)

From the Bloomington Speedway "Riding the Rim" April newsletter.
"A few fans ask every year about new bleachers and this is something we have checked on. It is a whole lot more than just bleachers we are talking removing all existing concrete adding drainage new concrete on a hillside and the seats but with a price tag in excess of $200,000 it is not in the near future unless we can find a really big sponsor, win the lottery or get approval for a river boat in the creek. We will keep repairing!"

The 'burg has spent that much on landscaping alone.

:confused:

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

That was kinda dumb Chuck talking about helping the economy. But you're workin' that PR angle.

Re: Lights are on at Lawrenceburg!!
 

Originally Posted by SPRINTCAR:
That was kinda dumb Chuck talking about helping the economy. But you're workin' that PR angle.

I am sure not a "Chuck" defender, (ez not my yob) but I am going to guess that the local business like gas stations, restuarants, hotels and of course liquor stores might agree that the new track "could" bring them more business? Maybe?

All I know is it sure looks like it is gonna be a racey joint and I am sure excited to see a race there whenever it finally happens.:thumb