[IndyBound]

I found this on another message board and thought I would share it with you.

All-Star Speedway stripped of its NASCAR sanction after weekend calamity.
Finally, Bobby MacArthur lived up to his self-prescribed nickname, "The Showstoppa."

All-Star Speedway was stripped of its NASCAR sanction on Thursday, just days after the track canceled a program following a low turnout for racing last Saturday night.

A total of only 15 cars showed up that night for a scheduled NASCAR Whelen All-American series racing program at the Epping, N. H. track run by MacArthur.

"We don't comment on specifics of our agrrements with our track," NASCAR spokesperson Jason Christley said in an e-mail. "There were several issues that have caused our terminating the sanction agreement, effective immediately. We wish Bobby Mac Arthur the best of luck."

Competitors at All-Star are beeing notiified of the change via letters NASCAR sent out on Thursday. According to Christley, they were informed that they will keep their NASCAR points to date towards the NWAAS standings and they will receive their NASCAR point fund money based on standings to date.

MacArthur, of Beverly, Mass., was arrested in late May for writing fraudulent checks, checks believed to have been made out to PASS president Tom Mayberry.

"I can't and won't comment on the situation, but let's wait 'til the truth comes out in court about the situation," MacArthur wrote on an internet message board at the time of the arrest, under his psydoneum "Showstoppa." "It's not always what you read, and its never what its perceived to be."

"There's an awful lot (more) to the story than any of you would know, and I can't wait until the truth comes out."

MacArthur has been battling with town officials in Epping, N. H. since before the start of the season. After a warrant was issued for his arrest for the bad checks, totaling more than $25,000, he was arrested when he went to the town hall to pay a weekly $500 fee for money he owed the Epping Police Department for providing security at races in 2008.

Many of you may be asking yourself why I wanted to share this with you, it's a NASCAR track, actually Star Speewdway is where every New England Supermodified Star has cut their teeth. Star has been the home to the Star Classic for supermodifieds the weekend after the Oswego Classic for years. To say that race is probably a big question mark at this time in my opinion is anybodies guess. Rumor has it that the track will revert back to the Webber family and that Bob Webber and Russ Conway two long time respected names in the New England racing community will promote the All-Star/Star Classic this year. What kind of an up hill battle will they be facing to try to promote racing at this N. H. track? From what I have heard thru the rumor mill not all teams have been paid for running the 2008 All-Star Classic yet.

I felt I should share this with you all because of some of the recent threads on the IOW board, we are all passionate for open wheel racing on this board, some tend to ***** more than others about low car counts or track conditions on any given night, tire monopolies and the high cost of racing.

As this saga plays out in New England many of my personal friends once again find themselves with expensive race cars that they use to be able to run within an hour or so of their homes, if All Star Speedway is lost for good, they will be left with Lee Speedway 10 miles away which I believe only runs one ISMA super race a year. I didn't check the schedule before starting this thread. The point I am trying to make is what chance do you think the New England car owners will have to sell those race cars with no local tracks to run? As I said in an earlier thread this week your favorite race track can be gone in a blink of an eye. For anyone that thinks that is a negative statement, it is simply a statement of what I have seen happend in racing this year, Manzy gone, Jennerstown closed - for sale, Mansfield's fate in question, and All-Star Speedways fate in question.

I can not emphasize how important it is right now to support your favorite form of auto racing. If you haven't met your favorite racer introduce yourself at the next race you go to, be sure to thank them for the time, effort and money they spend on racing. Do the same with the owner or track promoter of your favorite track. My personal belief is the face of racing is changing faster than we can keep up with, no ones favorite track is safe.

Be thankful for what you have!!!!

Patti

[Andrew S. Quinn]

We were just talking about Star when the New England crowd showed up for Sprintweek. I used to go to Star every year for the Classic,and the NEMA races as well.

Star has been on the decline for many years now,and the last time I went there (probably 2004) there were nowhere near as many cars in the pits as there had been for weekly races in years past. Last time I was at the Classic,I got there early for a good seat,and as it turned out I could have gotten there late and still got a good seat.

Its sad to see a track go downhill like that I always thought they got a pretty good crowd for the weekly shows,but thats gone way down over the years. I dont think it helped any when they stopped running Supers on a weekly basis,and from my terrible memory,350 supers too. Star has been a Supermod track,and not a stock car fans track from my point of view.

Ask Ovalmeister about the Star Classic when half the lights went out on about the 50th lap after having wires sparking on the frontstretch for 15 laps or so.

[Ovalmeister]

Originally Posted by Andrew S. Quinn Ask Ovalmeister about the Star Classic when half the lights went out on about the 50th lap after having wires sparking on the frontstretch for 15 laps or so.

Andrew, if I'm not mistaken, I think that's the first time we ever met? That was a wierd night, wires near the crowd were arcing and sparking and they just kept on racing, so we just kept on watching, then bang the lights went out! All we heard was a field of supermodifieds get real quiet.
Anyway, it is so sad about Star Speedway. There is (was?) a campground, with a river running through it, about halfway between Star and Lee speedways. My wife and I used to set up shop every Friday afternoon at the campground and then go to Lee on Friday night, camp out, drink too much and go to Star on Saturdays.
Saw an awful lot of great NEMA midget action and supermodified action there. I have some decent photos from back then, maybe I'll post a few when I get a few minutes to scan 'em.
Patti is right, with Manzy, Star and others, you just never know. Really sad, lots of great memories of Star and Manzy.
David.

[Andrew S. Quinn]

Originally Posted by Ovalmeister Andrew, if I'm not mistaken, I think that's the first time we ever met? That was a wierd night, wires near the crowd were arcing and sparking and they just kept on racing, so we just kept on watching, then bang the lights went out! All we heard was a field of supermodifieds get real quiet.

Yeah it was the first time we met,after a post by you on the SCRA board if I remember right. The next time we met up was at Scarborough Maine's Beech Ridge Motor Speedway for a NEMA race. As I recall John Dadalt was there too from Ct most likely he was there with Rick Nash and a couple others from CT that always went to the races together.


PS you sure it wasnt at the nudist resort nearby Lee that you went to??

[Ovalmeister]

Originally Posted by Andrew S. Quinn PS you sure it wasnt at the nudist resort nearby Lee that you went to??

Well, come to think of it.....there was a lot of beer and nudity when I was there! Damn mosquitos. Sorry for the visual. ahhhh good times!
David

[IndyBound]

Andrew and David, I never realized you both hang out at so many of the race tracks I have spent my life at. I still try to get to a New England track whenever I am back east to see ISMA and NEMA run and consider myself extremely lucky if they are scheduled on the same race event.

My hope is that Bob Webber and Russ Conway can turn things around, if rumors are true.

Patti

[Andrew S. Quinn]

I USED to go to those tracks when I lived in Maine. After growing up with a steady diet of stock cars at Oxford Plains Speedway,in later years I went to as many NEMA races as possible,and to the Star Classic,World Series at Thompson etc.

Took me awhile but I finally made it to Oswego for the Classic as well. When I was a teenager it seemed like Jim Shampine won there every week,and I'd read all about it the next week in New England Speedway Scene.

Since then I have seen the light,and moved to Indy. I have wanted to get back for the Vintage Celebration at NHIS,but the stars havent aligned for a trip back there in May yet. Maybe next year............

[Bostonian]

I read that the current guy aka "ShowStoppa" was arrested last spring on a felony "fraud by check" after writing a check for an event by a touring division. He lives about a mile from me here in MA and I laugh whenever I see his custom Ford F650 Pick up truck. Maybe if he put more into running his business and stop trying to live up to his self appointed nickname maybe he could make a go of it. He did put some $$ into repairs and upgrades