Sad News -- Indiana Fairground Mile track last season

[chupp n bloomer fan]

Been talk of putting a track near downtown, but I think that’s totally a pipe dream. Them people are paying too much to deal with someone throwing a race track near downtown. Cooper Stadium was one place, but I’m pretty sure that is a no go.

[CIRF]

cnbf, yep it is/was at the state fairgrounds, just a hop, skip & jump from the old hockey arena. Sad if the track is gone as we looked forward to AMA's race every year while I worked in Columbus and it never disappointed.
Loved the Checkers' hockey games too. A good blend of my 2 favorite sports, racing all summer, hockey all winter.

over4T, how long has it been since the flat trackers raced at Columbus?

I looked on Google Earth at the Ohio State Fairgrounds and there is no track of any kind on the site I looked at.

[Clayton_Wetter]

My quote option won't work again so I'll have to wing it.

thexfactor0210, dirt lates on a mile may be a pipe dream but it's a good one. I remember well Kenny Schrader, Racin' John Mason and Jack Hewitt driving into turn #1 at Springfield 3 abreast and Schrader was the only one who had sense enough to lift. Jack told me years later that the reason Schrader lifted was because Schrader was afraid to die and he and Mason wasn't! I think Jack was serious. LOLOL! Most of the SLM guys that ran the mile's didn't look comfortable but what do I know, I was just setting in the stands. We saw some good late model racing on the Indy Mile, too.



Clay, please expand on why you think racing Cup cars on dirt would be the death of NASCAR? The ARCA guys have been running the dirt miles for over 30 years in basically the same cars as the Cup guys use and they have put on some phenomenally good racing, year in, year out. I really believe the Cup cars on a dirt mile would be a great show and would bring in huge interest from short track/dirt track fans. I could be wrong but if losing interest like NASCAR has over the past decade is to be corrected dirt may be part of the answer. I know I'd show up.



cnbf, I believe you are correct. AMA runs mile tracks at Springfield, Illinois-Minneapolis, Minnesota-Lexington, Kentucky-Medowlands New Jersey-Sacramento, California but no Columbus, Ohio. AMA has a big booth set up at The Chili Bowl every year and we hang out with those guys a little bit throughout the 6 days. It's surprising how diverse of a schedule the flat track series runs. I believe the AMA has their awards banquet in Columbus every year so it's surprising they haven't found a place to race there during the season.

CIRF, I can't see any reason that NASCAR would have any success on dirt. Crowds= NO, locations= NO. Building separate cars for dirt= NO. Just what would work in your opinion.

ARCA is a smaller venue, where crowds at smaller blacktop or dirt tracks can be 6,000 fans or even less.

[CIRF]

CIRF, I can't see any reason that NASCAR would have any success on dirt. Crowds= NO, locations= NO. Building separate cars for dirt= NO. Just what would work in your opinion.

ARCA is a smaller venue, where crowds at smaller blacktop or dirt tracks can be 6,000 fans or even less.

Granted, even as sad as the Cup crowds are these days ARCA doesn't command the crowds that Cup does but I don't think the comparison is pertinent. How do you know the Cup Cars on dirt wouldn't fill up a place like Du Quoin, which holds around 15,000 total and could probably be expanded to 25,000 relatively easily and inexpensively. I believe they would sell out a facility of that size. I'm guessing now, but I'd bet 25,000 is more asses than they get in seats for some races on the schedule now.

They have adequate camping at Du Quoin and there is an airport with jet service capability up to a 757 just down the road at Carbondale, Illinois. St. Louis airport is just under 1 1/2 hours from Du Quoin.

The ARCA teams have never built dirt specific cars to run Springfield & Du Quoin. The ARCA teams use their short track cars to run the dirt races. Naturally the Cup teams would have to do some modifications to the cars to run the dirt miles but from what I've gathered from talking to some of the ARCA guys over the years it's not all that extensive.

If a Cup race at a place like Du Quoin caught on like I believe it would and there was money to be made someone would step up and find a way to get a race at somewhere like Knoxville, Iowa or even Springfield. Springfield's stands only hold 12,000 so they'd have to put up temporary stands and they'd have to build a usable pit road. However, if there is money to be made the possibilities are pretty much wide open.

[dmr37]

Columbus had a track until a few years ago. It was replaced by a soccer field.

[chupp n bloomer fan]

Columbus had a track until a few years ago. It was replaced by a soccer field.

Yes, Columbus Motor Speedway, off of Alum Creek. 1/3 mile asphalt. I meant an arena type place was in talks with Jeff Gordon as a backer. Live about 25 minutes from there and never went. Not an asphalt guy. The Knuckles who owned it, I think that’s there name, said it was still profitable. But the next generation wanted nothing to do with it, so they sold it.

Crazy thing is, I worked their last year putting in storm drainage all around the track and parking area. Very little is left of it. My company did most of the changes, improvements. It’s called Fortress to anyone wondering. And they have spent some cash.

[over4T]

The Columbus track was operating until at least the late 1960s when I left the area in '69. Made me cringe when dmr37 said it was replaced with a soccer field. Is nothing sacred?

[over4T]

Maybe that's track dmr37 was talking about. They ran Sunday nights when I was there and were the last leg of the weekend for the Late Models when they were real Chevelles, Camaros, Fairlanes, etc. Friday nights over near Dayton, Saturdays at Zanesville with very good racing and a packed house at Columbus. If you got there when hot laps started you probably stood all night. Don Gregory, Carl Smith D!ck Freeman, Neal Sceva, Ralph O'Day and a real who's who of stock car racing in Ohio. First met Benny Parsons there with a yellow Torino when he was champ in ARCA. Fond memories.

[chupp n bloomer fan]

Maybe that's track dmr37 was talking about. They ran Sunday nights when I was there and were the last leg of the weekend for the Late Models when they were real Chevelles, Camaros, Fairlanes, etc. Friday nights over near Dayton, Saturdays at Zanesville with very good racing and a packed house at Columbus. If you got there when hot laps started you probably stood all night. Don Gregory, Carl Smith D!ck Freeman, Neal Sceva, Ralph O'Day and a real who's who of stock car racing in Ohio. First met Benny Parsons there with a yellow Torino when he was champ in ARCA. Fond memories.

He is talking about Columbus Motor Speedway on the SE side of Columbus. Third mile, just outside of Groveport I think it is.

I wanna say there’s a semi pro soccer team there also. I think they do football too. It is nice, but the family had no one to hand it off too. And I’m sure instead of selling it as a race track, they sold it commercially and made more money.

A shame, but is what it is I guess. A state of the art track just outside of downtown wouldn’t be a bad idea, but I don’t see it ever happening. Columbus closed, Mansfield as an asphalt track failed, so who knows. Wanna say Kil Kare possibly closed.

[ZERO25]

Nascar on a 1 mile track would be like watching paint dry!

Make'm run Macon, Fairbury, or Eastbay.....then we would see a show!

[Clayton_Wetter]

Granted, even as sad as the Cup crowds are these days ARCA doesn't command the crowds that Cup does but I don't think the comparison is pertinent. How do you know the Cup Cars on dirt wouldn't fill up a place like Du Quoin, which holds around 15,000 total and could probably be expanded to 25,000 relatively easily and inexpensively. I believe they would sell out a facility of that size. I'm guessing now, but I'd bet 25,000 is more asses than they get in seats for some races on the schedule now.

They have adequate camping at Du Quoin and there is an airport with jet service capability up to a 757 just down the road at Carbondale, Illinois. St. Louis airport is just under 1 1/2 hours from Du Quoin.

The ARCA teams have never built dirt specific cars to run Springfield & Du Quoin. The ARCA teams use their short track cars to run the dirt races. Naturally the Cup teams would have to do some modifications to the cars to run the dirt miles but from what I've gathered from talking to some of the ARCA guys over the years it's not all that extensive.

If a Cup race at a place like Du Quoin caught on like I believe it would and there was money to be made someone would step up and find a way to get a race at somewhere like Knoxville, Iowa or even Springfield. Springfield's stands only hold 12,000 so they'd have to put up temporary stands and they'd have to build a usable pit road. However, if there is money to be made the possibilities are pretty much wide open.

Another thing is the racing format itself. Since they only run a feature would they still run 400 or 500 miles or are they going to run something like 100 laps and expect fans to fly or drive all that distance for what might be a 40 minute race???

Just think of how bad a condition the track would always wind up getting into, where as blacktop stays basically the same except it's temperature and some minor rubbering.

[CIRF]

Another thing is the racing format itself. Since they only run a feature would they still run 400 or 500 miles or are they going to run something like 100 laps and expect fans to fly or drive all that distance for what might be a 40 minute race???

Just think of how bad a condition the track would always wind up getting into, where as blacktop stays basically the same except it's temperature and some minor rubbering.

Du Quoin has Musco track lighting thus the bulk of the racing can be run at night. I attended many 200 mile ARCA races at Du Quoin and the track stayed in acceptable condition and those were day races.

It's feasible for them to run a similar event schedule as the truck do at Eldora. They could have Reece O'Connor, Tommy Helfrich and Bob Sargent on hand to do their magic track prep. Tri-State is less than 2 hours from Du Quoin so getting Tommy's equipment over to The Magic Mile wouldn't be a logistical nightmare. Backgate Bob Sargent prepares the mile dirt at Springfield for day races year in and year out with minimal dust. I know I've attended every race Bob has ever held at Springfield.

The ARCA guys do a full hour of practice, 2 lap single car qualifying, sportsman 25 miler and the 100 mile ARCA Allen Crowe Memorial all during the daytime 'cause Springfield doesn't have lights. The track seems to hold up pretty well in spite of all that racing.

It can be done, Clay. I'd bet you'd think about attending if they ever did, wouldn't you!!! Hahahahaha!!

[Clayton_Wetter]

Do all NASCAR fans still stand up all of the race???? lol

Or since it isn't crowded anymore do they just sit down since they are not blocking anyone's view anymore.

[CIRF]

Do all NASCAR fans still stand up all of the race???? lol

Or since it isn't crowded anymore do they just sit down since they are not blocking anyone's view anymore.

Don't know, Clay. I haven't been to a Cup race since 1999. At that time they stood during the green flag segments and sat down during the yellow flag periods.

I think there is plenty of truth in your sarcasm, Clay. I've always believed those inbred mouth breathing dim wits that stood the whole race did it because they got some weird satisfaction from pissing normal, non mouth breathing people off.

[Highwayman]

Just saw where this will be the last season Usac Silver Crown will run at the Indy Fairgrounds as they are turning it into parking and horse harness track. I think this leaves only two miles in the country now with Springfield and Sacramento???

Anyone think we will ever see another late model race at one of those tracks? It was cool to see it once a year.

This is blasphemous. Parking and harness racing, what a total slap in the face and in Indiana of all places. They should know better. I wonder sometimes how much racing will be left in this country after the "Snow Flake" generation gets done criminalizing and "UN-friending" everything except the next $1K gadget. From panty waste electric cars, to appliances that spy on you. So glad I'm a Gen-X and got to see a lot of great racing before the sissy's derided everything for being "Toxic-ally Masculine". I'm ranting, but this just blows, not just for open wheel but for all of dirt racing. I'm heart broken...