Tucson Raceway has new owners

[SStockDart]

I see that Tucson Dragstrip sold to new owners........I know nothing more than that and do not know the new owners.......but, it could be good news for us in Arizona.

http://sirace.com/

[SStockDart]

It seems that I am the only one that didn't already know that the same group that owns IHRA is now the new owners of Tucson.

[Jeff Lee]

Wow, lots of changes in Arizona drag racing in the last year!!!

[Stock726]

Wow, lots of changes in Arizona drag racing in the last year!!!

And so far, none are for the better......

[HawkBrosMav]

Originally Posted by Stock726

And so far, none are for the better......

The only change we can 100% say is not for the better is Speedworld closing. The rest of the changes can be judged for better or worse in the future. Unless you can point out why any other change is for the worse lets wait to judge, support the remaining two tracks, and be thankful we can race 12 months a year in AZ.

Matt

[chris ok]

Tucson is not Speedworld?
Sorry I'm from Long Island where we lost all 3 drag strips and our neighbors and gov't want us all off the Island to be replaced by new and better neighbors. Heck, some of the newbys here have even told me that, lol. really.
Good luck out there, hang in tight. The IHRA people did a wonderful job with PBIR, I have seen the before and after visiting my mom who lives 15 minutes from the track.

[Jeff Lee]

Arizona currently has (2) dragstrips.

1) Wild Horse (formerly Firebird), re-opening later this year? It's in the metro-Phoenix area. NHRA track.
2) Tucson - It's in Tucson which is approximately 3 hours or so south of the metro-Phoenix area. IHRA track.

Gone are:

1) Speedworld. Run into the ground by a greedy, self-serving SOB of an owner that never really wanted it. The drag-strip just came with the MX track he wanted. Ran the drag strip to often (sometimes 3x per week) and discovered "all night party madness" was a great profit center that really had nothing to do with drag racing and everything to do with young adults paying to party in the desert with DJ's, drugs, alcohol and of course the ensuing arrests that call attention to the track that you didn't really need.

2) Beeline. It was AHRA. Last race 1979? On Indian land around Mesa, AZ. (Still in metro-Phoenix). Continuous conflict with the track operator and the tribe with the tribe alleging that the operator wasn't paying the contracted percentage of proceeds. On top of that, the operator was hiring Arizona State University athletes as security and there was some issue with that. It was all a big mess and the operation folded. I started racing there at the "Midnight Drags". We'd go cruising Central Avenue Friday (or was it Saturday?) nights and around 11:30 P.M. we'd head over Beeline and race until 3-4 in the morning. Way fun!!!

[GarysZ24]

Originally Posted by HawkBrosMav

The only change we can 100% say is not for the better is Speedworld closing. The rest of the changes can be judged for better or worse in the future. Unless you can point out why any other change is for the worse lets wait to judge, support the remaining two tracks, and be thankful we can race 12 months a year in AZ.

Matt

I'm with you on this one Matt, and now it's looking better and better for IHRA to have their own Pro-Am points series for their D7 (which so far doesn't include any tracks where the tow far exceeds 500 miles from Phoenix like NHRA's D7 does)! I'm also glad that since IRG bought SIR, then NHRA won't have a chance to get it back (like they did RMR, in Salt Lake City)! 2014 may very well be a very good year to look forward to for Az., class/sportsman racers (especially those of us with lighter wallets)!!!

After talking with Scooter Peaco yesterday, and Frank Kohutek today, the Pro-Am series for IHRA's D7 is in the works, and I (for one) am excited about the possibility of it!!!

[SStockDart]

Gary, this is the response and the note I sent to IHRA



Thanks for your email, Gary. I have passed it along to the CEO and track GM.

Cheers,
______________________________

Aidy Alonzo | Vice President, Marketing & Communications
IRG Sports + Entertainment™
Palm Beach International Raceway™
Memphis International Raceway™
IHRA Motorsports™

Direct: 561.578.5638 | Main: 561.622.1400
17133 Beeline Hwy, Jupiter, FL 33478

AAlonzo@IRGSE.com | www.IRGSE.com

www.RacePBIR.com | www.RaceMIR.com | www.IHRA.com


From: PoisonDartRacing@aol.com [mailto:PoisonDartRacing@aol.com]
Sent: Friday, August 02, 2013 9:41 PM
To: INFO - IRG
Subject: Arizona Racers



Greetings, My name is Gary Hansen, an NHRA racer. We live in the Phoenix Metro area.
I just read that you purchased the track in Tucson.....I think that is great news.

The purpose of my email is to inform you of the Speedworld dragstrip that recently closed in the Phoenix area. Since we live only a few miles from Speedworld, I was obviously disappointed to see it close. It appears to me that their are some political issues that couldn't get worked out, and the prior operator got into a pizzing contest with the county. (that never works out).....I contacted the country in hopes of keeping the track open....The response I got was that it had gone to far and their was no turning back with the current operator.

You now have the Tucson track, and El Paso (290 miles from Tucson)....If......just if, you could acquire the Speedworld track, that would give you access to over 6 million people. Additionally, many of the Southern California racers are only a few hours away.

Best of good fortune with IHRA and the Tucson track.....and maybe you would consider looking into the Speedworld facility.

Sincerely,



Gary Hansen
NHRA Super Stock 4911
NHRA Stock 4911

[Jeff Lee]

Gary H.,
If you don't have contact info for Victoria Griffey, I do.
She was track mgr @ speed world for ever. She got out before the poop hit the fan. She was not the problem, did-poop Dan M. was.
Let me know if you need her for anything. She knows the ins and outs of that track and all the legal dealings like no other!