Gateway done!

[Adger Smith]

Bret,
Back about 10 years ago you and Tom were on a mission to locate/cataloge all known closed tracks in the country. How did that turn out? Care to add Memphis and Gateway to your works? :~)
I agree with Andys Dad that you could manage and run a facility and show up some of these Corp. know it all's. As a former track owner/operator I have the ego and drive that says: it can be done!!
But sometimes businesses (race tracks included) are built and the finances set up with the intention of closing at some time down the road. Just one case I know about: Go back in the 70's and look at the corp that built Dallas International. I have some worthless paper that was stock in that venture. HA! Anybody want to give me face value on it?

[Bret Kepner]

Whalen, PM sent to you; I wasn't counting White Hall since it was sixty miles out.

Adger, it's still a work in progress but it's closer to being done than ever.

As for Gateway, anybody who can come up with a way to make money with $4.3M in taxes in place each year before the gates ever open is more than welcome to buy the place and give it a shot.

[Greg Hill]

The way to make money is to buy the place at auction and get the taxes reduced based on what you paid for it. The best run racetracks that I see are owner operated tracks with little or no debt. When large corporations get in the race track business their expectations of return are generally not met. How many drag strips in the country could service 20 or 30 million in debt and make a profit?

[k.pascoe]

To be honest with you guys and gals. The place went to hell as soon as they built the new facility. The old track always had better personality, and it always hooked harder!! I could go down the old track with my eyes closed, many times we did. (no lights from 800 ft. on down on many Sat. nights).

Bret, Someone needs to call the SCCA to bale out the Swamp again!!!

[69camz28]

Bret - what are you thoughts on the new MAR? Do you think it's really going to happen?

[JWhalen58]

[QUOTE=k.pascoe;220219]To be honest with you guys and gals. The place went to hell as soon as they built the new facility. The old track always had better personality, and it always hooked harder!! I could go down the old track with my eyes closed, many times we did. (no lights from 800 ft. on down on many Sat. nights).

I always felt that way too.

[Bret Kepner]

Originally Posted by k.pascoe

Bret, Someone needs to call the SCCA to bail out the Swamp again!!!

That didn't work very well the last time they tried it.

69camz28, I have no idea.

[Andys dad]

Not necessarily related but I remember when they decided to destroy a perfectly good well run multi-purpose facility here in Southern California.

Ontario Motor Speedway- Opened in 1970 and was regarded as one of the finest motorsports facilities of the period. It was torn down only a decade later, however, because the property was needed for commercial developement.

So - just like that gone in 60 seconds.

The ironic part is - twenty years later they built a new multi-purpose racing facility virtually within ear shot called California Speedway (Fontana)

Go figure

[michael mercer]

There was a track at Pacific ,Mo. and one at Nashville, Il back in the mid 60's. I think Pacific was AHRA and Nashville NHRA. I know Wayne 'tiny' Minert(spelling?) owned the track at Nashville.

[k.pascoe]

[QUOTE=Bret Kepner;220263]That didn't work very well the last time they tried it.

Um Bret,

SCCA- Rich gear-heads with cars that make left and rights turns - Drag strip open.

Dover Downs inc.- Bean counters, stock holders - Drag strip closed.